Longman (band)

Longman
OriginMatsuyama, Japan
Genres
Years active2012–present
Labels
Members
  • Sawa Yoriki
  • Hiroya Hirai
  • Yuki Horikawa
Websitelongman.jp

Longman (stylized as LONGMAN) is a Japanese punk rock band formed in 2012 in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture, currently consisting of Sawa Yoriki, Hiroya Hirai and Yuki Horikawa. They released their first studio album, Neverland in 2014, and made their major label debut with Sony Music Entertainment Japan in 2020 with their third album Just A Boy.

The band was formed from a music club at Matsuyama University, and made their debut in 2013 with the EP Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish. Longman have released 5 studio albums, their fourth, This Is Youth, peaking at 20th on the Oricon Albums Chart. In 2023, their song Spiral released as the opening theme to the first cour of the second season of Mushoku Tensei.

Biography

Longman formed in 2012 from a music club at Matsuyama University.[1] The band name comes from the Longman English-Japanese Dictionary. Member Hiroya Hirai told an interviewer in 2015: "I was looking for good words in that dictionary, and when I closed it thinking, 'I can't find it', I looked at the cover and thought, 'This is it'.[2]

The band released their first full-length album, Neverland, in July 2014.[citation needed]

They released their second mini album, tick, in August 2015.[3] The album won the Shikoku Block Award at 8th CD Shop Award.[4]

The band's second full-length album, So Young, was released in November 2016.[5]

Longman temporarily suspended live activities from June 2017[6] to July 2018[7] while member Sawa Yoriki received treatment for health issues related to her throat. The group resumed live activities with a concert in Ehime Prefecture.[7]

The group's third mini album, Walking, was released in September 2018.[8]

On March 10, 2019, during a concert in Matsuyama, Longman announced they had signed to major label Sony Music Associated Records.[9] The group made its major label debut in November with the single "Wish On", which served as the ending theme for Boruto: Naruto Next Generations.[citation needed]

The group released the album Just A Boy in February 2020. The album features the song "Replay", the theme song for the TV Tokyo drama Yuru Camp△.[citation needed]

In April 2021, the group released the album This Is Youth, which includes the song "Hello Youth", the theme song for the TV Tokyo drama Yuru Camp△2.[citation needed]

The group released the EP Lyra (ライラ) in May 2022. The title track of the same name served as the ending theme for Yomiuri TV/Nippon TV anime series Love All Play.[citation needed]

In 2023, Longman released "Spiral", the opening theme for the second season of Mushoku Tensei. They released the full-length album 10/4 in October.[10]

Members

  • Sawa Yoriki – bass, vocals
  • Hiroya Hirai – guitar, vocals
  • Yuki "Horihori" Horikawa – drums, vocals

Discography

Studio albums

Title Album details Peak chart positions
JPN

[11]

Neverland
  • Released: July 16, 2014
  • Label: Belde Records
  • Formats: CD, digital download
 —
So Young
  • Released: November 2, 2016
  • Label: VION
  • Formats: CD, digital download
 33
Just A Boy
  • Released: February 5, 2020
  • Label: Sony Music Associated Records
  • Formats: CD, digital download
 21
This Is Youth
  • Released: May 19, 2021
  • Label: Sony Music Associated Records
  • Formats: CD, digital download
 20
10/4
  • Released: October 4, 2023
  • Label: Sony Music Associated Records
  • Formats: CD, digital download
 31

Compilation albums

Title Album details Peak chart positions
JPN

[11]

Dictionary～indies BEST 2013–2019～
  • Released: June 12, 2019
  • Label: VION
  • Formats: CD, digital download
 15

Extended plays

Title Album details Peak chart positions
JPN

[11]

Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish
  • Released: February 10, 2013
  • Label: Katachidake Records
  • Formats: CD, digital download
 —
tick
  • Released: August 19, 2015
  • Label: VION
  • Formats: CD, digital download
 —
Walking
  • Released: September 26, 2018
  • Label: VION
  • Formats: CD, digital download
 21

Singles

Title Year Peak chart positions Album
JPN

[12]

"Wish On" 2019 38 Just A Boy
"Lyra" (ライラ) 2022 44 10/4
"Spiral" 2023 40

References

  1. ^ "愛媛発バンド「ＬＯＮＧＭＡＮ」メジャー初アルバム １１曲 聴き応え十分" [Ehime LONGMAN's first major album, 11 songs, worth listening to]. The Ehime Shimbun (in Japanese). 2020-03-15. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  2. ^ "LONGMAN". Skream! (in Japanese). 2015. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  3. ^ "愛媛出身3人組バンドLONGMAN、2ndミニアルバム「tick」完成" [Ehime-born three-person band LONGMAN completes 2nd mini album "tick"]. Natalie (in Japanese). 2015-06-17. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  4. ^ "星野源が「CDショップ大賞」受賞、準大賞は水カン＆WANIMA" [Gen Hoshino wins the "CD Shop Grand Prize", second prize goes to Mizukan & WANIMA]. Natalie (in Japanese). 2016-03-09. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  5. ^ "LONGMAN、2ndアルバムの詳細が明らかに" [Details of 2nd Longman album revealed]. Natalie (in Japanese). 2016-08-22. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  6. ^ "LONGMAN、ボーカルSAWAの喉の治療により一時ライブ活動休止" [LONGMAN temporarily suspends live activities due to vocalist SAWA's throat treatment]. Natalie (in Japanese). 2017-07-27. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  7. ^ a b "LONGMAN、地元愛媛で復活ライブ開催" [LONGMAN holds revival live in local Ehime]. Natalie (in Japanese). 2018-04-29. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  8. ^ "復活LONGMAN、9月に新ミニアルバム「WALKING」発売決定" [Revival LONGMAN to release new mini album “WALKING” in September]. Natalie (in Japanese). 2018-07-17. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  9. ^ "LONGMAN、ソニーからメジャーデビュー決定「愛媛からは離れません」" [LONGMAN to make major debut with Sony, “I won’t leave Ehime”]. Natalie (in Japanese). 2019-03-10. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  10. ^ "LONGMAN、メジャー2ndフルアルバム『10/4』ジャケット＆収録内容公開　先行試聴会への招待キャンペーンも". Real Sound. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
  11. ^ a b c "LONGMANのランキング情報 – アルバム" [Longman ranking information – albums]. Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  12. ^ "LONGMANのランキング情報 – シングル" [Longman ranking information – singles]. Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved October 26, 2023.