Life (Gen Hoshino song)
"Life" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Gen Hoshino | ||||
Language | Japanese | |||
A-side | "Why" (double A-side) | |||
B-side |
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Released | August 14, 2023 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:11 | |||
Label | Speedstar | |||
Songwriter(s) | Gen Hoshino | |||
Producer(s) | Gen Hoshino | |||
Gen Hoshino singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Life" (Official Video) on YouTube |
"Life" (Japanese: 生命体, Hepburn: Seimeitai, lit. 'Life' as in lifeform) (Japanese pronunciation: [seːmeːtai]) is a song by Japanese singer-songwriter and musician Gen Hoshino. The song was first released by Speedstar Records on August 14, 2023, as a digital-exclusive single. It was self-produced and written by Hoshino as the main theme to TBS broadcast of the 2022 Asian Games and 2023 World Athletics Championships, which were hosted closely together as a result of rescheduling in the COVID-19 pandemic. With gospel influences, the track has an upbeat rock and R&B sound through a small instrumental line-up, led primarily by piano. Lyrically, the song discusses competition and the exhilaration felt on the field, with international themes applicable to everyday life.
Upon release, "Life" took No. 7 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100 and No. 44 on Oricon's Combined Singles Chart. A digital-exclusive release, it took first place on both publications' download charts. A music video directed by GROUPN was premiered to Hoshino's YouTube channel the day of the single's release, featuring guest appearances from sprinter Yoshihide Kiryū, former Nogizaka46 member Asuka Saitō, and dancer THE D SoraKi. Throughout 2023, Hoshino promoted the song through five television performances, including at the 74th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen on New Year's.
On December 27, 2023, "Life" was reissued as a double A-side with "Why", the ending theme to the anime film Spy × Family Code: White (2023). The re-release peaked at No. 2 on the Oricon physical sales and combined sales charts, and on Billboard Japan's Top Singles Sales ranking.
Background
[edit]Prior to "Life", Gen Hoshino had written songs for sports-related tie-ups, such as "Hello Song" (2016) for a campaign by the Ad Council Japan that encouraged preparation for the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo,[1] and "Continues" (2016) for broadcast of the 2016 Summer Paralympics on SKY PerfecTV!.[2] Due to restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2022 Asian Games were postponed to September and October 2023,[3] only a month after the 2023 World Athletics Championships would be held in August.[4] The song "All My Treasures" (2007) by Yūji Oda had served as the theme for TBS Television's broadcast of the Athletics Championships for sixteen years; however, the 2023 event's close scheduling with the Asian Games prompoted the network to commission a new original theme song for their broadcast of both. They contacted Hoshino, who accepted; he told Billboard Japan that he was honored to have been asked during the rare circumstance of two events being held so close together.[5][6]: 1 In a promotional interview conducted with TBS, Hoshino said that he was glad to receive the offer as an avid viewer of the TBS sports YouTube channel: "When I'm writing songs [or] memorizing lines for a role ... It's often that I'm at home without moving. During those times I like to watch other people move [laughs]."[7]
Writing and production
[edit]Hoshino invisioned "Life" as a song that encourages athletes, sports fans, and everyone else that lives within the chaos of the present time.[5] Roughly half of the song's lyrics had already been written when Hoshino conceived the title "Life".[8] The Japanese title, seimeitai (生命体), literally translates to lifeform, which Hoshino thought was perfect for the song's theming on living in present times. He related the concept of a living organism to sports: "Suddenly, I had this idea that people are born onto a racetrack of sorts, and we only feel freedom in respect to that race ... I think that not just humans, but everything living—even microrganisms that we cannot read the emotions of—live on that racetrack ... For a song about living in present times, I thought that the title 'Life', literally the body of a living creature, perfectly represented its relation to sports."[6]: 3 Compared to his prior work on sports-related songs, Hoshino felt that the theming on "Life" was most similar to—if not almost the same as—"Continues", since both of these songs focus on the continuation of life after the end of a sports game. On "Life", Hoshino considered the cultural impact of sports in Japan and how it encourages Japanese people, and used knowledge from his portrayal of news commentator Kazushige Hirasawa on the Olympics historical TV-series Idaten (2019).[6]: 1
Musically, Hoshino intended to incorporate inspiration from gospel music to create a sound that releases listeners from ego and pressures. Himself not a Christian, he wanted to process gospel through his own musical style and only take inspiration to avoid distastefully replicating the genre.[6]: 1, 3 Hoshino had gradually experimented with gospel influences on tracks like "Umare Kawari" (2013), "Soul" (2015), and the single "Cube" (2021). While Hoshino believed that "Cube" was not enjoyed by the widest audience, he was encouraged by positive reactions from other musicians, specifically American artists James Poyser and DJ Jazzy Jeff, to whom he played the song during a trip to the US.[6]: 3 The gospel-influenced sound of "Life" made Hoshino worry that the song would not be accepted by a Japanese audience, but ultimately decided keep it aligned with his own musical interests; he said that the response to "Cube" likely inspired this decision.[6]: 2–3
On his Instagram, audio mixer Shojiro Watanabe posted that the drums on "Life" were recorded in the style of Glyn Johns; Hoshino told Billboard Japan that this production was the most energetic that he had seen Watanabe throughout their ten plus years of collaboration.[6]: 2
Composition and lyrics
[edit]"Life" is three minutes and eleven seconds long.[9] Hoshino is credited with songwriting, vocals, and upright piano. He co-arranged the track with Mabanua, who also collaborated on upright piano and provided electric bass. Satoru Takeshima is credited on alto sax and Shun Ishiwaka is credited with drums. In addition to the background vocals, Hoshino worked together with Nagaoka and Ua for the track's handclapping.[10]
"Life" has a fast-paced R&B sound with basis in gospel. Apple Music lists the song as alternative music[9] and CDJournal categorized the double A-side release as Japanese rock and pop.[11] The song's small line-up of instruments is led primarily by the piano, broken as the lead instrument during only a solo on sax.[12][13] The drums serves as the track's drive, playing strong phrases in quick succession with occasional accented notes.[14] The high-pitched range of notes in the melody and the sax solo gives "Life" an exciting sound,[14] whereas the drums and Nagaoka and Ua's background chorus express a feeling of energy.[12]
Music critic Imdkm (Real Sound) described the personnel's work as continuing Hoshino's musical style from 2021 and onwards while still delivering a new kind of sound. He called the instrumentality simple and the development straightforward, with a gimmick-less sound that gives the feeling of "quickly running a short distance in high tension".[14] Rockin'On Japan's Emi Sugiura reviewed "Life" as a supportive song celebrating existence, the type of song that makes listeners understand the meaning of life.[12] In a review for the double A-side single, Sugiura felt that "Life" encouraged her to "start running before seeking for meaning." She wrote that the partner A-side "Why" felt like a continuation to the story of "Life", despite their different styles.[15]
Lyrically, "Life" opens with description of an athlete's competition and their liberation from it, while keeping similarities with international topics outside this specific competition ("Before I knew it, I was part of a race" / " 'Win!' 'Keep running!' they said"). In the chorus, the song adds the feeling of an athlete getting into zone and the exhilaration of the field ("My skin melds with the wind and melts away" / "Boundaries disappear"). The text is ended by a return to reality ("Without a doubt, you're here" / "And life goes on").[14] Imdkm (Real Sound) wrote that the lyrics combines the engage of sports with a "univeral message" also present in the everyday life of most listeners.[14] Tomoyuki Mori, also for Real Sound, described the lyrics as leading listeners towards "total freedom" by "transcending one's own consciousness".[13]
Promotion and release
[edit]"Life" was announced as the theme song to the World Athletics Championships and Asian Games in June 2023. For the Athletics Championships, it would take over as theme song after Yūji Oda's "All My Treasures", which had been in use since the 2007 event.[16] "Life" was announced for a single release on August 7, along with the publication of a new visual of Hoshino.[17] It was released as a digital-exclusive single by Speedstar Records a week later on August 14, 2023[18] and marked Hoshino's first new song in almost a year.[17] To promote the release, label parent company Victor Entertainment hosted a campaign that allowed listeners to acquire phone wallpapers based on the cover art to "Life" and an original illustrated by Hoshino, and a two-set of postcards featuring Hoshino.[19]
On November 10, Hoshino announced a new double A-side single, to feature "Life" as the second lead track.[20] The partner A-side was revealed a month later to be "Why" (光の跡, Hikari no Ato),[21] the ending theme to the anime film Spy × Family Code: White (2023). "Why" / "Life" was released by Speedstar on December 27, as Hoshino's first CD single in almost two years, following "Fushigi" / "Create" (2021).[11][15] On the B-side, the single features "Odd Couple" – the main theme to the comedy tour Audrey no All Night Nippon in Tokyo Dome – and "Beyond the Sequence", an instrumental created by Hoshino for a series of UCC coffee commercials starring himself. First editions featured a Blu-ray disc of live performances, consisting of 12 songs from the 2021 online concert YP Live Streaming: Enkai, Hōō-hen and eight songs from Hoshino's acoustic setlist at Live the Speedstar in 2023.[22]
On the day of its digital release in August, Hoshino promoted "Life" through a live performance on a special for Count Down TV.[23] Hoshino returned to the program on September 18, performing "Life" and his debut single "Kudaranai no Naka ni".[24] He gave a third performance of "Life" three days later on September 21, appearing on NHK's music program SONGS.[25] Hoshino revisited Count Down TV for a third time in December, performing "Life" and "Comedy" as part of a Christmas special.[26] On New Year's Eve, he returned to NHK to perform the song for the 74th annual Kōhaku Uta Gassen. Hoshino sang from the roof of Toranomon Hills, marking his ninth Kōhaku appearance.[27] The New Year's performance was uploaded in full to YouTube on January 10, 2024.[28]
Music video
[edit]A music video to "Life", directed by GROUPN,[29] was premiered to YouTube on August 14, at 0:00 JST, with Hoshino participating in the live chat.[30] Filmed over the course of four days, the video is splitscreened to showcase various people living in the present to bring a "video overflowing life."[19] Among those featured in the video are Hoshino and several of his band members, sprinter Yoshihide Kiryū, former Nogizaka46 member Asuka Saitō, and dancer THE D SoraKi.[31] A behind the scenes video was posted the same day as the main release.[32] Standalone videos of Saitō and SoraKi's dance performances from the music video were uploaded to Hoshino's YouTube channel on August 29.[33]
Commercial performance
[edit]In its first week of charting, "Life" moved 13,713 digital sales according to Billboard Japan, opening at peaks of No. 44 on Oricon's Combined Singles Chart[34] and No. 7 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100.[35] Oricon accounted 13,821 sales, moved up to 15,919 after its second and final appearance on their chart.[34] "Life" secured first place on both Oricon's and Billboard's digital-only charts, becoming Hoshino's sixth song to top the Oricon Digital Singles ranking.[35][36]
The "Why" / "Life" double A-side single moved over 48,000 physical sales upon release, taking No. 2 on the Oricon Singles Chart, the Combined Singles Chart,[34] and Billboard Japan's Top Singles Sales ranking. It took first place on Oricon's Anime Singles chart.[34] "Why" charted separately from the single, reaching No. 4 on the Hot 100[37] and No. 2 on the Billboard Hot Animation.[38]
Personnel
[edit]Credits adapted from Hoshino's website.[10]
- Gen Hoshino – vocals, background vocals, upright piano, handclaps, songwriting, arrangement, production, recording
- Mabanua – electric bass, upright piano, co-arrangement, recording
- Shun Ishiwaka – drums
- Satoru Takeshima – alto saxophone, recording
- Ryosuke Nagaoka – background vocals, handclaps, background vocals arrangement
- Ua – background vocals
- Shojiro Watanabe – recording
- Shu Saida – recording
- Shojiro Watanabe – mixing
- Takahiro Uchida – mastering
- Satoshi Goto – assistance
Track listing
[edit]All tracks are written by Gen Hoshino expect where otherwise noted.
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Life" (生命体, Seimeitai) | 3:11 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Why" (光の跡, Hikari no Ato, lit. 'Traces of Light') | 4:10 |
2. | "Life" | 3:13 |
3. | "Odd Couple" (おともだち, Otomodachi, lit. 'Friends') | 3:12 |
4. | "Beyond the Sequence" | 3:25 |
Total length: | 14:00 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Opening" | 2:03 |
2. | "Episode" (エピソード, Episōdo) | 2:28 |
3. | "Sun" | 4:11 |
4. | "Dust" (ダスト, Dasuto) | 4:29 |
5. | "Doraemon" (ドラえもん) | 4:13 |
6. | "Tomato" (そしたら, Soshitara, lit. 'And Then') | 3:03 |
7. | "Dancer" (ダンサー, Dansā) | 3:17 |
8. | "Stove" (ストーブ, Sutōbu) | 3:37 |
9. | "Nothing" | 5:37 |
10. | "Record Noise" (レコードノイズ, Rekōdo Noizu) | 6:08 |
11. | "Fushigi" (不思議, lit. 'Strange') | 5:00 |
12. | "Gag" (ギャグ, Gyagu) | 4:48 |
13. | "Hello Song" | 4:58 |
14. | "Documentary" |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
15. | "Opening" | 1:04 |
16. | "Hirameki" (ひらめき, lit. 'Flash') | 3:19 |
17. | "Barabara" (ばらばら, lit. 'Scatter') | 4:05 |
18. | "Sūdara Bushi " (スーダラ節, lit. 'Melody of Smooth Trickling'; writers: Yukio Aoshima, Hiroaki Hagiwara; original artist: Crazy Cats) | 3:55 |
19. | "Koi" (恋, lit. 'Love') | 5:35 |
20. | "Bakemono" (化物, lit. 'Monster') | 3:01 |
21. | "Why Don't You Play in Hell?" (地獄でなぜ悪い, Jigoku de Naze Warui, lit. 'What's Bad About Hell?') | 4:17 |
22. | "Kuse no Uta" (くせのうた, lit. 'Habit Song') | 5:10 |
23. | "Kudaranai no Naka ni" (くだらないの中に, lit. 'In the Nonsense') | 5:19 |
Total length: | 2:07:00 |
Charts
[edit]Chart (2023) | Peak position |
---|---|
Japan (Billboard Japan Hot 100)[41] | 7 |
Japanese Combined Singles (Oricon)[42] | 44 |
Chart (2024) | Peak position |
---|---|
Japanese Top Singles Sales (Billboard Japan)[43] | 2 |
Japan (Oricon)[44] | 2 |
Japanese Combined Singles (Oricon)[45] | 2 |
Japanese Anime Singles (Oricon)[46] | 1 |
Release history
[edit]Region | Date | Release and edition | Format(s) | Label | Catalogue code | Ref(s). |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Various | August 14, 2023 | "Life" — digital single | Speedstar Records | VE3WT-10580 | [9][18][47] | |
South Korea | J-Box Entertainment | — | [48] | |||
Japan | December 27, 2023 | "Why" / "Life" — standard | CD | Speedstar Records | VICL-37718 | [11] |
"Why" / "Life" — limited |
|
[49][50] | ||||
Various | "Why" / "Life" — standard |
|
— | [39] | ||
South Korea | J-Box Entertainment | — | [51] | |||
Japan | January 13, 2024 | Rental CD | Victor Entertainment | VICL-37718R | [52] |
References
[edit]- ^ "星野源がACジャパンCMに新曲提供、憧れの植木等と'共演'も" [Gen Hoshino Writes New Song for AC Japan Commercial, Co-Starring With His Idol Hitoshi Ueki]. Natalie.mu (in Japanese). July 1, 2016. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
- ^ "星野源、パラリンピック放送テーマソングに新曲「Continues」" [New Gen Hoshino Song "Continues" to Serve Broadcast of the Paralympics]. Natalie.mu (in Japanese). August 5, 2016. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
- ^ Ansari, Aarish (May 6, 2022). "Asian Games 2022 in China postponed to 2023". International Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on June 27, 2022. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
- ^ "Final entry lists published for World Athletics Championships Budapest 23" (Press release). World Athletics. Archived from the original on September 17, 2023. Retrieved January 5, 2024.
- ^ a b "星野源、TBS 世界陸上&アジア大会テーマソング担当「腹の底から沸き上がってくるワクワク」" [Gen Hoshino Comments on Excitement for World Athletics Championships and Asian Games Theme Song on TBS] (in Japanese). Oricon. June 30, 2023. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Hoshino, Gen (August 23, 2023). "<インタビュー>細胞レベルで決められたレールと壁をぶち破る――星野源「生命体」を語る" [(Interview) Breaking the Rules Decided at the Cellular Level — Gen Hoshino Talks "Life"]. Billboard Japan (Interview) (in Japanese). Interviewed by Takahashi, Yoshiaki. Ikitake, Mariko (foreword). Retrieved January 4, 2024.
- ^ Hoshino, Gen (June 30, 2023). 【星野源 独占インタビュー】世界陸上・アジア大会TBS系テーマ曲 『生命体』に込めた想い【ロングver】 [Gen Hoshino Exclusive Interview — The Sentiment in the Athletics Championships and Asian Games TBS Theme Song "Life" (Long Ver.)] (video interview) (in Japanese). Interviewed by Etō, Ai. Event occurs at 0:50. Retrieved January 6, 2024 – via YouTube.
- ^ Hoshino, Gen (August 15, 2023). 第349回 [Episode 349]. Hoshino Gen no All Night Nippon (radio archive) (in Japanese). Nippon Broadcasting. Event occurs at 35:38. Retrieved October 31, 2024 – via Spotify.
- ^ a b c d "'Life' — Album by Gen Hoshino". Apple Music (US). n.d. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
- ^ a b "Life". HoshinoGen.com (in Japanese). n.d. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
- ^ a b c "星野 源 — 光の跡 / 生命体" [Gen Hoshino — "Why" / "Life"]. CDJournal (in Japanese). n.d. Archived from the original on May 25, 2024. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
- ^ a b c Sugiura, Emi (October 2023). "生きる意味を問うより先に体が動く" [The body moves before it can question the meaning of life]. Rockin'On Japan (in Japanese). Archived from the original on January 11, 2024. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
- ^ a b Ishii, Eriko; Mori, Tomoyuki (August 19, 2023). "星野源、マカロニえんぴつ、BTS V、INI、AI、新しい学校のリーダーズ……注目新譜6作をレビュー" [Gen Hoshino, Macaroni Enpitsu, BTS V, INI, AI, and Atarashii Gakko! ... Review of 6 New Releases In Focus]. Real Sound . p. 1. Archived from the original on January 11, 2024. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e Imdkm (September 5, 2023). "星野源、競争と熱狂の先で"個"に寄り添うメッセージ スポーツを飛び越えて生活に重なる「生命体」の眼差し" [Gen Hoshino delivers a message of the individuality in competition and passion. A look at "Life", surpassing sports into everyday life]. Real Sound . Archived from the original on January 12, 2024. Retrieved January 12, 2024.
- ^ a b Sugiura, Emi (October 2023). "生きる意味ならわからない。けれどとても愛おしい" [Though I don't understand life's meaning, it is still incredibly dear]. Rockin'On Japan (in Japanese). Archived from the original on January 14, 2024. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
- ^ "星野源、TBS 世界陸上&アジア大会テーマソング担当「腹の底から沸き上がってくるワクワク」" [Gen Hoshino in charge of World Athletics Championships and Asian Games theme song. "I feel excitement from the bottom of my heart"] (in Japanese). Oricon. June 30, 2023. Archived from the original on January 26, 2024. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
- ^ a b "星野源の約1年ぶりの新曲"生命体"が8月14日に配信リリース。最新ビジュアル公開" [Gen Hoshino will release "Life", first new song in almost a year, for streaming on August 14. New visual published] (in Japanese). Cinra . August 7, 2023. Archived from the original on January 25, 2024. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
- ^ a b "星野 源 — 生命体 (VE3WT-10580)" [Gen Hoshino — "Life" (VE3WT-10580)] (in Japanese). Victor Entertainment. n.d. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
- ^ a b "星野源、『世界陸上』『アジア大会』テーマソング「生命体」MVプレミア公開 プレゼントがもらえる配信キャンペーンも". Real Sound . August 12, 2023. Archived from the original on August 14, 2023. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
- ^ "星野源、約2年半ぶりのシングルを12/27に発売" [Gen Hoshino to release first single in almost two years on December 27]. Barks (in Japanese). November 10, 2023. Archived from the original on January 25, 2024. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
- ^ "星野源、ニューシングル表題曲タイトルが「光の跡」に決定" [Lead track to Gen Hoshino's new single decided as "Hikari no Ato"]. Barks (in Japanese). December 5, 2023. Archived from the original on January 25, 2024. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
- ^ "光の跡/生命体 [CD+Blu-ray Disc] <初回限定盤A>" [Hikari no Ato / Seimeitai [CD+Blu-ray Disc] (First Edition A)] (in Japanese). Tower Records Japan. Archived from the original on January 26, 2024. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
- ^ "『CDTVライブ!』4時間半SP第2弾発表 星野源は3曲 キンプリはメドレー+「ichiban」 乃木坂46新曲TV初披露". Oricon. August 7, 2023. Archived from the original on August 18, 2023. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
- ^ "「CDTV」2時間SPに.ENDRECHERI.、セクゾ、HYDE、三浦大知、ゆず、緑黄色社会". Natalie.mu (in Japanese). September 11, 2013. Archived from the original on October 17, 2023. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
- ^ "星野源、NHK『SONGS』で大泉洋とバーベキュー場へ 「恋」弾き語りバージョンなどパフォーマンスも". Real Sound . September 11, 2023. Archived from the original on January 26, 2024. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
- ^ "「CDTV」クリスマスSPにJO1、SixTONES、Snow Man、セカオワ、10-FEET、星野源、ミセス". Natalie.mu (in Japanese). December 4, 2023. Archived from the original on January 1, 2024. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
- ^ "星野源, 紅白で夜景バックに「生命体」歌唱 「生きたい人生を力強く...」込めた思い語る". Mynavi News . January 1, 2024. Archived from the original on January 9, 2024. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
- ^ "星野源の紅白ステージを何度でも". Natalie.mu (in Japanese). January 10, 2024. Archived from the original on January 12, 2024. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
- ^ GROUPN [@GROUPN2020] (August 17, 2023). "星野源「生命体」Music Video 監督しました🦾" [We directed Gen Hoshino's "Life" Music Video🦾] (Tweet) (in Japanese). Retrieved January 26, 2024 – via Twitter.
- ^ "星野源、約1年ぶり新曲「生命体」ミュージックビデオのプレミア公開が決定 星野本人のチャット参加も予定". Spice (in Japanese). EPlus . August 13, 2023. Archived from the original on August 14, 2023. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
- ^ "星野源「生命体」MV、齋藤飛鳥/THE D SoraKi/桐生祥秀が出演". Billboard Japan. August 14, 2023. Archived from the original on January 26, 2024. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
- ^ "星野源、アジア大会TBS系テーマ曲「生命体」MVメイキング映像公開。桐生祥秀、齋藤飛鳥、THE D SoraKiのコメントも収録". Skream!. August 13, 2023. Archived from the original on December 15, 2023. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
- ^ "星野源が自ら編集、齋藤飛鳥/THE D SoraKiソロ出演の「生命体」ダンスビデオ同時公開". Billboard Japan. August 29, 2023. Archived from the original on October 7, 2023. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
- ^ a b c d "オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」" [Oricon Ranking Information Service "You Taiju"] (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on December 7, 2023. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
- ^ a b "【ビルボード】星野源「生命体」がDLソング首位デビュー, YOASOBI / INIが続く". Billboard Japan. August 23, 2023. Archived from the original on September 25, 2023. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
- ^ "星野源、最新作「生命体」で通算6作目の「デジタルシングル」1位【オリコンランキング】". Oricon. August 23, 2023. Archived from the original on August 25, 2023. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
- ^ "Billboard Japan Hot 100". Billboard Japan. January 3, 2024. Archived from the original on January 10, 2024. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
- ^ "Billboard Japan Hot Animation". Billboard Japan. January 3, 2024. Archived from the original on January 26, 2024. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
- ^ a b Citations regarding the digital release of "Why" / "Life":
- "光の跡/生命体 — 星野源のEP" ["Why" / "Life" — EP by Gen Hoshino] (in Japanese). Apple Music (Japan). n.d. Archived from the original on May 25, 2024. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
- "'Why' / 'Life' — EP by Gen Hoshino". Apple Music (US). n.d. Archived from the original on December 29, 2023. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
- "'Why' / 'Life' — EP by Gen Hoshino" (in Chinese). Apple Music (Taiwan). n.d. Archived from the original on May 25, 2024. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
- ^ a b "星野源 — 光の跡/生命体 [CD+DVD] <初回限定盤B>" [Gen Hoshino — "Why" / "Life" (CD+DVD) (First Limited Edition B)] (in Japanese). Tower Records Japan. n.d. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
- ^ "Billboard Japan Hot 100 — 2023/08/23". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). August 23, 2023. Archived from the original on September 30, 2023. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
- ^ "合算シングル週間50 — 2023年08月28日付" [Weekly Combined Singles Top 50 — August 28, 2023] (in Japanese). Oricon. August 28, 2023. Archived from the original on August 26, 2023. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
- ^ "Billboard Japan Top Singles Sales — 2024/01/03". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). January 8, 2024. Archived from the original on May 24, 2024. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
- ^ "光の跡/生命体" ["Why" / "Life"] (in Japanese). Oricon. n.d. Archived from the original on January 17, 2024. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
- ^ "星野源の合算シングル売上TOP11作品" [Gen Hoshino's Top 11 Combined Singles by Sales] (in Japanese). Oricon. n.d. Archived from the original on December 27, 2023. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
- ^ "アニメシングル週間20 — 2024/01/08付" [Weekly Anime Singles Top 20 — January 8, 2024] (in Japanese). Oricon. January 8, 2024. Archived from the original on January 10, 2024. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
- ^ "'Life' — Single by Gen Hoshino" (in Chinese). Apple Music. n.d. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
- ^ "生命体 (Life)" (in Korean). Bugs!. n.d. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
- ^ "星野 源 — 光の跡 / 生命体 [Blu-ray+CD] [限定]" [Gen Hoshino — "Why" / "Life" (Blu-ray+CD) (Limited)]. CDJournal (in Japanese). n.d. Archived from the original on May 25, 2024. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
- ^ "星野 源 — 光の跡 / 生命体 [DVD+CD] [限定]" [Gen Hoshino — "Why" / "Life" (DVD+CD) (Limited)]. CDJournal (in Japanese). n.d. Archived from the original on May 25, 2024. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
- ^ "光の跡/生命体 (Why / Life)" (in Korean). Bugs!. n.d. Archived from the original on May 25, 2024. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
- ^ "星野源 — 光の跡/生命体 (シングル)" [Gen Hoshino — "Why" / "Life" (Single)] (in Japanese). DMM.com. n.d. Retrieved May 25, 2024.