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

Year-end charts 2023 year-end chart performance for "First Love" Chart (2023) Position Japan (Japan Hot 100)[19] 45 2024 year-end chart performance for "First Love" Chart (2024) Position Japan (Japan Hot 100)[20] 81

Certifications and sales

Certifications and sales for "First Love"

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Japan (RIAJ)[21] 12 cm version	2× Platinum	500,000^
Japan 8 cm version	—	303,000[22]
Japan (RIAJ)[23] Full-length Ringtone	Platinum	250,000*
Streaming
Japan (RIAJ)[24]	2× Platinum	200,000,000†
Japan (RIAJ)[25] 2014 Remaster	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	[6][7]
Taiwan	August 2000			EMI	[26]
Japan	November 19, 2004	Digital download		Toshiba-EMI	[27]
Various	December 9, 2022	Digital download streaming	2022 Mix	USM Japan	[28]
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.^[29] Juju performed the song at Hey! Hey! Hey! on September 20.^[30]

Charts

Chart	Peak position
RIAJ Digital Track Chart Top 100[31]	5

Release history

Region	Date	Format
Japan	September 8, 2010 (2010-09-08)[29]	Ringtone
	September 15, 2010 (2010-09-15)[29]	Cellphone download

Other cover versions

• Naoko Terai (1999, violin, album Pure Moment)
• Cao Xue Jing (2004, erhu solo, on the album Koiuta Erhu)
• 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)
• Kim Chaewon of LE SSERAFIM (2022, released on SoundCloud)

References

1. "GOLD ALBUM 他認定作品 1999年5月度" [Gold Albums, and other certified works. May 1999 Edition] (PDF). The Record (Bulletin) (in Japanese). 476. Chūō, Tokyo: Recording Industry Association of Japan: 9. July 10, 1999. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 9, 2014. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
2. 失恋した時に聴きたい曲、男性はミスチル 女性はプリプリ. Oricon (in Japanese). March 11, 2009. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
3. "宇多田ヒカル一時休止前ラスト公演で感涙＆Ust新記録樹立" (in Japanese). Natalie. December 13, 2010. Retrieved December 17, 2010.
4. "満島ひかり×佐藤健の"10代の頃"を八木莉可子×木戸大聖が演じる『First Love 初恋』" (in Japanese). ORICON NEWS. November 10, 2022. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
5. "宇多田ヒカル、デビュー記念日に「First Love」「初恋」のドルビーアトモス版＆7inchアナログリリース" [Hikaru Utada to Release Dolby Atmos & Vinyl Version of "First Love" and "Hatsukoi" on Debut Anniversary]. 音楽ナタリー (in Japanese). Retrieved December 9, 2022.
6. "First Love - 宇多田ヒカル／ オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
7. "First Love - 宇多田ヒカル／ オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
8. "Taiwan Top 10 Singles" (in Chinese). IFPI Taiwan. July 11, 1999. Archived from the original on December 24, 1999. Retrieved September 1, 2024.
9. "レコード協会調べ 2009年09月02日～2009年09月08日 ＜略称：レコ協チャート（「着うたフル(R)」）＞" (in Japanese). RIAJ. September 11, 2009. Archived from the original on April 22, 2012. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
10. "Billboard Japan Hot 100 – Week of March 24, 2014". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved February 29, 2024.
11. "Hikaru Utada Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
12. "Hikaru Utada Chart History (Hong Kong Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
13. "Billboard Japan Hot 100 – Week of December 21, 2022". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved December 21, 2022.
14. First Love/初恋 – Oricon Oricon News. Retrieved December 14, 2022.
15. "Oricon Top 50 Combined Singles: 2022-12-19" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
16. "Oricon Top 50 Combined Singles: 2022-12-19" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
17. "RIAS Top Charts Week 50 (9 - 15 Dec 2022)". RIAS. Archived from the original on December 20, 2022. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
18. "Hikaru Utada Chart History (Taiwan Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
19. "Billboard Japan Hot 100 – 2023 Year-End". Billboard Japan. Retrieved December 28, 2023.
20. "Billboard Japan Hot 100 – 2024 Year-End". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved December 6, 2024.
21. "Japanese single certifications – Hikaru Utada – First Love" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved December 26, 2023. Select 2018年6月 on the drop-down menu
22. オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」 (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
23. "Japanese ringtone certifications – Hikaru Utada – First Love" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved December 26, 2023. Select 2009年8月 on the drop-down menu
24. "Japanese single streaming certifications – Hikaru Utada – First Love" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved March 28, 2024. Select 2024年2月 on the drop-down menu
25. "Japanese single streaming certifications – Hikaru Utada – First Love (2014 Remaster)" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved February 29, 2024. Select 2023年2月 on the drop-down menu
26. "First Love (Overseas Ver.)". Yesasia. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
27. レコード協会調べ 8月度有料音楽配信認定 ＜略称：8月度認定＞. RIAJ (in Japanese). September 20, 2009. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
28. "宇多田ヒカルのアナログ盤「First Love / 初恋」発売記念ポップアップ企画開催、DJイベントあり" [DJ Event to Commemorative Hikaru Utada's Vinyl Release of "First Love / Hatsukoi"]. 音楽ナタリー (in Japanese). Retrieved December 9, 2022.
29. "JUJU インフォメーション" (in Japanese). Sony. Archived from the original on April 29, 2011. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
30. "今聴きたい！名曲HEY！HEY！HEY！伝説的アイドルの祭典！史上最多30人大集結スペシャル！！" (in Japanese). Fuji TV. September 20, 2010. Retrieved September 24, 2010.
31. "レコード協会調べ 2010年09月15日～2010年09月21日 ＜略称：レコ協チャート（「着うたフル(R)」）＞" (in Japanese). RIAJ. September 24, 2009. Archived from the original on December 28, 2014. Retrieved September 24, 2010.