B'z
B'z (Japanese: ビーズ, Hepburn: Bīzu) is a Japanese rock duo consisting of guitarist, composer and producer Takahiro "Tak" Matsumoto and vocalist and lyricist Koshi Inaba, known for their energetic hard rock tracks and pop rock ballads. B'z is one of the best-selling music artists in the world and the best-selling in their native Japan by certifications, having released 49 consecutive No. 1 singles, 25 No. 1 albums, and 3 No. 1 EPs on the Oricon music charts, and have sold more than 100 million records worldwide.
B'z | |
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Koshi Inaba (left) and Takahiro Matsumoto performing in 2012 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Japan |
| Genres |
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| Years active | 1988–present |
| Labels | Bertelsmann–BMG Japan (1988–1995) Being Inc.–Vermillion (1995–present) |
| Members | Tak Matsumoto Koshi Inaba |
| Website | bz-vermillion |
In 2003, HMV Japan ranked them at number 30 on their list of the 100 most important Japanese pop acts. In 2007, B'z became the first music act from Asia to have their handprints and signatures put up on Hollywood's RockWalk. In 2008, they were awarded a Guinness World Record for "Best-selling album act in Japan", which also notes them to be the best-selling act in Japan overall.