| First Love | ||||
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| Released | March 10, 1999 | |||
| Recorded | August–December 1998 | |||
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| Length | 54:37 | |||
| Label | Toshiba EMI | |||
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| Hikaru Utada chronology | ||||
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| Singles from First Love | ||||
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First Love is the debut Japanese-language studio album (second overall) by Japanese-American recording artist Hikaru Utada, released on March 10, 1999, by Toshiba-EMI.
An R&B and dance-pop album, First Love centres on the theme of love and relationships. The songs were written and recorded over the course of about one year, between the end of Utada's 14th year and the end of her 15th year. Critics' opinions of the album were generally favourable, praising Utada's songwriting and vocal delivery. In its first week of release, the album entered the Oricon Albums Chart at number one with over two million units sold. Since its release, First Love remains the highest-selling Japanese album with nationwide sales of 8 million copies. It has also sold over 9.91 million units worldwide, making it the highest-selling album in Asian music history. Due to its enormous sales and revolutionary nature, the album is still presented as a milestone in the history of Japanese pop music.
Utada promoted the album by releasing three singles: "Automatic/Time Will Tell," "Movin' on Without You" and the title track, all which were accompanied by a music video. She performed several tracks from the album on several television appearances in 1998 and 1999, and have performed songs on her Utada: In the Flesh 2010 and Wild Life tours. "Automatic/time will tell" and First Love are her best-selling CD single and album respectively. Exactly fifteen years after its premiere, a 2014 re-issue of the album was released, featuring a bonus live DVD and the special edition featured two additional discs.