*Notes will be inserted by numbers, so look below each chart for the corresponding number for the notes about that release or event. Also, for information about each year, please click the year above each chart.* currently not active.

1984

Date

Release Type

Artist

Release Name OR Event

Ranking

Notes

1985

Date	Release Type	Artist	Release Name OR Event	Ranking	Notes
xx/xx	Indie Single	X	I’ll kill you	NONE	NONE
xx/xx	Indie Single	X	ORUGASUMU	NONE	NONE
xx/xx	Demo Tape	D’ERLANGER	THE BIRTH OF SPLENDID BEAST!!	NONE	NONE
xx/xx	Demo Tape	D’ERLANGER	BLUE	NONE	NONE
June	Demo Tape	X	ENDLESS DREAM	NONE	NONE
June	Demo Tape	X	LIVE	NONE	NONE

1986

Date	Release Type	Artist	Release Name OR Event	Ranking	Notes
June	Indie Album	DEAD END	DEAD LINE	NONE	NONE

1987

Date	Release Type	Artist	Release Name OR Event	Ranking	Notes
Feb.	N/A	X	Lineup: YOSHIKI, TOSHI, HIDE, PATA, & TAIJI	N/A	NONE
02/02-3	Demo Tape	D’ERLANGER	SADISTIC EMOTION	NONE	NONE
04/07	Indie Album	BUCK-TICK	HURRY UP MODE	NONE	NONE
Aug.	N/A	X	Signed to CBS/SONY GROUP Inc.	N/A	1
Sept.	Album	DEAD END	Ghost of Romance	NONE	NONE
11/21	Album	BUCK-TICK	SEXUAL xxxxx!	# 35	NONE

1: I don’t exactly what X signed with Sony, but I assume that this is the Ki:oon deal. This is noted in Pata’s timeline on the dope headz website.

1988

Date	Release Type	Artist	Release Name OR Event	Ranking	Notes
03/21	E.P.	BUCK-TICK	ROMANESQUE	# 17	NONE
04/14	Indie Album	X	Vanishing Vision	NONE	1
06/21	Album	BUCK-TICK	SEVENTH HEAVEN	# 5	NONE
09/30	Live	Various	The 1^st EXTASY SUMMIT FESTIVAL	N/A	2
10/01	Live	Various	The 1.5^stEXTASY SUMMIT FESTIVAL	N/A	3
10/26	Single	BUCK-TICK	JUST ONE MORE KISS	# 6	NONE
11/06	Live	Various	The 1^st TOKYO EXTASY SUMMIT FESTIVAL	N/A	4

1: Vanishing Vision sells out its pressing of 10,000 copies in the first week. Released on Extasy Records.

2: Held at Osaka Bourbon House hall.

3: Held at Okazaki CAM hall.

4: Held at Shibuya Public hall.

1989

Date	Release Type	Artist	Release Name OR Event	Ranking	Notes
Jan.	Indie Single	D’ERLANGER	LA VIE EN ROSE	NONE	NONE
01/18	Album	BUCK-TICK	TABOO	# 1	NONE
02/10	Indie Album	D’ERLANGER	LA VIE EN ROSE	NONE	NONE
04/21	Album	X	BLUE BLOOD	# 4	NONE
05/02	Live	Various	The 2^ndTOKYO EXTASY SUMMIT FESTIVAL	N/A	1
July	Indie Album	ZI:KILL	SHINSEKAI – jp of the world -	N/A	2
July	Demo Tape	LUNA SEA	LUNACY	NONE	NONE
8/28-29	Live	Various	The 3^rd TOKYO EXTASY SUMMIT FESTIVAL	N/A	3
09/01	Single	X	Kurenai	# 5	NONE
09/28	Live	Various	The 4^th TOKYO EXTASY SUMMIT FESTIVAL	N/A	4
10/10	Demo Tape	GLAY	INSIDE OF EMOTIONALISM	NONE	NONE
Dec.	Demo Tape	LUNA SEA	SHADE	NONE	NONE
12/01	Single	X	ENDLESS RAIN	# 3	NONE
12/29	Live	BUCK-TICK	Tokyo Dome live	N/A	5
12/30	Live	Various	The 5^th TOKYO EXTASY SUMMIT FESTIVAL	N/A	6

1: Held at Meguro Rokumeikan hall.

2: Released on Extasy Records.

3: Held at Meguro Rokumeikan hall.

4: Held at Shibuya Public hall.

5: BUCK-TICK is the first visual band to play the Tokyo Dome. The Tokyo Dome seats 56,000 at max capacity.

6: Held at Meguro Rokumeikan hall.

1990

Date	Release Type	Artist	Release Name OR Event	Ranking	Notes
xx/xx	Demo Tape	EINS·VIER	CHAOS MODE	NONE	NONE
xx/xx	Album	DEAD END	DEAD END	NONE	NONE
01/24	Single	BUCK-TICK	aku no hana	# 1	NONE
02/01	Album	BUCK-TICK	aku no hana	# 1	NONE
03/07	Album	D’ERLANGER	BASILISK	NONE	NONE
03/25	Album	ZI:KILL	CLOSE DANCE	NONE	1
04/02	Single	X	WEEK END	# 2	NONE
06/10	Demo Tape	LUNA SEA	LASTLY	NONE	NONE
09/05	Single	D’ERLANGER	LULLABY	# 12	NONE

1: Released on Extasy Records.

1991

Date	Release Type	Artist	Release Name OR Event	Ranking	Notes
03/20	Album	ZI:KILL	DESERT TOWN	# 10	NONE
04/21	Indie Album	LUNA SEA	LUNA SEA	NONE	NONE
06/05	Single	BUCK-TICK	M ·A·D	# 4	NONE
07/01	Album	X	Jealousy	# 1	NONE
08/23	Live	X	Tokyo Dome Live	N/A	NONE
08/29	Demo Tape	Kuroyume	Kuroyume/ & DIE	NONE	NONE
09/01	Single	X	Silent Jealousy	# 3	NONE
09/30	Single	X	Standing Sex/ JOKER	# 4	NONE
10/29	Live	Various	The 6^th TOKYO EXTASY SUMMIT FESTIVAL	N/A	1
10/30	Single	BUCK-TICK	JUPITER	# 8	NONE
12/01	Single	X	Say Anything	# 3	NONE

1: Held at the Nippon Budokan hall.

1992

Date	Release Type	Artist	Release Name OR Event	Ranking	Notes
1/05-07	Live	X	Tokyo Dome Live	N/A	1
Jan. ??	N/A	X	TAIJI leaves after the Tokyo Dome live, HEATH joins as support.	N/A	NONE
05/21	Album	LUNA SEA	IMAGE	# 9	NONE
07/29	Indie Album	ZI:KILL	TOMORROW…	NONE	NONE
Aug.	N/A	X JAPAN	HEATH joins as full member.	N/A	NONE
Aug.	N/A	X JAPAN	X JAPAN is signed to ATLANTIC label of Warner music…	N/A	3
10/29	Live	Various	The 2^nd OSAKA EXTASY SUMMIT FESTIVAL	N/A	4
10/31	Live	Various	The 7^th TOKYO EXTASY SUMMIT FESTIVAL	N/A	5
11/25	Indie Single	L’Arc-en-Ciel	Floods of tears	NONE	6

1: X is the first visual band to sell out the Tokyo Dome.

3: X JAPAN is signed to the ATLANTIC label of Warner Music INTERNATIONAL. Also, X is signed to MMG (EAST WEST JAPAN) in Japan.

4: Held at Osaka-jo hall.

5: Held at the Nippon Budokan hall.

6: Released on Gallery Records.

1993

Date	Release Type	Artist	Release Name OR Event	Ranking	Notes
xx/xx	Demo Tape	SHAZNA	SHAZNA	NONE	NONE
02/24	Single	LUNA SEA	BELIEVE	# 11	NONE
04/21	Album	LUNA SEA	EDEN	# 5	NONE
04/27	Indie Album	L’Arc-en-Ciel	DUNE	# 1	1
05/21	Single	BUCK-TICK	DORESU	# 5	NONE
06/23	Album	BUCK-TICK	darker than darkness	# 2	NONE
07/21	Single	LUNA SEA	IN MY DREAM~with shiver~	# 9	NONE
08/25	E.P.	X JAPAN	ART OF LIFE	# 1	2
08/26	Live	LUNA SEA	Nippon Budokan live	N/A	3
10/09	Demo Tape	STRIPPED-LADY	Stay Close Tonight	N/A	4
10/21	Single	BUCK-TICK	Die	# 10	NONE
11/06	Indie Album	Kuroyume	nakigara o…	NONE	NONE
11/10	Single	X JAPAN	Tears	# 2	NONE
12/02	Live	Die in Cries	Nippon Budokan live	N/A	NONE
12/31	Live	X JAPAN	New Year’s Eve Tokyo Dome live	N/A	5

1: Released on Dangercrue Records. DUNE is a legend among indie albums, having come out of nowhere to steal the top spot on the Oricon’s indie chart.

2: This 28:59 minute, one track e.p. marks the first release by X under their new name, X JAPAN.

3: Playing the Budokan is a HUGE event in a band’s career. This essentially shows that they’ve made it as a band. The Budokan seats 14,000 (at max capacity), and is used most of the time for sumo wrestling and sports events. The glory of playing the Budokan goes back to when The Beatles played it.

4: STRIPPED-LADY later becomes La’cryma Christi.

5: X JAPAN is the first domestic act to hold the New Year’s Eve countdown concert. This ‘tradition’ of X holding the countdown concert will continue until X disbands in 1997. Holding the New Year’s countdown concert was a big achievement for X and no one artist has held the New Year’s concert for more than one year since.

1994

Date	Release Type	Artist	Release Name OR Event	Ranking	Notes
xx/xx	Demo Tape	PIERO (PIERROT)	FAMME	NONE	NONE
xx/xx	Demo Tape	PIERO (PIERROT)	HOMME	NONE	NONE
02/09	Single	Kuroyume	For Dear	# 18	NONE
04/17	Indie Single	SHAZNA	Stilness for Dear	NONE	NONE
05/25	Indie Album	GLAY	HAI TO DIAMONDO	NONE	2
07/01	VHS Single	L’Arc~en~Ciel	nemuri ni yosete	NONE	3
07/10	Single	X JAPAN	Rusty Nail	# 1	NONE
07/14	Album	L’Arc~en~Ciel	Tierra	# 7	NONE
07/20	Single	Kuroyume	ICE MY LIFE	# 10	NONE
07/21	Single	LUNA SEA	Rosier	# 3	NONE
07/24	Indie Album	MALICE MIZER	Memorie	NONE	NONE
08/03	E.P.	Kuroyume	CRUEL	NONE	NONE
09/03	Album	Kuroyume	mayoeri yuritachi~Romance of scarlet~	NONE	NONE
09/21	Single	LUNA SEA	TRUE BLUE	# 1	NONE
10/07	Indie Single	La’cryma Christi	Siam’s Eye	NONE	NONE
10/21	Single	L’Arc~en~Ciel	Blurry Eyes	# 22	NONE
10/26	Album	LUNA SEA	MOTHER	# 2	NONE
11/30	Indie E.P.	SHAZNA	Sophia	NONE	NONE
12/24	Indie Album	PIERO (PIERROT)	kikurui PIERO	NONE	NONE

2: Released on Extasy Records.

3: This release notes the change in their name for the first time.

1995

Date	Release Type	Artist	Release Name OR Event	Ranking	Notes
02/22	Single	LUNA SEA	MOTHER	# 5	NONE
03/03	Single	Kuroyume	yasashi higeki	# 10	NONE
03/24	Single	BUCK-TICK	Uta	# 4	NONE
04/26	Single	Kuroyume	Miss MOONLIGHT	# 12	NONE
05/01	Album	GLAY	SPEED POP	NONE	NONE
05/10	Album	Kuroyume	Feminism	NONE	NONE
July	Demo Tape	PIERO (PIERROT)	PIERO	NONE	1
07/21	Single	EINS·VIER	Dear Song	NONE	NONE
08/01	Single	X JAPAN	Longing~togirareta melody~	# 1	NONE
09/21	Single	BUCK-TICK	mienai mono wo miyou to surugokai subete gokai da	# 15	NONE
10/13	Single	Kuroyume	BEAMS	# 6	NONE
11/08	Album	EINS·VIER	WALK	NONE	NONE
11/13	Single	LUNA SEA	DESIRE	# 1	NONE
12/11	Single	X JAPAN	Longing	# 5	NONE
12/23	Live	LUNA SEA	Tokyo Dome live	N/A	NONE

1: This demo tape marks the member changes in the band that is now known as PIERROT.

1996

Date	Release Type	Artist	Release Name OR Event	Ranking	Notes
02/21	Single	Kuroyume	SEE YOU	# 5	NONE
02/26	Single	X JAPAN	DAHLIA	# 1	NONE
03/24	Single	LUNA SEA	END OF SORROW	# 1	NONE
04/17	Single	Kuroyume	PISUTORU	# 4	NONE
04/22	Album	LUNA SEA	STYLE	# 1	NONE
05/22	Single	BUCK-TICK	KYANDI	# 11	NONE
05/26	Album	Kuroyume	FAKE STAR~I’M A FAKE JAPANESE ROCKER~	# 1	NONE
06/21	Album	BUCK-TICK	COSMOS	# 6	NONE
07/08	Single	X JAPAN	Forever Love	# 1	NONE
07/15	Single	LUNA SEA	IN SILENCE	# 2	NONE
07/21	Indie Album	PIERROT	PANDORA no hako	NONE	1
07/22	Indie Album	La’cryma Christi	Dwellers of a Sandcastle	NONE	NONE
08/01	Indie E.P.	SHAZNA	Raspberry Time	# 43	4
08/26	Single	X JAPAN	CRUCIFY MY LOVE	# 2	NONE
09/09	Live	GLAY	Nippon Budokan live	N/A	NONE
09/24	Live	Various	SWEET TRANCE 1996 SPECIAL CLUB CIRCUIT	N/A	5
09/26	Live	Various	SWEET TRANCE 1996 SPECIAL CLUB CIRCUIT	N/A	5
09/30	Live	Various	SWEET TRANCE 1996 SPECIAL CLUB CIRCUIT	N/A	5
10/10	Indie Single	MALICE MIZER	ma cherie	NONE	NONE
10/20	Indie Single	PIERROT	HAKEN KREUZ	NONE	NONE
11/04	Album	X JAPAN	DAHLIA	# 1	NONE
11/05	Indie Single	SHAZNA	Dizziness	NONE	NONE
11/18	Single	X JAPAN	SCARS	# 15	NONE
11/18	Single	Kuroyume	Like a Angel	# 5	NONE
12/12	Album	L’Arc~en~Ciel	True	# 1	2
12/24	Live	L’Arc~en~Ciel	Carnival of True Eve	N/A	3

1: I believe this release is when PIERROT stopped using the katakana ‘PIERO’, instead opting for the French ‘PIERROT’.

2: L’Arc’s first album to sell a million copies in its first week. True also managed to stay on the Oricon’s top 200 chart for an astonishing 107 weeks straight.

3: Held at the Nippon Budokan hall.

4: Raspberry Time reaches into the top 50 of the weekly top 200 chart.

5: 1996 marks the beginning of SWEET TRANCE, a label event. This SWEET TRANCE featured modern grey, EINS·VIER, and La’cryma Christi. 09/24 was held at Nagoya Diamond hall, 09/26 was held at Akasaka BLITZ, and 09/30 was held at Osaka IMP hall.

1997

Date	Release Type	Artist	Release Name OR Event	Ranking	Notes
01/22	E.P.	SHAZNA	Promise Eve	# 16	NONE
Feb.	N/A	L’Arc~en~Ciel	the Fourth Avenue Café’s release is cancelled	N/A	1
02/25	Indie E.P.	Dir en grey	Missa	# 93	2
03/12	Single	La’cryma Christi	Forest	NONE	NONE
04/10	Single	Kuroyume	NITE & DAY	# 3	NONE
06/04	Single	Kuroyume	Spray	# 5	NONE
06/27	Album	Kuroyume	Drug Treatment	# 2	NONE
07/19	Single	MALICE MIZER	bel air	# 20	NONE
08/27	Single	SHAZNA	Melty Love	# 2	3
09/22	N/A	X JAPAN	The band announces their break-up.	N/A	NONE
10/08	Single	SHAZNA	sumire September Love	# 2	NONE
10/17	Single	L’Arc~en~Ciel	Niji	# 3	4
10/26	Live	Various	SWEET TRANCE 1997 VISUAL TRANCE in SWEET TRANCE	N/A	7
11/12	Album	EINS·VIER	MIND	NONE	NONE
11/12	E.P.	La’cryma Christi	Sculpture of Time	NONE	NONE
11/12	Single	BUCK-TICK	HIROIN	# 11	NONE
11/19	Single	Kuroyume	Shounen	# 3	NONE
12/03	Single	MALICE MIZER	au revoir	# 10	NONE
12/03	Single	SHAZNA	white silent night	# 1	NONE
12/10	Album	BUCK-TICK	SEXY STREAM LINER	# 4	NONE
12/23	Live	L’Arc~en~Ciel	REINCARNATION ‘97	N/A	5
12/31	Live	X JAPAN	THE LAST LIVE	N/A	6

1: Sakura, L’Arc~en~Ciel’s drummer, is arrested for heroin possession and sentenced to 2 years in prison. Both the band and the fans are shocked. “the Fourth Avenue Café”, L’Arc’s then up-coming single, is cancelled.

2: Dir en grey’s first release, Missa, ranks number # 93 on the Oricon’s weekly top 200 chart.

3: Melty Love sold 800,000 copies in its first week.

4: Released during the period when there were only three members, ‘niji’ is considered to be one of L’Arc’s most important releases.

5: REINCARNATION sells out all 56,000 seats in the Tokyo Dome in 4 minutes, breaking all previous records, and this record still stands.

6: THE LAST LIVE, is the last time X JAPAN held the countdown concert at the Tokyo Dome.

7: SWEET TRANCE 1997 featured EINS·VIER, La’cryma Christi, SHAZNA, and PIERROT and was held at Hibiya Ongakudo.

1998

Date	Release Type	Artist	Release Name OR Event	Ranking	Notes
01/07	Single	SHAZNA	SWEET HEART MEMORY	# 3	NONE
01/22	Album	SHAZNA	GOLD SUN AND SILVER MOON	# 2	NONE
02/11	Single	MALICE MIZER	gekka no yasokyoku	# 11	NONE
02/25	Album	L’Arc~en~Ciel	HEART	# 1	NONE
03/11	Single	BUCK-TICK	sasayaki	# 25	NONE
03/18	Album	MALICE MIZER	Merveilles	# 2	NONE
03/18	Single	X JAPAN	THE LAST SONG	# 8	NONE
04/08	Single	Kuroyume	MARIA	# 2	NONE
04/15	Single	LUNA SEA	STORM