2005 single by Ayumi Hamasaki
"Fairyland" is the 36th single released by Ayumi Hamasaki. It was released on August 3, 2005. It instantly shot to #1 on the Oricon charts where it stayed for the entire week.[1][2] After one week of sales, "Fairyland" sold over 172,000 copies, the most any of Hamasaki's singles sold in one week in 2005. "Fairyland" is also Hamasaki's first single that featured different covers for both the CD and the CD+DVD.
Music videos
The PV of Fairyland was shot in Hawaii and is one of the most expensive music videos in the world, as well as being Japan's most expensive music video in terms of production costs. The PV cost 240 million Yen (2 million in U.S. dollars), making it the most expensive music video for a non-English language song.[3] It depicts Hamasaki with her companions (dance team) on a lush tropical island, with some scenes showing a timber house with a deck. Eventually, a fallen oil lamp causes the entire structure to burn. Images from earlier sequences showing the group having fun are interspersed through the burning of the house. The video ends with the camera moving away from Hamasaki singing solemnly as she watches the house burn.
The PV of Alterna depicts Ayumi as an up-and-coming star who is chased by clowns.[4] The video also depicts her as a singing machine; this aspect of the music video (as well as the lyrics of "alterna") may be Hamasaki's response to either tabloid articles or to her record label's oppressive treatment of her at the time.[5]
Charts
Oricon Sales Chart (Japan)
| Release
|
Chart
|
Peak Position
|
First Week Sales
|
Sales Total
|
Chart Run
|
| August 3, 2005
|
Oricon Daily Singles Chart
|
1
|
|
|
|
| Oricon Weekly Singles Chart
|
1
|
172,221
|
370,000
|
13 weeks
|
| Oricon Monthly Singles Chart
|
4
|
|
|
|
| Oricon Yearly Singles Chart
|
25
|
|
|
|
- Total Sales : 370,000 (Japan)
- Total Sales : 388,000 (Avex)
- RIAJ certification: Platinum
