AKB48

This article is about the Japanese idol group. For a group of idol groups this belongs to, see AKB48 Group.

AKB48
AKB48 performing at the Nokia Theater (now Peacock Theater) in Los Angeles, California, in July 2010
AKB48 performing at the Nokia Theater (now Peacock Theater) in Los Angeles, California, in July 2010
Background information
OriginAkihabara, Tokyo, Japan
GenresJ-pop
Years active2005–present
Labels
Member ofAKB48 Group
MembersSee List of AKB48 members
Past membersSee List of former members of AKB48
Websiteakb48.co.jp

AKB48 (pronounced A.K.B. Forty-Eight) is a Japanese idol musical girl group named after the Akihabara area in Tokyo, where the group's theater is located. AKB48 has sold more records than any other female musical act in Japanese history.[2] AKB48's producer, Yasushi Akimoto, wanted to form a girl group with its own theater and performing daily so fans could always see them live (which is not the case with usual pop groups giving occasional concerts and seen on television).[3] This "Idols You Can Meet" concept includes teams[4] which can rotate performances and perform simultaneously at several events[5] and "handshake" events, where fans can meet group members.[3] Akimoto has expanded the AKB48 concept to several girl groups within Japan, and internationally in Mainland China, Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan, Philippines and Malaysia.

AKB48 have been characterized as a social phenomenon.[6] They are among the highest-earning musical acts in Japan, and are the fifth-best-selling girl group worldwide. For example, their 2012 sales from record and DVD/Blu-ray releases reached $226 million, earning the group the top spot in the 2012 artist ranking.[7][8] As of April 2019, the group has sold over 60 million records,[9] including over 6 million albums.[10] At least 35 of AKB48's singles have topped the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart, with at least 30 singles selling over a million copies each,[11] making the group the highest selling musical act in Japan in terms of singles sold.[12][13] Their highest selling single, "Teacher Teacher", sold over 3 million in 2018 according to Billboard / Soundscan.[14] Between 2010 and 2020, AKB48's singles have occupied at least the top two spots of the Oricon Yearly Singles Chart.[15]

  1. ^ "Galaxy Records Sells AKB48's Tsugi no Ashiato Album in Philippines". animenewsnetwork.com. Anime News Network. November 6, 2015.
  2. ^ "AKB48 surpasses Mr.Children as the 2nd best selling Japanese music act". March 20, 2019.
  3. ^ a b Matsutani, Minoru (August 24, 2010). "Girl idol group about mass exposure, fans". The Japan Times. Retrieved July 25, 2018.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference reuters20090728 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference purplesky20091103 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference mantanweb20120506 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ "Oricon 2012 Yearly Charts : Artist Total Sales". Tokyohive. December 16, 2013. Retrieved August 26, 2014.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference washingtonpost20120327 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ 【オリコン"平成セールス"ランキング】シングルはSMAP、アルバムは宇多田ヒカルが1位 "平成No.1"アーティスト別セールスのB'zからはコメント到着. Oricon News (in Japanese). Oricon. April 11, 2019. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
  10. ^ "【オリコン】AKB48、10周年ベスト首位 女性グループ歴代1位の通算6作目". Oricon Style (in Japanese). November 24, 2015. Retrieved December 25, 2015.
  11. ^ "【オリコン】AKB48、35作連続1位&30作目ミリオン CD総売上5000万枚突破" (in Japanese). Oricon. June 5, 2018. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
  12. ^ "【オリコン】AKB48、シングル総売上日本一3615.8万枚 秋元氏総売上は1億枚突破". Oricon Style (in Japanese). December 9, 2015. Retrieved December 25, 2015.
  13. ^ "AKB48、女性グループ歴代1位 シングル総売上1178.7万枚" (in Japanese). Oricon. January 6, 2012. Retrieved January 6, 2012.
  14. ^ "AKB48が作品別、アーティスト別ともに首位、上半期のオーディオ売上動向発表". Billboard Japan. July 13, 2018. Retrieved July 13, 2018.
  15. ^ "【オリコン年間】AKB48、10年連続シングル1位・2位独占 9年連続ミリオン突破". Oricon Japan. Oricon. December 23, 2019. Retrieved December 23, 2019.