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Concentration 20
Studio album by Namie Amuro
Released	July 24, 1997
Recorded	Complex Studio, Larrabee West, Record Plant Studios, Sony Music Studio, tk sequence 1105st
Genre	Pop, Rock, Hip-Hop, Dance, Reggae
Length	56:17
Label	avex trax
Producer(s)	Tetsuya Komuro
Namie Amuro chronology
SWEET 19 BLUES (1996)	Concentration 20 (1997)	GENIUS 2000 (2000)

Concentration 20 is Namie Amuro's second original studio album under the avex trax label. The album is a fusion of styles including Pop, Hip-Hop, Reggae and Rock. Released a year after her record shattering hit SWEET 19 BLUES, the album raced to the top of the chart further solidifying her place in Japanese music history.

Contents 1 Overview 2 Track listing 3 Personnel 4 Production 5 Charts

The release of Concentration 20 was a surprise in Japan. Only two months earlier, Amuro had been touring Japan on the Namie Amuro tour 1997 a walk in the park. Her previous album, SWEET 19 BLUES became the biggest selling album of all time when it was released, so naturally expectations for this album were skyhigh. Although the album didn't quite match the success of its predecessor it was able to demonstrate how versatile a performer she was. During its time, many Western listeners negatively viewed Concentration 20 as being too different from her past works. In later years, the album has found an appreciation with these fans who have come to consider it her best original album.

The album embodies an array of styles including pop, rock and even some reggae. Unlike her previous album which was heavy on the pseudo-R&B side, this album was practically void of it. Concentration 20 took on a more electronic style similar to that of her producer's group, globe. Some argue that the album isn't really a reflection of Amuro, but just goes to demonstrate the talent of Tetsuya Komuro.

Opening the album is the industrial rock influenced, "Concentration 20 (make you alright)." The song was unlike anything she had previously released and really embodies the diversity within this project. "Me love peace!!" was Amuro's first attempt at reggae style music. She would not attempt a similar style again until her current album Queen of Hip-Pop (2005) was released featuring some songs in dancehall and reggaeton fashion. Two of the singles from the album, "a walk in the park" and "CAN YOU CELEBRATE?" appear on the album subtly remixed. Perhaps the one song that does demonstrate how much of this album was Komuro is "I know..." The song is an instrumental track performed solely by him.

The same month that the album was released, Amuro toured Japan's four domes in support of it. A few months after the tour, she would announce her pregnancy and pending maternity leave. Fans and critics alike view the brief period between the album and her announcement as the beginning of her decline.

1. "Concentration 20 (make you alright)" (Tetsuya Komuro) – 4:07
2. "B w/z you" (MARC, Komuro) – 5:03
3. "Close your eyes, Close to you" (MARC, Komuro) – 5:50
4. "Me love peace!!" (MARC, Komuro) – 4:29
5. "No Communication" (MARC, Komuro) – 4:14
6. "a walk in the park" (Komuro) – 5:50
7. "To-day" (MARC, Cozy Kubo) – 4:41
8. "Storm" (m.c.AT, Akio Togashi) – 3:07
9. "Whisper" (Komuro) – 5:08
10. "CAN YOU CELEBRATE?" (Komuro) – 6:15
11. "I know..." (Komuro) – 3:09
12. "How to be a Girl" (MARC, Komuro) – 4:24

• Namie Amuro - vocals, background vocals
• Lynn Mabry - background vocals
• Valerie Mayo - background vocals
• Akio Togashi - background vocals, keyboard
• Will Wheaton Jr. - background vocals
• Cozy Kubo - keyboard
• Tetsuya Komuro - backing vocals, guitar, keyboard, synthesizer
• Kazuhiro Matsuo - bass, guitar
• Kenji Sano - bass
• Ataru Sumiyoshi - bass
• Michael Thompson - guitar

• Producers - Tetsuya Komuro
• Mixing - Eddie Delena
• Vocal Direction - Tetsuya Komuro, Kenji Sano
• Photography - Itaru Hirama
• Art Direction - Tycoon Graphics

Album - Oricon Sales Chart (Japan)

Release	Chart	Peak Position	Sales Total	Chart Run
24 July 1997	Oricon Daily Albums Chart	1
24 July 1997	Oricon Weekly Albums Chart	1	1,929,860	28 weeks
24 July 1997	Oricon Yearly Albums Chart	7

Singles - Oricon Sales Chart (Japan)

Release	Single	Chart	Peak Position
27 November 1996	"a walk in the park"	Oricon Daily Singles Chart	1
27 November 1996	"a walk in the park"	Oricon Weekly Singles Chart	1
19 February 1997	"CAN YOU CELEBRATE?"	Oricon Daily Singles Chart	1
19 February 1997	"CAN YOU CELEBRATE?"	Oricon Weekly Singles Chart	1
21 May 1997	"How to be a girl"	Oricon Daily Singles Chart	1
21 May 1997	"How to be a girl"	Oricon Weekly Singles Chart	1

v • d • e Namie Amuro
Albums
Dance Tracks Vol. 1 | Sweet 19 Blues | Concentration 20 | 181920 | Genius 2000 | Break the Rules | Love Enhanced Single Collection | Style | Queen of Hip-Pop
Singles
Body Feels Exit | Chase the Chance | Don't Wanna Cry | You're My Sunshine | Sweet 19 Blues | A Walk in the Park | Can You Celebrate? | How to Be a Girl | Dreaming I was Dreaming | Can You Celebrate? (Maxi Single) | I Have Never Seen | Respect the Power of Love | Toi et Moi | Something 'bout the Kiss | Love 2000 | Never End | Please Smile Again | Think of Me / No More Tears | Say the Word | lovin' it | I Will | Wishing on the Same Star | Shine More | Put 'Em Up | So Crazy / Come | Alarm | All for You | Girl Talk / The Speed Star | Want Me, Want Me | White Light / Violet Sauce | Can't Sleep, Can't Eat, I'm Sick / 人魚 | Baby Don't Cry | Funky Town
Other related articles
Super Monkey's | MAX | Suite Chic | Tetsuya Komuro