The First Take (stylized as THE F1RST TAKE) is a Japanese YouTube channel that invites singers to perform a song recorded in one take in a white studio. The First Take is a trademark of Sony Music Entertainment Japan.
Concept The main concept of the channel is its simple presentation without any foreign element other than the high resolution camera and good audio quality to deliver the music's qualities to the viewers. Videos on The First Take are filmed in a studio, alternating between medium and close-up shots of only the performing singer and a microphone, set to a background that is usually white. The footage is recorded in 4K resolution with high quality audio. According to creative director Keisuke Shimizu, singers are asked to treat the filming as a live performance, The Japan Times writer Patrick St. Michel notes that The First Take's success demonstrates a shift in musical preferences in the public, suggesting that "slick, manicured pop is out and authenticity — or at least the veneer of authenticity — is in."
History On November 15, 2019, the channel published its first video featuring "Narratage" by Adieu. On December 6, Lisa's performance of "Gurenge" went viral and gained more views than the song's original music video, and is credited with popularizing the channel. Several recordings on the channel are available digitally; notably, Dish//'s performance of "Neko" peaked at 11th on the Billboard Japan Hot 100 and also placed 28th on the Year-End chart. As of August 2025, 549 episodes and almost 300 individuals or groups have appeared on the channel; six videos have more than 100 million views: "Gurenge" by Lisa, "Neko" by Dish//, "Dry Flower" by Yuuri, "Bling-Bang-Bang-Born" by Creepy Nuts, and "Yoru ni Kakeru", "Gunjō" by Yoasobi.
As a response to the lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic, several videos in 2020 were filmed inside the singer's home/private studio and titled "The Home Take". In June 2020, South Korean boy band Stray Kids performed "Slump" (Japanese version) on the channel, becoming the first foreign and Korean artists to appear, and was the first video to be shot remotely. The group appeared again to perform "Mixtape: Oh" in October 2021, marking the first non-Japanese song to perform on the channel.
In February 2022, singer-songwriter Ai performed her song "Aldebaran", becoming the first solo American artist to appear on the channel. The first American group to appear on the channel was Pentatonix in January 2021. On April 1, the channel published its first recording featuring non-human characters, Sesame Street muppets Elmo, Julia, and Cookie Monster, who performed "Ue o Muite Aruko" with Hinatazaka46 members Shiho Katō, Hinano Kamimura, and Mikuni Takahashi. In June, English singer Harry Styles appeared on the 225th episode, performing "Boyfriends". Styles was one of the few Western artists to appear on the channel. In September 2022, Canadian singer Avril Lavigne performed "Complicated" on the channel. In October 2022, singer-songwriter Sury Su performed her song "Liao (The Phoenix)", becoming the first solo Chinese artist to appear on the channel.
In January 2023, Hololive Production member Hoshimachi Suisei, performing her song "Stellar Stellar", became the first virtual YouTuber to perform on the channel.
On August 18, 2024, the channel exceeds 10 million subscribers, becoming the first Japanese music YouTube channel to do so.
On November 28, 2025, The Idolmaster character Chihaya Kisaragi (voiced by Asami Imai) became the first video game or anime character to perform on the channel, with the song "Yakusoku". Within three weeks on December 10, Chihaya Kisaragi would once again perform on the channel singing the song M@STERPIECE.
List of performances + Key Indicates performances by non-Japanese artists (including collaboration with Japanese artists) 2019 List of 2019 performances on The First Take Date Artist(s) Song(s) 1 November 15 Adieu "Narratage" 2 November 23 Rude-Alpha "It's Only Love" 3 November 29 Cö Shu Nie "Asphyxia" (piano version) 4 December 4 Adieu "Tenki" 5 December 6 Lisa "Gurenge" 6 December 11 Rude-Alpha "Wonder" 7 December 13 Huwie Ishizaki "Sayonara Elegy" 8 December 18 Cö Shu Nie "Inertia" 9 December 20 Little Glee Monster "Itoshisa ni Ribbon o Kakete" 10 December 25 Lisa "Unlasting" 11 December 27 Miliyah Kato "Aitai"
2020 List of 2020 performances on The First Take Date Artist(s) Song(s) 12 January 10 Little Glee Monster "Echo" 13 January 15 Huwie Ishizaki "Kabin no Hana" 14 January 17 Sōshi Sakiyama "Samidare" 15 January 22 Miliyah Kato "Honto no Boku o Shitte" 16 January 24 Kana Adachi "Hitori Yogari" 17 January 29 Sōshi Sakiyama "Geshi" 18 January 31 Wacci (Yohei Hashiguchi) "Betsu no Hito no Kanojo ni Natta yo" 19 February 5 Kana Adachi "Hanashi ga Aru" 20 February 7 Queen Bee "Ka'en" 21 February 12 Wacci (Yohei Hashiguchi) "Tarinai" 22 February 14 The Gospellers "Hitori" 23 February 19 Queen Bee "BL" 24 February 21 Sayuri "Kōkai no Uta" 25 February 26 The Gospellers "Voxers" 26 February 28 Kiro Akiyama "Monologue" 27 March 4 Sayuri "Mikazuki" 28 March 6 Asca "Resister" 29 March 11 Kiro Akiyama "Saruagari City Pop" 30 March 13 Kana-Boon (Maguro Taniguchi), Necry Talkie (Mossa) "Nai Mono Nedari" 31 March 18 Asca "Koe" 32 March 20 Dish// (Takumi Kitamura) "Neko" 33 March 25 Kana-Boon (Maguro Taniguchi) "Marble" 34 March 27 SawanoHiroyuki[nZk]:Yosh (Survive Said the Prophet) "Belong" 35 April 1 Dish// (Takumi Kitamura) "Shape of Love" 36 April 3 Macaroni Empitsu (Hattori) "Seishun to Isshun" (string version) 37 April 8 SawanoHiroyuki[nZk]:Mizuki "Aliez" 38 April 10 TK from Ling Tosite Sigure "Unravel" 39 April 15 Macaroni Empitsu "Hope" 40 April 17 Ryokuoushoku Shakai "Shout Baby" 41 April 22 TK from Ling Tosite Sigure "Copy Light" 42 April 24 Ryokuoushoku Shakai "Sabotage" 43 June 26 Stray Kids "Slump" (Japanese version) 44 August 7 Sumika "Fanfare" 45 August 14 Creepy Nuts "Nariwai" 46 August 19 Sukima "End Roll" 47 August 21 Masayuki Suzuki featuring Airi Suzuki "Daddy! Daddy! Do!" 48 August 26 Creepy Nuts "Katsute Tensai Datta Oretachi e" 49 August 28 Eir Aoi "Ignite" 50 September 2 Masayuki Suzuki "Koibito" + "Michi (Kōsaten)" 51 September 4 Blue Encount "Yumemigusa" 52 September 9 Eir Aoi "I Will..." 53 September 11 Dai Hirai "Inoribana" (2020) 54 September 16 Kami wa Saikoro wo Franai (Shūsaku Yanagita) "Utakata Hanabi" 55 September 18 Chico, HoneyWorks "Sekai wa Koi ni Ochiteiru" 56 September 24 Dai Hirai "Boku ga Kimi ni Dekiru Koto" 57 September 25 Sky-Hi, Tanaka featuring Boku no Lyric no Bōyomi "Nanisama" 58 September 25 Chico, HoneyWorks "Shiawase" 59 October 2 Rei "Call Me Sick" 60 October 10 Reona "Anima" 61 October 10 Rei, Shinya Kiyozuka "Shirayukihime" 62 October 16 Lisa "Homura" 63 October 21 Reona "Niji no Kanata ni" 64 October 23 Ren "We'll Be Fine" 65 October 28 Lisa "Catch the Moment" 66 October 30 Yuuri "Dry Flower" 67 November 4 Ren "Life Saver" 68 November 6 Lisa, Uru "Saikai" (produced by Ayase) 69 November 20 Def Tech "My Way" 70 Masaki Suda "Niji" 71 November 25 Sky-Hi "Luce" 72 November 27 Flower Companyz "Shin'ya Kōsoku" 73 December 2 Def Tech "Like I Do" 74 December 4 JO1 (Junki Kono) "Infinity" 75 December 9 Flower Companyz "Tokyo Tower" 76 December 11 Yuta Orisaka "Asagao" 77 December 16 JO1 (Junki Kono) "Voice (Kimi no Koe)" 78 December 18 Yama "Haru o Tsugeru" 79 December 23 Yuta Orisaka "Torch" 80 December 25 Ai Hashimoto "Momen no Handkerchief"
2021 List of 2021 performances on The First Take Date Artist(s) Song(s) 81 January 1 Group Tamashii "Kimi ni Juice o Katte Ageru" 82 January 8 Juju "Yasashisa de Afureru Yō ni" 83 January 13 Yama "Masshiro" 84 January 15 Group Tamashii "Mō Sukkari No Future!" 85 January 20 Juju "Kono Yoru o Tomete yo" 86 January 22 Aina the End "Orchestra" 87 January 27 Little Glee Monster featuring Pentatonix "Dear My Friend" 88 January 29 Tomorrow X Together "Crown" (Japanese version) 89 February 3 Aina the End "Kinmokusei" 90 February 5 Super Beaver "Hito to Shite" 91 February 10 Tomorrow X Together "Force" 92 February 12 Zutomayo "Byōshin o Kamu" 93 February 17 Super Beaver "I Love You" 94 February 19 Sirup "Loop" 95 February 24 Zutomayo "Can't Be Right" 96 February 26 Yoasobi "Gunjō" 97 March 3 Sirup "Thinkin About Us" 98 March 5 Rei Yasuda featuring H Zettrio "Brand New Day" 99 March 10 Yoasobi "Yasashii Suisei" 100 March 12 HY "366 Nichi" 101 March 17 Rei Yasuda "Not the End" 102 March 19 Jun. K "My House" (acoustic version) 103 March 24 HY "Good Bye" 104 March 26 Fumiya Fujii "Koi Suru Kalen" 105 March 31 Jun. K "This Is Not a Song, 1929" 106 April 2 Da-ice (Yudai Ohno, Sota Hanamura) "Citrus" 107 April 7 Fumiya Fujii "Another Orion" 108 April 9 Motohiro Hata "Uroko" 109 April 14 Da-ice (Yudai Ohno, Sota Hanamura) featuring Takahito Uchisawa (Androp) "Love Song" 110 April 16 Who-ya Extended "Vivid Vice" 111 April 21 Motohiro Hata "Nakiwarai no Episode" 112 April 23 Exile Takahiro "Lovers Again" 113 April 28 Who-ya Extended "Q-vism" 114 April 30 Adieu "Yoru no Ato" 115 May 5 Exile Takahiro, Harami-chan "Motto Tsuyoku" 116 May 7 Hentai Shinshi Club "Yokaze" 117 May 12 Adieu "Aitte" 118 May 14 Amazarashi "Kisetsu wa Tsugitsugi Shindeiku" 119 May 19 Hentai Shinshi Club "Suki ni Yaru" 120 May 21 Awesome City Club "Wasurena" 121 May 26 Amazarashi "Long Hope Philia" 122 May 28 Novelbright (Yudai Takenaka) "Tsukimisō 123 June 3 Awesome City Club "Matataki" 124 June 4 Chai "N.E.O." 125 June 9 Novelbright "Sunny Drop" 126 June 11 Shota Shimizu "Hanataba no Kawari ni Melody Wo" 127 June 16 Chai featuring YMCK "Ping Pong!" 128 June 18 Maharajan "Sailor Muntarō" 129 June 23 Shota Shimizu "Koi Uta" 130 June 25 Fomare "Nagai Kami" 131 June 30 Maharajan "Eden" 132 July 2 Sora Amamiya "Paradox" 133 July 7 Fomare "Tobacco" 134 July 9 Reina "Boku Dake o" 135 July 15 Sora Amamiya "Eien no Aria" 136 July 16 Shiritsu Ebisu Chugaku "Nanairo" 137 July 23 Asian Kung-Fu Generation "Soranin" 138 July 28 Shiritsu Ebisu Chugaku, Huwie Ishizaki "Jump" 139 July 30 Ryuto Kazuhara (Generations) "Love You More" 140 August 4 Asian Kung-Fu Generation (Masafumi Gotoh), Hiroko Sebu "Empathy" 141 August 6 Hiromi Go "240,000,000 no Hitomi (Exotic Japan)" 142 August 11 Ryuto Kazuhara (Generations), Kenny (Spicysol) "Beautiful Sunset" 143 August 18 Hiromi Go "Bells of St. Augustine" 144 August 20 Miwa "Hikari e" 145 August 25 Maisondes featuring Wanuka, Asmi "Yowanehaki" 146 August 27 Atarayo "10 Gatsu Mukuchi na Kimi o Wasureru" 147 September 1 Miwa "Kanna" 148 September 3 Porno Graffitti "Saudade" 149 September 8 Atarayo "Natsugasumi" 150 September 10 Nogizaka46 (Sakura Endō) "Kikkake" 151 September 15 Porno Graffitti "Theme Song" 152 September 15 Ikimonogakari "Kimagure Romantic" 153 September 22 Nogizaka46 (Erika Ikuta, Shiori Kubo, Haruka Kaki) "Yasashii Dake Nara" 154 September 24 Okamoto's "90's Tokyo Boys" 155 September 29 Ikimonogakari "Kyō kara, Koko kara" 156 October 1 Yuuri "Shutter" 157 October 6 Okamoto's "Sprite" 158 October 8 Spyair "Imagination" 159 October 13 Yuuri "Betelgeuse" 160 October 16 Saucy Dog "Itsuka" 161 October 20 Spyair "Samurai Heart (Some Like It Hot!!)" 162 October 22 Taiiku Okazaki "Nani o Yatte mo Akan wa" 163 October 27 Saucy Dog "Yui" 164 October 29 Stray Kids "Mixtape: Oh" 165 November 3 Taiiku Okazaki "Ossan" 166 November 5 Mika Nakashima "Yuki no Hana" 167 November 10 Stray Kids "Scars" 168 November 12 Glay "Winter, Again" 169 November 17 Mika Nakashima "Boku ga Shinō to Omotta no wa" 170 November 19 Misia "Ashita e" 171 November 24 Glay "Bad Apple" 172 November 26 Moroha "Kakumei" 173 December 1 Misia "Higher Love" 174 December 3 Tomoyasu Hotei "Bambina" 175 December 8 Moroha "Rokumonsen" 176 December 10 Super Beaver featuring Haruko Nagaya "Tokyo" 177 December 15 Tomoyasu Hotei "Kochia" 178 December 17 Milet, Aimer, Lilas Ikuta "Omokage" (produced by Vaundy) 179 December 24 Skirt, Punpee "Oddtaxi"
2022