{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2024}} {{Infobox album | name = The Highest | type = ep | artist = WayV | cover = WayV - The Highest.jpeg | alt = | caption = Digital cover | released = {{Start date|2024|08|08}} | recorded = | studio = | genre = J-pop | length = 19:37 | language = Japanese | label = *Avex Trax *SM | producer = | prev_title = Give Me That | prev_year = 2024 | next_title = Frequency | next_year = 2024 | misc = {{Extra chronology | artist = NCT | type = EP | prev_title = Walk | prev_year = 2024 | title = The Highest | year = 2024 | next_title = Steady | next_year = 2024 }} {{Singles | name = The Highest | type = EP | single1 = Go Higher | single1date = September 25, 2024 }} {{External music video|{{YouTube|NksBeamzhu0|"Go Higher"}}|header=Music videos|type=EP}} }}

'''''The Highest''''' is the first Japanese EP by the Chinese boy band WayV. It was released on digitally August 8, 2024 and physically on September 25, 2024 through their Japanese record label Avex Trax. The EP comprises six songs, including the lead single, "Go Higher".<ref name="NCT JP">{{cite web | title=NCT（エヌシーティー） Website | website=NCT（エヌシーティー） Website | url=https://nct-jp.net/news/detail.php?id=1117533 | language=ja | access-date=2024-09-26 | archive-date=September 8, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240908140242/https://nct-jp.net/404.php | url-status=live }}</ref> It is the group's second consecutive release without the participation member Winwin, who was on hiatus from the group due to schedule conflicts with his solo activities.<ref>{{cite web | last=Ji | first=Seunghun | title=The group WayV mentioned the absence of member WinWin.On the afternoon of the 3rd, a showcase was he.. | website=Maeil Business Newspaper | date=2024-06-03 | url=https://www.mk.co.kr/musics/11032254 | access-date=2024-11-11 | language=ko }}{{Dead link|date=March 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref><ref name="t459">{{cite web | title=NCT subunit WayV to embark on first concert tour 'On the Way' | website=Korea JoongAng Daily | date=2024-06-18 | url=https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2024-06-18/entertainment/kpop/NCT-subunit-WayV-to-embark-on-first-concert-tour-On-the-Way/2071076 | access-date=2024-09-27 | archive-date=July 18, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240718075407/https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2024-06-18/entertainment/kpop/NCT-subunit-WayV-to-embark-on-first-concert-tour-On-the-Way/2071076 | url-status=live }}</ref> The album was a commercial success, debuting at number-one on the Oricon Albums Chart.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2024年09月23日～2024年09月29日 オリコン週間 アルバムランキング |url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/ja/w/2024-10-07/ |access-date=2024-10-02 |website=ORICON NEWS}}</ref>

==Background and release== In early May 2024, SM Entertainment confirmed that WayV planned to release their first Japanese EP in the third quarter of the year.<ref>{{cite web | title=SM Entertainment shares Q3 plans: Albums from Taeyeon, NCT 127 | website=Korea JoongAng Daily | date=2024-05-09 | url=https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2024-05-09/entertainment/kpop/SM-Entertainment-shares-Q3-plans-Albums-from-Taeyeon-NCT-127/2043110 | access-date=2024-09-26 | archive-date=September 3, 2024 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240903223441/https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/news/2024-05-09/entertainment/kpop/SM-Entertainment-shares-Q3-plans-Albums-from-Taeyeon-NCT-127/2043110 | url-status=live }}</ref> On July 2, the EP was officially announced, with SM Entertainment and Avex Trax announcing that ''The Highest'' would be released on September 25, 2024.<ref name="NCT JP"/> The EP was later released digitally on August 8,<ref>{{cite web | title=Spotify | website=Spotify | url=https://open.spotify.com/album/74WrPce0YrZGCBYazUApO7?si=fQ8OP2YASASZhcRDvH6Hyg | access-date=2024-09-26}}</ref> with the physical release in Japan occurring on September 25. A music video for lead single "Go Higher" was released concurrently with the physical version of the album.

==Promotion== To promote the EP, the group embarked on their first full concert tour ''On the Way'', which began in Nagoya on August 17, with further stops in Kobe and Tokyo before continuing internationally.<ref name="t459"/>

==Commercial performance== Within Japan, ''The Highest'' debuted at number one on both the Oricon Albums Chart<ref name=oricon>{{cite web |title=Oricon Weekly Album Ranking: 2024-10-07 |url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/ja/w/2024-10-07/ |publisher=Oricon |access-date=November 7, 2024 |language=ja |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241003044504/https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/coa/w/2024-10-07/ |archive-date=October 3, 2024}}</ref> and the Oricon Combined Albums Chart<ref name=oriconcombined /> for the week ending September 29, selling 62,748 copies in its first week. On the ''Billboard Japan'' Hot Albums chart, the EP debuted at number two.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://billboard-japan.com/charts/detail?a=hot_albums&year=2024&month=10&day=07|title=Billboard Japan Hot Albums – Week of October 2, 2024|website=Billboard Japan|language=ja|access-date=October 2, 2024}}</ref>

As of October 2024, the EP has sold 70,065 copies.<ref>Cumulative physical sales of ''The Highest''<!--68,972--> * <!--62,738-->{{cite web|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/ja/w/2024-10-07/|script-title=ja:週間 アルバムランキング 2024年10月07日付|trans-title=Oricon Weekly Album Ranking October 7, 2024|publisher=Oricon|language=ja|access-date=October 2, 2024|archive-date=October 2, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241002041549/https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/ja/w/2024-10-07/|url-status=dead}} * <!--3,959-->{{cite web|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/ja/w/2024-10-14/p/2/|script-title=ja:週間 アルバムランキング 2024年10月14日付|trans-title=Oricon Weekly Album Ranking October 14, 2024|publisher=Oricon|language=ja|access-date=October 14, 2024}} * <!--1,562-->{{cite web|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/ja/w/2024-10-21/p/3/|script-title=ja:週間 アルバムランキング 2024年10月21日付|trans-title=Oricon Weekly Album Ranking October 21, 2024|publisher=Oricon|language=ja|access-date=October 14, 2024}} * {{cite web|title=オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」|trans-title=Oricon Ranking Information Service 'You Big Tree' (as of 04/11/2024)|url=http://ranking.oricon.co.jp/|language=Japanese|work=Oricon|url-access=subscription|access-date=October 30, 2024}}</ref><ref>Cumulative digital sales of ''The Highest''<!--1,093-->: * <!--295-->{{cite web|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/dia/w/2024-10-07/p/2/|script-title=ja:週間 デジタルアルバムランキング 2024年10月07日付|trans-title=Oricon Weekly Digital Album Ranking October 7, 2024|publisher=Oricon|language=ja|access-date=October 7, 2024|archive-date=October 7, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241007100655/https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/dia/w/2024-10-07/p/2/|url-status=dead}} * {{cite web|title=オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」|trans-title=Oricon Ranking Information Service 'You Big Tree' (as of 07/10/2024)|url=http://ranking.oricon.co.jp/|language=Japanese|work=Oricon|url-access=subscription|access-date=October 7, 2024}}</ref>

==Track listing== {{Track listing | headline = ''The Highest'' track listing | extra_column = Arrangement | title_width = 23% | lyrics_width = 23% | music_width = 31% | extra_width = 23% | title1 = Go Higher | note1 = | lyrics1 = Mahiro | music1 = {{hlist|Kenzie|Keynon Moore|Jonatan Gusmark|Ludvig Evers}} | extra1 = Moonshine | length1 = 3:17 | title2 = Tempo | note2 = | lyrics2 = MEG.ME | music2 = {{hlist|Jakob Mihoubi|Rudi Daouk|CX Lucas}} | extra2 = CX Lucas | length2 = 3:09 | title3 = Deep Ocean | note3 = | lyrics3 = Ayana Hibi | music3 = {{hlist|Black Doe|Hyun}} | extra3 = {{hlist|Black Doe|Hyun}} | length3 = 3:01 | title4 = What a Good Time | lyrics4 = Yui Kimura | music4 = {{hlist|Andreas Öberg|Ninos Hanna|Ludwig Lindell}} | extra4 = Lindell | length4 = 3:12 | title5 = Images | note5 = | lyrics5 = Akta | music5 = {{hlist|Timothy "Bos" Bullock|Leven Kali|Sol Was|Jeremy "Tay" Jasper|Adrian McKinnon}} | extra5 = {{hlist|Bullock|Kali|Was|Jasper|McKinnon}} | length5 = 3:35 | title6 = Bandage | note6 = | lyrics6 = Yui Kimura | music6 = {{hlist|Chamane|INFX}} | extra6 = {{hlist|Chamane|INFX}} | length6 = 3:23 | total_length = 19:37 }}

==Charts== {{col-begin}} {{col-2}}

===Weekly charts=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+ Weekly chart performance for ''The Highest'' ! scope="col"| Chart (2024) ! scope="col"| Peak<br />position |- {{album chart|Oricon|1|date=2024<!-- needs to stay YYYY-MM-DD -->-10-07|rowheader=true|access-date=October 2, 2024}} |- ! scope="row"| Japanese Combined Albums (Oricon)<ref name=oriconcombined>{{cite web |title=Oricon Top 50 Combined Albums: 2024-10-07 |url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/coa/w/2024-10-07/ |publisher=Oricon |access-date=October 3, 2024 |language=ja |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241003044504/https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/coa/w/2024-10-07/ |archive-date=October 3, 2024}}</ref> | 1 |- ! scope="row"| Japanese Hot Albums (''Billboard Japan'')<ref>{{cite web|url=http://billboard-japan.com/charts/detail?a=hot_albums&year=2024&month=10&day=07|title=Billboard Japan Hot Albums – Week of October 2, 2024|website=Billboard Japan|language=ja|access-date=October 2, 2024}}</ref> | 2 |} {{col-2}}

===Monthly charts=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+ Monthly chart performance for ''The Highest'' ! scope="col"| Chart (2024) ! scope="col"| Position |- ! scope="row"| Japanese Albums (Oricon)<ref>{{cite web |title=Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2024-09 |url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/ja/m/2024-09/ |publisher=Oricon |access-date=October 10, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241009064415/https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/ja/m/2024-09/ |archive-date=October 9, 2024 |language=ja}}</ref> | 10 |}

===Year-end charts=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+ Year-end chart performance for ''The Highest'' ! scope="col"| Chart (2024) ! scope="col"| Position |- ! scope="row"| Japanese Albums (Oricon)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/ja/y/2024/p/7/|title=Oricon Top 100 Albums: 2024|publisher=Oricon|language=ja|access-date=December 26, 2024}}</ref> | 69 |} {{col-end}}

==Release history== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |+ Release history for ''The Highest'' ! scope="col" | Region ! scope="col" | Date ! scope="col" | Format ! scope="col" | Label |- ! scope="row" | Various<!-- Inclusive of Japan and South Korea --> | August 8, 2024 | {{hlist|Digital download|streaming}} | rowspan="2" | Avex |- ! scope="row" | Japan | September 25, 2024 | CD |}

==See also== * List of Oricon number-one albums of 2024

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{WayV}} {{NCT (band)}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Highest}} Category:2024 EPs Category:SM Entertainment EPs Category:Japanese-language EPs Category:2020s Japanese-language albums Category:Avex Group EPs Category:WayV EPs