Popular magazine Nikkei Entertainment recently revealed their Year-End charts for 2014, which list the highest selling music releases over the past 12 months.  Nikkei’s rankings make use of Soundscan’s numbers, so as with the normal Soundscan Chart, these rankings are a better reflection of what people in Japan who use conventional purchase methods (i.e. music/convenience stores and unaffiliated online retailers) are actually buying.

This year the Singles ranking was topped by popular idol group AKB48, with their single “Labrador Retriever” selling 651,982 copies between its eight versions.  On the other hand, the Album ranking was topped by the juggernaut that is the Frozen Soundtrack, which managed to breach the million mark and sell 1,026,380 copies over the course of the year.  For comparison, last year’s top single was Arashi’s “Calling / Breathless”, which sold 881,144 copies between three versions, with Arashi’s album “LOVE” likewise ending up atop last year’s Album ranking with a grand total of 795,245 copies sold.

Check out Soundscan’s full yearly charts below, and look forward to seeing how they compare to Oricon’s numbers for the year.

-Nikkei Entertainment (Soundscan) Yearly Sales Rankings-

Singles:

1. AKB48 – Labrador Retriever (Sales Number:  651,982|8 Versions)
2. Arashi – GUTS! (Sales Number:  613,223|2 Versions)
3. Arashi – Bittersweet (Sales Number:  597,700|2 Versions)
4. Arashi – Dare mo Shiranai (Sales Number:  527,718|2 Versions)
5. Kanjani8 – King of OTOKO! (Sales Number:  397,073|3 Versions)
6. Kanjani8 – Itta Janai Ka / CloveR (Sales Number:  307,964|3 Versions)
7. AKB48 – Mae Shika Mukanee (Sales Number:  302,454|6 Versions)
8. AKB48 – Kokoro no Placard (Sales Number:  286,876|8 Versions)
9. Kanjani8 – Hibiki (Sales Number:  269,648|2 Versions)
10. Johnny’s WEST – Ee Janai Ka (Sales Number:  244,915|4 Versions)
11. Eight Ranger – ER2 (Sales Number:  239,940|3 Versions)
12. Hey! Say! JUMP – AinoArika / Aisureba Motto Happy Life (Sales Number:  236,786|4 Versions)
13. Hey! Say! JUMP – Weekender / Ashita e no YELL (Sales Number:  217,305|4 Versions)
14. Kanjani8 – Omoidama (Sales Number:  212,249|2 Versions)
15. Kis-My-Ft2 – Another Future (Sales Number:  201,569|3 Versions)
16. Kis-My-Ft2 – Hikari no Signal (Sales Number:  197,457|3 Versions)
17. NEWS – ONE -for the win- (Sales Number:  171,705|3 Versions)
18. Nogizaka46 – Kizuitara Kataomoi (Sales Number:  161,469|4 Versions)
19. Nogizaka46 – Nandome no Aozora ka (Sales Number:  150,186|4 Versions)
20. Nogizaka46 – Natsu no Free&Easy (Sales Number:  148,695|4 Versions)

Albums:

1. Various Artists – Frozen Soundtrack (Sales Number:  1,026,380)
2. Arashi – THE DIGITALIAN (Sales Number:  796,359)
3. Amuro Namie – Ballada (Sales Number:  447,576)
4. Fukuyama Masaharu – HUMAN (Sales Number:  307,582)
5. BUMP OF CHICKEN – RAY (Sales Number:  293,908)
6. Kis-My-Ft2 – HIT! HIT! HIT! (Sales Number:  271,026)
7. Kanjani8 – Kanjanism (Sales Number:  270,221)
8. AKB48 – Tsugi no Ashiato (Sales Number:  265,465)
9. May J. – Heartful Song Covers (Sales Number:  250,069)
10. Kis-My-Ft2 – Kis-My-Journey (Sales Number:  243,289)
11. Yuzu – Shinsekai (Sales Number:  223,567)
12. Takeuchi Mariya – TRAD (Sales Number:  219,814)
13. Sandaime J Soul Brothers – THE BEST / BLUE IMPACT (Sales Number:  218,610|Total (counting the few days it was on sale before Soundscan’s Year began):  297,266)
14. EXILE ATSUSHI – Music (Sales Number:  203,062)
15. SMAP – Mr.S (Sales Number:  197,152)
16. E-girls – COLORFUL POP (Sales Number:  171,506)
17. Shoujo Jidai – THE BEST (Sales Number:  161,410)
18. DREAMS COME TRUE – ATTACK25 (Sales Number:  159,365)
19. EXILE TRIBE – EXILE TRIBE REVOLUTION (Sales Number:  150,929)
20. Kazumasa Oda – Oda Biyori (Sales Number:  149,055)

(via Nikkei Entertainment Magazine)