Maps of Music

Alive (2012)

Where the lyrics of Alive take you, and where it was really made.

Alive had no singles, yet its three music videos reached audiences through Japanese music TV channels instead.

Key places

Recorded at YG Studio, Seoul (2012)

Recording site Big Hit Studios, Seoul — The recording location is listed as YG Studio in Seoul, South Korea. The point is placed at city-centre level, not at the building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: Private company studio, not open to visitors.

Album story

Overview

• Alive is the fourth Japanese studio album and sixth overall by South Korean boy band BigBang
• Released March 28, 2012, as the group's first release under the label YGEX
• YGEX is a partnership between the Korean agency YG Entertainment and the Japanese label Avex Trax
• Ten songs in total: four Japanese versions, two new songs, and four songs already released in Korean from the EP of the same name
• The two new original Japanese songs are Ego and Feeling
• Re-released June 20 as Alive -Monster Edition-
• Released in five editions: two CD+2DVD+Photobook versions, a CD+DVD version, and a regular edition

Background

• The album has no singles
• Music videos for Fantastic Baby, Blue and Bad Boy were released through MTV Japan, Space Shower TV and M-ON! (Music On! TV)
• The Japanese version of Fantastic Baby was performed on NTV's Happy Music on March 30, on NHK's Music Japan, and on NTV's Music Lovers on April 1
• The Japanese version of Haru Haru had previously been released on the greatest hits album The Best of Big Bang

Recording

• All songs were written and produced by G-Dragon
• T.O.P. wrote additional rap lyrics on the Korean songs
• Wings was written and sung by Daesung
• Feeling was produced and arranged by German EDM and electro house producer and DJ Alexander Ridha, known as Boys Noize
• The recording location is listed as YG Studio in Seoul, South Korea

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• BigBang was formed by YG Entertainment, with G-Dragon and Taeyang first trained at age eleven.
• The group debuted on August 19, 2006, at Olympic Gymnastics Arena in Seoul.
• Their debut album BigBang Vol. 1 (2006) sold over 110,000 copies.

Members

• Current members are G-Dragon (leader, rapper), Taeyang (vocalist), and Daesung (vocalist, drummer).
• T.O.P left the group in 2023, and Seungri retired in 2019.

Career

• Their 2007 hit "Lies" was their first number one and topped Korean charts for six weeks.
• Their Japanese albums were all certified gold by the RIAJ.
• They won the inaugural Best Worldwide Act at the 2011 MTV Europe Music Awards.
• Their fifth EP Alive (2012) became the first Korean album to chart on the US Billboard 200.
• The Made World Tour attracted 1.5 million people and set a record for a Korean act.
• Eleven of their singles reached number one on the Gaon Digital Chart.
• They have sold over 140 million records globally.
• In 2022 they returned as a quartet with "Still Life", which debuted at number one on the Gaon Digital Chart.
• In 2026 they are set to celebrate their 20th anniversary with a world tour.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Released March 28, 2012, with ten songs
• The album is the first release of the group under the label YGEX, a partnership between YG Entertainment and Avex Trax
• Five editions: 2 CD+2 DVD+Photobook (Type E comes with goods and an exclusive video on DVD Disc 2, and is only available at HMV), 2 CD+DVD (Type B with DVD Disc 2, Type C with DVD Disc 3), and a regular edition
• Type E, the Photobook edition, is the only one with goods and an exclusive video

Records

• Re-released June 20 as Alive -Monster Edition-
• The re-release includes 9 songs from the original album, 1 Japanese version, and 2 songs released in Korean
• Monster Edition was released in 3 versions: CD+DVD+T-shirt, CD+DVD, and CD only
• The album's tracks comprise 4 Japanese versions, 2 new songs, and 4 songs already released in Korean

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The album has no singles, so all three of its music videos were released through music TV channels
• Feeling was produced and arranged by Alexander Ridha, known as Boys Noize
• Wings is the Daesung solo song, written and sung by him
• The Japanese version of Haru Haru had already appeared on The Best of Big Bang before this album
• The Japanese version of Fantastic Baby was performed on three Japanese TV programmes in late March and early April 2012

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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