TM Network

Formed in the Tama area of Tokyo, TM Network helped lay the foundation for J-pop by blending pop hooks, synthesizers, and chart-topping songwriting into a commercially-acclaimed sound. Much of that sound was constructed by keyboardist Tetsuya Komuro, who'd go on to become one of the most successful producers in Japanese history following the band's initial breakup. Even so, TM Network was a collaboration between Komuro, vocalist Takashi Utsunomiya, and guitar/songwriter Naoto Kine, all of three of whom launched the group in 1983. Their debut, Rainbow Rainbow, reached Number 71 in 1984, following by the Top 40 release Childhood's End in 1985 and the Top 20 album Gorilla in 1986. It was 1987's humansystem that reintroduced the band was a chart-topping success, with the album itself reaching Number 1 and a pair of popular singles — "Kiss You (Sekai wa Uchū to Koi ni Ochiru)" and "Resistance" — both cracking the Top 10. 1988's Carol: A Day in a Girl's Life, 1989's Dress, 1990's Rhythm Red, 1991's Expo, and 1993's TMN Classix 1 all reached Number 1, too. TM Network dominated the Japanese Singles chart during the early 1990s, as well, with six songs — including 1990's gold-certified "The Point of Lovers' Night" and 1991's platinum-selling "Wild Heaven" — reaching Number 1 between 1990 and 1994. The band broke up that same year, then reunited during the final stretch of the 1990s. A reunion album, Major Turn-Round, followed in 2000. With Tetsuya Komuro now working as a producer for other artists, TM Network continued to release material at a slower pace throughout the 2000s, 2010s, and 2020s. After years of modest chart placements, the band staged a remarkable comeback in 2023, when the album Devotion debuted at Number 4.

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