Quick Facts
Biography
Yu Takahashi (高橋 優, Takahashi Yū, born December 26, 1983) is a Japanese singer-songwriter. He debuted on a major label in 2010, with his singles "Subarashiki Nichijō" and "Honto no Kimochi".
Biography
Takahashi grew up in Yokote, Akita, in the Tōhoku region of Japan. He started to learn the electric guitar in his final year of middle school, and in high school became the vocalist of a hardcore copy band for two years, performing such songs as Hide with Spread Beaver's "Pink Spider". During high school, he bought a cheap acoustic guitar, and began writing songs. His band broke up as the members went their separate ways, and Takahashi moved to Sapporo to attend a university. He performed in a band in Sapporo as well, however, due to the band dissolution (one member's love life took priority) Takahashi decided to become a solo musician.
In February 2002, Takahashi released his debut album, the self-produced Sepia, of which only 200 copies were produced. Over the next five years, Takahashi performed concerts and released albums based in Sapporo, such as in January 2004, when he performed street lives five times per week. In May 2007, he released his second album, Mugon no Bōryoku, limited to 500 copies. The album was relatively popular in Sapporo, charting at number 1 for three weeks at the Sapporo Stellar Place HMV's in-store independent releases charts. This lead him to hold his first solo concert, to 200 people at the Sapporo Colony. In September 2007, Takahashi began performing monthly live concerts titled Agura (あぐら, "Sit Cross Legged"), in which he would rent a CD shop and only allow 30 people to come inside for the concert.
Takahashi moved to Tokyo in January 2008, to further his music career there. He performed many different concerts, and released a third self-released album, Agura, which was sold only at concert venues. He was scouted by Amuse, an artist management firm especially known for their management of musicians, and came to the notice of Michihiko Yanai, creator of Tower Records' No Music, No Life and Kaze to Rock campaigns. This led to Takahashi releasing his first independent single, the Tower Records exclusive "Kodomo no Uta" in May 2009, followed by his first wide-release album in July, the extended play Bokura no Heisei Rock 'n' Roll, which was produced by Yanai. The extended play reached number 262 on Oricon's national album charts.
A year later, Takahashi made his major label debut under Warner, with the single "Subarashiki Nichijō". The song received heavy radio play, causing it to reach number 5 on Billboard's Japan Hot 100 chart, despite only reaching number 57 on Oricon's physical single sales chart. His second single, "Honto no Kimochi", was used as the theme song for the Takeru Satoh and Atsuko Maeda (AKB48) starring drama Q10, giving Takahashi his first top 30 single and his first performance on music show Music Station.
Discography
Studio albums
| Title | Album details | Peak positions | Sales (JPN) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sepia |
| — | — |
| Mugon no Bōryoku (無言の暴力, "The Violence of Silence") |
| — | — |
| Agura (胡座～agura～, "Crossed Legged") |
| — | — |
| Real Time Singer Songwriter (リアルタイム・シンガーソングライター, Riaru Taimu Shingā Songuraitā) |
| 8 | 34,000 |
| Kono Koe (この声, "This Voice") |
| 9 | 22,000 |
| Break My Silence |
| 9 | 20,000 |
| Ima, Soko ni Aru Meimetsu to Gunjō (今、そこにある明滅と群生) |
| 6 | 21,000 |
Compilation albums
| Title | Album details | Peak positions | Sales (JPN) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yu Takahashi Best 2009-2015: Warau Yakusoku (高橋優 BEST 2009-2015 『笑う約束』, "Laughing Promise") |
| 3 | 55,000 |
Extended plays
| Title | Album details | Peak positions | Sales (JPN) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bokura no Heisei Rock 'n' Roll (僕らの平成ロックンロール, "Our Heisei Era Rock 'n' Roll") |
| 242 | 1,700 |
| Bokura no Heisei Rock 'n' Roll 2 (僕らの平成ロックンロール②, "Our Heisei Era Rock 'n' Roll 2") |
| 13 | 13,000 |
Singles
As a lead artist
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Sales | Certifications | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oricon Singles Charts | Billboard Japan Hot 100 | |||||
| "Kodomo no Uta" (こどものうた, "Song for Youth") | 2009 | — | — | — | Bokura no Heisei Rock 'n' Roll | |
| "Subarashiki Nichijō" (素晴らしき日常, "The Amazing Everyday") | 2010 | 57 | 5 | 5,000 | Real Time Singer Songwriter | |
| "Honto no Kimochi" (ほんとのきもち, "Real Feelings") | 24 | 10 | 9,000 |
| ||
| "Fukuwarai" (福笑い, "Lucky Laugh") | 2011 | 15 | 4 | 14,000 |
| |
| "Genjitsu to Iu Na no Kaibutsu to Tatakau Monotachi" (現実という名の怪物と戦う者たち, "Those Who Fight the Monster Known as Reality") | — | |||||
| "Dare ga Tame ni Kane wa Naru" (誰がために鐘は鳴る, "For Whom The Bell Tolls") | 20 | 9 | 8,000 | Kono Koe | ||
| "Dare mo Inai Daidokoro" (誰もいない台所, "A Kitchen with No One In") | 14 | 17 | 8,000 | |||
| "Sotsugyō" (卒業, "Graduation") | 2012 | 9 | 3 | 12,000 | ||
| "Hi wa Mata Noboru" (陽はまた昇る, "The Sun Will Rise Again") | 18 | 9 | 12,000 | Break My Silence | ||
| "(Where's) The Silent Majority?" | 2013 | 12 | 8 | 8,000 | ||
| "Onaji Sora no Shita" (同じ空の下, "Under the Same Sky") | 15 | 6 | 9,000 | |||
| "Pioneer" (パイオニア, Paionia) | 2014 | 12 | 13 | 8,000 | Ima, Soko ni Aru Meimetsu to Gunjō | |
| "Tabibito" (旅人, "Voyager") | 86 | |||||
| "Taiyō to Hana" (太陽と花, "The Sun and Flowers") | 12 | 5 | 16,000 |
| ||
| "Ashita wa Kitto Ii Hi ni Naru" (明日はきっといい日になる, "Tomorrow Will Surely Be a Good Day") | 2015 | 12 | 15 | 11,000 | Non-album single | |
As a featured artist
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| JPN Hot 100 | |||
| "Feel" (among Unborde All Stars) | 2016 | 53 | Feel + Unborde Greatest Hits |
Promotional singles
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billboard Japan Hot 100 | |||
| "Shōnen de Are" (少年であれ, "As a Boy") | 2011 | 59 | Real Time Singer Songwriter |
| "Kimama Love Song" (気ままラブソング, "A Love Song My Way") | 2012 | 70 | Kono Koe |
| "Yoake o Matteiru" (夜明けを待っている, "Waiting for the Dawn") | 2013 | 39 | Bokura no Heisei Rock 'n' Roll 2 |
| "Bowling" (ボーリング, "Bōringu") | 46 | ||
| "Candy" | — | Break My Silence | |
| "Asu e no Hoshi" (明日への星, "Star to Tomorrow") | 2014 | 53 | Ima, Soko ni Aru Meimetsu to Gunjō |
| "Oyasumi" (おやすみ, "Good Night") | — |
Video albums
| Title | Album details | Peak positions |
|---|---|---|
| Takahashi Yu Live Tour: Kono Koe tte Dare? Takahashi Yu ja Nai? 2012 at Shibuya Kōkaidō 2012.7.1 (高橋優LIVE TOUR～この声って誰?高橋優じゃなぁい? 2012 at 渋谷公会堂2012.7.1, "Yu Takahashi Live Tour: Whose Voice Is That? Isn't It Yu Takahashi? at Shibuya Public Hall July 1, 2012") |
| 21 |
| Takahashi Yu Music Video-shū 2009—2013: Danyū (高橋優MUSIC VIDEO集2009—2013 男優, "Yu Takahashi Music Video Collection 2009—2013: Actor") |
| 28 |
| Takahashi Yu 2013 Nippon Budōkan: You Can Break the Silence in Budokan (高橋優2013日本武道館) |
| 7 |