Chage and Aska

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Chage and Aska
Origin	Fukuoka, Japan
Genre(s)	folk, rock, pop, adult contemporary
Years active	1979 - Present
Label(s)	Warner Pioneer, Pony Canyon, Universal
Website	Official
Members
Chage Ryo Aska

Chage and Aska (チャゲ & 飛鳥, Chage and Asuka^?) or Chage and Asuka, are a Japanese popular music duo composed of two singer-songwriters from Fukuoka Prefecture, Chage (b.1958) and Ryo Aska (飛鳥涼, Asuka ryo^?) (b. 1958). To date they have sold over 31 million albums and singles in Japan.

They were formed in the late 1970s at the suggestion of A&R of the Yamaha Music Foundation. After the hit single "Banri no Kawa" in 1980, they produced several smash hits irregularly throughout the 1980s. However, thanks to Aska's hit solo single "Hajimari wa Itsumo Ame" in 1991, and several powerful tieups with TV programs, their popularity peaked during the first half of the 1990s. In those days, they released five million-selling hits: "Yah Yah Yah", "If", "Heart", "Meguriai", and their most well-known "Say Yes". "Say Yes", released in 1991, is the sixth best-selling single in Japan.^[1]

They attempted to spread their market worldwide, especially to the United States. Yamaha released a compilation of cover versions by Western artists (Maxi Priest featuring Shaggy, Lisa Stansfield, Chaka Khan, Michael Hutchence, Alejandro Sanz, Cathy Dennis, Apache Indian, Boy George, Richard Marx, Londonbeat, Marianne Faithfull, and Wendy Matthews)

1 Single discography
2 Album discography
3 References

[edit] Single discography

Hitorizaki (ひとり咲き, Hitorizaki^?) / Atomawashi (あとまわし, Atomawashi^?) (1979.8.25)
Rurenjouka (流恋情歌, Rurenjouka^?) / Fuyu ni Okizari (冬に置きざり, Fuyu ni Okizari^?) (1980.2.25)
Banri no Kawa (万里の河, Banri no Kawa^?) / Genya (幻夜, Genya^?) (1980.9.25)
TABIBITO (放浪人(TABIBITO), TABIBITO^?) / Manatsu no Kokkyou (真夏の国境, Manatsu no Kokkyou^?) (1981.5.25)
Otoko to Onna (男と女, Otoko to Onna^?) / Nagai Ame no Ato ni (長い雨のあとに, Nagai Ame no Ato ni^?) (1981.10.25)
Atsui Omoi (熱い想い, Atsui Omoi^?) / Koi ha A YA FU YA (恋はア・ヤ・フ・ヤ, Koi ha A YA FU YA^?) (1982.4.25)
Kitakaze Monogatari (北風物語, Kitakaze Monogatari^?) / MESSAGE (1982.10.25)
Marionette (マリオネット, Marionette^?) / Nazo Nazo Yuugi (謎²遊戯, Nazo Nazo Yuugi^?) (1983.4.23)
Hanayaka ni Kizutsuite (華やかに傷ついて, Hanayaka ni Kizutsuite^?) / Shounen (少年, Shounen^?) (1983.9.28)
MOON LIGHT BLUES / Darlin' (1984.2.22)
Target (標的（ターゲット）, Target^?) / Maria (Back To The City) (マリア(Back To The City), Maria (Back To The City) ^?) (1984.10.25)
Yuuwaku no Bell ga Naru (誘惑のベルが鳴る, Yuuwaku no Bell ga Naru^?) / Manoyaka no Futari (真夜中の二人, Manoyaka no Futari^?) (1985.2.25)
Only Lonely (オンリー・ロンリー, Only Lonely^?) / SHAKIN' NIGHT (1985.2.25)
Morning Moon (モーニング・ムーン, Morning Moon^?) / Gently (1986.2.5)
Tasogare wo Matazuni (黄昏を待たずに, Tasogare wo Matazuni^?) / DIAMOND SAND (1986.5.21)
Count Down / Koibito tono Wakarekata (Onna no Baai, Otoko no Baai) (恋人との別れ方(女の場合、男の場合)^?) (1986.8.21)
Yubiwa ga Naita (指環が泣いた, Yubiwa ga Naita^?) / Yasashisa no Mukougawa (やさしさの向こう側, Yasashisa no Mukougawa^?) (1986.11.21)
SAILOR MAN / Wakiyaku de Hohoende (わき役でほほえんで, Wakiyaku de Hohoende^?) (1987.4.21)
Romancing Yard (ロマンシング・ヤード, Romancing Yard^?) / Mr. ASIA (1987.10.5)
Koibito ha Wine Iro (恋人はワイン色, Koibito ha Wine Iro^?) / Akirame no Blue Day (あきらめのBlue Day, Akirame no Blue Day^?) (1988.2.5)
Rhapdsody (ラプソディ, Rhapdsody^?) / ripple ring (1988.5.21)
Trip / Soprano (ソプラノ, Soprano^?) (1988.10.25)
WALK / Daita Memory -as time goes by- (抱いたメモリー -as time goes by-, Daita Memory -as time goes by-^?) (1989.3.8)
LOVE SONG / Break an egg (1989.6.21)
DO YA DO / YELLOW MEN (1990.6.27)
Taiyou to Hokori no Naka de (太陽と埃の中で, Taiyou to Hokori no Naka de^?) / Otoko to Onna (男と女, Otoko to Onna^?) (LIVE Version)/ SOME DAY (LIVE Version) (1991.1.30)
SAY YES / Kokuhaku (告白, Kokuhaku^?) (1991.7.24)
Boku ha Kono Me de Uso wo Tsuku (僕はこの瞳で嘘をつく, Boku ha Kono Me de Uso wo Tsuku^?) / TREE Digest (1991.11.21)
LOVE SONG / Romancing Yard (ロマンシングヤード, Romancing Yard^?) (1992.3.25)
if / CRIMSON (1992.7.21)
no no darlin' / Kyou ha... Konnani Genki desu (今日は…こんなに元気です, Kyou ha... Konnani Genki desu^?) (1992.10.10)
YAH YAH YAH / Yume no Bannin (夢の番人, Yume no Bannin^?) / Kimi ha Nanimo Shiranai mama (君はなにも知らないまま, Kimi ha Nanimo Shiranai mama^?) (1993.3.3)
Sons and Daughters - Soreyori Boku ga Tsutaetai noha (Sons and Daughters～それより僕が伝えたいのは^?) / Mr. J no Higeki ha Iwa yori Omoi (Mr.Jの悲劇は岩より重い, Mr. J no Higeki ha Iwa yori Omoi^?) (1993.8.20)
You are free / When You Wish upon a Star (星に願いを～WHEN YOU WISH UPON A STAR～, When You Wish upon a Star^?)/ Sekai ni Merry X'mas (世界にMerry X'mas, Sekai ni Merry X'mas^?) (1993.11.19)
Nazeni Kimi ha Kaeranai (なぜに君は帰らない, Nazeni Kimi ha Kaeranai^?) / Knock / WHITE CHRISTMAS (1993.11.19)
HEART / NATURAL / On Your Mark (1994.8.3)
Meguriai (めぐり逢い, Meguriai^?) / Nureta Yume (濡れた夢, Nureta Yume^?) (1994.11.16)
Something There / Ajisai to Himawari (紫陽花と向日葵, Ajisai to Himawari^?) (1995.5.10)
river / N to L no Baseball Cap (NとLの野球帽, N to L no Baseball Cap^?) (1996.2.19)
Kono Ai no Tameni (この愛のために, Kono Ai no Tameni^?) / VISION (1999.3.10)
Mure (群れ, Mure^?) / swear (1999.6.9)
Rocket no Ki no Shita de (ロケットの樹の下で, Rocket no Ki no Shita de^?) / Futari Nara (ふたりなら, Futari Nara^?) (2001.4.25)
Parachite no Heya de (パラシュートの部屋で, Parachite no Heya de^?) / Asian Restaurant nite (アジアンレストランにて, Asian Restaurant nite^?) (2001.8.8)
C-46 / Born the trap / C-46 remix (2001.9.19)
Yume no Tsubute (夢の飛礫, Yume no Tsubute^?) / HOTEL (STAMP Version) / Sunadokei no Kubireta Basho (砂時計のくびれた場所, Sunadokei no Kubireta Basho^?) (STAMP Version) (2001.11.28)
Deera Shiera Mu (デェラ・シエラ・ム, Deera Shiera Mu^?) / Studio Noise - Recording Fuukei (スタジオノイズ～レコーディング風景, Studio Noise - Recording Fuukei^?) (2003.9.10)
SEAMLESS SINGLES (2004.4.17)
36 Do Sen - 1995 Natsu - (36度線-1995夏-, 36 Do Sen - 1995 Natsu -^?) / Hikari no Compass (光の羅針盤, Hikari no Compass^?) (2004.8.25)
Boku ha Music (僕はMusic, Boku ha Music^?) / crossroad - Iwa wo Ikiru Boku wo - (crossroad～いまを生きる僕を～, crossroad - Iwa wo Ikiru Boku wo -^?) / Neppuu (熱風, Neppuu^?) (new mix) (2004.12.8)
Here & There / Man and Woman - orchestra ver. (2007.1.10)
Man and Woman / Here & There - improvisation mix (2007.1.10)

[edit] Album discography

[edit] Studio Albums

Kazemai (風舞, Kazemai^?) （1980）
Neppū (熱風, Neppū^?)(1981)
Tasogare no Kishi (黄昏の騎士, Tasogare no Kishi^?) (1982)
Atsui Omoi (熱い想い, Atsui Omoi^?)(1982)
Chage and Asuka -21 Seiki (Chage & Asuka IV -21世紀, Chage and Asuka -21 Seiki^?) (1983)
Inside (1984)
Z=One (1985)
Turning Point (1986)
Mix Blood (1986)
Snow Mail (1986)
Mr.Asia (1987)
Rhapsody (1988)
Energy (1988)
Pride (1989)
See Ya (1990)
Tree (1991)
Guys (1992)
Red Hill (1993)
Code Name.1:Brother Sun (1995)
Code Name.2:Sister Moon (1996)
No Doubt (1999)
Not at All (2001)
Stamp (2002)
Double (2007)

[edit] Live albums

Live in Denen Coliseum: The Natsumatsuri '81 (The 夏祭り'81, The Natsumatsuri '81^?) (1981)
1983.9.30 Chage and Aska Live in Yoyogi Stadium (1983)
MTV Unplugged (1995)

[edit] Compilation albums

Standing Ovation (1985)
Super Best (1987)
The Story of Ballad (1990)
Super Best II (1992)
Yin and Yang (1994)
Super Best Box; Single History 1979-1994 and Snow Mail (box-set compilation, 1994)
Chage & Aska Very Best Roll Over 20th （1999）
Chage and Aska 25th Anniversary Box 1 (box-set compilation, 2004)
Chage and Aska 25th Anniversary Box 2 (box-set compilation, 2004)
Chage and Aska 25th Anniversary Box 3 (box-set compilation, 2004)
The Story of Ballad II (2004)

The duo first appeared, as the winners of the 1979 Yamaha Popular Song Contest. Together they have released many albums, and have received several music awards. They are best known in their native Japan for their hit song "Say Yes," which was the opening theme song for "101st Proposal" (Hyaku ikkai me no Propose), a 1991 TV drama. "Say Yes" was the sixth best-selling single of all time in Japan, selling 2,822,000 copies.

Their songs have been remixed and covered by western artists, including Maxi Priest, Boy George, and Richard Marx. Perhaps their greatest amount of western exposure, however, occurred with their appearances in live MTV concerts in the 1990s. Chage and Aska have released songs for the soundtracks of Street Fighter and Judge Dredd. One of their songs, "On Your Mark", was used by Studio Ghibli in their short video titled On Your Mark, which was released along with the film Whisper of the Heart in 1995.