First Love (Hikaru Utada song)

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

"First Love"
12cm single cover
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)	Akira Miyake Utada Sking Teruzane
Hikaru Utada singles chronology
"Movin' on Without You" (1999) "First Love" (1999) "Addicted to You" (1999)
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] The song and "Hatsukoi" from her 2018 studio album of the same name inspired the 2022 Netflix series First Love.^[4] In December 9, 2022, "First Love" was remixed alongside "Hatsukoi" in Dolby Atmos.^[5]

Promotion

The song was used as the theme song for the Japanese drama Majo no Jōken, starring Hideaki Takizawa and Nanako Matsushima.^[6] "First Love" is featured in the PlayStation 2 rhythm game Unison, released in 2001.

Track listing

8cm version

No.	Title	Arrangement	Length
1.	"First Love"	Kei Kawano	4:18
2.	"First Love" (Strings Mix)	Kawano	4:22
3.	"First Love" (Original Karaoke)	Kawano	4:21
4.	"First Love" (John Luongo Mix)	John Luongo	4:08
Total length:			17:09

12cm version

No.	Title	Arrangement	Length
1.	"First Love"	Kawano	4:18
2.	"First Love" (featuring David Sanborn)	Kawano	4:17
3.	"First Love" (Strings Mix)	Kawano	4:20
4.	"First Love" (John Luongo Mix)	Luongo	4:08
Total length:			17:13

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
• Goh Hotoda - mixing engineer

Charts

Weekly charts 1999 chart performance for "First Love" Chart (1999) Peak position Japan (Oricon) (12cm)[7] 2 Japan (Oricon) (8cm)[8] 6 Taiwan (IFPI Taiwan)[9] 1 2009 chart performance for "First Love" Chart (2009) Peak position Japan (RIAJ Digital Track Chart)[10] 89 2014 chart performance for "First Love" Chart (2014) Peak position Japan (Japan Hot 100)[11] 56 2022 chart performance for "First Love" Chart (2022) Peak position Global 200 (Billboard)[12] 147 Hong Kong (Billboard)[13] 2 Japan (Japan Hot 100)[14] 5 Japan (Oricon)[15] with "Hatsukoi" 6 Japan Combined Singles (Oricon)[16] 11 Japan Combined Singles (Oricon)[17] with "Hatsukoi" 27 Singapore Regional (RIAS)[18] 17 Taiwan (Billboard)[19] 1

Year-end charts 2023 year-end chart performance for "First Love" Chart (2023) Position Japan (Japan Hot 100)[20] 45 2024 year-end chart performance for "First Love" Chart (2024) Position Japan (Japan Hot 100)[21] 81

Certifications and sales

Certifications and sales for "First Love"

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Japan (RIAJ)[22] 12 cm version	2× Platinum	500,000^
Japan 8 cm version	—	303,000[23]
Japan (RIAJ)[24] Full-length Ringtone	Platinum	250,000*
Streaming
Japan (RIAJ)[25]	2× Platinum	200,000,000†
Japan (RIAJ)[26] 2014 Remaster	Gold	50,000,000†
Japan (RIAJ)[27] 2022 Mix	Gold	50,000,000†
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. † Streaming-only figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release history and formats for "First Love"

Region	Date	Format(s)	Version	Label	Ref.
Japan	April 28, 1999	CD	Original	Toshiba-EMI	[7][8]
Taiwan	August 2000			EMI	[28]
Japan	November 19, 2004	Digital download		Toshiba-EMI	[29]
Various	December 9, 2022	Digital download streaming	2022 Mix	USM Japan	[30]
Japan		Vinyl	"First Love / Hatsukoi" 2022 Remastered	USM Japan Epic	[5]

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.^[31] Juju performed the song at Hey! Hey! Hey! on September 20.^[32]

Charts

Chart	Peak position
RIAJ Digital Track Chart Top 100[33]	5

Release history

Region	Date	Format
Japan	September 8, 2010 (2010-09-08)[31]	Ringtone
	September 15, 2010 (2010-09-15)[31]	Cellphone download

Other cover versions

• Naoko Terai [ja] (1999, violin, album Pure Moment)
• Sotte Bosse [ja] (2007, on the album Innocent View)^[34]
• Scott Murphy (2008, on the album Guilty Pleasures 3)
• Ryō Nagano [ja] (Apogee) (2008, digital single)
• Yasushi Nakanishi [ja] (2008, on the album Standards 3)^[35]
• Jake Shimabukuro (2008, ukulele solo, DVD Ichigo Ichie)
• Makoto Hirahara [ja] (2009, saxophone, on the album Vocalese)
• Sing-O [ja] (2009, digital single)
• Starving Trancer [ja] 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)^[36]