- Dreams Come True (band)
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Dreams Come True Origin Japan Genres Pop, jazz Years active 1988–present Labels Epic/Sony Records (1988-1997)
EMI Music Japan/Virgin (1997-2002)
Universal Music Japan (2003-present)
DCT records (2002-present)Associated acts Funk the Peanuts, Misia, Fuzzy Control Website dreamscometrue.com Members Masato Nakamura
Miwa YoshidaPast members Takahiro Nishikawa Miwa Yoshida Born May 6, 1965 Origin Ikeda, Hokkaidō Occupations Singer, songwriter Years active 1988–present Masato Nakamura Born October 1, 1958 Origin Chōfu, Tokyo Occupations Bassist, Composer, Record producer Years active 1988–present Takahiro Nishikawa Born May 26, 1964 Origin Katō District, Hokkaidō Occupations Keyboardist, Synthesizer programmer Years active 1988–2002 Dreams Come True (ドリームズ・カム・トゥルー Dorīmuzu Kamu Turū) are a Japanese pop band formed in 1988,[1] originally consisting of Miwa Yoshida (lead vocals), Masato Nakamura (bass), and Takahiro Nishikawa (keyboards). The band has sold more than 50 million records worldwide.[2]
Contents
History
Dreams Come True was started by Bassist Masato Nakamura, and is fronted by Miwa Yoshida, who is the band's main singer-songwriter. They were originally a three-piece band with Takahiro Nishikawa on keyboards, until he departed in 2002. The band is commonly known as DCT (Dreams Come True) and sometimes referred to as "Dorikamu" (ドリカム) by their fans. Dreams Come True released their self-titled debut album in 1989, which sold more than one million copies. Their 1992 release, The Swinging Star, was the first Japanese album to sell over three million copies, and for several years held the title of the best-selling Japanese-language album of all time.
In 1993, they recorded "Winter Song" for the opening theme of the TriStar Pictures film Sleepless in Seattle[3] and the following year recorded the song "Eternity" for the animated film The Swan Princess by New Line Cinema. In Japan, they recorded theme songs for programs produced by Tokyo Broadcasting System. The Walt Disney Company hired the band to create themes for their television shows, and attractions at the Tokyo Disney Resort. In 2001, the band performed "Crystal Vine," the theme song for the Japanese version of Atlantis: The Lost Empire, and Yoshida was hired to dub over Audrey Rocio Ramirez in the Japanese version.
Yoshida started a solo music career in 1995, and the following year appeared on the cover of Time Magazine.[4] She has also appeared in advertisements for Sony, Visa, Honda, Shiseido, Lotte, Vodafone, and Coca Cola. Nakamura was hired to compose the music for several television commercials, and around the same time compiled various "Dreams Come True" songs for Konami to be used in their game series Dance Dance Revolution. He had previously been hired to compose the music for the first two Sonic the Hedgehog video games for the Sega Mega Drive.
On April 1, 1996, they released Love Unlimited, which would be their final album for Sony Music. News of their departure would cause Sony Music shares to drop severely on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.[5] They later signed with Virgin Music America and Toshiba-EMI in Japan, due to that label's promises to break the group into the American market—something Sony was unwilling to do. Their first album under the new contract, Sing Or Die (a title that half-jokingly described the band's relationship with their former label, according to Nakamura), was released in an English-language version, but received very little promotion and even less airplay. It would be the band's final album as a trio, and Takahiro Nishikawa would depart the band shortly after its release. Dreams Come True left Virgin after the failure of Sing or Die.
Part of the failure of the Virgin-DCT relationship can be laid at the label's attempt to renovate the band into something the American audiences could relate to. Yoshida took the stage name "Miwa", Nakamura became "King Masa," but Nishikawa remained the same, and only received a passing mention on Sing or Die's liner notes. Musically, the album veered away from the classic DCT formula and deeper into the hip-hop dance theme begun on Delicious and Love Unlimited. The combination was not well-received by American audiences, nor DCT's legion of loyal Japanese fans.
There are conflicting accounts concerning Nishikawa's departure. Nishikawa himself states both he and longtime DCT producer Mike Pela were forced out by Virgin because they didn't fit into the label's makeover for the band. However, he also adds that prior to that, he had not been touring with DCT for some time, which supports the official account. At present, there seems to be little chance of Nishikawa playing with his former bandmates ever again.
Following Nishikawa's departure from DCT, he was arrested for assault and drug possession, but received a suspended sentence. However, a second arrest for possession in 2006 was sentenced to prison. Both Yoshida and Nakamura have declined to comment on their former bandmate's legal problems, other than to wish him well.
Following 2001's Monkey Girl Odyssey, DCT severed all ties with Virgin and Toshiba-EMI, and set up shop with Universal Music Japan. More recent albums such as The Love Rocks and And I Love You have returned to the classic DCT sound, and have been received more warmly.
The band would release one more English-language album on Universal called Love Overflows, which were re-recorded versions of songs from as far back as Love Goes On to monkey girl odyssey.
They have also been involved in charity events. Including the collaboration "Zero Landmine" with Ryuichi Sakamoto in 2001 to help raise funds for land mine removal agencies, and taking part in the Live 8 benefit concert in 2005.
On November 12, 2008, their single "Tsuretette Tsuretette" was released. "Tsuretette Tsuretette" debuted a top on the Oricon weekly charts, nine years ten months since their last number-one single "Asa ga Mata Kuru".[6] The song also appears on the band's most recent album, Do You Dreams Come True?. The album is available in three versions: A single disc version, containing the main album; a second that adds Greatest Hits: The Soul 2, a sequel to their 2000 greatest-hits package; and a third that adds a live DVD, "Winter Fantasia 2008."
Their DVD and Blu-Ray of their 20th Anniversary tour is one of the first concert videos to be filmed with the RED One high-definition camera.
In 2010, they released their download only single "Godspeed", where as the title is meant to be an even stronger wish of "Good Luck" for everyone to listen to it.[7] In November of that same year, they released their 23rd album, Love Central, their second on Universal Music Japan's Nayutawave label.
Reception
In a 2006 survey of people between 10 and 49 years of age in Japan, Oricon Style found the number one selling song Love Love Love (2,488,630 copies) to be the second most popular Valentine's Day song in Japan. The most popular song was Sayuri Kokushō's 1986 debut single Valentine Kiss, which sold only 317,000 copies. The other songs in the top five were Valentine's Radio from Yumi Matsutoya (1,606,780 copies), Happy Happy Greeting from Kinki Kids (608,790 copies), and My Funny Valentine by Miles Davis.[8]
Discography
Albums
Title Peak Sales Release date Dreams Come True 7 - March 21, 1989 Love Goes On 8 1,141,000 November 22, 1989 Wonder 3 1 1,200,000 November 1, 1990 Million Kisses 1 2,106,000 November 15, 1991 The Swinging Star 1 3,200,000 November 14, 1992 Magic1 1 2,584,000 December 4, 1993 Delicious1 1 2,910,000 March 25, 1995 Love Unlimited 1 2,343,000 April 21, 1996 Sing or Die 4 700,000 November 15, 1997 Sing or Die: Worldwide Version - - July 16, 1998 The Monster 4 1,086,000 April 21, 1999 The Soul: Dreams Come True Greatest Hits 1 2,137,000 February 14, 2000 The Monster: Universal Mix - - May 9, 2001 Monkey Girl Odyssey 1 373,000 December 5, 2001 Sing or Die 2002: Monkey Girl Odyssey Tour Special Edition - - March 29, 2002 The Monster 2002: Monkey Girl Odyssey Tour Special Edition - - March 29, 2002 Dreamage: Love Ballad Collection 6 368,000 December 17, 2003 Dreamania: Smooth Groove Collection 3 173,000 January 9, 2004 Love Overflows: Asian Edition - - March 3, 2004 Diamond 15 2 514,000 December 6, 2004 The Love Rocks 1 464,000 February 22, 2006 And I Love You 2 785,641 December 12, 2007 Do You Dreams Come True? 1 667,037 March 21, 2009 Love Central 2 92,076 November 30, 2010 The Soul for the People (Higashi Nihon Daishinsai Shien Best Album) June 29, 2011 Singles
Title Release date Peak Sales "Anata ni Aitakute" (あなたに会いたくて) March 21, 1989 "Approach" June 1, 1989 "Ureshi Hazukashi Asagaeri" (うれしはずかし朝帰り) September 1, 1989 "Lat.43°N (Forty-three Degrees North Latitude)" November 22, 1989 "Egao no Yukue" (笑顔の行方) February 20, 1989 2 446,000 "Ring! Ring! Ring!" June 21, 1989 7 124,000 "Sayonara o Matteru" (さよならを待ってる) September 21, 1989 4 134,000 "Yuki no Christmas" (雪のクリスマス Yuki no Kurisumasu) November 21, 1990 5 183,000 "Eyes to me" April 25, 1991 1 686,000 "Wasurenai de" (忘れないで) October 25, 1991 5 202,000 "Kessen wa Kin'yōbi" (決戦は金曜日) September 28, 1992 1 856,000 "Haretara Ii ne" (晴れたらいいね) October 21, 1992 1 684,000 "Go for it!" September 9, 1993 1 1,043,000 "Winter Song" January 7, 1994 1 986,000 "Wherever You Are" April 28, 1994 1 548,000 "Suki" (すき) November 4, 1994 1 350,000 "Thank You" (サンキュ Sankyu) February 22, 1995 2 1,068,000 "Love Love Love"1 July 24, 1995 1 2,351,000 "Romance" October 30, 1995 1 391,000 "Sō Dayo" (そうだよ) November 25, 1996 "Sing or Die" November 15, 1997 4 510,000 "Ahaha" (あはは) January 28, 1998 4 354,000 "Asa ga Mata Kuru" (朝がまた来る) January 20, 1999 1 709,000 "Nante Koishitan Daro" (なんて恋したんだろ) March 31, 1999 "Snow Dance" December 24, 1999 3 301,000 "24/7" November 22, 2000 "Suki Dake ja Dame Nanda" (好きだけじゃだめなんだ) January 31, 2001 "Go On, Baby!" June 6, 2001 "Itsu no Mani" (いつのまに) July 18, 2001 "It's All About Love" September 19, 2002 "Yasashii Kiss o Shite" (やさしいキスをして Yasashii Kisu o Shite) February 18, 2004 2 298,000 "Mascara Matsuge/Hajimari no La" (マスカラまつげ／はじまりのla Masukara Matsuge/Hajimari no Ra/) April 21, 2004 "Olá! Vitória!" June 16, 2004 "Love Letter" November 3, 2004 "Nando Demo" (何度でも) February 16, 2005 3 191,000 "Jet!!!/Sunshine" November 30, 2005 "Moshimo Yuki nara/Kyō Dake wa" (もしも雪なら／今日だけは) November 29, 2006 7 78,663 Osaka Lover (大阪LOVER Ōsaka Raba) March 7, 2007 7 112,000 "Kimi ni Shika Kikoenai" (きみにしか聞こえない) June 13, 2007 4 72,987 "A-I-Shi-Te-Ru no Sign ~Watashitachi no Mirai Yosōzu~" (ア・イ・シ・テ・ルのサイン 〜わたしたちの未来予想図〜 A I Shi Te Ru no Sain ~Watashitachi no Mirai Yosōzu~) October 3, 2007 2 168,000 "Mata ne featuring Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Usopp, Sanji, Chopper, Robin, Franky, Hiruluk, Kureha" (またね featuring ルフィ、ゾロ、ナミ、ウソップ、サンジ、チョッパー、ロビン、フランキー、ヒルルク、くれは Mata ne featuring Rufi Zoro Nami Usoppu Sanji Choppā, Robin, Furankī, Hiruruku, Kureha) February 27, 2008 8 46,055 "Merry-Life-Goes-Round/True, Baby True." June 25, 2008 6 31,288 "Tsuretette Tsuretette" (連れてって 連れてって) November 12, 2008 1 86,434 "Good Bye My School Days" February 25, 2009 6 27,576 "Sono Saki e feat. Fuzzy Control" (その先へ Sono Saki e feat. Fuzzy Control) September 9, 2009 3 70,836 "Nee" (ねぇ) June 30, 2010 5 50,707 "Ikite Yuku no Desu" (生きてゆくのです) July 7, 2010 5 44,051 "Lies, Lies." October 27, 2010 4 18,341 See also
- Best selling music artists
References
- ^ (Japanese) "DREAMS COME TRUE『切なさと前向きさが融合した、ドリカムならでのバラード』". Oricon. 2007-06-13. http://www.oricon.co.jp/music/interview/070613_04.html. Retrieved 2008-11-22.
- ^ (Japanese) "DREAMS COME TRUE WONDERLAND 2007特集". Yahoo! Japan. 2007-02-13. http://dwl2007.yahoo.co.jp/dct/plofile.html. Retrieved 2008-11-22.
- ^ http://www.dreamscometrue.com/ Reference located in biography, December 1993.
- ^ http://www.dreamscometrue.com/ Reference located in biography, October 1996.
- ^ . http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_hb1437/is_199710/ai_n5942855/.[dead link]
- ^ (Japanese) "ドリカム、約10年ぶりのシングル首位獲得". Oricon. 2008-11-18. http://www.oricon.co.jp/news/confidence/60182. Retrieved 2008-11-22.
- ^ "DREAMS COME TRUE's "GODSPEED!" for Download Available!". Musicjapanplus. 2010-02-15. http://musicjapanplus.jp/news/?action=detail&news_id=4068&start=1. Retrieved 2010-02-16.
- ^ "大公開！『バレンタインソング』といえばこの曲！ [The Great Exhibition! When speaking of a "Valentine song", this is the song!]" (in Japanese). Oricon Style. February 3, 2006. Archived from the original on March 17, 2010. http://www.webcitation.org/5oIA3Hpll. Retrieved March 17, 2010.
External links
Categories:- Japanese musical groups
- Musical duos
- Universal Music Japan artists
- Sony Music Japan artists
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