Challenger (EP)

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"Challenger"
Challenger Normal Edition cover.png
Normal and digital special edition cover
Single by JO1
LanguageJapanese
A-side"Born to Be Wild"
ReleasedApril 28, 2021 (2021-04-28)
Recorded2021
GenreJ-pop
Length
  • 13:37 (Limited edition A)
  • 13:33 (Limited edition B)
  • 13:46 (Normal edition)
  • 21:10 (Special edition)
LabelLapone Entertainment
Producer(s)
  • Score (13)
  • Megatone (13)
  • Savage House Gang
  • $$am
  • Jone (Papermaker)
  • Teito
  • Jung Ho-hyun (e.one)
  • Ji Ye June
  • Jayins
  • Naiv
JO1 singles chronology
"Stargazer"
(2020) 		"Challenger"
(2021) 		"Stranger"
(2021)
Music video
"Born to Be Wild" on YouTube

Challenger (stylized as CHALLENGER) is an extended play (EP) marketed as the third single of Japanese boy group JO1. Consisting of a total of six songs, the EP single[note 1] was released by Lapone Entertainment into three different physical editions and one digital edition on April 28, 2021. It features the participation of various Japanese and South Korean songwriters and production teams such as Score, Megatone, Teito, Kebee,  [ja],  [ja] and others.

The single earned the top spot at the Oricon Singles Chart and received a Platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of Japan with its lead track "Born to Be Wild" peaked atop the Billboard Japan Hot 100.

Background and release[]

In early January 2021, JO1 reportedly arrived in South Korea to prepare for a new single.[1] On February 20, JO1 held their second online concert titled Starlight Deluxe in Paju as a part of the promotion of their first studio album The Star.[2][1] At the end of the concert, the group announced their third single was set to be released on April 28. After completing their journey to become or their "shining self" in the previous release, the concept of the single was said to be JO1 "stepping into the unknown world".[2][3] The cover images were released on the group's first anniversary on March 4, along with the announcement of their first tour in winter.[4]

Challenger consists of a total of six songs that were released into three different physical editions with "Born to Be Wild" served as the lead track.[2] It is their first release that doesn't consist of any re-released songs from Produce 101 Japan. Each type of the single consists of four tracks with three common tracks, which are "Born to be Wild", "Design" and "Tsutaerareru Nara".[2] The latter was used the theme song for Kit Kat Japan's commercial and released digitally on January 18.[5] The limited edition A comes with a DVD bundle consisting of a variety segment with the members called JO1 Challenge. The limited edition B and the normal edition come with a photo booklet and a CD-only, respectively.[2] A special edition EP that includes all the songs was released for digital download and streaming.

On April 28, the group held a live streaming event on YouTube to commemorate the release of the single which was then followed by the release of the performance video for track "Speed of Light".[6] The performance video for track "Design" was released on May 5.[7]

Promotion[]

Lead track[]

The music video of lead track "Born to Be Wild" was released worldwide on March 24, 2021.[8] Directed by Seo Dong-hyeok from South Korean production company Flipevil, the theme of the music video was said to be "challenge": opening the door boldly with fear and expectation, taking the first step, and overcoming with determination.[9][8] The song was pre-released digitally along with "Tsutaerareru Nara" on March 25 and debuted at number eighty-eight before eventually peaked at number one on Billboard Japan Hot 100.[8][10][11] "Born to Be Wild" was performed for the first time during the group's appearance at the KCON:TACT 3 on that same day.[12] A short version of the song was also performed in the group's first terrestrial TV show Toresugi JO1 a day later.[13] The song was subsequently performed in several TV shows even before the single was released, including Hey!Hey!Neo! Music Champ, CDTV Live Live, and NHK's variety talk show  [ja].[14][15][16]

"Born to Be Wild" was also used as the theme song for the nationwide TV commercial of Nike Air Max Infinity 2 by ABC-Mart.[17]

Commercial performance[]

Challenger debuted at number one on the Oricon Daily Singles Chart on its first day and eventually topped the Weekly Singles Chart with 254,111 copies sold, earning JO1 an achievement as the twelfth overall group and the sixth male group in the history of Oricon charts to have first week sales of over 200,000 copies for three consecutive singles since its debut.[18][19][20] The single also debuted atop of Billboard Japan Top Singles Sales,[21] and eventually received a Platinum certification by the RIAJ for surpassing 250,000 copies sold.[22] The commercial success of the single put JO1 in second place for Billboard Japan Artist 100 on the week the single was released, which was also their highest placement on the chart to date, and later in eleventh place for Oricon's 2021 Mid-Year Singles Sales Chart.[23][24] SoundScan Japan also reported the single has sold 348,000 copies as of July 4, and earned tenth place on their singles chart for the first half of 2021.[25]

Track listing[]

"Born to be Wild", "Design" and "Tsutaerareru Nara" are common track 1, 3 and 4, respectively, for limited edition A, limited edition B and normal edition.

Track listing of Challenger – Limited edition A
No.TitleLyricsMusicArrangementLength
1."Born to Be Wild"
  • Score (13)
  • Megatone (13)
  • J.rise
  • Jayins
  •  [ja]
  • Score
  • Megatone
  • Score
  • Megatone
3:45
2."Speed of Light"
  • Score
  • Megatone
  • HLB (13)
  • Luke (13)
  • Yhanael
  • Score
  • Megatone
  • HLB
  • Luke
  • Savage House Gang
  • Score
  • Megatone
  • Savage House Gang
3:44
3."Design"
  • Yohei
  • Yohei
  • Jung Ho-hyun (e.one)
  • Dono
  • Jung Ho-hyun
3:04
4."Tsutaerareru Nara" (伝えられるなら, 'If You Can Tell')
  • Ji Ye June
  • Jayins
  • Naiv
  • Teito
  • Ji Ye June
  • Jayins
  • Naiv
  • Teito
  • Ji Ye June
  • Jayins
  • Naiv
  • Teito
3:04
Total length:13:37
Track listing of Challenger – Limited edition B
No.TitleLyricsMusicArrangementLength
2."Get Inside Me"
  • Kebee
  • Jone (Papermaker)
  • Yohei
  • Mamixoxo
  • Kebee
  • Tenzo
  • Jone
  • Ssam
  • Ssam
  • Jone
3:40
Total length:13:33
Track listing of Challenger – Normal edition
No.TitleLyricsMusicArrangementLength
2."Kimi no Mama" (君のまま, 'As You Are') [ja]
  •  [ja]
  • Masahiro Ōchi
Teito (KCKT)3:53
Total length:13:46
Track listing of Challenger – Special edition (digital)
No.TitleLength
1."Born to Be Wild"3:45
2."Speed of Light"3:44
3."Get Inside Me"3:40
4."Kimi no Mama" (君のまま, 'As You Are')3:53
5."Design"3:04
6."Tsutaerareru Nara" (伝えられるなら, 'If You Can Tell')3:04
Total length:21:10
Track listing of Challenger – Limited edition A (DVD)
No.TitleLength
1."JO1 Challenge"1:07:26
Total length:1:07:26

Charts[]

Certifications[]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Japan (RIAJ)[22] Platinum 250,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history[]

Region Date Label Format Catalog
Japan April 28, 2021 Lapone Entertainment
YRCS-90189
  • CD
  • photo booklet
 YRCS-90190
  • CD
 YRCS-90191
N/A
Various
N/A

References[]

  1. ^ A maxi single release that has different title from any songs in it will be considered as a "EP single" with its title being italicized, as per these discussions.
  1. ^ Jump up to: a b "'일본판 프듀' JO1, 25일 '엠카' 나온다…한국 음악방송 첫 출연[공식]". Sport TV News (in Korean). February 23, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e "JO1、3rdシングル『CHALLENGER』発売　リリース記念イベントも開催". Real Sound (in Japanese). February 22, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
  3. ^ "JO1、1stアルバム＆オンライン単独ライブ決定 センターは川西拓実". Modelpress (in Japanese). October 5, 2020. Retrieved October 20, 2020.
  4. ^ "JO1、新ビジュアル解禁 2021年に初ツアー開催決定＜メンバーコメント＞". Modelpress (in Japanese). March 4, 2021. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  5. ^ "JO1、2021年初の新曲は「伝えられるなら」 20日からデジタル配信開始". Oricon (in Japanese). January 18, 2021. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
  6. ^ "JO1、YouTubeでオリコンデイリー1位を生報告 オンラインライブ"円盤化"も決定". Oricon. April 28, 2021. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
  7. ^ "'Design' PERFORMANCE VIDEO公開！". JO1 Official Website (in Japanese). May 5, 2021. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b c "JO1、3rdシングル「CHALLENGER」から「Born To Be Wild」MV公開 ブンブンダンスがポイントに". Oricon (in Japanese). March 24, 2021. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  9. ^ "Flipevil Official Instagram". Instagram. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  10. ^ "Hot 100 (March 31, 2021)". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved March 31, 2021.
  11. ^ "【ビルボード】JO1「Born To Be Wild」が289,433枚を売り上げ総合首位　星野源「不思議」総合2位、Ado「踊」総合4位に初登場". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). May 5, 2021. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
  12. ^ "Here's everything you might have missed at KCON:TACT 3". NME. March 28, 2021. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
  13. ^ "JO1、白熱の地上波オンエアバトル【ネタバレあり】 撮影秘話&インタビュー掲載". Oricon (in Japanese). March 27, 2021. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
  14. ^ "NiziU、ダウンタウンとの初共演「とても幸せ」 JO1は新居での快適な生活を告白". Oricon (in Japanese). April 9, 2021. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
  15. ^ "JO1『沼ハマ』初登場 「シンクロダンス」の秘密公開&新曲フルコーラスで披露". Oricon (in Japanese). April 13, 2021. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
  16. ^ "『CDTVライブ』第2弾はジャニーズWEST、平井大、flumpool 名作映画&主題歌特集も". Oricon (in Japanese). April 30, 2021. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
  17. ^ "JO1、ABCマートのテレビCMに起用 「Born To Be Wild」がタイアップ曲に". Oricon (in Japanese). March 18, 2021. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  18. ^ "デイリー　シングルランキング 2021年04月27日付". Oricon (in Japanese). April 28, 2021. Archived from the original on April 28, 2021.
  19. ^ "JO1、「CHALLENGER」が3作連続1位 川尻蓮「リリースするたびに責任感と嬉しさを強く実感」【オリコンランキング】". Oricon (in Japanese). May 4, 2021. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  20. ^ Jump up to: a b 2021年04月26日～2021年05月02日 週間 シングルランキングランキング [Oricon Weekly Single Ranking 26/04/2021 - 02/05/2021]. Oricon. Archived from the original on May 5, 2021. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  21. ^ Jump up to: a b "【ビルボード】JO1「Born To Be Wild」が289,433枚を売り上げ総合首位　星野源「不思議」総合2位、Ado「踊」総合4位に初登場". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). May 5, 2021. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  22. ^ Jump up to: a b "Japanese single certifications – JO1 – Challenger" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Select 2021年4月 on the drop-down menu
  23. ^ "Billboard Japan Artist 100 10/05/2021". Billboard Japan. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
  24. ^ "【オリコン上半期ランキング2021】Snow ManとSixTONESが、合算シングル・アルバムで首位、Adoや優里らニューカマーが配信ブレイクも". Oricon. Archived from the original on June 29, 2021. Retrieved June 29, 2021.
  25. ^ "【深ヨミ】オーディオ総売上金額は前年比104% アーティスト別売上首位はBTS 2021年上半期音楽ソフト売上動向発表". Billboard Japan. Archived from the original on August 1, 2021. Retrieved August 1, 2021.
  26. ^ 2021年04月26日～2021年05月02日 オリコン週間 合算シングルランキング [Oricon Weekly Combined Single Ranking 26/04/2021 - 02/05/2021]. Oricon. Archived from the original on May 5, 2021. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  27. ^ 月間　シングルランキング 2021年04月度 [Oricon Monthly Single Ranking 2021/04]. Oricon. Archived from the original on May 12, 2021. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
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