Sakura (Ayaka song)

"Sakura"
Single by Ayaka
Released	February 12, 2018 (2018-02-12)
Recorded	2017[1]
Genre	Pop
Length	4:09
Label	A Station
Songwriter(s)	Ayaka
Producer(s)	Satoru Shionoya
Ayaka singles chronology
"Kotonoha" (2017) "Sakura" (2018) "Heart Up" (2018)
Audio sample
"Sakura" file help

"Sakura" (サクラ) is a song recorded by Japanese singer-songwriter Ayaka. It was officially released nationwide as a digital single through A Station on February 12, 2018.[2] A limited physical release was initially made available through Ayaka's official fan club Room Ayaka and at concert venues for her Acoustic Live Tour 2017-2018 3-Star Raw concert tour on October 14, 2017.[3]

Background and composition

Ayaka wrote "Sakura", while Japanese pianist Satoru Shionoya arranged and produced the track,[4] in the spring of 2017, as her first graduation song.[2] She began performing the song on tour in September 2017, and due to fan demand, recorded and released it as a CD single a month later through concert venues and her fan club.[5] Ayaka states that the song came about because she wanted to write a song for "people of all ages" to "reminisce about memories of their youth".[2] "Sakura" is written in the key of B-flat major with a common time tempo of 72 beats per minute.[4] Ayaka's vocals span from F₃ to B♭₄ in modal voice, and up to D₅ in head voice.

Chart performance

"Sakura" debuted at number 87 on the Billboard Japan Download Songs chart.[6] The song peaked at number 33 on the weekly Mora singles chart.[7] It ranked at number 59 on the weekly RecoChoku Singles Chart and at number 19 on the RecoChoku High-Resolution singles chart.[8][9] In late March, "Sakura" soared to number 2 of the RecoChoku high-resolution singles chart and at number 23 on the Billboard Japan Download Songs chart.[10][11] The song also made its debut on the Oricon Digital Singles Chart at number 20, with sales of 6,000 downloads,[12] and entered the Billboard Japan Hot 100 at number 78.[13]

Charts

Chart (2018)	Peak position
Japan Weekly Digital Singles (Oricon)[12]	20
Japan Hot 100 (Billboard)[13]	78
Japan Download Songs (Billboard)[11]	23
Japan Weekly Hi-Res Singles (RecoChoku)[10]	2
Japan Weekly Singles (Mora)[7]	33

Sales

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Japan (single track)	—	6,000[14]

References

1. "絢香 初の卒業ソング『サクラ』の公式合唱楽譜が発売決定！！". Retrieved February 21, 2018.
2. "絢香の卒業ソング「サクラ」本日配信リリース". Natalie. February 12, 2018. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
3. "絢香の卒業ソング「サクラ」、ファンの声に応えてシングル化". Natalie. October 12, 2017. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
4. "【合唱楽譜】サクラ（絢香）〔混声３部合唱/女声３部合唱〕". Retrieved February 21, 2018.
5. "絢香、初の卒業ソングをツアー会場限定リリース". Barks. October 12, 2017. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
6. "Billboard Japan Download Songs". Billboard. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
7. "ランキング（総合）Weekly 音楽ダウンロード・音楽配信サイト". Mora. Archived from the original on February 20, 2018. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
8. "シングルランキング 週間【レコチョク】音楽ダウンロード". Recochoku. Archived from the original on February 21, 2018. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
9. "ハイレゾシングルランキング 週間【レコチョク】音楽ダウンロード". RecoChoku. Archived from the original on February 21, 2018. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
10. "シングルランキング 週間【レコチョク】音楽ダウンロード". Recochoku. Archived from the original on March 28, 2018. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
11. "Billboard Japan Download Songs". Billboard. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
12. "オリコン週間 デジタルシングル（単曲）ランキング 2018年03月19日〜2018年03月25日 11〜20位". Oricon. Archived from the original on March 28, 2018. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
13. "Billboard Japan Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
14. "オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」" [Oricon Ranking Information Service 'You Taiju']. Oricon. Retrieved March 28, 2018.