Takura Kimura’s First Album in Two Years Sees Sales Drop Below Half of His Solo Debut

Former SMAP member Kimura Takuya released his third album, SEE YOU THERE, on August 14. The album, featuring renowned artists such as Yoshida Takuro, Takeuchi Mariya, and Domoto Tsuyoshi of KinKi Kids, fell short of the sales from his previous two albums on its first day, according to Oricon’s ranking.

After SMAP disbanded at the end of 2016, Kimura released his first solo album, Go with the Flow, in January 2020. His second album, Next Destination, released in January 2022, was followed by a longer break, making SEE YOU THERE his highly anticipated release after two years and seven months.

In addition to Yoshida, Takeuchi, and Domoto, the album’s music production includes contributions from artists such as AI, Uru, Kubota Toshinobu, and Ryota Yanagisawa from SUPER BEAVER. Long-time friend and entertainer Akashiya Sanma wrote the lyrics for the song “Menu.”

 

Reasons Behind Kimura Takuya’s Ongoing Struggles Despite His Fame

“When the details of the album were announced, the inclusion of many big names led some internet users to comment, ‘Even if the album is made with famous artists, it lacks originality. Does this person lack confidence in his own singing?’ There were also complaints from fans, with some saying, ‘It’s always the same people, there’s no evolution or new chemistry, so it’s not exciting,'” says an entertainment writer.

“SEE YOU THERE” was released in four versions: Limited Editions A and B, Regular Edition, and Crew Edition (fan club exclusive). On August 13, it debuted at number one on the daily rankings, maintaining Kimura’s reputation. Although it sold 44,124 copies on the first day, “the numbers have been gradually declining since the first album,” according to the same source.

“The first album “Go with the Flow” sold about 65,000 copies on its first day, and the second album “Next Destination” sold about 46,000 copies (45,593 copies). While there wasn’t a drastic drop from the previous record on the first day, the album hasn’t made a significant impact despite gathering prominent figures,” the source added.

Was the count for the fan-exclusive Crew Edition not included?

In addition to the three versions available in general CD stores (Limited Editions A and B, Regular Edition), the SEE YOU THERE album also offers a fan club-exclusive Crew Edition. This edition is only available for purchase through the Family Club Store online shop for Kimura’s fan club members.

Furthermore, the Crew Edition features a special offer titled “TAKUYA KIMURA Live Tour 2024 SEE YOU THERE Concert Ticket C&C Secret Menu.” It includes a chance to participate in the “C&C Secret Menu” event, which will be held after the concerts of the TAKUYA KIMURA Live Tour 2024 SEE YOU THERE, running from September 29 to December 25. According to Victor Entertainment, Kimura’s record label, this initiative will invite “50 people from each location, totaling 250 people, with concert tickets included.”

“The application period for the “C&C Secret Menu” was from June 21 to July 12, before the album’s release. Regardless of the number of purchases, fans could only apply once per venue. It seems that fans who wanted to participate in the concert or post-performance event might have ordered the Crew Edition in advance. Given the initial Oricon figures, it appears that Crew Edition sales may not have been reflected yet in the numbers.”

Ultimately, SEE YOU THERE sold 55,000 copies in its first week, ranking number one on the Oricon weekly album chart as of August 26. This marks Kimura’s third consecutive number one album and his third album overall to top the chart. However, the first album, Go with the Flow, sold 127,000 copies in its first week, indicating a drop to less than half of that figure over four years. It didn’t even surpass the 71,000 copies sold by his second album, Next Destination, in its first week, setting a new low for Kimura’s first-week sales.

Since turning solo, Kimura has not appeared on major music programs, and his songs have not permeated the public as much. Will he encounter a representative song in his future artistic endeavors?