After the Rain (Ai song)
| "After the Rain" | ||||
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Standard cover art | ||||
| Single by Ai | ||||
| from the album 2004 Ai | ||||
| Language |
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| B-side | "Mugen" | |||
| Released | March 3, 2004 | |||
| Genre | R&B | |||
| Label | Def Jam Japan | |||
| Songwriters |
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| Producer | T. Kura | |||
| Ai singles chronology | ||||
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"After the Rain" is a song recorded by Japanese-American singer-songwriter Ai, released on March 3, 2004, by Def Jam Japan. Described by critics as Ai's first "love song", "After the Rain" is an R&B ballad that served as the ending theme song for Fuji Television's Hey! Hey! Hey! Music Champ.[1] Following its release in Japan, "After the Rain" was moderately successful, peaking at number 32 on the Oricon Singles Chart.
Background and release
After the release of her second studio album Original Ai (2003), Ai saw new success as an artist, being described as the hottest and most popular R&B singer of 2003 in Japan.[2]
On March 3, 2004, Ai released "After the Rain". In a press release, Ai compared "After the Rain" with her 2003 single "Last Words", describing "After the Rain" having a more "positive message" compared to "Last Words" which was written about letting go of relationships.[2][3]
Two editions of "After the Rain" were released. The standard and limited edition include "After the Rain", the B-side "Mugen" and instrumental versions of the two songs. The limited edition of the single includes a bonus DVD with the music video for "After the Rain" and a behind the scenes photo session.
Commercial performance
"After the Rain" experienced moderate commercial success upon its release. Peaking at number 32 on the Oricon Singles Chart, "After the Rain" appeared on the chart for a total of seven weeks.
At the 2004 MTV Video Music Awards Japan, "After the Rain" was nominated for Best Buzz Asia – Japan, however lost to "Put 'Em Up" by Namie Amuro.
Live performances
Ai performed "After the Rain" at the 2004 Space Shower Music Video Awards.[4] She performed the song at the 2004 MTV Video Music Awards Japan.[5]
Track listing
- CD maxi single
- "After the Rain"
- "Mugen" (無限)
- "After the Rain" (instrumental)
- "Mugen" (instrumental)
- CD+DVD maxi single – limited edition
- "After the Rain" (music video)
- "Photo Session Making"
Personnel
- Ai – lead vocals, executive producer
- Michico – background vocals
- T. Kura – production, mixing
- Akitomo Fukushima – recording assistance
- Mineo Watanabe – recording
- Tom Coyne – mastering
Charts
| Chart (2004) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Japan (Oricon)[6] | 32 |
Release history
| Region | Date | Format(s) | Version | Label | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | March 3, 2004 | CD | Standard | Def Jam Japan | [7] |
| Limited | [8] |
References
- ^ "AI / After The Rain". CDJournal (in Japanese). Retrieved September 17, 2025.
- ^ a b "初めてのラヴソングをリリースしたAIが渋谷に現われ、街は騒然". Barks (in Japanese). March 7, 2004. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
- ^ "心に染み入る歌声を持つヒップホップ・ソウル・シンガーAI". Barks (in Japanese). January 30, 2003. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
- ^ "AI、手話をアレンジしたダンスを披露したクリップでBest R&B Video獲得". Barks (in Japanese). March 11, 2004. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
- ^ "「After The Rain」は恋のキューピット!? AIからのコメント映像到着！". Barks (in Japanese). March 23, 2004. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
- ^ "After The Rain | AI". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved September 17, 2025.
- ^ "After The Rain [Regular Edition] AI CD Maxi". CDJapan. Retrieved September 17, 2025.
- ^ "After The Rain [w/ DVD, Limited Release] AI CD Maxi". CDJapan. Retrieved September 17, 2025.