Perfume

Japanese pop idol trio Perfume first arrived on the scene in the late 2000s via double-platinum breakthrough Game, which introduced their high-BPM techno-dance anthems. They sustained their hold on the upper reaches of the Japanese pop charts from that point onward, issuing consistently high-energy tracks calibrated for cosmic dancefloors. Their third album, 2011's JPN, opened doors throughout Asia and the United States, where the next release, 2013's Level3, reached the Billboard World Albums Top Five. Cosmic Explorer and Future Pop supplied additional international successes that rounded out the decade. Plasma returned them to the Oricon Albums Chart Top Ten in 2022, with the single "Moon" appearing the year after.

Perfume's story began in 2001, when Kashiyuka (Kashino Yuka), Nocchi (Omoto Ayano), and A-Chan (Nishiwaki Ayaka) formed in their native Hiroshima. At the time the members were just 11 and 12 years old, confining early activity to the surrounding region. Their distinctive path toward pop prominence started in earnest in 2003 upon meeting producer Nakata Yasutaka, previously recognized for his role shaping Shibuya-kei indie pop unit Capsule. Three singles on indie imprint Bee-Hive Records ensued, pairing an approachable, fan-oriented visual style with sounds incorporating anime music, lounge-pop, and '80s Japanese techno-pop.

Although those indie releases achieved modest chart results, the surrounding excitement secured Perfume a major-label deal with Tokuma Japan Communications in 2005. The move to the larger imprint coincided with a polished, science-fiction-inflected visual direction and a sonic pivot as Nakata embraced vocoder-centric production drawn heavily from European electro and house, especially Daft Punk. The 2006 collection of singles and B-sides, Complete Best, registered a solid chart placing and effectively served as the group's debut album, establishing Perfume as both a viable commercial act and an unexpected favorite among indie listeners.

September 2007 brought their initial Top Ten single, "Polyrhythm," confirming their status as major stars and public figures. A sold-out nationwide tour the next year concluded with a pair of performances at Tokyo's renowned Budokan concert hall and martial arts venue. Game, their proper debut album, entered the charts at number one upon its April 2008 release, presenting a further honed blend of cute pop idol aesthetics and the more advanced dance influences that had propelled their rise. A second album arrived swiftly in 2009. Laden with '80s-tinged techno-pop, Triangle once again led the Oricon chart. JPN surfaced in 2011 just as international visibility increased. The trio aligned with Universal Music Japan, pairing a worldwide edition of JPN with their first overseas tour. Compilation Perfume Global Compilation: Love the World was released to introduce the catalog to fresh listeners. Their Universal debut followed in 2013. Level3 delivered another commercial success and later received expanded treatment via an Astralwerks reissue in 2014.

Initial forays into North American stages occurred in 2015, beginning with an appearance at SXSW that spring. Fifteenth-anniversary observances later that year encompassed concerts and a documentary, preceding fifth album Cosmic Explorer in 2016. The set reached the Top 20 on the Billboard Electronic chart and preceded their first U.S. tour. Several months after Cosmic Explorer, Perfume issued a single alongside indie band OK Go. "I Don't Understand You" marked the trio's third joint effort with the group, following prior appearances in the videos for "I Won't Let You Down" and "Pick Me Up."

Album number six arrived in 2018. Future Pop contained the single "Let Me Know" along with "Fusion" and "Limitless Future" from the Mugenmirai EP. The project secured a seventh consecutive number-one placement on the Japanese charts and climbed to number four on the Billboard World Albums list. The following year brought gold-certified compilation Perfume the Best: P Cubed, issued with two previously unreleased tracks. In 2020 the group opened a new decade via singles "Saisei" and "Time Warp." Both tracks appeared on seventh studio album Plasma, which landed in July 2022 and reached number three on the Oricon Albums Chart. Subsequent singles from the record included "Polygon Wave," "Flow," and "Sayonara Plastic World." July 2023 saw Perfume enter the Japanese Hot 100 with non-album track "Moon."