Genius 2000

Genius 2000
Standard cover. The original cover features a blue background.
Studio album by Namie Amuro
Released	January 26, 2000
Recorded	1998–1999
Studio	Audio Resource Baybridge Studio Darp Studios The Hit Factory Larrabee West Record One Record Plant Studios Sony Music Studios True Kiss Disc TK's Malibu Studio Transcontinental Studios Village Recorders Yamaha Epicurus Studio
Genre	Pop electronica R&B
Length	66:00
Label	Avex Trax
Producer	Dallas Austin Tetsuya Komuro
Namie Amuro chronology
181920 (1998) Genius 2000 (2000) Break the Rules (2000)
Singles from Genius 2000
"I Have Never Seen" Released: December 23, 1998 "Respect the Power of Love" Released: March 17, 1999 "Something 'Bout the Kiss" Released: September 1, 1999 "Love 2000" Released: January 1, 2000

Genius 2000 is the fourth studio album by Japanese recording artist Namie Amuro, released on January 26, 2000, through Avex Trax. The album was released three years after her last album, Concentration 20 (1997), and was produced by Tetsuya Komuro and Dallas Austin, marking her first collaboration with an American producer, the album spawned four singles: "I Have Never Seen", "Respect the Power of Love", "Something 'Bout the Kiss" and "Love 2000".

Upon its release, Genius 2000 debuted at number one on the Oricon Weekly Albums Chart with 536,000 copies sold.^[1] It became her fourth studio album and fifth overall to top the chart, but had the lowest first week sales of her career at the time. The album has sold over 800,000 copies and has been certified 2× Platinum by the RIAJ in February 2000.^[2] Only 11 months after the album's release, Amuro released her fifth studio album, Break the Rules.

Singles and tie-ins

The album's first single, "I Have Never Seen", was released 13 months before the album, on December 23, 1998. The single marked her return to the entertainment industry following her maternity leave and was her last number one single until 60s 70s 80s almost 10 years later.^[1] The second single, "Respect the Power of Love", was released on the same day that Amuro's mother was murdered, causing the singer to cancel promotion for the single. "Something 'Bout the Kiss", produced by Dallas Austin, was released in September and was Amuro's first single to be produced by Austin. The final single, "Love 2000", was released on New Year's Day in 2000, preceding the album by three weeks.

The album contains the songs which Komuro produced with American musicians, and the songs which Dallas Austin produced. Musically, it shows that Amuro's interest shifted towards hip-hop and R&B. It also features a duet with American boy band Imajin, titled "You Are the One". The song "Things I Collected" would be covered by Tamia for the soundtrack of Diary of a Mad Black Woman. Tamia's version of the song omits the acoustic guitar solo, but otherwise is identical to Namie's version.

Promotion and live performances

Amuro embarked on the Genius 2000 Tour in promotion of the album, which began in Chiba, Japan on March 20, 2000, and ended in Honolulu, Hawaii on May 14, 2000. The Honolulu concert was attended by 6,000 people.^[3] The penultimate dates in Osaka on May 6 and 7, 2000, were attended by 30,000.^[4]

Track listing

Genius 2000 track listing

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Arranger(s)	Length
1.	"Make the Connection Complete"		Tetsuya Komuro	Tetsuya Komuro	1:06
2.	"Love 2000"	Tetsuya Komuro, Takahiro Maeda, Sheila E., Lynn Mabry	Tetsuya Komuro, Sheila E, Lynn Mabry	Tetsuya Komuro, Sheila E, Lynn Mabry	5:12
3.	"Respect the Power of Love"	Tetsuya Komuro	Tetsuya Komuro	Tetsuya Komuro	5:26
4.	"Leavin' for Las Vegas"	Dallas Austin	Dallas Austin	Dallas Austin	4:39
5.	"Something 'Bout the Kiss"	Dallas Austin, Lysette, Titi, Chang Hai	Dallas Austin	Dallas Austin	4:25
6.	"I Have Never Seen"	Tetsuya Komuro	Tetsuya Komuro	Tetsuya Komuro	4:36
7.	"Still in Love"	Dallas Austin	Dallas Austin	Dallas Austin	4:17
8.	"Mi Corazon (Te' Amour)"	Tetsuya Komuro, Takahiro Maeda, Sheila E., Lynn Mabry	Tetsuya Komuro, Sheila E., Lynn Mabry, Renato Neto	Tetsuya Komuro, Sheila E., Lynn Mabry, Renato Neto	4:48
9.	"You Are the One" (featuring Imajin)	Tetsuya Komuro	Tetsuya Komuro	Tetsuya Komuro	5:48
10.	"Kiss-And-Ride"	Takahiro Maeda	Tetsuya Komuro, Cozy Kubo	Tetsuya Komuro, Cozy Kubo	3:48
11.	"Things I Collected"	Dallas Austin, Debra Killings	Dallas Austin, Debra Killings	Dallas Austin	6:18
12.	"Next to You"	Dallas Austin, Jasper Cameron	Dallas Austin, Jasper Cameron	Dallas Austin	4:15
13.	"Asking Why"	Nico (Namie Amuro)	Tetsuya Komuro	Tetsuya Komuro, Cozy Kubo	5:07
14.	"Give It a Try"	Tetsuya Komuro, Takahiro Maeda, Sheila E, Lynn Mabry	Tetsuya Komuro, Sheila E, Lynn Mabry	Tetsuya Komuro, Sheila E, Lynn Mabry	4:24
15.	"Log Off"		Tetsuya Komuro	Tetsuya Komuro	1:51

Credits and personnel

Personnel Namie Amuro – vocals, background vocals Imajin – vocals, background vocals Terry Bradford – background vocals Alex Brown – background vocals Sheila E. – background vocals, drums, percussion Kiyoshi Hiyama – background vocals Yuko Kawai – background vocals Debra Killings – background vocals, bass guitar David Lawson – background vocals Maxayn Lewis – background vocals Lynn Mabry – background vocals Minako Obata – background vocals Takeo Saito – background vocals Kenji Sano – background vocals Naoki Takao – background vocals Will Wheaton Jr. – background vocals Tetsuya Komuro – acoustic piano, keyboard, synthesizer Tomi Martin – guitar Kazuhiro Matsuo – bass, guitar Chiharu Mikuzuki – bass Renato Neto – keyboard Ramon Stagnaro – guitar Michael Thompson – guitar

Production Producers – Dallas Austin, Tetsuya Komuro Mixing – Mike Butler, Alvin Speights Mixing assistant – Skye A.K. Correa Midi and sound design – Rick Sheppard Vocal direction – Kenji Sano Photography – Itaru Hirama Art direction – Tycoon Graphics

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2000) Peak position Japanese Albums (Oricon)[5] 1

Year-end charts Chart (2000) Position Japanese Albums (Oricon) 28

Sales and certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Japan (RIAJ)[7]	2× Platinum	802,740[6]

References

1. "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 November 10, 2020.
2. "GOLD ALBUM 他認定作品 2000年2月度" [Gold Albums, and other certified works. February 2000 Edition] (PDF). The Record (Bulletin) (in Japanese). 485. Chūō, Tokyo: Recording Industry Association of Japan: 8. April 10, 2000. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 2, 2013. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
3. "Big Wave Honolulu live | Namie Amuro - Toi et moi - Final Version". Retrieved December 29, 2023.
4. "Honolulu Star-Bulletin 9 May 2000 seems like yesterday doesn't it?". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. May 9, 2000. p. 32. Retrieved December 29, 2023.
5. 安室奈美恵のリリース一覧 [List of Namie Amuro's Releases]. Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved June 4, 2014.
6. "オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」" [Oricon Ranking Information Service 'You Big Tree']. Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved May 21, 2014.
7. "Japanese album certifications – 安室奈美恵 – Genius 2000" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Select 2000年2月 on the drop-down menu