Next Level (Ayumi Hamasaki song)

The song was conceived while Hamasaki was working on the studio album during her anniversary year, which was in April 2008.

Lyrically, the song talks about Hamasaki leaving her past, embracing the present and getting ready for the future, referring to it as "Next Level".

"Next Level" received favorable reviews from most contemporary music critics, who praised the production.

Many critics had praised Hamasaki's vocal delivery, the song's quality and the songwriting was particularly highlighted.

In April 2008, Hamasaki had announced her commemoration of her tenth year inside the music business since her debut single "Poker Face".

[1][2] The song received favorable reception from the Japanese audience and critics and topped the Oricon Singles Chart, which eventually gave her the distinction in being the only female solo artist in Japanese history to have a number single in ten consecutive years.

She toured throughout Asian countries including Hong Kong, China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan.

[6] It achieved favorable reviews from the Japanese public and critics and was certified triple platinum fr shipments off 750,000 units within Japan.

In December 2008, Hamasaki commenced the news off a new studio album and in order to pre-promote it, she released the double A-side single "Days/Green".

[8] "Next Level" was written by Hamasaki herself which she has professional done herself since her debut single "Poker Face" and recorded throughout 2008 after completing her Arena tour.

[9] Hamasaki had returned with past composers and arrangers for the tracks on the album, including "Next Level".

[14] Throughout the album and song, the musical structure becomes more "thicker" and contains a transaction from her pop, rock and dance tradition.

[13] According to Adam Greenberg from Allmusic, who had written the album review, he focuses on the tracks throughout the album :"Hamasaki went a bit deeper on [Next Level], combining with songwriter Yuta Nakano and club DJ CMJK (formerly of Denki Groove) for a thick, somewhat wild release of dance tracks infused with a healthy dose of technology [...]"[13] Lyrically, "Next Level" deals with her moving on from the person she once was, embracing the present and getting up for the future, referring to the "Next Level".

According to the review from CDJournal, the reviewer exemplified the English translation lyric ("Even the past to leave scars now dear/Kako ni nokoshita kizuato sae ima wa itoshii") as an example on the past, present, future theme throughout the song.

[20][19] The song was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) for 100,000 paid legal downloads.