Ayumi Hamasaki Essentials

Pop stars don't come bigger than Ayumi Hamasaki, an artist with such a wide reach that many call her the “Empress of J-pop”. The Fukuoka-born belter became one of the most celebrated singers in all of Asia, thanks to her R&B-tinged pop songs and especially her soaring ballads. Her forceful voice takes slow-building, string-swept numbers to gripping crescendos that make listeners feel like they can achieve any dream. She's dabbled in a variety of styles over the course of her successful career, but it all comes back to that impossible-to-ignore voice.