

AKB48's newest album sets music industry sales record


Hit all-girl idol group AKB48's newest album, "Flying Get," set a Japanese music industry record of over 1 million albums sold on the first day of its release on Tuesday, according to music industry statistics tracking company Oricon.

AKB48's May 2011 release, "Everyday Kachusha," also set the previous first-day sales record at about 940,000.

Group member Manami Kobashi, 20, told press, “We totally weren't expecting this, so we are all still very surprised.”

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Japanese music industry has better artists, like Yui or Speed, but they don't sell so much. :/

0 ( +1 / -1 )

'Flying Get'?

They must have put a lot of work into this album. It's been a full 3 months since their last one. I'm sure they sing better in unison than ever before. It is sure to put a smile on the faces of lonely otaku everywhere.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Such a tragedy. So sad. My condolences to all those involved.

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"Flying get ...?!"

With all that money, they still cant afford to hire someone to check their damn Engrish once an album...

Agree .. so ... sad.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

I wonder what it must be like to be a less popular member of AKB48? Because make no mistake, with all those members, a handful of them are still lingering in near-anonymity. Imagine telling your classmates 'I've sold millions of records', but they don't believe you. The only ones who do know you are the core of die-hard otaku fans. Must be weird to be a part of this uber-famous, monstrously successful machine, but still be so detached from it.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

“Flying Get,”

And folks wonder why Japan's foreign langauge skills are so bad. Could it possibly be because many, if not most, of the popular groups/singers manage to butcher English for commercial purposes?

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

i thing they are amazing **Go AKB48

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Interesting, given that the number of lonely creepy otaku men is also setting new national records too. Maybe its just coincidence....

0 ( +5 / -5 )

Stay on topic please. AKB48's largest fan base are teenagers.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I think they are more cute as time passes :)

2 ( +4 / -2 )

grios: "I thing..." You are the lucky winner of the AKB48 album naming contest. Your payment will arrive in three months!

When I try to imagine a "Flying Get", I think of a dog jumping to catch a frisbee, a Nadeshiko player doing an airborne header, or some anime characters either doing battle or smooching midair. Am I close?

0 ( +0 / -1 )

Moderator is correct,if you were at the concert in Toyama you would know this.I am a fan,and well done to them all.They are a success,and reaching markets in Singapore and Taiwan,with a growing fan base,shops,and inspiring 48 groups to start up there.

I think the 30 to 40 year old's are on here,and growing more grumpy by the day.I don't think anyone understands Pop culture or youth trends as they happen.Everyone seems to remember their own golden youth with fond memories,but dismisses current popular culture as irrelevant.

AKB48 have a release of their DVD in the USA now,have performed there,and in France and Russia.It may be thanks to You Tube,Twitter and Facebook,but kids these days have a real understanding of music.Unlike the older generations who only ever heard British and American music,with the odd Jamaican or Latino song thrown in.

AKB are Japanese and topical,and this is a Japanese News forum,so well done for them for giving praise where it's due.And it always stimulates a nice response!

1 ( +5 / -4 )

I like their songs Beginner and Kurumi To Dialogue, actually pretty good pop songs, no matter what language. I agree with supercross mostly, but to be honest these girls aren't even fit to lick Namie Amuro's shoes (though I'm sure a few fetishists here would like that). 33 years old and still relevant, at the forefront of the music industry, an anomaly in fad-obsessed Japan. Not even Seiko Matsuda could keep herself relevants after 15 years, thank God. But you can still find good ol' Seiko-chan performing at dinner parties every New Year, maybe one of the AKB girls will join her in 20 years, LOL!

2 ( +3 / -1 )


Fine, you can have your musical geniuses Fill in the Blank 48.

I'm perfectly happy with my old school Morning Musume tunes (especially the Hawaiian style remake album with Takagi Boo on ukulele and vocals), Yamazaki Masayoshi, East End x Yuri, and a lot of other 90s J-Pop. I think that generation's taste in music was as eclectic as you have today. AKB48's tunes are not exactly genre-shaking, just following the same poppy formula that has been around since the days of disco. Except some of those 70s disco tunes rocked harder than these lasses.

Explain what makes AKB48 so groundbreaking. Even having numerous knock off groups is not new--what about West End x Yuka and all the other regional variations cooked up to capitalize on East End x Yuri's success. It's just a big marketing ploy with a small smidgen of artistry thrown in.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Who buys this crap. Dumb and Dumber?

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

Tora-san,don't get me wrong.I also liked Morning Musume back then.From hearing Morning Coffee,before they where even known as the First Generation,I was a fan of Aibon and Nono in W.And right to the top of the page,someone mention Yui.I think she has a great voice,hearing her singing,it's real emotion in her voice.

And tide above,you have me remembering Ice,Ice,Baby..!! Bubblegum Pop..I refuse to hum anything by the Spice Girls.

Supporting AKB48 like any Idol Group is more to do with the girls than the music,they are Idols,they are not purely a Pop Group.There is a difference.They perform at their Theatre,meet the fans,you walk out and high five them all.The real fans are Wota,and are fiercely loyal to there favourites.They act,have a TV show(several) and have big Hand Shake events(30,000 turn up for these) It is the fact that an "Idol Group" has taken the top spot away from many real musicians that gets many upset.

Even the real Wota know it's a money making machine,and moan about empty wallets! But they are happy to spend all they have on their Oshimen(favourite)

At the end of the day if you love Golf,and spend all your money playing it,that's good,it makes you happy.Some people Fish at weekends.We choose to support our Idols,and if it gets us off our phones and computer games,and jumping up and down with our glow sticks,it's not doing any harm.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

They are all on flat salary's, they don't see a penny of it as they are paid as "performers"

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Flying Get? At least when the Korean groups use English lyrics and song titles, as far as I've seen and heard, they are in correct English. The groups that visit Japan can also sing in English and Japanese with reasonable pronunciation (to the extent that what any of them does can be called singing). The Korean group 2PM last night on Music Station was interviewed in Japanese and sang in English. Can AKB or any Japanese group interview in English or Korean and sing in the other?

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

"Flying Get"? Not that I would have listened anyway, but I'll pass, thank you.

Tideofiron: "There's bubblegum music in every country - it's not just a Japan thing."

True, but do the bands have more than a hundred members in them? The Japanese music industry engages in the worst gimmicks for sales of any nation I know of, with SKorea following not too far behind (save that the latter tend to be able to dance and actually sing).

While I greatly dislike Enka, I'm starting to respect it a lot more because the people can sing for one, but also they use their own language without injecting meaningless and often quite stupid Katakana English. Does AKB48 have ANY songs that don't have Engrish in the title?

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

I apologise if I am wrong and their fan base is in fact made up of teenage girls, but whenever I see them in concert or on TV with an audience or even live (some of them a couple of times) the audience I see are most definitely NOT made up almost entirely of teenage girls. Try switching gender and adding a couple of decades.

Im not commenting on whether they are good or bad, bubble-gum pop or groundbreaking, just that, given we are discussing their album sales, and I am presuming their fan base are the ones buying it, I would have thought who makes up their fan base would be relevant, no?

2 ( +4 / -2 )

At least people are spending money!

Nicky Washida is right. While teenagers make up the majority, groups like this certainly have a huge number of creepy middle aged men as "fans". I have a daughter who is approaching this age and I feel very uncomfortable.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )



Props. Stay loyal to Bieber.

-4 ( +1 / -4 )

My kids are still very small 3 yrs and 7 yrs old and they are crazy about AKB48!! Kachusha!!

1 ( +1 / -0 )


frequent flyer milage small bag of peanuts ( unless you are in first class/business class, then you get better stuff )
0 ( +0 / -0 )

Ms Washida; Indeed many of their "fans" are creep otaku chaps. I have seen the drooling and slobbering over AKB48 stuff when i have been to Ebisucho. Of course these type of man buy the album and help make it record breaking, so your post was indeed on topic.

If people want to pay money for this trash it is their loss. You would be hard to find anything with lower musical integrity and quality.Personally i would prefer to spend some time searching the net for new bands with real creativity and original ideas, More fun and fullfilling.

-2 ( +2 / -5 )

Want good J-pop? too bad, the Komuro Family is over. So too are SPEED, MAX.

Personally though, I'm hoping someone like Noriyuki Makihara with his song writing talents will come back to save the industry.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Breitbart: "Props. Stay loyal to Bieber."

What's your problem, seriously? You have an unhealthy obsession with Bieber, and you even gave yourself a name resembling him. I have never liked, nor ever will like Bieber -- I'll leave him in your hands, my friend. Now, once again I ask, do you actually have a comment on the thread at hand? This is about AKB48. The only one who keeps bringing up Bieber is you -- breiber... err... Breitbart. :)

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Elbuda: "My kids are still very small 3 yrs and 7 yrs old and they are crazy about AKB48!! Kachusha!!"

That seems about the level of intellect in their songs -- and I'm not undermining your kids intellect in the least.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

What have they done to Tomomi Itano's face? it looks..out of this world.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Readers, Justin Bieber is not relevant to this discussion. Please stay on topic.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Although it is substantially true that Komuro's conviction destroyed much of the brighter future of the industry and if any shred of international esteem along with it, we still have Tsunku, Yasu Nakata and to a lesser extent Daisuke Assakura to maintain some form of composure in the market until a new genius can emerge, right guys?

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

J-music is not all about AKB48 style...There are still very good artists, like Bump Of Chicken, for example. I still prefer J-music than K-music, that is too americanized, at least in general (and this is the reason why it's getting so popular internationally).

Of course, in j-music industry there are too many girlbands with kawaii style, and this is disturbing. But you can still find very interesting songs and artists...Listen at JAMOSA - Nani Ka Hitotsu, for example. It's really very beautiful and emotional.

0 ( +1 / -1 )


Namie is still very much relevant, though not in the Family anymore. Funny you mentioned Komuro, I just downloaded his hit collection, great slice of 90s J-Pop, a time when the Japanese music industry had that same feeling of international excitement surrounding it that K-Pop does today.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Should people be influenced in their decision to buy music by who else could be listening to them ?If not why go on and on and on with the 'otaku' what ???

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Get back to reality and focus on what is important in life rather then being distracted by AKB48 or any other nonsense like it. They are totally pathetic in all regards...

0 ( +2 / -2 )

So much girls... can you imagine that old show called Celebrity Deathmatch between them and Morning Musume when they have 13 members?...probably the studio that make the program could run out of funds to put all this blood... XD

1 ( +2 / -1 )


these otaku chaps need to check out the Korean girl bands who are more mature and sexy . Wait, but then they are not like junior high girls............never mind. LOL

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

I like them. Give them much mire respect than most posters here

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Indeed many of their "fans" are creep otaku chaps

What a heck is Otaku chaps? Anyone?

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Why don't you come up with a AKB48 Obasan version? Seriously.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )


well according to wiki is the Japanese Internet slang word for buying a computer game, a music CD, etc. more than a day earlier than its official release date specified by manufacturer. **and we know wiki is reliable :)

and. p.s. you say their fans are otaku and old men trolling the net for anything AKB48 related, but what seems more creepy are the people sitting on their comp, coming back/looking at any post they "disagree" to post crap about it. Theres opinion and then theres talking crap just to be heard.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

American music bosses must be scratching their heads over this and thinking "How are you guys doing this?"

The Japanese industry works these girls to the bone, sell 1 million albums in one day, the amount of endorsement money would make Ichiros head spin and they are appearing on nearly every Tv channel, every day.

We dont see any unsavoury stories about their private lives, if there are any internal problems then we dont hear about it and they keep smiling throughout it all. The US music industry is in a death spiral and here in the Galapagos, records are getting smashed.

1 ( +2 / -1 )



There. You admitted it. It's about idolizing (=sexualizing) girls whose image is a cross between sweet and virginal (i.e. the appearance of being underage) and trampy (i.e. violable). The marketing genius is getting teenage girls to emulate AKB while at the same time getting creepy otaku guys to leer at them. Do you think that is a healthy force in society? How can you admire the people who produce this crap? Personally, I wouldn't want you or your kind anywhere near my daughter.

The producer Akimoto ended up marrying one of his Onyanko Club members. A couple of other OC members went on to pose nude. Now we have him producing girls who are designed to look like high school students frolicking in lingerie and bikinis. How can anyone deny the perverted sexual element that's at play here?

As for not being able to put a historical perspective on pop trends in the past -- yeah, sure, there has always been resistance to new pop trends. Good pop has been able to defend itself with the quality of its music. And even among groups who have negligible musical talent, AKB is not particularly novel. There has long been disposable music and schmucks eager to buy it. However, the media hype surrounding AKB has turned it into a sort of religion, with its followers (Wota?) and their "fierce loyalty" to their favorite girls getting scarier by the day. Just witness the comments by the Wota on this thread and the thumbs down to any apostates who dare critique what (I think) is a pretty unhealthy social trend.

0 ( +2 / -2 )



I agree with this sentiment but how is AKB48 different than anything else in modern society? Young girls are sexualized all the time in the West and in East Asian counties. Let's see, there are beauty pagents for five year old girls, teens placed in very adult situations on television and in movies. Scan through a few magazines at the news stand in Japan and it's not hard to find under aged girls dressed in a manner we wouldn't want to see our own daughters or neices. It's sad, but the shock has worn off.

Unfortunately, we are caught up in a time when ethics and morality are very fluid and constantly questioned. There is no question in my mind that the people running AKB48 put those girls in situations that they shouldn't be in. But it's also true that what they are doing is acceptable to their parents and is accepted by modern society. This happens when the line is pushed constantly year after year and then one day you wake up and discover why your parents were so appalled when you were young. I just think it's changing faster now than ever. You know what they say, sex sells - and in this case, it sells a million.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

ohh well i like marico ... thats all not all the member

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@Supercross I agree with you since im an AKB48 fan too...AKB48 have put all their energy and effort to put them on the top of Oricon Chart...every single they sang hit the no.1 chart no doubt on that compare to other artist in Japan... it's not because of the sexy trend but it's their culture...I rather want them singing then watching them killing themselves from jumping from a tall building or become the trash of society such as become a "HOOKER" or "GEISHA" since that is what all man in this forum want to see..right?

@plasticmonkey As what people said "The most dangerous person in the world is the one who don't talk" because they dun know what is happening to the world around them. For AKB48 and their sister group..they have a strict policy on "NO MEN's OR BOYFRIEND ALLOW" while they are in this idoling group compare to other Japanese group now a days. It is to teach them on responsibility as a girl group artist...each member is like a family and be taught to look after on one another. Bcoz they stay separately from their own family. Group member is the closest person they have then their own family. So i dun think they can give a bad example to the young ones. And yes they do ware sexy outfit as their trademark is "SKIRT HIRARI" it is also in one of their song Album. As for bikini's they are all sponsored by their sponsor. FYI they even have their own Fashion show for Summer, Winter and Autumn you can google it in youtube for more info.

@globalwatcher AKB48 also have another elderly group call the OJS48. It's stand for Ojisan group or old men's group. This group is specifically for all pensioner or old men's who have talent. And yes...that's a good idea too..but we could never know what AkiP is thinking. Maybe he will create this Obasan or OBS48 group in the future if they have a lot of supporter.

Everyone...this is not a debate on what's wrong and what's right coz everyone have different opinion on they seen or heard. But look at the bright side at least they are not doing criminal activity or westing their parent money or their time on something in bad influent. They event help their country raise $1 million USD for the Tsunami & Quake disaster. Learning and attending the Red cross drill in order to help their people in future disaster. And they are still helping their people by pleading for fund disaster in the recent event in "Music of Hope", help by other artist from other foreign country. Otaku fan or non otaku fan every singer in the world have their devoted fan. And it happens that AKB48 also can be famous like other famous Singer or actor in the world. But no artist have been in Genius World Book of Record like this them..So i will support them and support other artist too for doing something that they can for other (^_^)Y

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

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