"Kite" (カイト) is the 58th single by Japanese boy band Arashi. It was released on July 29, 2020, through J Storm. The release was announced on their Johnny's official page,[1] as well as on their social media profiles.[2]

"Kite"
Single by Arashi
from the album This Is Arashi
B-side
  • "Journey to Harmony"
  • "Sounds of Joy"
  • "Bokura no Hibi"
ReleasedJuly 29, 2020 (2020-07-29)
Length4:43
LabelJ Storm
Songwriter(s)Kenshi Yonezu
Arashi singles chronology
"In the Summer"
(2020)
"Kite"
(2020)
"Whenever You Call"
(2020)

Background

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The song "Kite" served as the theme song for NHK's coverage of the 2020 Summer Olympics, including the special program "2020 Stadium" (2020スタジアム) hosted by the group.[3] It was first performed in 70th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen, December 31, 2019.[4]

"Journey to Harmony", the other song included in the single, was performed as a celebratory song for the enthronement of the new Emperor, in November 2019.[5] It is the third part of a 13-minute composition called "Ray of water".

Content and promotion

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"Kite" was released on July 29, 2020. The single was made available for pre-order on June 15, 2020. The limited edition comes in two versions, both held in an LP sized jacket and containing a DVD or Blu-ray with the music video and making-of video for "Kite", and a 16-page lyrics booklet.[6] A fan-club limited edition containing a 56-page book titled "2020 Arashi and Tokyo Sky" was also available for pre-order from June 15, 2020 to June 21, 2020, but sold out on the first day.[7] All three versions' covers were painted by member Satoshi Ohno.[8]

Arashi performed "Kite" on Music Station on July 24, 2020.[9]

Chart performance

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"Kite" debuted at number 86 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart on December 30, 2019, and rose to number 25 on January 13, 2020.[10][11]

On July 28, 2020, the single debuted at number one on the Oricon Daily Singles Chart, selling 680,797 copies on its first day.[12] "Kite" debuted at number one on the Oricon Singles Chart, with 910,000 copies sold in its first week. It became Arashi's 47th consecutive and 54th overall number-one single, extending their record of the most number-one singles in Japan. It also marked Arashi's largest opening sales week, surpassing their previous record of 756,000 copies with "Calling / Breathless" (2013).[13] On August 29, the single sold additional 138,007 copies, becoming the group's first single to sell a million copies by selling 1,111,451 copies.

Track listing

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Regular edition[6]
No.TitleLyricsMusicArrangementLength
1."Kite"Kenshi YonezuYonezu4:43
2."Journey to Harmony"Yoshikazu OkadaYoko KannoKanno5:29
3."Sounds of Joy"Funk Uchino
  • Susumu Kawaguchi
  • Andreas Ohrn
  • Henrik Smith
  • Kota Sahara
Tomoki Ishizuka4:17
4."Bokura no Hibi" (僕らの日々, "Our Days")Nai-TNai-THirofumi Sasaki4:13
5."Kite" (karaoke)    
6."Sounds of Joy" (karaoke)    
7."Bokura no Hibi" (karaoke)    
Limited edition CD[6]
No.TitleLength
1."Kite" 
Limited edition DVD/Blu-ray[6]
No.TitleLength
1."Kite" (music video and making of) 

Charts

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Chart (2020) Peak
position
Japan (Japan Hot 100)[14] 1
Japan (Oricon)[15] 1

References

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  1. ^ ニューシングル「カイト」2020年7月29日(水)発売決定!!. j-storm.co.jp (in Japanese). June 15, 2020. Archived from the original on June 15, 2020. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
  2. ^ @arashi5official (June 14, 2020). 嵐のニューシングル「カイト」が2020年7月29日(水)に発売決定!#嵐 #ARASHI (Tweet). Archived from the original on June 15, 2020 – via Twitter.
  3. ^ 『2020スタジアム』嵐が会見で大会への思いを語る!. sports.nhk.or.jp (in Japanese). July 19, 2019. Archived from the original on June 15, 2020. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
  4. ^ 嵐、7・29米津玄師提供曲「カイト」発売 昨年の紅白で初披露から7ヶ月越し. sakigake.jp (in Japanese). June 15, 2020. Archived from the original on June 15, 2020. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
  5. ^ 【天皇陛下式典】嵐の奉祝曲の発売や楽曲配信はいつ?署名運動でCD化は実現?. suntoranosuke.com (in Japanese). November 10, 2019. Archived from the original on March 8, 2020. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
  6. ^ a b c d "2020.07.29 RELEASE / SINGLE カイト". j-storm.co.jp (in Japanese). 2020. Archived from the original on June 15, 2020. Retrieved June 14, 2020.
  7. ^ 嵐、数量限定の新曲「カイト」が予約初日に“完売”! 「ファン舐めてるの?」「転売される」と批判まみれ (in Japanese). Cyzo Woman. June 17, 2020. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
  8. ^ 嵐ニューシングルは米津玄師の提供曲「カイト」、ジャケに大野智描き下ろし絵画 (in Japanese). Natalie Music. June 15, 2020. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
  9. ^ 嵐、今夜MステSPで新曲「IN THE SUMMER」初披露 TV初歌唱の瑛人は「脚がガクガク…」 (in Japanese). Oricon. July 24, 2020. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  10. ^ "Billboard Japan Hot 100 (December 30, 2019)". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  11. ^ "Billboard Japan Hot 100 (January 13, 2020)". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  12. ^ "Oricon Daily Singles Ranking (July 28, 2020)" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on July 29, 2020. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  13. ^ 嵐、最新シングルが自己最高初週売上で初登場1位に 歴代1位の「通算1位獲得数」を54作に自己更新【オリコンランキング】 [Arashi's latest single debuts at number one with their highest first week sales; extends record of "most number-one singles" with 54] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
  14. ^ "Billboard Japan Hot 100 2020/8/10". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved August 19, 2020.
  15. ^ Oricon Weekly Single Ranking – 2020-08-10 Oricon News. Retrieved August 19, 2020.