Wink (band)

Wink
Origin Tokyo, Japan
Genres Japanese pop
Years active 19881996
Labels PolyStar
Members Sachiko Suzuki
Shōko Aida

Wink (ウィンク) was a popular Japanese pop female duo in the late 1980s and early-to-mid-1990s composed of Sachiko Suzuki (鈴木早智子 Suzuki Sachiko, b. February 22, 1969) and Shōko Aida (相田翔子 Aida Shōko, b. February 23, 1970). They released their first single on April 27, 1988, and their final release was on March 31, 1996. Many of their singles topped the Oricon charts in Japan, including their biggest hit, "Samishii Nettaigyo", which has since been covered by W (Double You).

History of Wink

In 1987, Suzuki and Aida both entered a beauty contest given by the magazine "Up to boy". Suzuki won the grand prize, while Aida was one of the runners-up. As a result, Wink was formed the next year, and in April they debuted with the single "Sugar Baby Love", a cover of an English song by The Rubettes. Indeed, many Wink songs were covers of Western songs, but with different lyrics in Japanese.

"Sugar Baby Love" and their next single, "Amaryllis", did decently, but it wasn't until the release of their third single "Ai ga Tomaranai (Turn It Into Love)" (a cover of Kylie Minogue's "Turn It Into Love") the next year that they became popular. It quickly became No. 1 on the Oricon charts, along with many of the singles that followed it.

Wink had a different style and image than many other J-pop idols of the era who focused on a 'cute' style with sugar coated lyrics. Wink had emotionless facial expressions while they sang, and almost never smiled. They also dressed in extravagant lolita fashions, and almost looked doll-like. This uniqueness helped make them popular.

The break-up of Wink

By the early 1990s, however, Wink's sales were declining. Their singles rarely hit the No. 1 spot after early 1990, although they sold respectably until 1994. In the 1990s, many people were looking for fresher-sounding music, and Eurodance music became popular thanks to Tetsuya Komuro and the many artists he produced, many of them under the avex trax label. In 1995, Wink tried to generate more sales by putting out a Euro-style single, "Jive Into The Night ~Yaban na Yoru ni~", but it was a flop, only reaching No. 92 on the Oricon charts. Their next single, "Angel Love Story ~Aki-iro no Tenshi~", did somewhat better, but sales were still poor. Faced with this, Wink officially disbanded in 1996.

Solo careers

After Wink, Suzuki and Aida became TV personalities, although not often appearing together. They also continued recording music as solo singers; they released their first solo albums in 1992, and after the break-up, they released their first solo singles. Their solo music is quite different from the music they did as Wink; for example, Aida's music features a more Mediterranean style.

In 2004, Aida released a DVD and photobook called The Aegean Sea (エーゲ海 Eegekai) with then-Morning Musume member Kaori Iida.

Aida tied the knot in 2008 and bore a daughter in 2012.

Discography

Studio albums

Year Information Oricon weekly
peak position
[1]
Sales
[1]
RIAJ certifications
1988 Moonlight Serenade
  • Released: July 1, 1988
  • Label: Polystar
  • Formats: CD, cassette
52
1989 Especially For You ~Yasashisa ni Tsutsumarete~
  • Released: April 26, 1989
  • Label: Polystar
  • Formats: CD, cassette
1 501,520
  • 2× Platinum
Twin Memories
  • Released: December 1, 1989
  • Label: Polystar
  • Formats: CD, cassette
2 454,450
  • 2× Platinum
1990 Velvet
  • Released: July 11, 1990
  • Label: Polystar
  • Formats: CD, cassette
4 197,630
  • Platinum
Crescent
  • Released: December 16, 1990
  • Label: Polystar
  • Formats: CD, cassette
6
1991 Queen of Love
  • Released: July 10, 1991
  • Label: Polystar
  • Formats: CD, cassette
6
Sapphire
  • Released: November 25, 1991
  • Label: Polystar
  • Formats: CD, cassette
7
1992 Each side of screen
  • Released: April 25, 1992
  • Label: Polystar
  • Formats: CD, cassette
11
Nocturne ~Yasoukyoku~
  • Released: November 26, 1992
  • Label: Polystar
  • Formats: CD, cassette
19
1993 Aphrodite
  • Released: June 25, 1993
  • Label: Polystar
  • Formats: CD, cassette
19
BRUNCH
  • Released: November 11, 1993
  • Label: Polystar
  • Formats: CD, cassette
31
1994 overture!
  • Released: July 1, 1994
  • Label: Polystar
  • Formats: CD, cassette
34
voce
  • Released: December 1, 1994
  • Label: Polystar
  • Formats: CD, cassette
68
1995 Flyin' High
  • Released: July 5, 1995
  • Label: Polystar
  • Formats: CD, cassette
63

Extended plays

Year Information Oricon weekly
peak position
[1]
Sales
[1]
RIAJ certifications
1988 At Heel Diamonds
  • Released: December 1, 1988
  • Label: Polystar
  • Formats: CD, cassette
3 345,390
  • Platinum

Greatest hits albums

Year Information Oricon weekly
peak position
[1]
1990 Hot Singles
  • Released: November 1, 1990
  • Label: Polystar
  • Formats: CD, cassette
5
1992 Raisonné
  • Released: December 21, 1992
  • Label: Polystar
  • Formats: CD, cassette
19
1994 Diary
  • Released: March 25, 1994
  • Label: Polystar
  • Formats: CD, cassette
26
Back to front
  • Released: March 25, 1994
  • Label: Polystar
  • Formats: CD, cassette
93
1995 Reminiscence
  • Released: November 25, 1995
  • Label: Polystar
  • Formats: CD, cassette
1996 WINK MEMORIES 1988-1996
  • Released: March 25, 1996
  • Label: Polystar
  • Formats: CD, cassette
35
1999 TREASURE COLLECTION WINK BEST
  • Released: June 30, 1999
  • Label: Polystar
  • Formats: CD, cassette
2007 Wink Single Collection ~1988 - 1996 Singles Zenkyoku~
  • Released: December 26, 2007
  • Label: Polystar
  • Formats: CD, digital download
2008 Wink Album Collection ~1988 - 2000 Album Zenkyoku~
  • Released: February 27, 2008
  • Label: Polystar
  • Formats: CD, digital download

Remix albums

Year Information Oricon weekly
peak position
[1]
1991 Diamond Box
  • Released: December 21, 1991
  • Label: Polystar
  • Formats: CD, cassette
14
1995 WINK REMIXES
  • Released: September 1, 1995
  • Label: Polystar
  • Formats: CD, cassette
91
1996 JAM THE WINK
  • Released: September 11, 1996
  • Label: Polystar
  • Formats: CD, cassette
2000 para para WINK!
  • Released: July 1, 2000
  • Label: Polystar
  • Formats: CD, cassette

Live albums

Year Information Oricon weekly
peak position
[1]
1990 Wink First Live Shining Star
  • Released: May 25, 1990
  • Label: Polystar
  • Formats: CD, cassette
1

Karaoke albums

Year Information Oricon weekly
peak position
[1]
1990 Fairy Tone
  • Released: April 10, 1990
  • Label: Polystar
  • Formats: CD, cassette
1991 Fairy Tone 2
  • Released: November 25, 1991
  • Label: Polystar
  • Formats: CD, cassette

Singles

List of singles, with selected chart positions
Title Year Peak chart positions Sales (JPN)[1] Certifications Album
Oricon Singles Charts
[1]
"Sugar Baby Love" 1988 20 61,000 Moonlight Serenade
"Amaryllis" 30 14,000 Hot Singles
"Turn It Into Love" 1 645,000
  • RIAJ: 2× Platinum
At Heel Diamonds
"Boys Don't Cry" 1989 1 523,000
  • RIAJ: 2× Platinum
Especially For You ~Yasashisa ni Tsutsumarete~
"Samishii Nettaigyo" 1 564,000
  • RIAJ: 2× Platinum
Twin Memories
"One Night In Heaven" 1 423,000
  • RIAJ: 2× Platinum
"Sexy Music" 1990 1 329,000
  • RIAJ: Platinum
Velvet
"Where Were You Last Night" 2 291,000
  • RIAJ: Platinum
Crescent
"New Moon ni Aimashō" 2 249,000
  • RIAJ: Platinum
"Remain" 1991 2 175,000
  • RIAJ: Platinum
Queen of Love
"Manatsu no Tremolo" 2 225,000
  • RIAJ: Platinum
"Haitoku no Scenario" 3 196,000
  • RIAJ: Platinum
Sapphire
"Tsuioku no Heroine" 5 136,000
  • RIAJ: Gold
Each side of screen
"Matenrou Museum" 1992 4 142,000
  • RIAJ: Gold
"Furimukanaide" 7 132,000
  • RIAJ: Gold
Nocturne ~Yasoukyoku~
"Real na Yume no Jouken" 10 90,000
  • RIAJ: Gold
"Voyage, Voyage" 1993 19 69,000 Reminiscence
"Kekkon Shiyou ne" 14 75,000
  • RIAJ: Gold
Aphrodite
"Sakihokore Itoshisa yo" 9 334,000
  • RIAJ: Platinum
BRUNCH
"Itsumade mo Suki de Itakute" 1994 19 79,000
  • RIAJ: Gold
overture!
"Twinkle Twinkle" 28 74,000
  • RIAJ: Gold
"Cherie Mon Cherie" 28 25,000 voce
"Watashi-tachi Rashii Rule" 1995 46 16,000 Flyin' High
"Jive Into The Night" 92 6,000
"Angel Love Story" 62 8,000 WINK MEMORIES 1988-1996

Bibliography

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Wink Discography on ORICON STYLE" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 2014-07-18.

External links

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