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Quezon City, Philippines
Universal Records is the NUMBER ONE independent record label in the Philippines. Bringing you quality music for the past 30 years, we are home to artists like: Jose Mari Chan, Gary Valenciano, Ogie Alcasid, Regine Velasquez, Lani Misalucha, Jed Madela, Christian Bautista, Jay R, Billy Crawford, Kris Aquino, Edu Manzano, Marian Rivera, Mark Herras, Nina, Ronnie Liang, Gail Blanco, Sam Concepcion. Our band roster includes: Parokya Ni Edgar, Kamikazee, Sponge Cola, Imago, Silent Sanctuary, Kenyo, Paraluman. We are equally committed to bring you exciting international releases covering various genres like pop, jazz, new age, classical, alternative, indie pop, rock, electronica, dance, r&b, and hip-hop. Name it, we definitely have it!

May 8, 2011

CNBLUE "First Step" album: a must-buy for Boices!



CNBLUE is considered one of the best, if not the best, K-Pop debuts of 2010. The band, which debuted in Japan before debuting in Korea released two bestselling mini-albums last year including "Bluetory" and "Bluelove". They also won several well-respected newcomer awards including the MNet Asian Music Awards, Melon Music Awards and the 20th Seoul Music Awards.

With all the members in high demand for overseas activities and acting roles, their first full-legth album took a long time coming, but CNBLUE has finally released it. Continuing to deliver a fresh pop rock sound amid the electro-pop trend, the album "First Step" bears witness to not only CNBLUE's phenomenal rise as idols, but also their growth as musicians. The 12 tracks in "First Step" features songs personally written and composed by the members themselves. Their title track, “Intuition,” features a strong guitar sound with rhythmical, yet powerful vocals to round it out. Leader Jung Yonghwa participated in the writing, composition, and arrangement for “Love Girl,” as well as member Lee Jonghyun in “Love Rides the Rain” and “Thank You”. “Just Please" a track off of their Japanese single, features newly written Korean lyrics by Yonghwa as well. "First Step" also includes songs like "Imagine", as well as "One Time" and "I Don't Know Why", previously featured on their Oricon-charting Japanese single releases.

CNBLUE’s “Intuition” rose to number one in real time charts and weekly charts after its release. The group has already won several awards in music program like M!Countown, Music Bank and Inkigayo for their first title track off their album. To date, their "First Step" album has sold 130,000 copies in Korea alone, following in the footsteps of K-pop superstar idol groups like TVXQ and Big Bang, who have also hit the 100,000 units mark with their own albums this year.

"First Step" has also topped one of Japan’s most prestigious album charts becoming the top selling album on the online pre-order sales charts of Japan’s Tower Records, the country’s largest record store. The Korean band surpassed pre-order sales of AKB48, Japan’s most popular idol group, reflecting their growing popularity all over Asia. Also, “First Step” was the number one album on Taiwan’s “G-Music: J-Pop Weekly Chart”. The feat was all the more impressive because the group didn’t even release the “First Step” album in Taiwan yet, and had not run a single album promotion for it either. CNBLUE has indeed conquered three of the leading music markets in Asia and can certainly be proclaimed as Asian superstars!

Online Charts - Intuition at #1
#1 Baidu/Monkey
#1 Bugs
#1 Cyworld
#1 Daum
#1 Doshirak
#1 Hanteo
#1 Melon
#1 Mnet
#1 Naver
#1 Soribada

Music Programs Wins - Intuition at #1
#1 March 31, 2011 - MNET M!Countdown
#1 April 1, 2011 - KBS Music Bank
#1 April 7, 2011 - MNET M!Countdown
#1 April 8, 2011 - KBS Music Bank
#1 April 10, 2011 - SBS Inkigayo
#1 April 14, 2011 - MNET M!Countdown
#1 April 15, 2011 - KBS Music Bank

"First Step" tracklisting:
1. Intuition
2. Love Girl
3. Imagine
4. I Don't Know Why
5. Eclipse
6. Lie
7. One Time
8. Just Please
9. Wanna Be Like U
10. Ready N Go
11. Thank You
12. One Of A Kind (bonus track)

This edition comes with a 34-page full color Photobook.

Four (4) major record stores are participating in the Step By Step: CNBLUE "First Step" Album Launch Event on May 21 (Saturday). These record stores are:
- Astroplus The Block
- Astroplus Mall of Asia
- Odyssey Megamall
- Odyssey SM Bacoor

Here are the store schedules and telephone numbers:
-Astroplus The Block: 10 AM - 9 PM (tel # 442-0372)
-Astroplus Mall of Asia: 10 AM - 10 PM (tel # 556-0080)
-Odyssey Megamall: 10 AM - 10 PM (tel # 687-3620)
-Odyssey SM Bacoor: 10 AM - 9 PM (tel # 417-7392)

Universal Records and CNBLUE Philippines Fan Club, in cooperation with MYX, Astroplus and Odyssey, invite you to Step By Step: CNBLUE "First Step" Album Launch Event on May 21 (Saturday). We are launching CNBLUE "First Step" album, together with "Bluetory" and "Bluelove".

Watch out for more details about Freebies, Activities & CD Prices very soon.

Check out the following relevant Facebook Fanpages for more updates:

Universal Records Philippines: http://www.facebook.com/universalrecordsphfanpage
CNBLUE Philippines: http://www.facebook.com/pages/CN-BLUE-PHILIPPINES/207429376312

Watch CNBLUE music videos here :

Intuition: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_500iqJggs0
Love Girl: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmyCA91xJ5Y
Love: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sl1U81q_vkY
I'm A Loner: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7arOrCfvumQ

Watch CNBLUE greetings here:

CNBLUE Greets Filipino Boices and Asks Them To Support "First Step" Album: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f10Knh7kD_4
CNBLUE Introduces "Intuition" MV & Requests Boices To Vote For It: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95C9mciXIYA
CNBLUE Invites Filipino Boices To "First Step" Album Event Launch at Odyssey Record Stores: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwrlK66pnP0
CNBLUE Asks Filipino Boices To Support "First Step" Album Event Launch at Astroplus: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwFt_D6Qbco

More details here:

Album Launch Event: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=211644925526982

CNBLUE "Bluetory" and "Bluelove" Albumshttp://universalrecph.blogspot.com/2011/05/cnblue-bluetory-and-bluelove-albums.html

Please feel free to repost. Thanks!

Special thanks to CNBLUE Philippines (http://www.facebook.com/pages/CN-BLUE-PHILIPPINES/207429376312)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm an avid & die hard supporter of CNBlue since their debut last Jan. 2010. Of course, with a big "YES", I will be one of the first to buy their First Step Album on the launching event on May 21, 2011, Saturday. I already have their two mini albums, blue Love & Bluetory, which were bought directly from South Korea bec. both were not available in the Phils. at that time. I love CNBlue!!! HappyLyn

josalove said...

Hi Universal Records.. I just want to know if the Cnblue's First Step Album is still available? and in what particular branch? Thanks!