Editing Chage and Aska (section)

== History ==
They were formed in the late 1970s at the suggestion of the [[Artist and repertoire|A&R]] division of the Yamaha Music Foundation. After the hit single "{{nihongo2|万里の河}} (Banri no Kawa)" in 1980, they produced several hits irregularly throughout the 1980s. From 1989 to 1997, Chage had a parallel project called MULTIMAX, a band he formed with guitarist and multi-instrumental master Keisuke Murakami (former The Alpha member) and singer Hiromi Asai. They released seven singles, seven albums, two videos and did some tours. Aska has conducted a solo career since 1987.

Thanks to Aska's hit solo single "{{nihongo2|はじまりはいつも雨}} (Hajimari wa Itsumo Ame)" in 1991 and several powerful tieups with TV programs, their popularity peaked during the first half of the 1990s. In those days, they released five million-selling hits: "[[Say Yes (Chage and Aska song)|Say Yes]]" and "if", "YAH YAH YAH/{{nihongo2|夢の番人}} ([[YAH YAH YAH/Yume no Bannin]])", "HEART/NATURAL/On Your Mark", "{{nihongo2|めぐり逢い}} (Meguriai)". "Say Yes" and "YAH YAH YAH" each sold over two million copies.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oricon.co.jp/news/confidence/24700/ |script-title=ja:トレンディドラマとともに訪れた90年代のミリオンセールス時代|publisher=Oricon|date=2006-06-14|accessdate=2008-12-06|language=ja}}</ref> "Say Yes", released in 1991, is the sixth best-selling single in Japanese [[Oricon]] charts history.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oricon.co.jp/news/ranking/5139/ |title=SMAP「世界に一つだけの花」、シングル売上歴代9位に!!|publisher=Oricon|date=2004-08-03|accessdate=2008-12-05|language=ja}}</ref> "Say Yes" was the opening theme song for ''{{nihongo2|101回目のプロポーズ}} (101st Proposal)'', a 1991 TV drama. Their album ''Tree'' has been certified by the [[Recording Industry Association of Japan|RIAJ]] for sales of 3 million copies.<ref name="millions">{{cite web |url=http://www18.ocn.ne.jp/~hbr/jp1mal_e.htm |title=RIAJ CERTIFIED MILLION SELLER ALBUMS |publisher=ocn.ne.jp |accessdate=February 13, 2015 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150216113029/http://www18.ocn.ne.jp/~hbr/jp1mal_e.htm |archivedate=February 16, 2015 }}</ref> Their two subsequent albums, ''Guys'' (1992) and ''Red Hill'' (1993), were certified for a million each.<ref name="millions"/>

Chage and Aska released a song, "Something There", for the [[Street Fighter (soundtrack)|soundtrack]] of ''[[Street Fighter (1994 film)|Street Fighter]]'' in 1994. That same year the duo approached [[Studio Ghibli]] for the creation of an animated promotional music video for one of their songs, ''[[On Your Mark (song)|On Your Mark]]''. The collaboration resulted in the creation of the short film ''[[On Your Mark]]'', which has been used by the duo and had a theatrical release, with the film ''[[Whisper of the Heart (film)|Whisper of the Heart]]'', in 1995.

They have attempted to spread their market worldwide in 1990s, especially to the United Kingdom. [[EMI]] released a compilation tribute album (''One Voice the Songs of Chage & Aska'') by Western artists ([[Maxi Priest]] featuring [[Shaggy (artist)|Shaggy]], [[Lisa Stansfield]], [[Chaka Khan]], [[Michael Hutchence]] of [[INXS]], [[Alejandro Sanz]], [[Cathy Dennis]], [[Apache Indian (musician)|Apache Indian]], [[Boy George]], [[Richard Marx]], [[Londonbeat]], [[Marianne Faithfull]], and [[Wendy Matthews]]).<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=qQkEAAAAMBAJ&dq=Safta+Jaffery+yamaha+music+foundation&pg=PA93 Billboard - Google Books], June 22, 1996</ref> They made live appearances in [[MTV]] concerts in 1996.

They decided to separate and go solo in 1996. In 1997, Aska's first solo concert at Shanghai concluded with Chage appearing on stage. When the duo became active again in 1999, they sometimes performed together but also continued with their solo careers.

They released two singles "Man and Woman" and "Here & There" on January 10, 2007. "Man and Woman" and "Here & There" were ranked at number two and number three respectively on the Oricon weekly single charts.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oricon.co.jp/music/release/d/689727/1/|title=Man and Woman|publisher=Oricon|accessdate=2008-12-06|language=ja}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oricon.co.jp/music/release/d/689726/1/|title=Here & There|publisher=Oricon|accessdate=2008-12-06|language=ja}}</ref>

Chage and Aska officially announced the band's "indefinite suspension" on January 30, 2009, to concentrate on their solo work.

In 2013, Chage and Aska decided to revive their activities, after a four-year break.<ref>[http://www.chage-aska.net/en/information/1373 Announcement] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203055618/http://www.chage-aska.net/en/information/1373 |date=2013-12-03 }} January 25, 2013 CHAGE and ASKA Official website</ref>

In 2014, Aska and his girlfriend were caught with drugs and were arrested. News of his arrest became controversial around Japan.  He was convicted and given a 3-year suspended sentence.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/entertainment/japan-singer-aska-convicted-of-illegal-drug-use-given-3-year-suspended-jail|title = Japan singer Aska convicted of illegal drug use, given 3-year suspended jail sentence| newspaper=The Straits Times |date = 12 September 2014}}</ref>

In 2019, Aska has announced withdrawal from the duo.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://natalie.mu/music/news/344953|title=ASKAがCHAGE and ASKA脱退を表明|publisher=Natalie.mu|accessdate=2019-08-25|language=ja}}</ref>