Yellow Magic Orchestra

Yellow Magic Orchestra (often referred to simply as YMO) is a Japanese electronic music band consisting of principal members Haruomi Hosono (bass and keyboards and vocals), Yukihiro Takahashi (drums and lead vocals) and Ryuichi Sakamoto (keyboards and vocals).[1]  The band's former "fourth member" was music programmer Hideki Matsutake.[2]

They are often considered influential innovators in the field of popular electronic music.[1] [3]  They contributed to the development of synthpop,[4] [5]  ambient house,[1]  electronica,[6]  electro,[7] contemporary J-pop,[8]  house,[1] [9]  techno,[9] [10]  and hip hop music.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-guardian_ymo_6-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[6]  More broadly, their influence is evident across various genres of popular music, including electronic dance,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-fidelity_1993_3-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[3]  ambient music,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-allmusic_ymo_1-4" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[1] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-billboard_1996_11-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[11]  chiptune, game music,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-japantimes_12-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[12] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-13" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[13]  pop,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-scaruffi_4-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[4] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-billboard_1996_11-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[11]  rock, and melodic music.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-scaruffi_4-2" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[4]

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">YMO were pioneers in their use of synthesizers, samplers, sequencers, drum machines, computers, and digital recording technology in popular music,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-allmusic_ymo_1-5" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[1] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-sarasota_14-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[14] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-clashmusic_15-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[15]  during a time when these technologies were seen as novelties.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-clashmusic_15-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[15]  The band is considered "ahead of their time," for anticipating the global trend towards drum machines and sampling,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-16" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[16]  for having anticipated the "electropop boom" of the 1980s,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-17" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[17]  their "pro-technological viewpoint," their use of video game sounds and bleeps,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-18" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[18]  and for experimenting heavily with computers and electronic instruments. ==History<span class="mw-editsection mw-editsection-expanded" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;direction:ltr;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="margin-left:-0.25em;margin-right:0.25em;color:rgb(85,85,85);"> == ===1976–1978: Early years and formation<span class="mw-editsection mw-editsection-expanded" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;direction:ltr;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="margin-left:-0.25em;margin-right:0.25em;color:rgb(85,85,85);"> === <p style="line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">Prior to the group's formation, Sakamoto had been experimenting with electronic music equipment at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, which he entered in 1970, including synthesizers such as the Buchla, Moog, and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARP_Instruments,_Inc. ARP].<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-dayal_interview_20-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[20]  Hosono, following the break-up of his band Happy End in 1972, became involved in the recording of several early electronic rock records, including Yōsui Inoue's folk pop rock album Kōri no Sekai (1973) and Osamu Kitajima's progressive psychedelic rock album Benzaiten (1974), both of which utilized synthesizers, electric guitars, electric bass, and in the latter, electronic drums and rhythm machines.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-21" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[21] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-22" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[22]  Also around the same time, the band's future "fourth member" Hideki Matsutakewas the assistant for the internationally successful electronic musician Isao Tomita. Much of the methods and techniques developed by both Tomita and Matsutake during the early 1970s would later be employed by Yellow Magic Orchestra.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-sound_147_2-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[2] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-23" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[23]

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">Sakamoto first worked with Hosono as a member of his live band in 1976, while Yukihiro Takahashi recruited Sakamoto to produce his debut solo recording in 1977 following the split of theSadistic Mika Band. Hosono invited both to work on his exotica-flavoured album Paraiso, which included electronic songs produced using various electronic equipment. The band was named "Harry Hosono and the Yellow Magic Band" as a satire of Japan's obsession with black magic at the time,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-guardian_ymo_6-2" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[6]  and in late 1977 they began recording Paraiso, which was released in 1978.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-discogs_paraiso_24-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[24] The three worked together again for the 1978 electronic album Pacific, which included an early version of the song "Cosmic Surfin".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-25" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[25]  Hosono and Sakamoto also worked together alongsideHideki Matsutake in early 1978 for Hosono's experimental "electro-exotica" fusion album Cochin Moon, which fused electronic music with Indian music, including an early "synth raga" song "Hum Ghar Sajan".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-pitchfork_26-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[26]  The same year, Sakamoto released his own solo album, The Thousand Knives of Ryuichi Sakamoto, experimenting with a similar fusion between electronic music and traditional Japanese music in early 1978. Hosono also contributed to one of Sakamoto's songs, "Thousand Knives", in the album.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-27" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[27]  Thousand Knives was also notable for its early use of themicroprocessor-based Roland MC-8 Microcomposer music sequencer, with Matsutake as its music programmer for the album.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-knives_cd_28-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[28]

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">Hosono, Sakamoto and Takahashi eventually collaborated again to form the Yellow Magic Orchestra and they began recording their self-titled album at a Shibaura studio in July 1978.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-discogs_ymo_lp_29-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[29]  The band was initially conceived as a one-off studio project by Hosono, the other two members being recruited session musicians—the idea was to produce an album fusing orientalist exoticawith modern electronics, as a subversion of Orientalism and exoticization, while exploring similar themes such as Asianness. ===1978–1983: National and international success<span class="mw-editsection mw-editsection-expanded" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;direction:ltr;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="margin-left:-0.25em;margin-right:0.25em;color:rgb(85,85,85);"> === <p style="line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">The band's 1978 self-titled album Yellow Magic Orchestra, with its cutting-edge production, was very popular, and the studio project grew into a fully fledged touring band and career for its three members. The album featured the use of computer technology (along with synthesizers) which, according to Billboard, allowed the group to create a new sound that was not possible until then.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-billboard_1979_30-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[30]  Following the release of the album Yellow Magic Orchestra, a live date at the Roppongi Pit Inn was seen by executives of A&M Records of the USA who were in the process of setting up a partnership deal with Alfa Records. This led to the YMO being offered an international deal, at which point (early 1979) the three members decided the group would be given priority over their solo careers. The most popular international hit from the album was "Firecracker", which would be released as a single the following year and again as "Computer Game", which became a success in the United States and Europe.<sup class="Template-Fact" style="line-height:1em;white-space:nowrap;">[citation needed]

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">Following an advertising deal with Fuji Cassette, the group sparked a boom in the popularity of electronic pop music, called "Technopop" in Japan,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-guardian_ymo_6-3" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[6] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-sarasota_14-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[14]  where they had an impact similar to that of the Beatles and Merseybeat in 1960s Britain.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-guardian_ymo_6-4" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[6]  For some time, YMO was the most popular band in Japan.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-guardian_ymo_6-5" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[6]  A testament to the influence of YMO on fashion is how many middle-aged Japanese businessmen still have the "Techno cut" haircut, modeled after the group.<sup class="Template-Fact" style="line-height:1em;white-space:nowrap;">[citation needed]  Successful solo act Akiko Yano (later married to Sakamoto) joined the band for its live performances in the late 1970s and early 1980s, but did not participate in the studio recordings. On the other hand, the YMO trio contributed to her own albums and became part of her live band, during these same years.<sup class="Template-Fact" style="line-height:1em;white-space:nowrap;">[citation needed]

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">Making abundant use of new synthesizers, samplers, sequencers, drum machines, computers and digital recording technology as it became available, as well as utilizing cyberpunk-ish lyrics sung mostly in English, they extended their popularity and influence beyond Japan.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-allmusic_ymo_1-6" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[1] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-sarasota_14-2" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[14] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-clashmusic_15-2" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[15] <p style="line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">Solid State Survivor, released in 1979, was YMO's pinnacle recording in Japan, winning the 1980 Best Album Award in the Japan Record Awards. It featured English lyrics by Chris Mosdell, whose sci-fi themes often depicted a human condition alienated by dystopic futures, much like the emerging cyberpunk movement in fiction at that time. One of the album's major singles, and one of the band's biggest international hits, was "Behind the Mask", which YMO had first produced in 1978 for a Seiko quartz wristwatchcommercial,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-discogs_ucymo_31-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[31]  and then for Solid State Survivor with lyrics penned by Chris Mosdell. The song was later revised by Michael Jackson, who added new lyrics and has intended to include it in his album Thriller.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-32" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[32]  Despite the approval of songwriter Sakamoto and lyricist Chris Mosdell, it was eventually removed from the album due to legal issues with YMO's management.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-camera_mosdell_33-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[33]  Jackson's version was never released until his first posthumous album, Michael, though his additional lyrics were included in later cover versions of the song byGreg Phillinganes, Eric Clapton,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-dailymail_michael_34-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[34]  and Ryuichi Sakamoto himself in his 1986 solo release Media Bahn Live.<sup class="Template-Fact" style="line-height:1em;white-space:nowrap;">[citation needed]  Solid State Survivor included several early computerized synth rock songs,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-sarasota_14-3" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[14] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-boston_1998_35-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[35]  including a mechanized cover version of "Day Tripper" by the Beatles.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-boston_1998_35-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[35]

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">Their second album Solid State Survivor went on to sell over 2 million records worldwide.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Hardy_1987_36-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[36]  By 1980, YMO had become the most popular group in Japan, where they were performing to sold out crowds. Their first live album Public Pressure set a record in Japan, topping the charts and selling 250,000 copies within two weeks, while their next studio album X∞Multiplies had 200,000 pre-orders before release.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-sarasota_14-4" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[14]  The same year, their albums Solid State Survivor andX∞Multiplies held the top two spots on the Oricon charts for seven consecutive weeks, making YMO the only band in Japanese chart history to achieve this feat.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-oricon_ymo_37-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[37]

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">The 1980 song "Multiplies" was an early experiment in electronic ska.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-sicko_brewster_38-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[38]  X∞Multiplies was followed up with the 1981 album BGM. "Rap Phenomena" from the album was an early attempt at electronic rap.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-allmusic_bgm_39-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[39] <p style="line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">They also had similar success abroad, performing to sold-out crowds during tours in the United States and Europe.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-sarasota_14-5" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[14]  The single "Computer Game" had sold 400,000 copies in the United States<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-sarasota_14-6" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[14]  and reached No. 17 in the UK Charts. The group also performed "Firecracker" and "Tighten Up" live on the Soul Train television show. At around the same time, the 1980 song "Riot in Lagos" by YMO member Sakamoto pioneered the beats and sounds of electro music.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-wire_1996_7-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[7] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-broughton_2007_40-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[40]  The band was particularly popular with the emerging hip hopcommunity, which appreciated the group's electronic sounds, and in the Bronx where "Firecracker" was a success and sampled in the famous Death Mix (1983) by Afrika Bambaataa.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-wire_1996_7-2" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[7] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-buckley_2003_41-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[41]  Meanwhile in Japan, YMO remained the best-selling music act there up until 1982.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-42" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[42] ===1984–1993: Breakup and brief reunion<span class="mw-editsection mw-editsection-expanded" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;direction:ltr;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="margin-left:-0.25em;margin-right:0.25em;color:rgb(85,85,85);"> === <p style="line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">The band had stopped working as a group by 1984, after the release of their musical motion picture Propaganda, the three members returning to their solo careers. The group were careful to avoid saying they had "split up", preferring to use the Japanese phrase meaning "spreading out" (散開 sankai<sup style="line-height:1em;"><span class="t_nihongo_icon" style="color:rgb(0,0,238);font-weight:bold;font-size:9px;line-height:normal;padding-right:0.1em;padding-left:0.1em;">? ), and in fact the trio continued to play on each other's recordings and made guest appearances at live shows. Takahashi, in particular, would play YMO material in his concerts and as "lead singer" was arguably best placed to do so. Meanwhile, Sakamoto would gain international success for his work as a solo artist, actor, and film composer,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-billboard_1996_11-2" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[11]  winning Grammy, Oscar and Golden Globe awards.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-boston_1998_35-2" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[35]

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">The trio would eventually release a one-off reunion album, Technodon, and credited it to 'NOT YMO' (YMO crossed out with a calligraphy X) ==History<span class="mw-editsection mw-editsection-expanded" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;direction:ltr;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="margin-left:-0.25em;margin-right:0.25em;color:rgb(85,85,85);"> == ===1976–1978: Early years and formation<span class="mw-editsection mw-editsection-expanded" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;direction:ltr;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="margin-left:-0.25em;margin-right:0.25em;color:rgb(85,85,85);"> === <p style="line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">Prior to the group's formation, Sakamoto had been experimenting with electronic music equipment at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, which he entered in 1970, including synthesizers such as the Buchla, Moog, and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARP_Instruments,_Inc. ARP].<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-dayal_interview_20-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[20]  Hosono, following the break-up of his band Happy End in 1972, became involved in the recording of several early electronic rock records, including Yōsui Inoue's folk pop rock album Kōri no Sekai (1973) and Osamu Kitajima's progressive psychedelic rock album Benzaiten (1974), both of which utilized synthesizers, electric guitars, electric bass, and in the latter, electronic drums and rhythm machines.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-21" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[21] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-22" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[22]  Also around the same time, the band's future "fourth member" Hideki Matsutakewas the assistant for the internationally successful electronic musician Isao Tomita. Much of the methods and techniques developed by both Tomita and Matsutake during the early 1970s would later be employed by Yellow Magic Orchestra.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-sound_147_2-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[2] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-23" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[23]

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">Sakamoto first worked with Hosono as a member of his live band in 1976, while Yukihiro Takahashi recruited Sakamoto to produce his debut solo recording in 1977 following the split of theSadistic Mika Band. Hosono invited both to work on his exotica-flavoured album Paraiso, which included electronic songs produced using various electronic equipment. The band was named "Harry Hosono and the Yellow Magic Band" as a satire of Japan's obsession with black magic at the time,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-guardian_ymo_6-2" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[6]  and in late 1977 they began recording Paraiso, which was released in 1978.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-discogs_paraiso_24-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[24] The three worked together again for the 1978 electronic album Pacific, which included an early version of the song "Cosmic Surfin".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-25" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[25]  Hosono and Sakamoto also worked together alongsideHideki Matsutake in early 1978 for Hosono's experimental "electro-exotica" fusion album Cochin Moon, which fused electronic music with Indian music, including an early "synth raga" song "Hum Ghar Sajan".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-pitchfork_26-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[26]  The same year, Sakamoto released his own solo album, The Thousand Knives of Ryuichi Sakamoto, experimenting with a similar fusion between electronic music and traditional Japanese music in early 1978. Hosono also contributed to one of Sakamoto's songs, "Thousand Knives", in the album.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-27" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[27]  Thousand Knives was also notable for its early use of themicroprocessor-based Roland MC-8 Microcomposer music sequencer, with Matsutake as its music programmer for the album.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-knives_cd_28-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[28]

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">Hosono, Sakamoto and Takahashi eventually collaborated again to form the Yellow Magic Orchestra and they began recording their self-titled album at a Shibaura studio in July 1978.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-discogs_ymo_lp_29-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[29]  The band was initially conceived as a one-off studio project by Hosono, the other two members being recruited session musicians—the idea was to produce an album fusing orientalist exoticawith modern electronics, as a subversion of Orientalism and exoticization, while exploring similar themes such as Asianness. ===1978–1983: National and international success<span class="mw-editsection mw-editsection-expanded" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;direction:ltr;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="margin-left:-0.25em;margin-right:0.25em;color:rgb(85,85,85);"> === <p style="line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">The band's 1978 self-titled album Yellow Magic Orchestra, with its cutting-edge production, was very popular, and the studio project grew into a fully fledged touring band and career for its three members. The album featured the use of computer technology (along with synthesizers) which, according to Billboard, allowed the group to create a new sound that was not possible until then.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-billboard_1979_30-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[30]  Following the release of the album Yellow Magic Orchestra, a live date at the Roppongi Pit Inn was seen by executives of A&M Records of the USA who were in the process of setting up a partnership deal with Alfa Records. This led to the YMO being offered an international deal, at which point (early 1979) the three members decided the group would be given priority over their solo careers. The most popular international hit from the album was "Firecracker", which would be released as a single the following year and again as "Computer Game", which became a success in the United States and Europe.<sup class="Template-Fact" style="line-height:1em;white-space:nowrap;">[citation needed]

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">Following an advertising deal with Fuji Cassette, the group sparked a boom in the popularity of electronic pop music, called "Technopop" in Japan,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-guardian_ymo_6-3" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[6] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-sarasota_14-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[14]  where they had an impact similar to that of the Beatles and Merseybeat in 1960s Britain.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-guardian_ymo_6-4" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[6]  For some time, YMO was the most popular band in Japan.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-guardian_ymo_6-5" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[6]  A testament to the influence of YMO on fashion is how many middle-aged Japanese businessmen still have the "Techno cut" haircut, modeled after the group.<sup class="Template-Fact" style="line-height:1em;white-space:nowrap;">[citation needed]  Successful solo act Akiko Yano (later married to Sakamoto) joined the band for its live performances in the late 1970s and early 1980s, but did not participate in the studio recordings. On the other hand, the YMO trio contributed to her own albums and became part of her live band, during these same years.<sup class="Template-Fact" style="line-height:1em;white-space:nowrap;">[citation needed]

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">Making abundant use of new synthesizers, samplers, sequencers, drum machines, computers and digital recording technology as it became available, as well as utilizing cyberpunk-ish lyrics sung mostly in English, they extended their popularity and influence beyond Japan.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-allmusic_ymo_1-6" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[1] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-sarasota_14-2" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[14] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-clashmusic_15-2" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[15]

<p style="line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">Solid State Survivor, released in 1979, was YMO's pinnacle recording in Japan, winning the 1980 Best Album Award in the Japan Record Awards. It featured English lyrics by Chris Mosdell, whose sci-fi themes often depicted a human condition alienated by dystopic futures, much like the emerging cyberpunk movement in fiction at that time. One of the album's major singles, and one of the band's biggest international hits, was "Behind the Mask", which YMO had first produced in 1978 for a Seiko quartz wristwatchcommercial,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-discogs_ucymo_31-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[31]  and then for Solid State Survivor with lyrics penned by Chris Mosdell. The song was later revised by Michael Jackson, who added new lyrics and has intended to include it in his album Thriller.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-32" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[32]  Despite the approval of songwriter Sakamoto and lyricist Chris Mosdell, it was eventually removed from the album due to legal issues with YMO's management.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-camera_mosdell_33-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[33]  Jackson's version was never released until his first posthumous album, Michael, though his additional lyrics were included in later cover versions of the song byGreg Phillinganes, Eric Clapton,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-dailymail_michael_34-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[34]  and Ryuichi Sakamoto himself in his 1986 solo release Media Bahn Live.<sup class="Template-Fact" style="line-height:1em;white-space:nowrap;">[citation needed]  Solid State Survivor included several early computerized synth rock songs,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-sarasota_14-3" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[14] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-boston_1998_35-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[35]  including a mechanized cover version of "Day Tripper" by the Beatles.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-boston_1998_35-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[35]

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">Their second album Solid State Survivor went on to sell over 2 million records worldwide.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Hardy_1987_36-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[36]  By 1980, YMO had become the most popular group in Japan, where they were performing to sold out crowds. Their first live album Public Pressure set a record in Japan, topping the charts and selling 250,000 copies within two weeks, while their next studio album X∞Multiplies had 200,000 pre-orders before release.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-sarasota_14-4" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[14]  The same year, their albums Solid State Survivor andX∞Multiplies held the top two spots on the Oricon charts for seven consecutive weeks, making YMO the only band in Japanese chart history to achieve this feat.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-oricon_ymo_37-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[37]

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">The 1980 song "Multiplies" was an early experiment in electronic ska.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-sicko_brewster_38-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[38]  X∞Multiplies was followed up with the 1981 album BGM. "Rap Phenomena" from the album was an early attempt at electronic rap.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-allmusic_bgm_39-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[39]

<p style="line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">They also had similar success abroad, performing to sold-out crowds during tours in the United States and Europe.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-sarasota_14-5" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[14]  The single "Computer Game" had sold 400,000 copies in the United States<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-sarasota_14-6" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[14]  and reached No. 17 in the UK Charts. The group also performed "Firecracker" and "Tighten Up" live on the Soul Train television show. At around the same time, the 1980 song "Riot in Lagos" by YMO member Sakamoto pioneered the beats and sounds of electro music.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-wire_1996_7-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[7] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-broughton_2007_40-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[40]  The band was particularly popular with the emerging hip hopcommunity, which appreciated the group's electronic sounds, and in the Bronx where "Firecracker" was a success and sampled in the famous Death Mix (1983) by Afrika Bambaataa.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-wire_1996_7-2" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[7] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-buckley_2003_41-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[41]  Meanwhile in Japan, YMO remained the best-selling music act there up until 1982.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-42" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[42] ===1984–1993: Breakup and brief reunion<span class="mw-editsection mw-editsection-expanded" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;direction:ltr;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="margin-left:-0.25em;margin-right:0.25em;color:rgb(85,85,85);"> === <p style="line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">The band had stopped working as a group by 1984, after the release of their musical motion picture Propaganda, the three members returning to their solo careers. The group were careful to avoid saying they had "split up", preferring to use the Japanese phrase meaning "spreading out" (散開 sankai<sup style="line-height:1em;"><span class="t_nihongo_icon" style="color:rgb(0,0,238);font-weight:bold;font-size:9px;line-height:normal;padding-right:0.1em;padding-left:0.1em;">? ), and in fact the trio continued to play on each other's recordings and made guest appearances at live shows. Takahashi, in particular, would play YMO material in his concerts and as "lead singer" was arguably best placed to do so. Meanwhile, Sakamoto would gain international success for his work as a solo artist, actor, and film composer,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-billboard_1996_11-2" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[11]  winning Grammy, Oscar and Golden Globe awards.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-boston_1998_35-2" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[35]

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">The trio would eventually release a one-off reunion album, Technodon, and credited it to 'NOT YMO' (YMO crossed out with a calligraphy X) or YMO in 1993.<sup class="Template-Fact" style="line-height:1em;white-space:nowrap;">[citation needed]  Instead of traditional vocals, about half of it features field audio recordings and samples of authors and scientists reading their work.<sup class="Template-Fact" style="line-height:1em;white-space:nowrap;">[citation needed]  During their brief reunion in the early 1990s, they continued to experiment with new styles of electronic music, playing an instrumental role in the technoand acid house movements of the era.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-UGO_9-2" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[9]

2002–present: Post-breakup and reformation
<p style="line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">The early 2000s saw Hosono & Takahashi reunited in a project called Sketch Show. On a number of occasions Ryuichi Sakamoto has joined in on Sketch Show performances and recording sessions. He later proposed they rename the group Human Audio Sponge when he participates. Barcelona performance at Sonar festival and Wild Sketch Show DVDs chronicle these reunions, and include a tongue-in-cheek Japanese text only history of the group that spans to 2036.

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">The band have reunited in 2007 for an advertising campaign for Kirin Lager which lampooned their longevity and charted No.1 on various Japanese digital download charts (including iTunes Store chart) with the song "Rydeen 79/07", released on Sakamoto's new label commmons. Recently performing live as Human Audio Sponge; Hosono, Sakamoto and Takahashi did a live performance together as Yellow Magic Orchestra for the Live Earth, Kyoto event on July 7, 2007, which raised money and awareness of a "climate in crisis."

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">In August 2007, the band once again reformed, taking the name HASYMO or HAS/YMO, combining the names of Human Audio Sponge and Yellow Magic Orchestra. Their first single under this name, "Rescue", was written for the filmAppleseed EX Machina. They released a new two song single titled "The City of Light/Tokyo Town Pages" on August 6, 2008. HASYMO played two live concerts in Europe in the summer of 2008, one at the Royal Festival Hall, London on June 15, as part of the Meltdown festival of music curated by Massive Attack and another in Gijon, Spain on the 19th. Although the primary YMO members (Yukihiro Takahashi, Haruomi Hosono, and Ryuichi Sakamoto) are effectively known as HASYMO and played both these concerts, these concerts were billed simply as "YMO" but featured only 4 YMO songs in each concert while the rest of the concert featured Sketch Show, HASYMO music and member's solo works.

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">In August 2009, the band played the World Happiness festival in Japan, featuring many Japanese artists. The band closed the night, and confirmed that "Yellow Magic Orchestra" is their official name, dropping the HASYMO title. They opened with a cover of "Hello, Goodbye" and performed old YMO songs along with their newer songs.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-43" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[43]

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">In August 2010, YMO once again closed their World Happiness festival. They added classic songs from their back catalog into their set list. They also covered "Hello, Goodbye" and "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-44" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[44]  In January 2011, KCRW announced for their World Festival concert series that Yellow Magic Orchestra will perform at the Hollywood Bowl on June 26, 2011.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-45" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[45]  Not long after, a concert for June 27, 2011 at The Warfield was added.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-46" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[46]  It was announced in February that YMO will perform at the Fuji Rock festival in July and the World Happiness festival 2011 on August 7 where they will debut new songs.

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">In 2012, Sakamoto helped organize the No Nukes 2012 festival held in the Makuhari Messe hall in Chiba, Japan on July 7 and 8, 2012.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-47" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[47]  Among the many artists performing, Kraftwerk closed the July 7th concert, with YMO performing on both days, closing the July 8th concert.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-48" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[48]  YMO also headlined their World Happiness festival on August 12, 2012.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-49" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[49] ==Music and innovations<span class="mw-editsection mw-editsection-expanded" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;direction:ltr;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="margin-left:-0.25em;margin-right:0.25em;color:rgb(85,85,85);"> == ===Style<span class="mw-editsection mw-editsection-expanded" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;direction:ltr;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="margin-left:-0.25em;margin-right:0.25em;color:rgb(85,85,85);"> === <p style="line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">While their contemporaries in Düsseldorf, and later Detroit, were using synthesizer technology to create bleak dystopian music, YMO introduced a more "joyous and liberating" approach to electronic music. According to Sakamoto, they were "tired" of Japanese musicians imitating Western and American music at the time and so they wanted to "make something very original from Japan."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-sfweekly_interview_50-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[50]  Kraftwerk was particularly an influence on Sakamoto, who heard the band in the mid-1970s and later introduced them to his fellow band members.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-sfweekly_interview_50-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[50]  They were impressed with Kraftwerk's "very formalized" style but wanted to avoid imitating their "very German" approach. He described Kraftwerk's music as "theoretical, very focused, simple and minimal and strong".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-geeta_disco_51-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[51]  Their alternative template for electronic pop was less minimalistic, made more varying use of synthesizer lines, introduced "fun-loving and breezy" sounds,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-bogdanov_565_52-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[52]  and placed a strong emphasis on melody<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-sfweekly_interview_50-2" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[50]  in contrast to Kraftwerk's statuesque "robot pop".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-53" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[53]

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">The band also drew from a wider range of influences than had been employed by Kraftwerk.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-sicko_brewster_38-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[38]  These influences on YMO included Japanese electronic music (such as Isao Tomita),<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-loubet_couroux_54-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[54]  traditional Japanese music, experimental Chinese music (of the Cultural Revolution era),<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-sfweekly_interview_50-3" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[50]  Indian music (such as Ravi Shankar and Bollywood music),<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-pitchfork_26-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[26]  arcade game samples,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-guardian_ymo_6-6" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[6] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-wire_2002_55-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[55]  American rap,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-allmusic_bgm_39-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[39]  exotica,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-sicko_brewster_38-2" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[38]  Caribbean ska,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-sicko_brewster_38-3" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[38]  Giorgio Moroder's disco work,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-allmusic_ymo_1-7" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[1]  the Beatles, the Beach Boys and their chief songwriter Brian Wilson,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-56" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[56]  Van Dyke Parks, classical music,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-dayal_interview_20-2" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[20]  animal sounds,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-57" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[57] and noise.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-guardian_hoban_58-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[58]  Sakamoto has expressed that his "concept when making music is that there is no border between music and noise."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-guardian_hoban_58-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[58] ===Sampling<span class="mw-editsection mw-editsection-expanded" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;direction:ltr;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="margin-left:-0.25em;margin-right:0.25em;color:rgb(85,85,85);"> === <p style="line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">Their approach to sampling music was a precursor to the contemporary approach of constructing music by cutting fragments of sounds and looping them using computer technology.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-condry_59_59-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[59]  Their 1978 hit "Computer Game / Firecracker", for example, sampled Martin Denny's 1959 exotica melody "Firecracker"<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-guardian_ymo_6-7" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[6]  and arcade game sounds from Space Invaders and Circus.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-guardian_ymo_6-8" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[6] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-wire_2002_55-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[55]  According to The Vinyl District magazine, they also released the first album to feature mostly samples and loops (1981's Technodelic).<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-thevinyldistrict_19-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[19]  The pace at which the band's music evolved has been acknowledged by critics. According to SF Weekly, YMO's musical timeline has gone from "zany exotica-disco spoofs" and "bleeps and blips" in the 1970s to "sensuous musique concrète perfected" in their 1983 albums Naughty Boys and Service.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-sfweekly_interview_50-4" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[50] ===Instruments<span class="mw-editsection mw-editsection-expanded" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;direction:ltr;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="margin-left:-0.25em;margin-right:0.25em;color:rgb(85,85,85);"> === The Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer is one of the first programmable drum machines, which since the mid-1980s has been used in more hit records than any other drum machine.<p style="line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">The band often utilized a wide variety of state-of-the-art electronic music equipment immediately as they were made available.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-discogs_ymo_lp_29-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[29]  Yellow Magic Orchestra and Ryuichi Sakamoto'sThousand Knives were one of the earliest popular music albums to utilize the Roland MC-8 Microcomposer, which was programmed by Hideki Matsutake during recording sessions.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-discogs_ymo_lp_29-2" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[29] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-knives_cd_28-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[28] Roland called the MC-8 a "computer music composer" and it was the first stand-alone microprocessor-based music sequencer.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-60" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[60] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-SOS_Nov._2004_61-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[61] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-62" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[62]  It also introduced features such as a keypad to enter note information and 16 KB of RAM which allowed a maximum sequence length of 5200 notes, a huge step forward from the 8–16 step sequencers of the era.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-SOS_Nov._2004_61-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[61]  While it was commercially unsuccessful due to its high price,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-SOS_Nov._2004_61-2" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[61]  the band were among the few bands at the time to utilize the MC-8, which they described as, along with its music programmer Hideki Matsutake, an "inevitable factor" in both their music production and live performances.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-sound_147_2-2" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[2] <p style="line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">They were also the very first band to utilize the Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer, one of the first and most influential programmable drum machines, as soon as it was released in 1980.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-cbc_808_63-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[63]  While the machine was initially unsuccessful due to its lack of digital sampling that the rival Linn LM-1 offered, the TR-808 featured various unique artificial percussion sounds,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-cbc_808_63-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[63]  including a deep bass kick drum,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-hess_2007_64-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[64] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-wired_65-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[65]  "tinny handclap sounds,"<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-wired_65-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[65]  "the ticky snare, the tishy hi-hats (open and closed)," and "the spacey cowbell,"<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-cbc_808_63-2" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[63] which YMO utilized and demonstrated in their music, as early as its year of release in 1980, paving the way for the TR-808's mainstream popularity several years later,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-cbc_808_63-3" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[63] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-hess_2007_64-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[64]  after which it would be used for more hit records than any other drum machine<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-66" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[66] and continue to be widely used through to the present day.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-cbc_808_63-4" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[63]

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">At the time, Billboard noted that the use of such computer-based technology in conjunction with synthesizers allowed YMO to create new sounds that were not possible until then.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-billboard_1979_30-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[30]  Yellow Magic Orchestra was also the first computer-themed music album, coming before Kraftwerk's Computer World (1981) by several years.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-japantimes_12-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[12]  As a result of such innovations, YMO were credited at the time for having "ushered in the age of the computer programmer as rock star."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-sarasota_14-7" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[14] ==Legacy and influence<span class="mw-editsection mw-editsection-expanded" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;direction:ltr;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="margin-left:-0.25em;margin-right:0.25em;color:rgb(85,85,85);"> == <p style="line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">The band has been described as "the original cyberpunks"<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-67" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[67]  and their early work has been described as "proto-techno" music.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-keyboard_28_68-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[68] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-69" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[69]  By the 1990s, YMO were also frequently cited as pioneers of ambient house music.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-allmusic_ymo_1-8" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[1]  YMO also popularized a style of live performance that eschewed human movement in favour of electronics such as rhythm boxes and samplers.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-takamura_1997_70-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[70]  They also influenced the New Romantic movement,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-takamura_1997_70-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[70]  including British bands Duran Duran<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-guardian_ymo_6-9" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[6]  andJapan, whose member Steve Jansen was influenced by drummer Takahashi,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-japan_lifeintokyo_71-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[71]  while lead member David Sylvian was influenced by Sakamoto,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-72" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[72]  who would later collaborate with Sylvian.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-japan_lifeintokyo_71-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[71]

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">Various cover versions of "Kimi ni Mune Kyun" (1983) have also been produced by other artists,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-whosampled_73-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[73]  including The Human League in 1993 ("YMO Versus The Human League")<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-YMO_League_74-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[74]  and Asako Toki in 2006.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-whosampled_73-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[73]  In 2009, a cover of "Kimi ni Mune Kyun" was used as the ending theme song for the anime adaptation of Maria Holic, sung by Asami Sanada, Marina Inoue, and Yū Kobayashi, the voice actresses of the main characters. The popular anime series Dragon Ball Zalso paid homage to the band with the song "Solid State Scouter" as the theme song of the 1990 TV special Dragon Ball Z: Bardock – The Father of Goku.

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">In HMV Japan's list of top 100 Japanese musicians of all time, YMO were voted second place, behind only Southern All Stars, a pop-rock band who remain largely unknown outside of Japan.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-geek_20_75-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[75]  In 2006, Senor Coconut paid tribute to the band with his ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_Fever! Yellow Fever!]'' album.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-clashmusic_15-3" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[15] ===Electronic music<span class="mw-editsection mw-editsection-expanded" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;direction:ltr;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="margin-left:-0.25em;margin-right:0.25em;color:rgb(85,85,85);"> === <p style="line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">According to music writer Piero Scaruffi, YMO were pioneers of synthpop,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-scaruffi_4-3" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[4]  a genre development he believes to be "perhaps the single most significant event in melodic music since Mersey-beat" with its influence still evident in contemporary rock and pop music.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-scaruffi_4-4" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[4]  In 1993, Johnny Black of Hi-Fi News, in a review for the record Hi-Tech/No Crime, described YMO as "the most adventurous and influential electro-techno-dance technicians the world has produced" and further argued that "without them (and Kraftwerk) today's music would still sound like yesterday's music."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-fidelity_1993_3-2" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[3]  In 2001, Jason Ankeny of the Allmusic Guide to Electronica described YMO Orchestra as "a seminal influence on contemporary electronic music – hugely popular both at home and abroad" and placed them "second only to Kraftwerk as innovators of today's electronic culture."<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-76" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[76]

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">YMO are considered pioneers in the field of popular electronic music, and continue to be remixed or sampled by modern artists,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-allmusic_ymo_1-9" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[1]  including electronica acts Yamantaka Eye and LFO, jungle band 4hero, electrolatino artist Senor Coconut, ambient house pioneers The Orb and 808 State,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-dayal_interview_20-3" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[20]  electronic music groups Orbital<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-camera_mosdell_33-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[33]  and The Human League,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-YMO_League_74-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[74]  hip hop pioneer Afrika Bambaataa,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-wire_1996_7-3" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[7]  and mainstream pop musicians such as Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones,Greg Phillinganes,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-camera_mosdell_33-2" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[33]  Eric Clapton,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-dailymail_michael_34-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[34]  Mariah Carey, and Jennifer Lopez.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-fox_mariah_jlo_77-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[77]

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">YMO also had an impact on techno music,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-bogdanov_1996_10-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[10]  including its pioneers Juan Atkins, Kevin Saunderson, and Derrick May,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-78" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[78]  who cited YMO as an important influence on their work alongside Kraftwerk.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-79" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[79]  YMO continued to influence later techno musicians such as Surgeon, μ-Ziq, and Cosmic Baby.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-allmusic_ymo_1-10" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[1]  "Technopolis" (1979) in particular is considered an "interesting contribution" to the development of Detroit techno and the group Cybotron.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-sicko_brewster_38-4" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[38]  "Computer Game" (1978) also influenced Sheffield's bleep techno music; the Warp record, Sweet Exorcist's "Testone" (1990), defined Sheffield's techno sound by making playful use of sampled sounds from "Computer Game" along with dialogues from the film Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977).<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-80" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[80]  "Computer Game" (1978) was later included in Carl Craig's compilation album Kings of Techno (2006).<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-81" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[81]

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">In the 1990s, YMO had an impact on ambient house pioneers such as The Orb and 808 State,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-dayal_interview_20-4" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[20]  as well as Ultramarine and other ambient/house artists.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-allmusic_ymo_1-11" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[1]  This resulted in the release of the tribute remix album Yellow Magic Orchestra: Hi-Tech/No Crime in 1993,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-allmusic_ymo_1-12" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[1]  by leading ambient, house and techno musicians at the time, including The Orb, 808 State, and Orbital.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-82" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[82]  The music YMO produced during their comeback in the early 1990s also played an instrumental role in the techno and acid house movements towards the end of the 20th century.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-UGO_9-3" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[9]  The band's use of oriental musical scales and video game sounds has continued to be an influence on 21st-century electronica acts such as Dizzee Rascal, Kieran Hebden,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-guardian_ymo_6-10" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[6]  and Ikonika.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-83" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[83]

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">YMO's success with music technology encouraged many others, with their influence strongly felt in the British electronic scene of the early 1980s in particular.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Hardy_1987_36-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[36]  They influenced many early British synthpop acts, including Ultravox,John Foxx, Gary Numan, Duran Duran,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-guardian_ymo_6-11" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[6]  Depeche Mode,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-allmusic_ymo_1-13" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[1]  Camouflage,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-allmusic_ymo_1-14" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[1] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-84" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[84]  OMD, The Human League,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-sfweekly_interview_50-5" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[50]  Visage,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-85" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[85]  and Art of Noise,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-86" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[86]  as well as American rock musicians such as Todd Rundgren.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-guardian_ymo_6-12" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[6]

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">"Technopolis", a tribute to Tokyo as an electronic mecca that used the term "techno" in its title, foreshadowed concepts that Juan Atkins and Rick Davis would later have with Cybotron.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-sicko_brewster_38-5" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[38] ===Hip hop<span class="mw-editsection mw-editsection-expanded" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;direction:ltr;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="margin-left:-0.25em;margin-right:0.25em;color:rgb(85,85,85);"> === <p style="line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">The band was popular with the emerging hip hop community, which appreciated the group's new electronic sounds, and in the Bronx where "Firecracker" was a success and sampled in the famous Death Mix by Afrika Bambaataa.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-wire_1996_7-4" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[7] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-buckley_2003_41-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[41] According to The Guardian, they "may have just invented hip-hop"; the hip-hop pioneer Afrika Bambaataa credited the band as an inspiration and once remarked that YMO invented hip hop music (in a half-joking manner).<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-guardian_ymo_6-13" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[6]  Afrika Bambaataa's influential song "Planet Rock" was partly inspired by YMO.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-perkins_1996_87-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[87] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-cmj_1999_88-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[88]  The "terse videogame-funk" sounds of YMO's "Computer Game" would have a strong influence on the emerging electro and hip hop genres.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-dayal_interview_20-5" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[20]  Sakamoto's "Riot in Lagos" was cited by Kurtis Mantronik as a major influence on his early electro hip hop group Mantronix;<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-89" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[89]  he included both "Computer Game" and "Riot in Lagos" in his compilation album That's My Beat (2002) which consists of the songs that influenced his early career.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-90" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[90]  The song was also later included in Playgroup's compilation album Kings of Electro (2007), alongside later electro classics such as Hashim's "Al-Nafyish" (1983).<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-91" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[91]  The 1980 release of "Riot in Lagos" was also listed by The Guardian in 2011 as one of the 50 key events in the history of dance music.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-92" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[92]

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">YMO's use of video game sounds and bleeps also had a particularly big influence on 1980s hip hop<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-93" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[93]  and pop music.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-sfweekly_interview_50-6" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[50]  Beyond electro acts, "Computer Game / Firecracker" was also sampled by a number of other later artists, including 2 Live Crew's "Mega-Mixx II" (1987),<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-whosampled_73-2" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[73]  " De La Soul's "Funky Towel" (for the 1996 film Joe's Apartment),<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-94" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[94]  Jennifer Lopez's worldwide hit "I'm Real" (2001), and the original unreleased version of Mariah Carey's "Loverboy" (2001).<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-fox_mariah_jlo_77-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[77] ===Japan<span class="mw-editsection mw-editsection-expanded" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;direction:ltr;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="margin-left:-0.25em;margin-right:0.25em;color:rgb(85,85,85);"> === <p style="line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">The band has also been very influential in its homeland Japan, where they had become the most popular group during the late 1970s and 1980s.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-guardian_ymo_6-14" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[6]  Their albums Solid State Survivor and X∞Multiplies held the top two spots on the Oriconcharts for seven consecutive weeks in 1980, making YMO the only band in Japanese chart history to achieve this feat.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-oricon_ymo_37-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[37]  Young fans of their music during this period became known as the "YMO Generation" (YMO世代 YMO Sedai<sup style="line-height:1em;">[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Installing_Japanese_character_sets <span class="t_nihongo_icon" style="color:rgb(0,0,238);font-weight:bold;font-size:9px;line-height:normal;padding-right:0.1em;padding-left:0.1em;">? ] ).<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-95" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[95]  The band had a significant impact on Japanese pop music, which started becoming increasingly dominated by electronic and computer music due to YMO's influence.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-loubet_couroux_54-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[54]  YMO were one of the most important acts in Japan's "New Music" movement and paved the way for the emergence of contemporary J-pop in the 1980s.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-whonejp_8-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[8]  They also inspired early ambient techno artists such as Tetsu Inoue,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-96" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[96]  and the classical music composer Joe Hisaishi.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-97" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[97] ===Video games<span class="mw-editsection mw-editsection-expanded" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;direction:ltr;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="margin-left:-0.25em;margin-right:0.25em;color:rgb(85,85,85);"> === <p style="line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;">YMO also influenced many video game composers and had a major impact on the sounds used in much of the chiptune and video game music produced during the 8-bit and 16-bit eras.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-japantimes_12-2" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[12]  As a result, several video game composers, including Shinji Hosoe and Nobuyoshi Sano, formed a parody band called "Oriental Magnetic Yellow" (OMY) in 1994, producing parody cover versions of various YMO records.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-98" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[98] ==Discography<span class="mw-editsection mw-editsection-expanded" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;direction:ltr;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="margin-left:-0.25em;margin-right:0.25em;color:rgb(85,85,85);"> == ===Studio albums and variations<span class="mw-editsection mw-editsection-expanded" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;direction:ltr;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="margin-left:-0.25em;margin-right:0.25em;color:rgb(85,85,85);"> === ===Live albums<span class="mw-editsection mw-editsection-expanded" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;direction:ltr;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="margin-left:-0.25em;margin-right:0.25em;color:rgb(85,85,85);"> === ===Compilation albums<span class="mw-editsection mw-editsection-expanded" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;direction:ltr;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="margin-left:-0.25em;margin-right:0.25em;color:rgb(85,85,85);"> === ===Remix albums<span class="mw-editsection mw-editsection-expanded" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;direction:ltr;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="margin-left:-0.25em;margin-right:0.25em;color:rgb(85,85,85);"> === ===Original singles<span class="mw-editsection mw-editsection-expanded" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;padding-right:0.25em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;direction:ltr;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="margin-left:-0.25em;margin-right:0.25em;color:rgb(85,85,85);"> ===
 * 1978 Yellow Magic Orchestra – Japan No. 17,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-oricon_album_archive_99-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[99]  US No. 81<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-allmusic_billboard_100-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[100]
 * 1979 Solid State Survivor – Japan No. 1<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-oricon_album_archive_99-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[99]
 * 1980 ×∞ Multiplies (a.k.a. Zoshoku) – Japan No. 1,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-oricon_album_archive_99-2" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[99]  US No. 177<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-101" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[101]
 * 1981 BGM – Japan No. 2<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-oricon_album_archive_99-3" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[99]
 * 1981 Technodelic – Japan No. 4<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-oricon_album_archive_99-4" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[99]
 * 1983 Naughty Boys – Japan No. 1<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-oricon_album_archive_99-5" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[99]
 * 1983 Naughty Boys Instrumental – Japan No. 18<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-oricon_album_archive_99-6" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[99]
 * 1983 Service – Japan No. 5<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-oricon_album_archive_99-7" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[99]
 * 1993 Technodon – Japan No. 2<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-oricon_album_archive_99-8" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[99]
 * 1980 Public Pressure – Japan No. 1<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-oricon_album_archive_99-9" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[99]
 * 1984 After Service – Japan No. 2<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-oricon_album_archive_99-10" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[99]
 * 1991 Faker Holic (Transatlantic Tour 1979) – Japan No. 50<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-oricon_album_archive_99-11" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[99]
 * 1992 Complete Service (mixed by Brian Eno) – Japan No. 37<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-oricon_album_archive_99-12" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[99]
 * 1993 Technodon Live – Japan No. 12<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-oricon_album_archive_99-13" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[99]
 * 1993 Live At The Budokan 1980 – Japan No. 87<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-oricon_album_archive_99-14" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[99]
 * 1993 Live At Kinokuniya Hall 1978 – Japan No. 55<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-oricon_album_archive_99-15" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[99]
 * 1995 Winter Live 1981
 * 1996 World Tour 1980 – Japan No. 59<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-oricon_album_archive_99-16" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[99]
 * 1997 Live At The Greek Theatre 1979
 * 2008 Euymo – Yellow Magic Orchestra Live in London + Gijon 2008
 * 2008 LONDONYMO - Yellow Magic Orchestra Live in London 15/6 08
 * 2008 Gijonymo – Yellow Magic Orchestra Live in Gijon 19/6 08
 * 1984 Sealed
 * 1992 Technobible
 * 1992 Kyoretsu Na Rhythm
 * 2000 YMO Go Home! : The Best of Yellow Magic Orchestra, (compiled by Haruomi Hosono)
 * 2001 One More YMO: The Best of YMO Live (compiled by Yukihiro Takahashi)
 * 2003 UC YMO: Ultimate Collection of Yellow Magic Orchestra (compiled by Ryuichi Sakamoto)
 * 2011 YMO (compiled by YMO)
 * 1992 Hi-tech/No Crime (Yellow Magic Orchestra Reconstructed) (UK compilation of remixes by British artists)
 * 2000 YMO Remixes Technopolis 2000-00 (Japanese compilation of remixes by Japanese artists)
 * "Firecracker" (1978, Japan;<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-discogs_2542232_102-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[102]  1979, US, UK)<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-103" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[103]
 * "Yellow Magic (Tong Poo)" (1978, Japan;<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-discogs_2542232_102-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[102]  1979, UK)
 * "Computer Game" (1979, US, Canada,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-104" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[104]  Europe<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-discogs_91436_105-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[105] ) – UK No. 17,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-British_Hit_Singles_.26_Albums_106-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[106]  US No. 60<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-107" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[107]
 * "Cosmic Surfin" (1979, US)<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-108" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[108]
 * "La Femme Chinoise" (1979, Europe)<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-discogs_91436_105-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[105]  (Lyrics: Chris Mosdell)
 * "Technopolis" (1979, Japan) – Japan No. 9<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-oricon_single_archive_109-0" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[109]
 * "Rydeen" (1980, Japan; 1982, UK) – Japan No. 15<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-oricon_single_archive_109-1" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[109]
 * "Behind the Mask" (1979, US; 1980, UK, Italy)<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-110" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[110]  (Lyrics: Chris Mosdell)
 * "Nice Age" (1980, UK, Netherlands) (Lyrics: Chris Mosdell)
 * "Tighten Up (Japanese Gentlemen Stand Up Please)" (cover version of Archie Bell & the Drells hit; 1980, Japan, US, UK)<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-111" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[111]  – Japan No. 43<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-oricon_single_archive_109-2" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[109]
 * "Cue" (1981, Japan, US)<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-112" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[112]
 * "Mass" (1981, Japan)
 * "Taiso" (1982, Australia, Japan)
 * "Pure Jam" (1982, Spain)
 * "Kimi ni Mune Kyun" (1983, Japan) – Japan No. 2<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-oricon_single_archive_109-3" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[109]
 * "The Spirit of Techno / Kageki na Shukujo" (1983, Japan)<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-113" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[113]  – Japan No. 15<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-oricon_single_archive_109-4" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[109]
 * "Ishin Denshin (You've Got To Help Yourself)" (1983, Japan) – Japan No. 23<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-oricon_single_archive_109-5" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[109]
 * "Every Time I Look Around (I Hear The Madmen Call)" (1983, Holland)
 * Reconstructions EP (1992, UK)
 * "Pocketful of Rainbows" (1993, Japan) – Japan No. 13<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-oricon_single_archive_109-6" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[109]
 * "Be A Superman" (1993, Japan) – Japan No. 76<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-oricon_single_archive_109-7" style="line-height:1em;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[109]
 * "Rescue / Rydeen 79/07" (2007, Japan) – Digital download release: March 10, 2007, CD release: August 22, 2007
 * "The City of Light / Tokyo Town Pages" (2008, Japan)
 * "Good Morning, Good Night" (2009, Japan) – by HASYMO