Editing B'z (section)

== History ==

=== Early works (1988–1990) ===
[[File:B'z logo.svg|thumb|upright|B'z band logo]]
In the late 1980s, [[Tak Matsumoto]] had been extremely busy as a guitarist with various recording sessions and live performances, including for [[Tetsuya Komuro]]'s [[TM Network]] and [[Mari Hamada]].<ref name="hmv_japan_top100" /><ref name="AllMusicBio" /> On May 21, 1988, Matsumoto released his first solo album, ''Thousand Wave'', with positive critical reception.<ref name="AllMusicBio" /> However, wanting to start a band, he searched for band members, particularly a singer.<ref name="hmv_japan_top100" /><ref name="JaME">{{cite web|url=http://www.jame-world.com/us/articles-90232-interview-with-b-z.html|title=Interview with B'z|date=September 17, 2012|work=JaME World|access-date=November 22, 2018}}</ref> Eventually, through his management, he listened to the demo tape of vocalist [[Koshi Inaba]] in 1988, who would later form B'z with him.<ref name="AllMusicBio" /><ref name="JaME" /> At the first session, they played [[The Beatles]]' "[[Let It Be (song)|Let It Be]]" and "[[Oh! Darling]]".<ref name="hmv_japan_top100" /> At the time, Japan's music scene was experiencing a band boom. With all the digital sounds in mainstream music,<ref name="hmv_japan_top100" /> the only sounds that Inaba and Matsumoto felt could not be expressed and replicated were the guitar and the human voice. As a result, they decided to keep it a two-man unit. On September 21, 1988, B'z made their debut with their first album, ''[[B'z (album)|B'z]]'', and single, "[[B'z (album)#Dakara Sono Te o Hanashite|Dakara Sono Te o Hanashite]]".<ref name="hmv_japan_top100" /> Their music was very much a product of its times, with synthesizers and [[Sampler (musical instrument)|samplers]] sharing equal time with Matsumoto's guitar, producing an experimental sound, very different from their later well-known [[hard rock]] sound.<ref name="hmv_japan_top100" />

Instead of immediately performing live after a debut album as many Japanese bands were doing, B'z had a clear vision of how they wanted to perform and decided to wait until they had enough material to play live.<ref name="AllMusicBio" /> The two concentrated on recording, improving the quality of their music. Their efforts resulted in a second album, ''[[Off the Lock]]'', released on May 21, 1989.<ref name="hmv_japan_top100" /> With this second album came their first series of live performances, known better to their fans as "Live-Gym".<ref name="AllMusicBio" /> "B'z Live-Gym #00" started in [[Nagoya]], continued in [[Osaka]], and finished in Tokyo. Tickets were sold out on the day they became available. On October 21, their first mini-album (EP), ''[[Bad Communication]]'', was released.<ref name="hmv_japan_top100" /> The title track is a blend of [[rock music|rock]] and [[dance music]] and is still a classic played during their "Live-Gyms". It charted for 163 weeks on the Oricon Charts.<ref name="OriconNo.1">{{cite web|url=http://www.oricon.co.jp/news/ranking/22742/|title=B'z、歴代No.1アーティストまでの軌跡！|publisher=Oricon|date=May 25, 2006|access-date=December 4, 2008| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20081221145451/http://www.oricon.co.jp/news/ranking/22742/| archive-date= December 21, 2008 | url-status= live|language=ja}}</ref> Their first nationwide tour, "B'z Live-Gym #001 'Off the Lock'", covered 16 shows around Japan.

On February 21, 1990, their third album, ''[[Break Through (album)|Break Through]]'', was released.<ref name="hmv_japan_top100" /> It charted at No.&nbsp;3 on the [[Oricon Albums Chart]]. To promote it, they started a tour with 22 shows nationwide. Their single "[[Taiyō no Komachi Angel]]" was released on June 13 and peaked at No.&nbsp;1 on the [[Oricon Singles Chart]]; this started a trend of every single released since then debuting at No.&nbsp;1 on the Oricon Singles Chart.<ref name="AllMusicBio" /> Shortly after, ''[[Wicked Beat]]'', their second mini album, was released on June 21. It also reached No.&nbsp;3 on the charts. Like the band's other releases, it became commercially successful (reaching one million certifications) retroactively between 1990 and 1991.<ref name="hmv_japan_top100" /> Their fourth album, ''[[Risky (album)|Risky]]'', was released on November 7 and was their first album to top the charts. It was the beginning of a steady shift in the duo's style from pop rock to 80's hard rock.<ref name="AllMusicBio" /> The "B'z Live-Gym '90~'91 'Risky'" tour, with 49 performances, also started in November. Their first [[music video]] compilation, ''[[Film Risky]]'', was recorded in New York City and London in four weeks and was released on December 16. With a barrage of releases, 1990 came to be the busiest year for B'z.

=== Transitioning into hard rock (1991–1992) ===
Their third mini album, ''[[Mars (B'z album)|Mars]]'', was released on May 29, 1991; little promotion was done for it.<ref name="hmv_japan_top100" /> After releasing only two singles, B'z released their fifth album, ''[[In the Life (album)|In the Life]]'', on November 27.<ref name="hmv_japan_top100" /> The release of the album marked B'z shying away from their advanced digital sounds and more towards rock.<ref name="AllMusicBio" /> Their first live video, "[[Just Another Life]]", was out on December 11. For promotion, B'z also embarked on their "B'z Live-Gym '91~'92 'In the Life'" tour, with 66 performances in total. The tour started in December and managed to flow into the next year. The total number of "Live-Gyms" they did during that year exceeded 100.

In the summer of 1992, the "B'z Pleasure '92 'Time'" tour took place with 12 performances in 3 major cities. The arena-class tour had amazing features such as a huge lighting set, called the "Starfish", and seats that rotated 360 degrees. October 28 marked the release of their sixth album, ''[[Run (B'z album)|Run]]'',<ref name="hmv_japan_top100" /> and proved to be even more hard rock oriented than their previous albums.<ref name="AllMusicBio" /> On December 9, they released a slightly different mini-album, ''[[Friends (B'z album)|Friends]]''. Different from ''Run'', its concept is somewhat similar to that of a movie soundtrack.

=== Switching to blues (1993–1994) ===
In early 1993, the Run tour concluded after 49 performances in 21 locations. In March, B'z released their twelfth and best-selling single, "[[Ai no mama ni Wagamama ni Boku wa Kimi dake o Kizutsukenai]]", which was certified double-million by the [[RIAJ]] in 2003.<ref name="OriconNo.1" /> They then held an open-air concert for the first time, called "B'z Live-Gym Pleasure '93 'Jap the Ripper'". The shows took place at Bentenjima in [[Hamamatsu, Shizuoka|Hamamatsu-city]], [[Shizuoka Prefecture|Shizuoka]] on July 31 and August 1. The successful event gathered fifty thousand people per day, totaling 100,000 people in the end. Following this, B'z concentrated on recording once again, which resulted in a lot of material. On February 9, 1994, the "B'z Live-Gym '94 'The 9th Blues'" tour started. The tour became their longest and biggest tour thus far, managing 87 performances in a year. During the tour, their seventh and only [[double album]], ''[[The 7th Blues]]'', was released on March 2. The album title not only came from it being their seventh album but also after the [[seventh chord]] that is frequently used in [[blues]]. Becoming much more "bluesier" and soulful, this album evidently shows their lean towards blues.<ref name="hmv_japan_top100" /><ref name="AllMusicBio" /> The album was made as kind of a "fan trap," as they wanted to "weed out" casual and non-rock fans from their fanbase as they shifted more towards rock.<ref name="AllMusicBio" />  It included the hit single "[[Don't Leave Me (B'z song)|Don't Leave Me]]" and a bluesy re-recording of "[[Lady Navigation]]".<ref name="hmv_japan_top100" /> "The 9th Blues" tour finished at the [[Tsukisamu Green Dome]] in [[Sapporo]] on December 24.

=== Adopting pop and temporary hiatus (1995–1998) ===
In the first half of 1995, B'z spent their time recording, and after creating numerous demos, they held the "B'z Pleasure '95 'Buzz'" stadium tour with 12 shows in 7 cities. Their eighth album, ''[[Loose (B'z album)|Loose]]'', was released on November 22. ''Loose'' was concentrated on the original concept of a two-man band. While combining rock with pop, this album is well-balanced with a variety of sounds. The album sold over 3 million copies, making it their best-selling album at the time.<ref name="hmv_japan_top100" /><ref name="AllMusicBio" /> The "B'z Live-Gym '96 'Spirit Loose'" tour started on March 15, 1996, and held 44 performances in 21 locations. The show opened with a short B'z action movie shot in [[Los Angeles]]. A short while afterward, B'z released their 6th mini-album, titled ''[[Friends II]]'', on November 25. Much like ''Friends'' before it, the album displayed more of an adult-oriented rock.

During a short hiatus in 1997, Inaba released his debut solo album, ''Magma'', on which he wrote all the music and lyrics. The album, which topped the Oricon charts,<ref name="hmv_japan_top100" /> showcased another side of him, different from that of his usual image in B'z.<ref name="AllMusicBio" /> In March, the dome tour "B'z Live-Gym Pleasure '97 'Fireball'" consisted of 9 performances in 5 locations. Tickets for each dome, which have a capacity of about 30 to 50 thousand people each, were all sold out. The tour included stops at Tokyo (3 nights), Nagoya, Osaka, [[Fukuoka, Fukuoka|Fukuoka]], and [[Maebashi, Gunma|Maebashi]], all being successful. On November 19, their ninth studio album, ''[[Survive (B'z album)|Survive]]'', showcased yet another new direction in sound and style.<ref name="hmv_japan_top100" /> B'z's first promotional effort for the album included performances in concert halls in [[Akita, Akita|Akita]], [[Hakodate, Hokkaidō|Hakodate]], [[Kōchi, Kōchi|Kōchi]], [[Shiga]], and [[Nagasaki, Nagasaki|Nagasaki]], before plunging into the main tour, "B'z Live-Gym '98 'Survive'", which started on January 24, 1998. On May 20, B'z released their first official compilation album, ''[[B'z The Best "Pleasure"]]'', which also marked their 10th year since debuting. Every song included in this album was a huge hit and was highly acclaimed as it was the first Japanese album to sell more than 5 million copies, which was achieved by the end of the year.<ref name="hmv_japan_top100" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://contents.oricon.co.jp/news/hero/43071/|script-title=ja:ミスチル、シングル＆アルバム総売上枚数5000万枚突破！|publisher=Oricon|date=March 19, 2007|access-date=November 15, 2008| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081221205044/http://contents.oricon.co.jp/news/hero/43071/| archive-date= December 21, 2008 | url-status= live|language=ja}}</ref> On June 6, the "Survive" tour successfully ended. In mid-1998, B'z entered a period of both rest and recording. During that period, on September 20, their second best-of album, ''[[B'z The Best "Treasure"]]'' was released, selling almost 4.5 million copies by the end of the year.<ref name="hmv_japan_top100" />

=== Returning to the music scene (1999–2000) ===
B'z started off 1999 by busily promoting their recent singles and their tenth studio album, ''[[Brotherhood (B'z album)|Brotherhood]]'', which was released on July 14. It is considered their heaviest rock album up to that point.<ref name="hmv_japan_top100" /> The album's track "[[Giri Giri Chop]] (Version 51)" was recorded with drummer [[Pat Torpey]] and bassist [[Billy Sheehan]], both from [[Mr. Big (American band)|Mr. Big]]. In July, another dome-class tour, "B'z Live-Gym '99 'Brotherhood'" began in [[Sapporo]] and included 14 performances in 7 locations. They did away with extra stage acts and concentrated on their musical performance, playing songs from the new album and many hits from the past. On August 28 and 29, they played at [[Yokohama International Stadium]], which were the first music concerts held in that stadium and gathered a total of 140,000 people over the two days. Although the second day at Yokohama experienced heavy rain, the tour ended successfully. Shortly afterward, B'z started recording again and continued to do so throughout the rest of the year without rest.

On February 23, 2000, they released the album ''[[B'z The "Mixture"]]'', which included remastered tracks of past songs, [[B-sides]], remixes, re-recordings, and a new song.<ref name="hmv_japan_top100" /> In the middle of May, they started rehearsal for the summer tour "B'z Live-Gym Pleasure 2000 'Juice'", with warmup shows starting in a hall-class venue in [[Toyama, Toyama|Toyama]] on May 30. The tour totaled 18 shows in 10 cities, starting with a performance at the famous [[Nippon Budokan]] on June 20. Their single "[[Juice (B'z song)|Juice]]", which featured drummer [[Brian Tichy]],<ref name="hmv_japan_top100" /> was released on July 12 and set a Japanese record of marking No.&nbsp;1 in the first week, making it their 25th No.&nbsp;1 single in sequence. A live video, ''[[Once Upon a Time in Yokohama: B'z Live Gym'99 "Brotherhood"]]'' was released on August 2. On December 6, they released their eleventh album, ''[[Eleven (B'z album)|Eleven]]''.<ref name="hmv_japan_top100" /> B'z finished off 2000 with an appearance on the TV show [[Music Station]] Special and would start rehearsal for their next tour.

=== Induction into Hollywood's RockWalk (2001–2007) ===
[[File:B'Z at Best Buy Theater NYC - 9 30 12 - 23 (8043660675).jpg|thumb|left|upright|Matsumoto on stage, 2012]]
On February 26, 2001, "B'z Live-Gym 2001 'Eleven'" kicked off with a warmup show at the Ehime Kenmin Bunka Kaikan, which was exclusive to fan club members. The tour had 46 shows in 19 locations and 600,000 attendees. In March, they released their thirty-first and very popular single, "[[Ultra Soul]]".<ref name="hmv_japan_top100" /> After the [[Okinawa Prefecture|Okinawa]] shows on June 27 and 28, B'z traveled abroad. They officially released their CDs in [[Taiwan]] and [[Hong Kong]], and after finishing up the "Eleven" tour, B'z prepared for their first Asian tour, which included "B'z Live-Gym in Taipei 2001" and "B'z Live-Gym in Hong Kong 2001".<ref name="AllMusicBio" />

While B'z started recording as soon as 2002 started, Tak finished two solo albums, ''Dragon From The West'', which consists of hard rock tunes, and ''Hana'', which includes more melodic and Asian-influenced tunes, which were released simultaneously. B'z finished their recording in the middle of May and started rehearsal in Tokyo for the Live-Gym tour that year, as well as performing with [[Aerosmith]] on the stage of [[2002 FIFA World Cup|FIFA World Cup]] Korea/Japan Official Concert International Day at [[Ajinomoto Stadium|Tokyo Stadium]] on June 27.<ref name="hmv_japan_top100" /><ref name="AllMusicBio" /> Aerosmith later invited B'z to open for them in America, but it ultimately never happened.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Yoosh |first=Meg |date=2011-05-12 |title=B'z |url=https://www.jame-world.com/en/article/117271-b-z.html |access-date=2024-12-14 |website=JaME}}</ref> On July 3, their twelfth album, ''[[Green (B'z album)|Green]]'', was released.<ref name="hmv_japan_top100" /> The supporting tour, "B'z Live-Gym 2002 'Green ~Go★Fight★Win~'" began at [[Saitama Super Arena]] on July 8 and ended at [[Osaka Dome]] on September 9, encompassing 700,000 attendees, 14 shows, and 11 cities. The live band was rounded out by bassist [[Billy Sheehan]] and Canadian drummer [[Shane Gaalaas]].<ref name="AllMusicBio" /> In September, after the last show in Osaka, B'z had their first US tour, "B'z Live-Gym 2002 'Rock n' California Roll'", starting in [[San Diego, California|San Diego]] at Canes Bar & Grill on September 22 and The Palace in Los Angeles on September 24. On November 27, a live video, ''[[A Beautiful Reel. B'z Live-Gym 2002 Green ~Go★Fight★Win~|A Beautiful Reel]]'', was released, which packaged everything that happened on the "Green" tour, as well as a second disc containing material from "Rock n' California Roll". On December 11, their first ballad compilation album, ''[[The Ballads ~Love & B'z~]]'', was released.<ref name="hmv_japan_top100" />

2003 marked their 15th anniversary,<ref name="hmv_japan_top100" /> and the two started recording at the beginning of the year, traveling to the United States in February for additional recording. Along with continuous releases, the tour "B'z Live-Gym The Final Pleasure 'It's Showtime!!'" started in July. This was intended as the final "Pleasure" tour, a series of tours focusing on less popular songs, which started in 1991. The tour kicked off on July 3 at Hakodate Shimin Kaikan and finished at Nagisa-en on September 21, which just so happened to be the day of their debut, having a total of 23 shows altogether. Since it had been 10 years since B'z performed at Nagisa-en during "B'z Live-Gym Pleasure '93 'Jap the Ripper'" in 1993, it gathered 100,000 audiences over two days. Even though the shows were hit by a [[typhoon]] and it rained very hard, they still managed to attract thousands of attendees.

After the Nagisa-en performance, B'z flew back to the US. The tour "B'z Live-Gym 2003 'Banzai in North America'" included 7 shows, including stops at [[Las Vegas]], Los Angeles, [[San Francisco]], [[Seattle]], and [[Vancouver]]. Their thirteenth album, ''[[Big Machine (album)|Big Machine]]'', was released on September 17. When they flew back to Japan, B'z started their third tour in 2003, "B'z Live-Gym 2003 'Big Machine'". It was a dome tour in 6 locations, from Saitama Super Arena to [[Tokyo Dome]] in December. Tak Matsumoto's cover album, ''[[The Hit Parade (Tak Matsumoto album)|The Hit Parade]]'', with various vocalists, including Inaba, was released on November 26.

Kicking off 2004, B'z went back to the studio to begin recording again. On February 25, a DVD, ''[[Typhoon No.15 ~B'z Live-Gym The Final Pleasure "It's Showtime!!" in Nagisaen~]]'', was released. For the rest of the year, they worked mainly on their solo projects. Soon after finishing each solo tour, they began recording together again. On April 6, 2005, B'z released their fourteenth album, ''[[The Circle (B'z album)|The Circle]]''. For the album's recording, the duo was particularly worried about its live sound. For promotional activities, B'z started the tour "B'z Live-Gym 2005 'Circle of Rock'" that ran from April to September, totaling 27 shows in 41 locations. On August 1, the compilation ''[[The Complete B'z]]'' was digitally released only for the Japanese [[iTunes Store]] in order to promote the iTunes Store in Japan, which included a Japanese cover of [[Maroon 5]]'s "[[This Love (Maroon 5 song)|This Love]]" as a bonus. Matsumoto's House of Strings label, which he established a year before, released its second album, ''Theatre of Strings'', on October 19. On November 30, ''[[B'z The Best "Pleasure II"]]'', their third compilation album, was released, reaching one million sales by the end of 2005. On June 28, 2006, their fifteenth album, ''[[Monster (B'z album)|Monster]]'', was released. Most of the recording took place in Los Angeles. B'z kicked off the tour "B'z Live-Gym 2006 'Monster's Garage'" at the Amami Bunka Center on July 2, having 17 shows in all, including 5 big domes in 11 locations and 450,000 audience members altogether.

On November 19, 2007, B'z was inducted into [[Guitar Center#Hollywood's RockWalk|Hollywood's RockWalk]] as the first Asian inductee in [[Sunset Boulevard]], [[California]], United States. They were recommended by [[Steve Vai]], whom they collaborated with in 1999 on the track "Asian Sky" from his album ''[[The Ultra Zone]]'', as well as supported him during his 2007 tour in Japan.<ref name="AllMusicBio" /><ref name="JaME" /> Shortly after, on December 5, B'z released their sixteenth album, ''[[Action (B'z album)|Action]]''. The drum parts for the two singles from ''Action'', "[[Eien no Tsubasa]]" and "[[Super Love Song]]", were recorded by drummers [[Josh Freese]] and [[Jeremy Colson]], respectively.

=== 20th anniversary (2008–2009) ===
In February 2008, B'z released a DVD titled ''B'z Live in Nanba''. The show was recorded in 2006 and was also broadcast online. The concert featured songs from ''[[The Circle (B'z album)|The Circle]]'' and ''[[Monster (B'z album)|Monster]]'' eras, along with a number of older hits as well as several English versions. On April 16, 2008, the band released their forty-fifth single, "[[Burn -Fumetsu no Face-]]", which became their forty-first consecutive No.&nbsp;1 single. The year also marked the twentieth anniversary of the band. To commemorate the occasion, the "B'z 20" campaign was launched that saw two further compilation albums: ''[[B'z The Best "Ultra Pleasure"]]'' was released on June 18, 2008, and featured the greatest of the band's hits on a two-disc collection in chronological order, along with two all-new modern recordings of older tracks, while ''[[B'z The Best "Ultra Treasure"]]'' was released on September 17, 2008, whose two-disc track listing was decided by fans who were invited to vote for three songs of their choice at the B'z 20th anniversary website, which featured an exclusive song on a three-disc gift bundle, as well as a re-recording and a remix.

On January 25, 2008, B'z performed "B'z Showcase 2008 -Kiyotake Action-", a performance in their "Showcase" series of tours, which are generally small-venue performances of older album songs and more obscure B-sides that are mostly unsuitable for the larger arena concerts. Following this, B'z immediately embarked on the eight-month "B'z Live-Gym 2008 'Action'" tour, which saw them perform all over Japan. Afterward, they segued into "B'z Live-Gym Pleasure 2008 -Glory Days-", their first "Pleasure" tour since 2003. Throughout the month of September, B'z performed for hundreds of thousands of fans in nine performances across three cities. The special tour ended on September 21 at [[Nissan Stadium (Yokohama)|Nissan Stadium]], with a concert on the 20th anniversary of their first release. This performance was later released on DVD on February 25, 2009, as ''[[B'z Live-Gym Pleasure 2008 -Glory Days-]]''.

[[File:Shibuya Scramble Crossway.jpg|thumb|A billboard advertising the album ''[[Magic (B'z album)|Magic]]'' in [[Shibuya Crossing]], 2009]]
Following their massive tour in 2008, B'z returned to the studio to record new material. Their first release of the year was a [[Double A-side]] single, "[[Ichibu to Zenbu/Dive]]", released on August 5, 2009, which featured [[drummer]] [[Chad Smith]].<ref name=smith>{{cite web|url=http://www.offthelock.com/2009/06/17/ichibutozenbudive-announced/|title="Ichibutozenbu/DIVE" Announced|publisher=OffTheLock|date=June 17, 2009|access-date=June 17, 2009}}</ref> The non-full-track [[ringtone]] downloads (''Chaku Uta'') of "Ichibu to Zenbu" began on July 13, 2009, and the full-track ringtone downloads (''Chaku Uta Full'') of the song began on August 26, 2009.<ref name="livedoor">{{cite web|url=http://news.livedoor.com/article/detail/4329909/|title=B'z、月9主題歌がわずか6日間で月間1位に (The "Monday 9" theme by B'z ranked at No.&nbsp;1 on the monthly charts with only six days sales)|publisher=[[Livedoor]]|date=September 3, 2009|access-date=October 23, 2009|language=ja}}</ref> Because of its strong download sales in August and September on Recochoku, the song won the "Monthly Recochoku Award, Best Song Award Grand Prix" for ''Chaku Uta'' and ''Chaku Uta Full'' each for two consecutive months.<ref name="excite">{{cite web|url=http://www.excite.co.jp/News/release/NRR200957567.html|title=レコチョクアワード月間最優秀楽曲賞2009年9月度を発表!～B'zの月9主題歌、2ヶ月連続「着うた(R)」「着うたフル(R)」制覇～|publisher=Excite News|date=October 5, 2009|access-date=October 23, 2009|language=ja}}</ref> On October 13, 2009, [[KDDI]] also announced that "Ichibu to Zenbu" was awarded the "Utatomo Award" of September 2009 for the sales on "Utatomo" via [[au (mobile phone operator)|au]]'s [[LISMO]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kddi.com/news/topics/20091013.html|title=EZ「着うたフル®」9月によく聴かれた曲ランキング、「うたとも®Award」を発表|publisher=KDDI|date=October 13, 2009|access-date=October 23, 2009|language=ja|archive-date=March 7, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100307192945/http://www.kddi.com/news/topics/20091013.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> The second release was the single "[[My Lonely Town]]", released on October 14, 2009.<ref>[http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=BMCV-4010 My Lonely Town at cdjapan.co.jp]</ref> Both singles are featured in the band's next studio album, ''[[Magic (B'z album)|Magic]]'', released on November 18, 2009.<ref>[http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=BMCV-8029 Magic at cdjapan.co.jp]</ref> On December 10, 2009, it was announced that their single "Ichibu to Zenbu/Dive" won the "Hot 100 of the Year" award at the [[Billboard Japan Music Awards]].<ref name="47 News">{{cite web|url=http://www.47news.jp/topics/prwire/2009/12/148020.html|script-title=ja:ビルボード・ジャパン・ミュージック・アワード2009 チャート9部門各賞決定!!|publisher=47 News|date=December 10, 2009|access-date=December 12, 2009|language=ja|archive-date=July 17, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717100827/http://www.47news.jp/topics/prwire/2009/12/148020.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== 30th anniversary (2010–present) ===
After the "B'z Live-Gym 2010 'Ain't No Magic'" tour, Inaba and Matsumoto worked on solo activities and did not release any single as a duo in 2010. Matsumoto released the album ''[[Take Your Pick (album)|Take Your Pick]]'' with [[Larry Carlton]] on June 2, 2010, which later won the [[Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Album]] at the [[53rd Grammy Awards]] on February 13, 2011.<ref>{{cite web |date=February 15, 2011 |title=B'z Matsumoto bags pop Grammy |url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20110215a1.html |access-date=April 17, 2011 |work=The Japan Times}}</ref> Inaba's fourth solo studio album, ''Hadou'', was also released on August 18, 2010, debuting at number one on the Oricon album charts.

In 2011, they came back as B'z with their forty-eighth single, "[[Sayonara Kizu Darake no Hibi yo]]", which was written for and used as a commercial song for Pepsi NEX. They released their eighteenth studio album, ''[[C'mon (B'z album)|C'mon]]'', on July 27, 2011, which also featured their forty-ninth single, "[[Don't Wanna Lie]]", which was used as the ending theme in ''[[Detective Conan: Quarter of Silence]]''. In the summer of 2011, B'z embarked on their third North American tour, "B'z Live-Gym 2011 -Long Time No See-", which featured shows in Vancouver, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://asiapacificarts.usc.edu/article@apa?bz_will_tour_north_america_this_summer_16693.aspx | title = B'z will tour North America this summer | publisher = Asia Pacific Arts | date = April 28, 2011 | access-date = May 5, 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130923052605/http://asiapacificarts.usc.edu/article@apa?bz_will_tour_north_america_this_summer_16693.aspx | archive-date = September 23, 2013 | url-status = dead }}</ref> On May 4, 2012, they released two singles: "[[Samayoeru Aoi Dangan#Into Free -Dangan-|Into Free-Dangan]]-", an English re-recording of "[[Samayoeru Aoi Dangan]]", which was used as the theme song for the video game ''[[Dragon's Dogma]]'', and their fiftieth single, "[[Go for It, Baby (Kioku no Sanmyaku)]]".<ref name="JRockInt">{{cite web |date=October 20, 2012 |title=Interview: B'z – Into Free Tour |url=http://jrockrevolution.com/interview-bz-into-free-tour/ |access-date=November 22, 2018 |publisher=JrockRevolution.com}}</ref> "Into Free" was later revealed as the lead single for their new English EP, titled ''[[:jp:B'z (2012年のアルバム)|B'z]]'',<ref>{{cite web |author=Merryl Lentz |date=August 28, 2012 |title=Review of The B'z New Album – B'z |url=https://screamermagazine.com/reviews/bz-2/ |access-date=November 22, 2018 |publisher=[[Screamer magazine]]}}</ref> which featured English re-recordings of "[[Ai no Bakudan]]", "[[Splash! (song)|Splash]]", "Juice", and "Ultra Soul".<ref name="GW">{{cite news |author=John Katic |date=September 7, 2012 |title=Interview: Guitarist Tak Matsumoto of B'z Discusses the Band's First English-Language EP and His Signature Edition Gibson |publisher=[[Guitar World]] |url=https://www.guitarworld.com/features/interview-guitarist-tak-matsumoto-bz-discusses-bands-first-english-language-ep-and-his-signature-edition-gibson |access-date=November 23, 2018}}</ref><ref name="JRockInt" /> The songs were co-selected and co-written with their drummer, [[Shane Gaalaas]].<ref name="JaME" /> The EP was released internationally through the [[iTunes Store]] and was released on July 25, 2012.<ref name="GW" /> To support the EP, B'z embarked on their fourth North American tour, titled "B'z Live-Gym 2012 -Into Free-", which included stops in San Francisco, Seattle, Vancouver, Toronto, Silver Spring, New York City, and Los Angeles.<ref name="JaME" /> In an interview, Matsumoto explained, "This will be our fourth US tour. We love playing for American audiences and are excited to share our first English-language release with our fans."<ref name="GW" /> The tour ended at the [[Universal Amphitheatre]], which almost sold out.<ref>{{cite web |author=Robyn Weiss |date=October 10, 2012 |title=B'z LIVE Review – Gibson Amphitheatre, Universal City, CA |url=https://screamermagazine.com/reviews/bz-live-gibson-amphitheater-universal-city-ca/ |access-date=November 22, 2018 |publisher=[[Screamer magazine]]}}</ref>

In 2013, the group was the third highest-earning artist by total sales revenue in Japan with ¥5.379 billion.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.tokyohive.com/article/2013/12/oricon-2013-yearly-charts-artist-total-sales|title= Oricon 2013 Yearly Charts : Artist Total Sales|date= December 16, 2013|access-date= April 22, 2015|work= tokyohive|publisher= 6Theory Media, LLC|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141006074800/http://www.tokyohive.com/article/2013/12/oricon-2013-yearly-charts-artist-total-sales|archive-date= October 6, 2014|url-status= dead}}</ref> In 2015, they released their nineteenth studio album, ''[[Epic Day]]'',<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2049727/|title=B'z、アルバム27作目首位 歴代1位の通算首位・総売上枚数更新|date=March 10, 2015|publisher=Oricon|language=ja|access-date=November 21, 2018}}</ref> as well the singles "[[Uchōten (song)|Uchōten]]" and "[[Red (B'z song)|Red]]".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2047412/|title=B'z、歴代最多の通算64週1位 2年9ヶ月ぶり再始動|date=January 20, 2015|publisher=Oricon|language=ja|access-date=November 21, 2018}}</ref> In August 2017, the band released ''B'z Complete Single Box Set'', and although being a high-priced limited edition, it managed to chart in the Top 10.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2096772/full/|title=B'z、男性歌手史上最高額でアルバムTOP10|date=September 5, 2017|publisher=Oricon|language=ja|access-date=November 21, 2018}}</ref> B'z released their fifty-third single, "[[Seimei/Still Alive]]", in June, which was their forty-ninth single to top the Oricon charts.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2092743/full/|title=B'z、49作連続49作目首位 2年ぶりシングルで|date=June 20, 2017|publisher=Oricon|language=ja|access-date=November 21, 2018}}</ref> Their twentieth studio album, ''[[Dinosaur (B'z album)|Dinosaur]]'', was released in November 2017, which was their twenty-eighth album to top the Oricon Albums Chart.<ref>{{cite news |date=December 5, 2017 |title=B'z、通算28作目のアルバム首位 歴代1位記録を更新 |language=ja |publisher=Oricon |url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2101743/full/ |access-date=November 21, 2018}}</ref> To commemorate their 30th anniversary in 2018, they held a large exhibition between April and June at the [[Yūrakuchō]] Infos building in Tokyo's [[Chiyoda, Tokyo|Chiyoda ward]],<ref name="Asahi30" /><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.barks.jp/news/?id=1000153816|title=【レポート】『B'z 30th Year Exhibition "SCENES" 1988–2018』の全貌|date=April 11, 2018|publisher=Barks|language=ja|access-date=November 21, 2018}}</ref> their music documentary ''B'z 30th Year Exhibition "Scenes" 1988–2018'' was screened in theatres nationwide,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2111418/|title=B'z、展覧会上映作品を全国映画館で 初公開の映像も追加|date=May 15, 2018|publisher=Oricon|language=ja|access-date=November 21, 2018}}</ref> all 20 studio albums released up to that point were mastered for release as LPs,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2108021/full/|title=B'z、オリジナルアルバム20作品を一挙LP化 デビュー30周年記念|date=March 22, 2018|publisher=Oricon|language=ja|access-date=November 21, 2018}}</ref> a commemorative book, ''B'z The Chronicle'', was released,<ref name="Book">{{cite news|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2114626/full/|title=B'z、デビュー記念日に30周年記念本 300P超え『ザ・クロニクル』|date=June 29, 2018|publisher=Oricon|language=ja|access-date=November 21, 2018}}</ref> and a new "Pleasure" tour, "B'z Live-Gym Pleasure 2018 -Hinotori-", was held. In July, they released the video ''B'z Live-Gym 2017–2018 "Live Dinosaur",'' which topped both DVD and Blu-ray charts, selling over 90 thousand copies in the first week.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2115374/full/|title=B'z最新ライブ映像、映像ランキング3冠|date=July 12, 2018|publisher=Oricon|language=ja|access-date=November 21, 2018}}</ref> Their new track, "Tsuwamono, Hashiru", was used for TV commercials for the [[2019 Rugby World Cup]], which was held in Japan.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/international/8483663/japan-rock-bz-2019-rugby-world-cup-new-song-tsuwamono-hashiru|title=Japanese Rock Superduo B'z Hypes 2019 Rugby World Cup With New Song|date=November 5, 2018|publisher=Billboard|access-date=November 22, 2018}}</ref>

The theme song for the Japanese release of the movie ''[[Geostorm]]'' is "Dinosaur" by the duo.<ref>https://eiga.com/news/20171128/8/</ref><ref>https://natalie.mu/music/news/256637</ref>

On January 17, 2019, B'z was announced as the first, and so far only, Japanese headliner for Japan's [[Summer Sonic Festival|Summer Sonic]] festival in its twenty-year history. The band previously played the festival in 2007, 2009, and with Aerosmith during a special event, dubbed "Aerosonic", in 2013.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-01-17 |title=B’z、『サマソニ』日本人初ヘッドライナーに決定 |url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2127663/full/ |access-date=2024-12-14 |website=ORICON NEWS |language=ja}}</ref> On April 10, the band announced their long-awaited follow-up to ''Dinosaur,'' ''[[New Love (B'z album)|New Love]].'' The album was released on May 29, 2019, and featured new backing band members who made their debut on that year's "B'z Live Gym 2019 -Whole Lotta New Love-" tour, as well as a guest appearance by [[Aerosmith]]'s [[Joe Perry (musician)|Joe Perry]] on "Rain & Dream".<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=B'z、5月に21枚目アルバム「NEW LOVE」 |url=https://natalie.mu/music/news/327365 |access-date=2020-12-11 |website=音楽ナタリー |language=ja}}</ref>

During the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] in 2020, B'z made their entire Live-Gym catalog available to watch on [[YouTube]] for free, including their most recent one, "Whole Lotta New Love", for a limited time''.''<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-06-25 |title=B’z、歴代ライブ映像全23作品YouTubeで一挙フル公開 5月31日までの期間限定 |url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2159869/full/ |access-date=2024-12-14 |website=ORICON NEWS |language=ja}}</ref>

B'z covered "Sexual Violet No. 1" by Masahiro Kuwana for 2021's ''Take Me to Kazemachi!'', a tribute album to the song's lyricist, [[Takashi Matsumoto (lyricist)|Takashi Matsumoto]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.barks.jp/news/?id=1000203159 |title=B'z、松本隆トリビュートAL参加決定。桑名正博「セクシャルバイオレットNo.1」をカバー |date= June 15, 2021 |work=Barks |language=Japanese |access-date=August 3, 2021}}</ref>

On May 21, 2021, the majority of the B'z catalog was made available on online music services, such as [[Spotify]] and [[Apple Music]], worldwide. Previously, only the band's 2007 and 2012 self-titled EPs were available on the [[iTunes Store]] internationally (though, currently, only the latter is available).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.offthelock.com/2021/05/21/every-bz-single-album-now-streaming-worldwide-on-spotify/|title = Every B'z Single & Album Now Streaming WORLDWIDE on Spotify & More! &#124; OFF THE LOCK – Your Number 1 Source for B'z|date = May 21, 2021}}</ref> A new song was also released, titled "Kimi to Nara". Later, on December 8, they released their first mini-album in 25 years, ''[[Friends III]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=B'z、コンセプトアルバム『FRIENDS III』収録詳細およびアートワーク公開 |url=https://www.barks.jp/news/?id=1000209816 |access-date=January 6, 2023 |website=BARKS | date=October 22, 2021 |language=ja}}</ref>

On August 10, 2022, B'z released their twenty-second album, ''[[Highway X]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=B'z、22thフルアルバム『Highway X』を8月リリース |url=https://www.barks.jp/news/?id=1000219554 |access-date=January 6, 2023 |website=BARKS | date=May 12, 2022 |language=ja}}</ref>