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"First Love" is a song by the Japanese-American singer-songwriter Hikaru Utada,released on April 28, 1999, the third Japanese language single from her first album, First Love, which was released a month previously. It was certified double platinum for 800,000 copies shipped to stores in Japan.[1]

"First Love"
Cover of the 12cm version of the single
Single by Hikaru Utada
from the album First Love
Language	Japanese, English
Released	April 28, 1999 (1999-04-28)
Recorded	1998
Genre	J-pop R&B
Length	4:18
Label	Toshiba-EMI
Songwriter(s)	Hikaru Utada
Producer(s)	Kei Kawano
Hikaru Utada singles chronology
"Movin' on Without You" (1999) "First Love" (1999) "Addicted to You" (1999)
Alternative cover
8cm version cover
Music video
"First Love" on YouTube

In a 2009 survey by Oricon, asking respondents what song they wanted to hear with a broken heart, "First Love" was voted in the top 10.[2]

"First Love" was performed during Utada's 2010 tour, Utada: In the Flesh 2010.

It was also performed during Utada's two-date concert series Wild Life in December 2010.[3]

Promotion

The song was used as the theme song for the Japanese drama Majo no Jōken, starring Hideaki Takizawa and Nanako Matsushima.^{[citation needed]} "First Love" is featured in the PlayStation 2 rhythm game Unison, released in 2001.

Track listing

Personnel

• Hironori Akiyama – guitar
• Yuichiro Goto – strings
• Takahiro Iida – synthesizer programming
• Kei Kawano – arrangement, string arrangement, keyboards, programming
• Masayuki Momo – synthesizer programming
• Hikaru Utada – lyrics, music, vocals

Charts

Chart (1999)	Peak position
Oricon weekly singles[4] 12 cm version	2
Oricon weekly singles[5] 8 cm version	6
Chart (2009)	Peak position
RIAJ Digital Track Chart Top 100[6]	89

Certifications and sales

Chart	Amount
Oricon physical sales[7] 12 cm version	501,000
Oricon physical sales[7] 8 cm version	303,000
RIAJ full-length cellphone downloads[8]	500,000+

Release history

Region	Date	Format
Japan	April 28, 1999[4][5]	12 cm single, 8 cm single
Taiwan	August 2000[9]	8 cm single
Japan	November 19, 2004[8]	Cellphone full-length digital download

Juju version

"First Love"
Promotional single by Juju
from the album Request
Released	September 15, 2010 (2010-09-15)
Genre	J-pop, R&B
Length	4:27
Label	Sony
Songwriter(s)	Hikaru Utada
Producer(s)	Akihisa Matsuura

"First Love" was covered by the Japanese R&B singer Juju in 2010, on her cover album Request. It was the main promotional single, and was released as a digital download to cellphones on September 15, 2010.[10] Juju performed the song at Hey! Hey! Hey! on September 20.[11]

Charts

Chart	Peak position
RIAJ Digital Track Chart Top 100[12]	5

Release history

Region	Date	Format
Japan	September 8, 2010 (2010-09-08)[10]	Ringtone
	September 15, 2010 (2010-09-15)[10]	Cellphone download

Other cover versions

• Naoko Terai (1999, violin, album Pure Moment)
• Jessa Zaragoza (2000, on the album Siya Ba Ang Dahilan?)
• Cao Xue Jing (2004, erhu solo, on the album Koiuta Erhu)
• Toni Gonzaga (2006, on the album You Complete Me). Sampled the song for "We Belong"
• Sotte Bosse (2007, on the album Innocent View)
• Scott Murphy (Allister) (2008, on the album Guilty Pleasures 3)
• Ryō Nagano (Apogee) (2008, digital single)
• Yasushi Nakanishi (2008, on the album Standards 3)
• Jake Shimabukuro (2008, ukulele solo, DVD Ichigo Ichie)
• Makoto Hirahara (2009, saxophone, on the album Vocalese)
• Sing-O (2009, digital single)
• Starving Trancer feat. Maki (2009, on the album Exit Trance Presents Dramatic Trance Memorial Daiichiwa)
• Hideaki Tokunaga (2010, on the album Vocalist 4)
• Eric Martin (2010, on the album Mr. Vocalist 3)
• Boyz II Men (2010 on the album Covered: Winter)
• May J. (2013, on the album Summer Ballad Covers)
• Zivilia (2017, single, sung in Indonesian)

References

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