We’re back with this week’s edition of Oricon Flashback. This is where we look back on what topped the charts this week 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 years ago. Think of it as a way to reminisce and learn about the past of Japanese music.
This week’s guests were SixTONES, Little Glee Monster, Nogizaka46, TOMORROW X TOGETHER, and Hirose Kohmi.
SixTONES – Boku ga Boku Janai Mitai da
Little Glee Monster – VIVA / Konayuki
Nogizaka46 – Boku wa Boku wo Suki ni Naru
TOMORROW X TOGETHER – Force
Hirose Kohmi – Gerende ga Tokeru Hodo Koishitai
Hey, Arama Japan! It’s Friday, so it’s Open Post time! Feel free to chat with your fellow readers about whatever you like! Enjoy!
Yuta Tamamori of Kis-My-Ft2 is the coverboy for issue 2236 of anan, out February 3. In this issue, titled “Kanno no Kioku.” (“Sensuality’s Memory.”), Yuta shows off his well-trained body.
This is Yuta’s first time appearing nude in anan since he was the star of August 2015’s “Ai to SEX” issue. This issue differs from 2015’s in that Yuta’s aura is now more adult. “I want to make a more sensual gravure that exceeds the previous one. I can now show maturity as an adult man, a different approach than before,” an enthusiastic Yuta said of the shoot.
Yuta’s new gravure anan shoot has two themes, “sweet time” and “wild sensuality.” In the magazine, he is paired with a female model for the shoot, which includes kissing scenes, bed scenes, and shower scenes.
Also featured in the new issue of anan is a gravure shoot and interview from Travis Japan‘s Genta Matsuda, as well as interview with Shirota Yu and Furukawa Yuta on the sensuality of musicals.
Check out Yuta’s new anan cover below!
At the end of 2019, Urata Naoya announced that he was leaving AAA, after his assault arrest earlier that year. He did say at the time that he would eventually resume his solo career, and that time is now.
During his nearly two year hiatus, Naoya considered ending his solo career due to the sadness that his actions in 2019 caused his fans. He overcame these feelings though due to the encouragement of Avex’s Max Matsuura.
Last September, BENI announced that she was married and pregnant with her first child. She revealed on her official website that she gave birth to her baby on January 26!
In her statement, she expressed gratitude to everyone who looked over her during her pregnancy. She also promised to continue to do her best, both as an artist and as a new mother.
BENI also posted a photo of her new baby on her Instagram! See BENI’s baby below!
This month on the download side, one song from 2020 was certified Triple Platinum for selling 750,000 downloads: LiSA‘s “Homura.”
One song from 2020 was certified Double Platinum for selling 500,000 downloads: Yonezu Kenshi’s “Kanden.”
Two songs from 2020 were certified Platinum for selling 250,000 downloads: Uru‘s “Anata ga Iru Koto de” and NiziU‘s “Make you happy.”
Two songs from 2020 were certified Gold for selling 100,000 downloads: King Gnu‘s “Sanmon Shousetu” and LiSA & Uru‘s “Saikai.”
On the streaming side, one song from 2020 was certified Platinum for reaching 100,000,000 streams: LiSA’s “Homura.”
Four songs from 2020 were certified Gold for reaching 50,000,000 streams: Hirai Dai‘s “Stand by me, Stand by you.”, Yuri‘s “Dry Flower”, and YOASOBI‘s “Tabun” & “Gunjou.”
Twelve songs from 2020 were certified Silver for reaching 30,000,000 streams: Uru’s “Prologue”, King Gnu‘s “Humor”, Suda Masaki‘s “Niji”, SEKAI NO OWARI‘s “silent”, TWICE‘s “I CAN’T STOP ME”, NiziU’s “Boom Boom Boom” & “Step and a step”, Vaundy‘s “Fukakoryoku”, BTS‘ “ON”, Kenshi & Noda Yojiro‘s “PLACEBO”, Reol‘s “Dairokkan”, and Lady Gaga & Ariana Grande‘s “Rain On Me.”
It has been 10 years since AKB48 broke into the mainstream, kickstarting what is now known as the “Idol Warring States Period”. While the boom has long since ended, the current state of the idol scene seems to show no signs of stopping. Due to the ever changing nature of the scene even as it matures, no single idol – whether major or chika – is able to fully represent the genre in its entirety, especially as the acts continue to diversify, fragment and become ever more complex. Alongside the evolution of the genre are the changing relationships idols have with the fans that face them, as well as the metamorphosis of what career progression looks like for any given idol.