It is not difficult to obtain two sales details in the name of the firm.

After Yuki Tamura contacted ORICON, the other party quickly passed on the list of the year list he wanted to see.

Speaking of RnB in Japan, one person who must be mentioned is naturally Toshinobu Kubota.

As a pioneer of this style of music in Japan, the music scene will be able to blow a whirlwind of RnB in the future, and one of the great fathers must be credited with the many years of dedication to making and popularizing RnB that is acceptable to the Japanese people.

Last year, because of "Long Vacation", "LA? LA? LA LOVE SONG became the biggest hit of the year, but if you learn more about Kubota's music, he is not the only one.

As early as his debut in the mid-eighties, he had already achieved considerable success, and this popular song "LA? LA? LA LOVE SONG" is just a win-win situation in his already successful singing career.

Creation, singing, or a unique sense of super rhythm, Kubota Toshinobu has all these things, and it is strange that it is not popular.

Behind every successful person, there is a queue waiting for a "successor", and the music industry is no exception or even more serious, the success of Toshinobu Kubota, it is impossible for the record company to say that it is not at all impressed, but it is really difficult to find a good sense of rhythm and creation, and RnB is fun.

The popularity of the first RnB in the 80s quickly subsided, and the genre fell silent for a while, and a look at the top 500 singles charts posted by ORICON is enough to feel this weakness.

And in the 90s, after Toshishin Kubota, another RnB singer worth mentioning is Yoshiki Yonekura. Despite this, this is already six years after the old ancestor Kubota Toshi stretched out his way.

As a singer, Yonekura Toshiki's appearance is very, very high, and his figure is also quite fit, which is deeply loved by the majority of housewives and some comrades...... Why focus on his external conditions?

Of course, because there is nothing more to say about this benevolent brother's music.

To put it in a slightly crude way, if it weren't for Yonekura Toshiki's participation in the development of this new style in the early 90s, when the RnB market was barren, he became a so-called "pioneer" that could not be ignored when introducing Japanese RnB music, and he really wouldn't have reached that status in terms of his music.

Of course, his sales have never been better. Even so, because of his beautiful face and bodybuilding, just by holding concerts to sell peripherals and accepting offerings from housewives, it is enough for him to live a beautiful life.

However, the sales difference of Yonekura Toshiki is not as bad as the current sales of Ken Hirai.

The apex of RnB male SOLO is Toshinobu Kubota, and Toshiki Yonekura was not a success, so when Ken Hirai debuted, he directly crossed over this predecessor and became a singer who was expected to be "Toshinobu Kubota's successor" again. And he can indeed sing and write, and the conditions are good, and the songs he writes are still of a really high standard.

Ken Hirai, who debuted with the hope of the company, made his debut single with Fuji TV's series "Miracle Restaurant", and the ratings of the TV series were good, but Ken Hirai's single sales were miserable.

It's a pity that the term "successor" seems to have its own spell, waiting for the "successor" Kubota Toshinobu sales to be stable, and in 1996, he also made "LA? LA? LA LOVE SONG".

And Ken Hirai, who had high hopes to succeed him, started his bleak career as a singer who didn't make it to the charts one by one and couldn't cry when he threw himself into the street.

Thanks to the company's patience, he hit the streets for five years from 1995, and finally had the reversal of "Paradise", otherwise, there may not be a later Sony brother, only a behind-the-scenes producer, Kenji Hirai.

But even so, judging from the fact that the lyrics and songwriters of "Paradise" have nothing to do with Ken Hirai, this reversal disc is also the record company's last chance for Ken Hirai.

In the market of 1997, the soil of RnB was poor, but even so, did not do it?

The answer, of course, is "no".

Moreover, it is not so much that the soil of RnB is now barren, but that this is the last period of darkness before the dawn comes.

He also wanted to try what it was like to cut through the darkness now.

After reading the sales list from ORICON, and also roughly listening to Ken Hirai's current works, after making a rough draft in his heart, Ye Zhao confirmed the time, it was already evening.

After thinking about it, he finally picked up the phone and called his best acquaintance at Sony, Tadao Okazaki, and after a brief greeting, Ye Zhao invited him and asked him when he was free and could come out to meet.

So, at eight o'clock in the evening, the two of them met at a bar in Ginza.

Speaking of which, I haven't seen Tadao Okazaki for a while, and it's hard to see each other often just because they belong to different departments, not to mention that they don't even have the same company.

After greeting and having a drink, Tadao Okazaki asked him about business.

Ye Zhao was prepared, took out Hirai Jian's single from his bag and handed it over, "Please take a look at this." ”

"Record?" Tadao Okazaki took over, "Ken Hirai...... DefSTAR singers. Give him back the record, "What's the problem?"

"Not long ago, I happened to hear the singer's music, and I thought it was quite tasteful, and I wanted to know more about him. It would be nice to be able to meet in person if you could. ”

"So," Ye Zhao got down to business, "if it's convenient, can you ask Mr. Okazaki to help introduce you?"

"Well, of course, it's not that hard. Tadao Okazaki agreed, "However, Ye Jun specially found me to meet this Hirai Jian, it won't be as simple as just wanting to meet, right?"

As an old friend, Tadao Okazaki probably knows his personality as well.

"Definitely. Ye Zhao readily admitted, "Actually, I want to get his production rights from DefSTAR." ”

"What?" Tadao Okazaki frowned.

Speaking of this DefSTAR, it has a lot to do with Ken Hirai's debut single TIE to "Miracle Restaurant", in which actor Tomoko Yamaguchi of Ken Studio starred in "Miracle Restaurant".

And when it comes to this Yanyin office, it has a little to do with Ye Zhao himself...... If he had been signed by Kenne three years ago, he might have been introduced to DefSTAR to be Ken Hirai's apprentice.

Speaking of which, Genesys previously established his own record company, and the agency distribution was also entrusted to Sony. When BEING first started, it was also Sony's outsourcing company...... Sony, who has a big family, is really everywhere.

However, when it comes to this DefSTAR, there is also a gossip worth mentioning that it was the record label that AKB signed with when it first made its mainstream debut, and of course, the results are known.

This company kicked AKB, and later, when AKB was on fire, DefSTAR also released a set of "escaped fish" series, laughing at itself for letting go of AKB, a big fish.

It is also because of the antecedents planted by this introduction that there is the consequence of Nogizaka.

However, to be serious, DefSTAR was so determined to terminate the contract with AKB, and the fuse was that when "Cherry Blossom Petals 2008" was launched, AKB violated the antitrust law by using the so-called commercial law that collects tickets for the 10th anniversary performance.

The combination that was already half-dead, or didn't know when it would die, was entangled in such a scandal, and at the time, it was understandable to kick them out in time to stop the loss.

Although no one expected that the next single "Loud Diamond" would bring AKB back to life, and since then, it has become a national love and dew like a chicken blood.

"Didn't I discuss it with Mr. Okazaki before? ”

Tadao Okazaki snorted, "Yes." ”

"It just so happened that I heard Ken Hirai's song by some chance and thought he had great potential. Ye Zhao explained, "However, after learning a little bit about it, I found out that he was not famous, which is really a pity." ”

"Mr. Okazaki also knows that there is a three-year contract of 12 million yuan, right? I think it's not easy to find new people to take advantage of, but it's a pity that potential singers are buried, so I want to give it a try. ”

"I see. Tadao Okazaki nodded, "However, the sales volume of 12 million in three years is not a difficult thing for Ye Jun, right?"

"It's easy to say," Ye Zhao said with a wry smile, "The current newcomer selection system is so comprehensive, and the potential newcomers are almost all carved up by the big record companies." ”

"Even so," Tadao Okazaki joked, "On our side, didn't we also let go of Ye Jun's big fish?"

"Please spare me. Ye Zhao said, diverting the topic, "So, is it possible to try this matter?"

Tadao Okazaki didn't immediately agree, "Please allow me to find out about this Hirai Ken first, and then give you an answer." Speaking of which, Keiji Yoshida, who is now in charge of DefSTAR, is also a very capable and bold person, and it seems that he has the ambition to make a career, and if you come up with a good idea, it may be easier to convince him. ”

"Yoshida Kei?" Hearing this name, Ye Zhao moved his eyebrows.

This Kei Yoshida, of course, is not the eponymous Kei Yoshida in the funny artist group Black Minaise, but a big figure in the music industry, of course, in the current year of 1997, he is still a few steps away from the "big shot".

This person joined Sony in the 80s, became the head of DefSTAR after the millennium, and was poached by Warner Japan soon after, became the president of Warner Records, and poached a few of DefSTAR's old subordinates by the way.

It's a pity that this big man in the music industry chose to commit suicide in the end.

Yoshida Jing has an accurate eye, the fragrance and bitter cola are all discovered by him, and the turn of Hirai Jian Salted Fish is also related to his eyes.

However, Ken Hirai only turned over in 2000, and he didn't get anything in the middle of this gap.

In other words, at least in this gap, Kei Yoshida didn't pay attention to him, and even if he felt that he was a manufacturable material, he didn't put him in a priority position to build.

"By the way, there is one more thing...... Ye Zhao said again, "Regarding Ken Hirai's specific record sales and personal resume, can Mr. Okazaki find a way to help get a copy?"

"That's easy to say, no problem. Tadao Okazaki agreed.

After finishing business, Ye Zhao and Tadao Okazaki had a few more drinks and chatted a few words before saying goodbye on the spot. After the scene ended, the time was not early, Ye Zhao also went home, and did not continue to wander outside.

Tadao Okazaki took the matter mentioned by Ye Zhao to heart, and the next day he sent the information he asked for to Ye Zhao's office. I don't know if I don't look at it, but I don't know if I look at it...... It's really miserable enough to hit the streets.

In addition to the debut single, which sold 5,000 copies, all the singles released since then are at the level of one or two thousand copies, which is a result, in this era, even if ORICON is relaxed to 200, it is estimated that it will not enter the chart.

Of course, in addition to hitting the streets, Ken Hirai's life can be regarded as "colorful". His records were not selling well, and every once in a while, he would perform in clubs in Tokyo and even across the country.

However, he couldn't make achievements for two consecutive years, and although the record company didn't plan to put him in the cold palace, it was also cutting his already pitiful production budget, and the release plan was also greatly reduced, and he was already in a posture of giving up on him.

When I got the information, I probably had some understanding of Hirai Ken's current situation, and two days later, Tadao Okazaki sent him a letter back, and he was the one who brought the strings, and together with Kei Yoshida, the three of them went to dinner together.

Kei Yoshida is now in Chinese New Year's Eve, and at this age, the speed of promotion is quite fast, and from this speed of promotion, you can also understand his work ability to some extent.

Tadao Okazaki is Kei Yoshida's senior, and with him matchmaking next to him, Kei Yoshida's attitude is also very good, so that communication is easier.

"Speaking of which, TBG's debut is also in the preparatory period, right?" Tadao Okazaki asked casually.

"Yes, the debut plan is almost ready, and so is the recording, which started last month. ”

Tadao Okazaki explained to Ye Zhao, "...... As part of Yoshida's 'T Project', the first group of singers was launched, and to be precise, a band called the brilliant green. ”

"Is the lead singer a British band with a girl named Tommy?"

Both Kei Yoshida and Tadao Okazaki looked surprised.

"Actually," Ye Zhao took the initiative to explain, "two years ago, I met a band called The Brilliant Green in a club in Kyoto. At that time, I heard them say that they were favored by Sony's scouts. ”

"I see. Tadao Okazaki nodded and smiled, "This is really too coincidental." ”

Kei Yoshida asked him a question, "What is Ye Zhaosan's impression of this band?"

"Well," Ye Zhao thought for a while, not knowing whether he was joking or serious, and replied: "The girl named Tommy is very cute. ”