B'z

The Japanese hard-rock duo B'z has sold more than 100 million records globally, making vocalist Koshi Inaba and guitarist Takahiro "Tak" Matsumoto two of the best-selling rock musicians not only in their native Japan, but also worldwide. Formed in 1988, the group debuted that same year with a self-titled album, B'z, and returned in 1989 with the double-platinum record Off the Lock. Although the band would eventually arrive at a signature hard-rock sound, both albums were reflective of the era's emphasis on synth-driven music, as was 1990's Break Through. Months after Break Through's release, B'z scored its first Number 1 hit with "Taiyō no Komachi Angel," which sparked a remarkable, record-setting streak of 49 consecutive Number 1 singles. That chart-topping success extended to the band's studio albums, as well. Released during the final stretch of 1990, Risky became the first in a long line of Number 1 albums, eventually joined by 1991's In the Life, 1992's Run, 1994's The 7th Blues, 1995's Loose, 1997's Survive, and 1999's Brotherhood. B'z continued its streak of Number 1 records during the 2000s, returning to the top of Japan's Oricon chart with every single full-length release of the band's career. 2002's Green, 2005's The Circle, and 2009's Magic were all multi-platinum successes, accompanied by popular singles like "Ultra Soul," "Ai no Bakudan," and "Ichibu to Zenbu/Dive," the latter of which featured guest appearances by Red Hot Chili Peppers' drummer Chad Smith and the Mars Volta's bassist Juan Alderete. New Love, B'z's twenty-first album, was released in 2019 and debuted at Number 1 in Japan, followed in 2021 by the non-album single "Kimi to Nara."

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