Flavor of Life

For the Soul Crusaders album, see Flavor of Life (album).
"Flavor of Life"
Single by Hikaru Utada
from the album Heart Station
ReleasedFebruary 28, 2007
Recorded2006
GenreSynth-pop (original version)
Pop, R&B (ballad version)
Length5:25
LabelEMI Music Japan
Songwriter(s)Hikaru Utada
Producer(s)Utada
Hikaru Utada singles chronology
"Boku wa Kuma"
(2006) 		"Flavor of Life"
(2007) 		"Kiss & Cry"
(2007)
Music video
"Flavor of Life -Ballad Version-" on YouTube

"Flavor of Life" is Hikaru Utada's 18th Japanese single (25th single overall). The physical single was officially released on February 28, 2007.

Compared to the preceding singles following "Colors", "Flavor of Life" garnered far more success. This single is Utada's first single since 2003 to sell over 200,000 copies in its first week, the first single ever to sell over two million downloads before a physical format release, the first single to sell over five and a half million downloads total, the first single to top RIAJ downloads for three consecutive months, and the first song to be certified platinum for PC downloads in Japan. "Flavor Of Life" has become the highest selling Japanese download single of all time, with over 5,580,000 downloads by April 2007.[1] On July 19, 2007, EMI disclosed "Flavor of Life" as a contender for most sold digital single of all time, with over 7.7 million downloads total.[2][3][4]

There were three versions of the "Flavor of Life" that were released: "Flavor Of Life", "Flavor of Life -ballad version-" and "Flavor of Life -antidote mix-" (a CD-only exclusive). The ballad version of "Flavor of Life" was arranged by Utada as well as two other professionals; the original version was arranged by Utada, and the antidote mix of the song was arranged by Alexis Smith, who provided additional arrangement for Ultra Blue tracks such as "Keep Tryin'" and "This is Love".[5]

The ballad version of "Flavor of Life" was featured as the insert song for the popular drama or dorama, Hana Yori Dango 2, which averaged over 21% viewership in its timeslot.[6] In early 2006, the production team of the drama contacted Utada about an image song that would sound similar to "First Love". When the director wanted to express the heroine's wavering feelings, he said that, "'First Love' came into my mind", and so, a request was made to Utada.[7]

This is Hikaru Utada's first drama tie-in since "Sakura Drops" in 2002.[7] This is also her last physical single to be released under Toshiba EMI, before the British EMI Group purchased its remaining stake in the label from the Japanese Toshiba Corporation and was rebranded as EMI Music Japan.[8]

  1. ^ "RBB Today | ブロードバンド情報サイト". Archived from the original on 2012-09-07. Retrieved 2015-04-18.
  2. ^ "IFPI:『Flavor of Life' contender for best-selling digital single". Archived from the original on 2007-09-17. Retrieved 2009-05-05.
  3. ^ "IFPI Digital Music Report 2008" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-11-26. Retrieved 2008-07-17.
  4. ^ AFP: Online music sales grow 40 percent in 2007: IFPI Archived April 19, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ (in Japanese) Flavor Of Life | 宇多田ヒカル | TOCT-40095 | EMIミュージック・ジャパン | CD・DVD 販売 通販 ジョーシン ディスクピア Archived January 17, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ Article on Flavor Of Life and info on Hana Yori Dango 2 Archived February 7, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ a b "宇多田ヒカルが５年ぶりのドラマ曲 – 芸能ニュース : Nikkansports.com". Archived from the original on 2007-01-07. Retrieved 2007-01-07.
  8. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). emimusic.jp. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 12 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)