CHAGE & ASKA

Chage & Aska (チャゲ & 飛鳥, Chage and Asuka) or Chage and Asuka, are a Japanese popular music duo composed of two singer-songwriters from Fukuoka Prefecture, Chage (b.1958) and Ryo Aska (飛鳥 涼, Asuka ryo) (b. 1958). They were one of the most successful groups on Asian music industries, and to date they has sold over 31 million copies albums and singles at Japan. At the stage now, they are tenth best-selling music artists in Japan.

In the end of 1970s, they were formed by suggestion of A&R of Yamaha Music Foundation. After the hit of a single "Banri no Kawa" in 1980, they were producing several smash hits irregularly in a decade. However, thanks to hit of Aska's solo single "Hajimari wa Itsumo Ame" in 1991 and the several powerful tieup with TV programs, their popularity reached peak, and kept high prosperity in the first half of 1990s. In those days, they released 5 million-selling hits; "Yah Yah Yah", "If", "Heart", "Meguriai" and the most well-known "Say Yes" in 1991 is the sixth best-selling single in Japan. They attempted to spread their market to worldwide, especially United States. They were the first Japanese musicians who appeared on MTV Unplugged. After the deadlock of defiance to Western music industries and decline of enormous commercial success in the mid '90s, they esteemed their own solo works than the group activity. However, they're continuing the duo regularly up til now. · close