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Loser/Number Nine

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Loser/Number Nine"
Single by Kenshi Yonezu
from the album Bootleg
LanguageJapanese
B-side"Amen"
ReleasedSeptember 28, 2016 (2016-09-28)
GenreJ-pop
Length13:02
LabelSony Music Japan
SongwriterKenshi Yonezu
ProducerKenshi Yonezu
Kenshi Yonezu singles chronology
"Unbelievers"
(2015)		 "Loser/Number Nine"
(2016)		 "Orion"
(2017)
Music video
"Loser" on YouTube

"Loser" (stylized in all caps) and "Number Nine" (Japanese: ナンバーナイン, Hepburn: Nanbā Nain) are songs by Japanese singer-songwriter Kenshi Yonezu. They were released together as a double A-side single on September 28, 2016, through Sony Music Entertainment, and later acted as the lead single for his fourth studio album Bootleg.[1]

Background and release

[edit]

In 2015, Yonezu received an offer from the Lourve Museum's BD (bande dessinée) Project[2] to create a theme song for Louvre No. 9 – Manga, The Ninth Art, an art exhibition that celebrated comics and manga as the recognized "ninth art".[3] It featured freely-created works based on the theme of the Lourve from prominent mangaka such as Hirohiko Araki, Jiro Taniguchi, and Taiyō Matsumoto. The event was held at the Mori Arts Center Galley in Tokyo and ran from July 22 to September 25, 2016.[4]

"Number Nine" was first created as its theme song, where Yonezu arranged it alongside fellow Japanese producer and singer Mabanua. He made the song with the intention of it following in the footsteps of Bremen.[5] He made "Loser" afterwards, aiming for a track that was "strictly Japanese rock-and-roll with an added nuance of hip-hop". Yonezu stated that the song stemmed from feelings of self-hatred and "hating people like [yourself]", where he framed it with a sense of self-deprication in its writing.[6] The single's B-side, "Amen", was the final track conceived as a foray into a "darker" sound.[5] He explained that he thought of the concept of prayer as "the last thing left after you exhaust various options for dealing with a problem", knowing one must persevere in the environment and situation they were born into.[6]

The single was released in three editions: a standard edition, a "Loser" limited edition including the CD in a loose package and a dog tag, and a "Number Nine" limited edition including the CD in a 7-inch paper jacket and DVDs containing both music videos. The latter two feature different cover artwork.[7] First-press versions for all editions included a serial number for a lottery in winning tickets to Yonezu's 2016 Howl Tour that ran from November to December 2016.[8]

"Loser/Number Nine" marked Yonezu's first release under Sony.[9] His previous release was his album Bremen in October 2015 under Universal Sigma.[10]

Commercial performance

[edit]

On the Oricon Singles Chart, the single peaked at number two and lasted for a total of 45 weeks.[11] On the Combined Singles Chart, the single peaked at number 16 and lasted for 24 weeks.[12]

Following the release of its music video, "Loser" debuted on the Billboard Japan Hot 100 at number 15 for the week of September 21, 2016.[13] For the week of October 5, it jumped up and peaked at number three after the single release, becoming his highest-charting song at the time. "Number Nine" also debuted and peaked at number 29.[14] In May 2018, the song was used in a commercial for the Honda Jade in Japan.[15] Following this, it re-entered the Japan Hot 100 top ten at number six for the week of May 23, over a year and a half after its peak.[16] It lasted a total of 128 weeks on the chart, making it his third-longest charting song there, behind "Eine Kleine" and "Lemon" respectively.[17]

Music videos

[edit]

"Loser"

[edit]

The music video for "Loser" was released on September 15, 2016. Yonezu announced on social media a day prior that he had plans for a "little project", where hints of the video's screening location were periodically posted. It premiered as a surprise projection on a building wall located in Shibuya Center Street.[18] Directed by Fumiko Hirano, it features Yonezu dancing in an empty classroom, a flooding staircase, a tunnel, and on a building rooftop where it later rains.[19] He was taught dancing by choreographer Tomohiko Tsujimoto in two to three weeks despite having no prior experience, in which he described the experience as "hellish".[5]

"Number Nine"

[edit]

Directed by Atsunori Higashiichi, it features Yonezu drawing various 3D illustrations using infrared markers and a head-mounted display in a virtual space.[20] It was included on the "Number Nine" limited edition single. Only a trailer was uploaded and the full video was never released online.

Track listing

[edit]

All tracks are written by Kenshi Yonezu.

CD single / digital download / streaming - standard edition
No.TitleLength
1."Loser"4:05
2."Number Nine" (ナンバーナイン)4:23
3."Amen"4:34
Total length:13:02
DVD - "Number Nine" limited edition
No.TitleLength
1."Loser" (Music video) 
2."Number Nine" (Music video) 

Credits and personnel

[edit]

Credits adapted from Apple Music.[21]

  • Kenshi Yonezu – vocals, songwriter, guitar, arranger, producer
  • Masaki Hori – drums (track 1)
  • Yu Suto – bass (track 1)
  • Koichi Tsutaya – arranger (track 1), producer (track 1)
  • Mabanua – arranger (track 2)
  • Kazutaka Minemori – guitar technician (track 1)
  • Masato Murakami – drum technician (track 1)
  • Yasuhisa Kataoka – mixing engineer, recording engineer (track 1)
  • Tohru Takayama – mixing engineer (track 2)
  • Yujiro Yonetsu – recording engineer (track 2)

Charts

[edit]

Certifications

[edit]
Certifications for "Loser"
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Japan (RIAJ)[25]
Digital 		3× Platinum 750,000*
Streaming
Japan (RIAJ)[26] Platinum 100,000,000†

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
† Streaming-only figures based on certification alone.

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ "米津玄師、11/1に4thアルバム『BOOTLEG』リリース決定". Skream! (in Japanese). August 28, 2017. Retrieved September 18, 2026.
  2. ↑ Chu, Yin-Hua (July 1, 2026). "Reimaging Museum Memory". The International Journal of the Inclusive Museum. Common Ground Research Networks. doi:10.18848/1835-2014/CGP/A495. ISSN 1835-2022.
  3. ↑ "米津玄師・神谷浩史らも参加している『ルーヴルNo.9～漫画、9番目の芸術～』とは？". Spice (in Japanese). January 6, 2017. Retrieved September 17, 2026.
  4. ↑ "米津玄師、ルーヴル美術館特別展の公式イメージソングを書き下ろし". Natalie (in Japanese). April 19, 2016. Retrieved September 17, 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 Shiba, Tomonori (September 28, 2016). "米津玄師「LOSER / ナンバーナイン」インタビュー". Natalie (in Japanese). Retrieved September 17, 2026.
  6. 1 2 Kamiya, Hiroshi (September 28, 2016). "米津玄師が考える、音楽表現の過去・現在・未来「自分はスクラップの寄せ集めみたいなもの」". Real Sound (in Japanese). Retrieved September 18, 2026.
  7. ↑ "米津玄師、新作のパッケージ＆購入者特典発表". Natalie (in Japanese). August 26, 2016. Retrieved September 18, 2026.
  8. ↑ "米津玄師、11月よりワンマンツアー「はうる」". Natalie (in Japanese). August 4, 2016. Retrieved September 18, 2026.
  9. ↑ "ディスコグラフィ| 米津玄師". Sony Music Official Website (in Japanese). Retrieved September 18, 2026.
  10. ↑ "DISCOGRAPHY". Universal Music Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved September 18, 2026.
  11. 1 2 "LOSER/ナンバーナイン | 米津玄師". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved September 18, 2026.
  12. 1 2 "米津玄師の合算シングル売上TOP20作品". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved September 18, 2026.
  13. ↑ "Billboard Japan Hot 100: Week of September 21, 2016". Billboard Japan (in Japanese).
  14. 1 2 3 "Billboard Japan Hot 100 – Week of October 5, 2016". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved September 18, 2026.
  15. ↑ "米津玄師、史上初のオリコンデジタル1位2位独占。3曲同時TOP10入り". Barks (in Japanese). May 30, 2018. Retrieved September 18, 2026.
  16. ↑ "Billboard Japan Hot 100: Week of May 23, 2018". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved September 18, 2026.
  17. ↑ "米津玄師 | Artist". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved September 18, 2026.
  18. ↑ "米津玄師、渋谷センター街壁面で「LOSER」MVをゲリラ解禁". Barks (in Japanese). September 19, 2016. Retrieved September 18, 2026.
  19. ↑ "平野 文子 Fumiko Hirano". Glassloft (in Japanese). Retrieved September 18, 2026.
  20. ↑ "米津玄師、ニューシングル発売決定！ 米津が描いたイラストが動き出すティザー公開". Rockin'On Japan (in Japanese). July 29, 2016. Retrieved September 18, 2026.
  21. ↑ "LOSER / NUMBER NINE - Single - Album by Kenshi Yonezu". Apple Music. Retrieved September 18, 2026.
  22. ↑ "Billboard Japan Hot 100 – 2017 Year-End". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved September 18, 2026.
  23. ↑ "Billboard Japan Hot 100 – 2018 Year-End". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved September 18, 2026.
  24. ↑ "Billboard Japan Hot 100 – 2019 Year-End". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved September 18, 2026.
  25. ↑ "Japanese digital single certifications – 米津玄師 – LOSER" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved September 18, 2026. Select 2019年7月 on the drop-down menu
  26. ↑ "Japanese single streaming certifications – 米津玄師 – LOSER" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved September 18, 2026. Select 2024年8月 on the drop-down menu
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