Maps of Music

Number 1 (2008)

Where the lyrics of Number 1 take you, and where it was really made.

BigBang's first Japanese album is sung mostly in English and reworks songs that had already come out in Korean.

Place unknown

Do you know where this album was recorded, or where its cover was shot? Tell us and we will add it to the map.

Number 1 is the first Japanese album by South Korean boy band BigBang
Released in Japan by YG Entertainment and Universal Music Japan
Released in October 2008
Primarily sung in English
Includes the group's first two Japanese mini-albums and songs from its third Korean mini-album
Some songs written and composed by the members, most notably G-Dragon
Includes three new songs, including the title track
Regular edition has 14 tracks; limited edition has 13 tracks plus a DVD of music videos

The title track was released as a single of the same title before the album
Only "Haru Haru" and "Heaven" were originally released in Korean
The remaining tracks are English and Japanese versions of songs BigBang had already released
"Make Love" was originally released by Taeyang on his debut EP Hot (2008) and was rewritten in English for BigBang

Recorded at YG Studio
Mixed at The Lab, Los Angeles; mastered at Sterling Sound
Credited engineers include Tom Coyne (mastering), Jason Robert (mixing), and Perry, 오영택, 이경준 (recording)

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.

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.

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.

Oricon Albums Chart: number 3 on the daily chart, number 13 on the weekly chart
Billboard Japan Top Albums Sales: peak of number 16 after the Japanese release
Released after the group's first two Japanese EPs, For the World (2008) and With U (2008)
Also includes songs from the Korean EP Stand Up (2008)
A single of the same title was released before the album

Regular edition: 14 tracks, including the Japanese version of Together Forever titled Candle, exclusive to this edition
Limited edition: 13 tracks plus a DVD of the group's music videos
Three new songs were added, including the title track
Only Haru Haru and Heaven were originally released in Korean; the rest are English and Japanese versions
Track 14 is a bonus track on the CD release only
Packaged in a hard printed case with a purple lenticular cover
Mixed at The Lab, Los Angeles, and mastered at Sterling Sound

The CD comes in a hard printed case with a purple lenticular cover, with a booklet and a folded liner notes insert containing Japanese titles and lyrics.
Track 14 is a bonus track available only on the CD release.
"Make Love" was first released by Taeyang on his debut EP Hot (2008) and was rewritten in English for this album.
The regular edition includes Candle, the Japanese version of Together Forever, which came from the first Japanese EP For the World (2008).