A special feature on hit songs produced by and from Being! Rediscover their charm.
Being, a music agency founded by producer Daikoh Nagato.
In the 1990s, it released a string of hit songs that dominated the scene and built a major presence.
In 2023, the company changed its name to B ZONE and continues to influence the music landscape.
The timeless masterpieces of artists who could be called the faces of their era still shine today.
In this article, we’ll introduce captivating songs by Being-affiliated artists that color a page of youth.
A special feature on hit songs by Being’s productions and artists! Rediscover the appeal (1–10)
suddenlyFIELD OF VIEW
A massive hit by FIELD OF VIEW from the golden Being duo: lyrics by ZARD’s Izumi Sakai and music by Tetsurō Oda.
Just hearing the guitar riff in the intro is enough for many to picture blue skies and that Pocari Sweat commercial.
Yūya Asaoka’s endlessly soaring high-toned voice captures the sparkle and exhilaration of a love that arrived, just as the title says, “suddenly.” The strikingly straightforward lyrics about love are enough to make your heart burn just by listening.
It’s an unfading anthem that makes you feel as if a scene from your own youth is coming back to life, reminding you of those bittersweet emotions you’d forgotten.
I don’t want to let go.T-BOLAN
A single cut from T-BOLAN’s first album, this classic ballad was the catalyst for T-BOLAN’s breakthrough.
The rock-influenced arrangement of the ballad is deeply captivating.
Gackt has also cited it as a memorable song, and it’s a tune loved by many.
mysteryKomatsu Miho
This is Miho Komatsu’s debut single, released under the Kansai label of the Being Group.
True to the title of the song, she remained an “enigma” after her debut: she never appeared in the media and didn’t perform live at all.
The track features programmed production, and her voice seems to be processed as well, making her true nature all the more of a mystery.
La La LaDaikoku Maki
Among female artists from the Being label, Maki Ohguro boasts the most powerful volume and vocal ability, and this is her massive hit.
It’s the best-selling song of Maki Ohguro’s career.
The “la-la-la~” in the chorus is a crowd-pleaser at karaoke and always comes in handy.
Despite its bittersweet lyrics, it’s a song that lifts your spirits.
After the DreamGARNET CROW
A music group formed mainly by music creators belonging to the Being Group.
They are a distinctive group that produces many songs rooted in neo-acoustic music.
With the hit of “Yume Mita Ato de,” they made their first appearance on terrestrial television on Music Station.
As I love you selfishly, I won’t hurt anyone but you.B’z
A landmark track by B’z where Koshi Inaba’s passionate vocals intertwine with Takahiro Matsumoto’s brilliant guitar riffs.
It’s an irresistible, glittering yet powerful sound that epitomizes Being, the label that dominated the music scene of the ’90s.
The famously long title “Ai no mama ni wagamama ni boku wa kimi dake wo kizutsukenai” is, as Inaba himself puts it, the very embodiment of “the ultimate selfish song.” It superbly portrays a single-minded love that is a hair’s breadth away from intense possessiveness.
The vow “I won’t hurt anyone but you”—or literally, “I won’t hurt only you”—carries the dangerous implication that “everything else can be sacrificed,” and many listeners were likely shaken by that contradictory expression of love.
Season in the SunTUBE
This is a song by TUBE that has continued to vividly color Japan’s summers with music.
It’s said that “Season in the Sun” was actually the band’s fate-defining track, with their very survival on the line.
Under the production of Daikoh Nagato, founder of Being, Tetsuro Oda’s yearning for the sea took shape as a glittering sound that feels like dazzling sunlight and endless blue skies.
The wistful lyrics, lamenting the passing of the season, ring out powerfully in Nobutaka Maeda’s piercing high tenor, wrapping you in a rush that brings back sweet-and-sour memories of youth with striking clarity.
That exhilarating feeling is nothing short of overwhelming, no matter when you listen.