Misplaced Pages

J-Top
Greatest hits album by Jolin Tsai
Released	May 5, 2006 (2006-05-05)
Genre	Pop
Length	2:59:57
Label	Sony BMG
Producer	Bing Wang Jamie Hsueh Peter Lee Jay Chou Jack Chou Adia Huang Yi G-Power
Jolin Tsai chronology
J1 Live Concert (2005) J-Top (2006) Dancing Diva (2006)
Singles from J-Top
"My Choice" Released: April 26, 2006 (2006-04-26)

J-Top is a greatest hits album by Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai, released by Sony BMG on May 5, 2006. The album includes 20 tracks from Tsai's releases during her time with Sony, along with four music videos, one documentary, one remix medley, and two previously unreleased songs. The album achieved commercial success, selling over 100,000 copies in Taiwan and ranking as the fifth best-selling album of the year in Taiwan in 2006.

Background and release

On July 23, 2002, Tsai signed with Sony, and through the label, she released three studio albums: Magic (2003), Castle (2004), and J-Game (2005). These albums achieved impressive sales in Taiwan, with over 360,000, 300,000, and 260,000 copies sold, respectively. In Asia, the total sales for each album exceeded 1.5 million, 1.5 million, and 1.2 million copies, respectively. Each album also ranked as the second-best-selling album of the year in Taiwan, while Tsai was the top-selling female artist in the country for each corresponding year.

On April 11, 2006, media reports revealed that Sony BMG would release a greatest hits compilation for Tsai in early May of that year. On April 20, the label officially announced the release of J-Top on May 5, 2006. Preorders for the album began on April 21. The album, which was released on May 5, included 20 tracks from Tsai's albums under Sony, four music videos, a documentary, a remix medley, and two previously unreleased songs: "My Choice" and "Clothing Astrology".

In its first week of release, the album topped the sales charts of G-Music and Five Music in Taiwan. By December 12, 2006, it was reported that the album had sold over 100,000 copies in Taiwan and was ranked as the fifth best-selling album of the year in the region. Additionally, it was ranked 14th on Five Music's year-end album sales chart of 2006.

Writing and recording

"My Choice" and "Clothing Astrology" are two tracks that Tsai had previously recorded during her time with Sony but were ultimately not included in her albums due to concerns over maintaining a balanced musical style. "My Choice" is a heartfelt ballad that opens with a near-accapella piano arrangement, showcasing Tsai's delicate and emotionally charged vocal delivery. As the song progresses into the chorus, orchestral strings are introduced, amplifying the emotional depth of the track. The song lyrically explores the theme of unchosen separation after the end of a romantic relationship, and Tsai effectively conveys the feeling of helpless waiting.

"Clothing Astrology" is a mid-tempo dance track with a distinct hip-hop influence, featuring a strong rhythmic beat that invites listeners to move in sync with its pulsating energy. Tsai adds a seductive vocal performance, presenting a side of her artistry that contrasts with her usual style. This track highlights a different, more sensual facet of her vocal persona. Additionally, Sony BMG specially produced a remix medley for the album, which seamlessly blends electronic versions of her hits "Signature Gesture", "Magic", "Say Love You", "Overlooking Purposely", "Prague Square", and "Rewind".

Music Videos

On April 26, 2006, Sony BMG released the music video for "My Choice", directed by Chin Cho. The video featured Ring Chiu, a member of the group MYRS, who was chosen to portray the female lead due to her resemblance to Tsai. The casting decision sparked mixed reactions from fans. On May 27, 2006, Sony BMG released the music video for "Clothing Astrology", directed by Bill Chia. The video featured six dolls designed to resemble Tsai, showcasing outfits from her previous music videos, including "Magic" and "J-Game". Sony BMG stated that the music video was a "graduation gift" for Tsai, marking her transition to a new phase in her career, and was also intended as a blessing for her future endeavors.

Critical reception

Tencent Entertainment's Shu Wa commented: "This compilation, released by Sony, was issued one week prior to Jolin Tsai's new album Dancing Diva under EMI. For the second time, Tsai found herself in direct competition with her own market. Regardless of any hype or media attention, her works were still highly sought after by fans. In terms of content, the album includes two new songs and 20 of her hit singles from her time with Sony, alongside a bonus J1 Concert video, which added considerable appeal. Strictly speaking, this was the first compilation with pre-order options made for Tsai, and it became the best-selling of all her compilations released after her departure from Sony."

Sina Music's Stephen Lee reviewed: "In fact, this album comprehensively includes Tsai's most popular tracks from her Sony BMG era, making it highly appealing. Songs like "Say Love You", "Magic", "Sky", "Overlooking Purposely", "Pirates", and "J-Game" were major hits in both Hong Kong and Taiwan, often favorites in karaoke sessions. These tracks represent her signature works from the Sony period and are essential for anyone wanting to revisit her development during this time. However, the two new songs, "My Choice" and "Clothing Astrology", are relatively average. The former is a smooth and lyrical piece with a melancholic atmosphere, but when compared to songs like "Sky" or "Rewind", it feels less remarkable—a steady but unremarkable ballad. As for "Clothing Astrology", the lyrics and composition are unremarkable, and the song lacks energy, with the performance also falling short. It is better to listen to her older tracks, which are far more impressive."

Track listing

Release history

References

1. ^ "蔡依林J-Top冠军精选 温习辉煌成长纪录(附图)_影音娱乐_新浪网". ent.sina.com.cn. Retrieved 2022-11-06.
2. ^ "蔡依林台湾销售夺冠 两张专辑入年度10大专辑". www.chinadaily.com.cn. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
3. "网易娱乐频道--蔡依林："音女皇"接班人". 2007-03-10. Archived from the original on 2007-03-10. Retrieved 2022-11-06.
4. "蔡依林新歌发表会热歌辣舞博得满堂彩(组图)". ent.sina.com.cn. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
5. "蔡依林新碟《城堡》发片 引爆舞曲新潮流(组图)". ent.sina.com.cn. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
6. "告别周董出新专辑 蔡依林两大法宝玩野蛮游戏-搜狐娱乐频道". yule.sohu.com. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
7. "蔡依林十年音乐路②：Sony时期"梦幻公主"_娱乐_腾讯网". 2009-04-05. Archived from the original on 2009-04-05. Retrieved 2022-11-06.
8. "蔡依林十年音乐路②：Sony时期"梦幻公主"_娱乐_腾讯网". 2009-03-30. Archived from the original on 2009-03-30. Retrieved 2022-11-06.
9. "蔡依林十年音乐路②：Sony时期"梦幻公主"_娱乐_腾讯网". 2015-12-08. Archived from the original on 2015-12-08. Retrieved 2022-11-06.
10. "蔡依林月底将出新碟 乐坛五虎再度联手打造(图)". ent.sina.com.cn. Retrieved 2022-11-06.
11. "网易娱乐频道-组图:蔡依林香港开小型个唱答谢歌迷". 2007-01-16. Archived from the original on 2007-01-16. Retrieved 2022-11-06.
12. "蔡依林抱恙上阵照唱现场 支持歌手唱现场(图)". music.yule.sohu.com. Retrieved 2022-11-06.
13. "周杰伦蔡依林S.H.E领衔2003台湾唱片销量榜". ent.sina.com.cn. Retrieved 2022-11-06.
14. "周杰倫蔡依林銷量稱霸｜蘋果新聞網｜蘋果日報". 2022-07-16. Archived from the original on 2022-07-16. Retrieved 2022-11-06.
15. "周杰倫唱銷王強壓Jolin｜蘋果新聞網｜蘋果日報". 2022-07-12. Archived from the original on 2022-07-12. Retrieved 2022-11-06.
16. "蔡依林告別周董 有傷痛 - 自由娛樂". web.archive.org. 2023-12-04. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
17. "穿戴50萬珠寶狂舞拍照 黑髮Jolin 真鑽舞孃 - 自由娛樂". web.archive.org. 2023-12-04. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
18. TVBS. "蔡依林出精選 重現雙J尬舞畫面│TVBS新聞網". TVBS (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Retrieved 2024-11-16.
19. "G-Music 風雲榜 (華語榜)". 2006-05-13. Archived from the original on 2006-05-13. Retrieved 2022-11-06.
20. "Five Music - 五大唱片(5大唱片) -五大金榜". 2006-05-20. Archived from the original on 2006-05-20. Retrieved 2022-11-06.
21. "Five Music - 五大唱片(5大唱片) -五大金榜". 2007-01-17. Archived from the original on 2007-01-17. Retrieved 2022-11-06.
22. "蔡依林『j-top冠軍精選』專輯". 銀河網路電台. Retrieved 2022-11-06.
23. "蔡依林 不排斥閃電結婚 - 自由娛樂". web.archive.org. 2023-12-04. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
24. "真假蔡依林"同唱一首歌"（附图）_影音娱乐_新浪网". ent.sina.com.cn. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
25. TVBS. "〈獨家〉被批「冒牌蔡依林」 RING遭恐嚇！│TVBS新聞網". TVBS (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Retrieved 2024-11-16.
26. "Jolin豐唇娃娃 力拚本尊 - 自由娛樂". web.archive.org. 2022-07-12. Retrieved 2024-11-16.
27. "蔡依林十年音乐路②：Sony时期"梦幻公主"_娱乐_腾讯网". 2016-01-20. Archived from the original on 2016-01-20. Retrieved 2022-11-06.
28. "新浪網 - 音樂 - J-Top冠軍精選". 2008-05-17. Archived from the original on 2008-05-17. Retrieved 2022-11-06.

• 2006 greatest hits albums
• Jolin Tsai compilation albums
• Sony Music Taiwan compilation albums