Break the Rules (album)

Break the Rules is the fifth studio album by Japanese recording artist Namie Amuro, released on December 20, 2000, through Avex Trax. It was released only 11 months after her previous album Genius 2000 (2000), and was her final album to date with her long-time producer Tetsuya Komuro, the album generally receive positive reviews by the critics, it was the shortlisted the Asia Association Music Prize Award.

For other topics, see Break the Rules (disambiguation).
Break the Rules
Regular digital cover
Studio album by
Namie Amuro
ReleasedDecember 20, 2000
Recorded2000
Studio
  • Baybridge Studio
  • DARP Studios
  • Guillaume Tell
  • Larrabee Sound Studio
  • Ocean Way Recording
  • On Air Azabu Studio
  • Stanley House
  • TK Disc Studios
  • TK's Malibu Studio
  • Woodland Studios
GenrePop[1]
Length63:03
LabelAvex Trax
Producer
Namie Amuro chronology
Genius 2000
(2000)		 Break the Rules
(2000)		 Love Enhanced Single Collection
(2002)
Singles from Break the Rules
  1. "Never End"
    Released: July 12, 2000
  2. "Please Smile Again"
    Released: October 4, 2000
  3. "Think of Me / No More Tears"
    Released: January 24, 2001
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]

Break the Rules debuted at number two on the Oricon Weekly Albums Chart with 334,520 copies sold, the lowest first week sales of her career at that point.[2] It also became her first studio album to not top the chart. Due to the small space in time between the release of this album and her last album, only two singles precede it.

The album was certified Platinum by the RIAJ.[3]

Background and packaging

Break the Rules is her second album to feature songs written and produced by American music producer, Dallas Austin. His role in this album, however, is much smaller than the last. For Genius 2000, Austin produced half of the album; with this album he only produced four songs. The majority of the tracks features compositions from Amuro's main producer, Tetsuya Komuro.

First editions of the album came in special packaging. The booklet was presented as a foldout poster featuring Amuro looking out of an airplane window. It also came with a foldout card of photos depicting Namie in different locations around America, mostly New York City and Los Angeles. The album was housed in a transparent slip case with the phrase "break the rules" in pink running diagonally across the front and back of it.

Singles and other promotion detail

The songs "Think of Me" and "No More Tears" were released as a double A-side single shortly after the release of the album. A video was made for "Think of Me" in New York during photo sessions for the album artwork. No video was made for "No More Tears." Previous songs that appear on the album have all been slightly modified. These songs include "Never End", "Please Smile Again" and "Cross Over". "Cross Over" features a rap verse from Poppa LQ. Unique among Amuro albums is that it features her first attempt at singing a song entirely in English on the track "Looking for You".

Track listing
No.TitleLyricsMusicArranger(s)Length
1."Rule 8AM"  Tetsuya Komuro
Mix Engineer: Chris Puram		0:30
2."No More Tears"Tetsuya KomuroTetsuya KomuroTetsuya Komuro
Mix Engineer: Chris Puram		5:45
3."Better Days"Gary White
Japanese translation: Junko Kudo		Dallas Austin,
Ricciano Lumpkins		Dallas Austin,
Ricciano Lumpkins
Mix Engineer: Alvin Speights		4:22
4."Break the Rules"Tetsuya KomuroTetsuya KomuroTetsuya Komuro
Mix Engineer: Chris Puram		4:01
5."Looking for You"Tetsuya Komuro
English translation: Zhana		Tetsuya KomuroTetsuya Komuro
Mix Engineer: Chris Puram		4:37
6."Please Smile Again"Tetsuya KomuroTetsuya KomuroTetsuya Komuro
Mix Engineer: Chris Puram		4:43
7."Never Shoulda"Dallas Austin, Jasper Cameron
Japanese translation: Junko Kudo		Dallas AustinDallas Austin
Mix Engineer: Alvin Speights		4:21
8."Cross Over (feat. Poppa LQ)"Tetsuya KomuroTetsuya KomuroTetsuya Komuro
Mix Engineer: Chris Puram		5:02
9."Girlfriend"Dallas Austin, Debra Killings
Japanese translation: Junko Kudo		Dallas AustinDallas Austin
Mix Engineer: Kevin Davis		4:13
10."Never End"Tetsuya KomuroTetsuya KomuroTetsuya Komuro
Mix Engineer: Chris Puram		6:26
11."Think of Me"Dallas Austin
Japanese translation: Junko Kudo		Dallas AustinDallas Austin
Mix Engineer: Kevin Davis		4:46
12."Rule 8PM"  Tetsuya Komuro
Mix Engineer: Chris Puram		0:33
13."HimAWArI"Tetsuya KomuroTetsuya KomuroTetsuya Komuro
Mix Engineer: Chris Puram		4:45
14."No More Tears (Remix)"Tetsuya KomuroTetsuya KomuroMix: Dave Darlington
Remix & Reproduction: Junior Vasquez
Additional Production: Gomi		8:59

Personnel
  • Namie Amuro – vocals, background vocals
  • Poppa L.Q. – vocals
  • Terry Bradford – background vocals
  • Alex Brown – background vocals
  • Andy Caine – background vocals
  • Jennifer Carr – background vocals
  • Debra Killings – background vocals
  • Maxayn Lewis – background vocals
  • Oleatha "Butta" Richie – background vocals
  • Juliet Roberts – background vocals
  • Will Wheaton Jr. – background vocals
  • Ken Kimura – guitar
  • Tetsuya Komuro – acoustic piano, keyboards, synthesizer
  • Kazuhiro Matsuo – acoustic guitar

Production

  • Producers – Dallas Austin, Ricciano Lumpkins, Tetsuya Komuro
  • Arrangement – Dallas Austin, Tetsuya Komuro
  • Mixing – Dave Darlington, Kevin "KD" Davis, Chris Puram, Alvin Seights
  • Midi & Sound Design – Rick Sheppard
  • Vocal Direction – Kenji Sano
  • Remixing – Junior Vasquez (No More Tears Remix)
  • Photography – Shoji Uchida
  • Art Direction – Tycoon Graphics

Charts

Album - Oricon Sales Chart (Japan)

Release Chart Peak position Sales total
20 December 2000 Oricon Daily Albums Chart 1
Oricon Weekly Albums Chart 2 334,520

Singles - Oricon Sales Chart (Japan)

Release Single Chart Peak position
12 July 2000 "Never End" Oricon Daily Singles Chart 2
Oricon Weekly Singles Chart 2
4 October 2000 "Please Smile Again" Oricon Daily Singles Chart 2
Oricon Weekly Singles Chart 2
24 January 2001 "Think of Me" / "No More Tears" Oricon Daily Singles Chart 5
Oricon Weekly Singles Chart 7

Total Single Sales: 969,940

Total Album and Single Sales: 1,304,460

References
  1. Ted Mills. Break the Rules at AllMusic. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  2. "安室奈美恵の作品 5ページ目" [List of Namie Amuro's works, Page 5.]. Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved September 18, 2021.
  3. "GOLD ALBUM 他認定作品 2000年12月度" [Gold Albums, and other certified works. December 2000 Edition] (PDF). The Record (Bulletin) (in Japanese). Chūō, Tokyo: Recording Industry Association of Japan. 495: 8. February 10, 2001. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 16, 2014. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
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