Japanese dance-pop outfit globe formed in 1994 when star producer Tetsuya Komuro drafted singer Keiko Yamada and model/rapper/MTV VJ Marc Panther into a new group. ∙ The band’s first five singles all cracked the Japanese Top 5, fueling the success of their self-titled 1996 debut LP, which topped that year’s sales charts. ∙ Their song “Wanderin’ Destiny” was the theme to the acclaimed TV drama Aoi Tori and featured lyrics inspired by the show’s plot and characters. ∙ In 1998, the group simultaneously had four singles in the Top 10, one of which—the dance-rocker “Wanna Be a Dreammaker”—later won the Grand Prix at the Japan Record Awards. ∙ To commemorate the release of globe’s first best-of collection, Cruise Record 1995-2000, one of Osaka’s biggest record stores filled the entire shop with their CDs. ∙ Komoro and Yamada got married in a televised ceremony broadcast across Japan in 2002. ∙ Although they’ve essentially been on hiatus since their 2006 LP, New Deal, globe remains one of Japan’s most successful acts ever, having sold a combined 30 million singles and albums.