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(Miss)Understood
Studio album by Ayumi Hamasaki
Released	January 1, 2006 (Japan, Taiwan)
Recorded	Prime Sound Studio Form (Tokyo, Japan) Sony Music Studios (New York, USA) Mixing and mastering studios: avex studio azabu, Bunkamura Studio, Hitokuchizaka Studio, Cresente Studio, Westside, Aobadai Studio, Sound City, Victor
Genre	J-pop
Length	66:32
Label	Avex Trax
Producer	Max Matsuura
Ayumi Hamasaki chronology
My Story (2004) (Miss)understood (2006) Secret (2006)
Alternate Cover
CD+DVD Cover
Singles from (Miss)understood
"Step You/Is This Love?" Released: April 20, 2005 "Fairyland" Released: August 3, 2005 "Heaven" Released: September 14, 2005 "Bold & Delicious/Pride" Released: November 30, 2005

	"Bold & Delicious" (2005) Hamasaki took new directions on (miss)understood, as epitomized by the single "Bold & Delicious", a funk-influenced song that used a gospel-style chorus.
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(Miss)understood is Ayumi Hamasaki's seventh full-length studio album produced by Max Matsuura. Its official release date was January 1, 2006, but started appearing in stores on December 28, 2005, the last Wednesday of the year. It was recognized by the RIAJ as one of The Best 10 Albums of the Year for 2006^[1] and by the IFPI as #4 on the list of top 10 selling albums in Japan of 2006.^[2] According to the Oricon, it is the 8th best selling album of 2006 with sales of 877,433 copies sold^[3]

[edit] Background and production

In 2005, after hearing demo tracks from band Sweetbox's then-upcoming album Addicted, Hamasaki "fell in love" with the songs and consequently asked Sweetbox's composer GEO if she could use some of the songs for her album. GEO agreed and gave Hamasaki permission to use "Bold & Delicious", "Pride", "Ladies Night", "In the Corner", "Every Step", and "Beautiful Girl".^[4][5] Hamasaki then set to work rewriting the lyrics and rearranging parts of songs.^[6][7]

[edit] Themes and musical style

Whereas My Story, Hamasaki's preceding album, had contained mostly "autobiographical" lyrics and "musings about [her] past", (miss)understood was a "strong message to send to all women": it was a kind of "girl's talk" to give "moral support" while at the same time reminding women that there would be times when they would "feel weak and low".^[8] "Bold & Delicious" "scolded indecisive men", "Pride" expressed Hamasaki's appreciation of "women who do not give up easily", and "Ladies Night" was about female camaraderie. Other themes appeared as well: "Is This Love?" and "Heaven" were about love, and "Fairyland" was about "childhood memories".

The album was more musically diverse than its predecessor; Hamasaki incorporated a variety of musical styles including R&B, rock, dance-pop, funk.^[8] "Bold & Delicious" was a funk-infused dance track that used a gospel choir in the harmony, and "Pride" was a ballad song that "sounded like it could be from a musical"; the arrangement of both songs were influenced by Hamasaki's trip to New York City to record the songs and film their respective music videos.^[6] An organ Hamasaki heard while visiting a church inspired her to include the gospel choir in "Bold", while the musical The Phantom of the Opera influenced her arrangement of "Pride".^[6] "Criminal", "Step You", "Alterna", and the titular "(Miss)understood" were all rock songs with prominent electric guitars, while "Heaven" was an "ethereal" piano-driven ballad.^[9] As with "Bold & Delicious" and "Pride", other songs composed by GEO were rearranged; violins were added to the bridge of "Rainy Day", and a choir was added to the chorus of "Beautiful Day".

[edit] Extras

The initial pressings of the album included two photobooks—one for the CD version (entitled off my day), and another for the CD+DVD version (entitled on my way). The DVD version included all PVs that were made for her 2005 releases (excluding My Name's Women)—Step You, Is This Love?, Fairyland, Alterna, Heaven, Bold & Delicious and Pride, as well as an alternative PV for Bold & Delicious (called the “Side story"). Two new PVs were also included—Ladies Night and Rainy Day made their debut on the disc. Behind-the-scenes clips for Step You, Is This Love?, Fairyland, Alterna, Heaven and Pride feature also. The song "Rainy Day" was used as the ending theme for the game "Onimusha: Dawn Of Dreams".

[edit] Sales

In 2007, Avex reported that (miss)understood sold 1,030,000 copies in Japan.^[10]

(Miss)understood was certified million by RIAJ in sales and was recognized for having more than a million copies shipped to store.^[11] On the Oricon Charts, (miss)understood failed to break a million selling only a little under 900,000. The total sales number of the album's singles comes to a total of 1,122,107. The album sales and the single sales combined come to a grand sales revenue of 1,999,540 CDs sold.

[edit] CD track listing

1. Bold & Delicious – 4:40
2. Step You – 4:24
3. Ladies Night – 4:29
4. Is This Love? – 4:51
5. (Miss)understood – 4:02
6. Alterna – 5:28
7. In the Corner – 3:22
8. Tasking – 1:25
9. Criminal – 5:13
10. Pride – 4:10
11. Will – 4:07
12. Heaven – 4:18
13. Are You Wake Up? – 2:05
14. Fairyland – 5:17
15. Beautiful Day – 4:34
16. Rainy Day – 4:01

[edit] DVD track listing

1. Step You <Video Clip>
2. Is This Love? <Video Clip>
3. Fairyland <Video Clip>
4. Alterna <Video Clip>
5. Heaven <Video Clip>
6. Bold & Delicious <Video Clip>
7. Pride <Video Clip>
8. Rainy Day <Video Clip>
9. Ladies Night <Video Clip>
10. Bold & Delicious - Side Story <Album Version>
11. Step You <Making Of>
12. Is This Love? <Making Of>
13. Fairyland <Making Of>
14. Alterna <Making Of>
15. Heaven <Making Of>
16. Pride <Making Of>

[edit] Charts

• Total Sales: 877,500 (Japan)
• Total Sales: 1,030,000 (Avex)
• Total Sales: 1,800,000 (Asia)

[edit] Singles

Total Single Sales: 1,121,690

Total Album and Single Sales: 1,999,123

[edit] References

[edit] Notes