AKB48‘s newly released janken single “Ue Kara Mariko” turned heads this week, with reported first week sales totaling an impressive 1,198,864 copies. With a sizable 959,280 copies sold on the first day alone the group easily took the #1 spot on Oricon’s weekly single charts, giving them their 11th consecutive chart-topper. Though the release could not become AKB’s record 3rd consecutive single to sell a million copies on the first day, it did become their record 4th consecutive single to sell a million copies in the first week.
With this milestone all five of the group’s singles for 2011 are million status, tying them with iconic Japanese rock band GLAY for most consecutive million-selling singles by an artist. For female artists, AKB48 now sits alone atop the throne of most million-selling singles, with a grand total of 6. They surpass legendary industry names such as Hamasaki Ayumi, Namie Amuro, Utada Hikaru, and Pink Lady, all of who have 5.
In the grander scheme of things, “Ue Kara Mariko” ranks fifth all-time in highest first week sales of a Japanese single:
- “FLYING GET” (2011) – AKB48 – 1,354,492
- “Everyday, Kachuusha” (2011) – AKB48 – 1,333,969
- “Kaze wa Fuite Iru” (2011) – AKB48 – 1,300,482
- “Namonaki Uta” (1996) – Mr.Children – 1,208,230
- “Ue Kara Mariko” (2011) – AKB48 – 1,198,864
- “Addicted to You” (1999) – Utada Hikaru – 1,067,510
- “Dango 3 Kyoudai” (1999) – Hayami Kentaro, Shigemori Ayumi, Himawari Kids & Dango Gasshoudan – 1,025,740
- “Winter, again” (1999) – GLAY – 955,780
- “LOVE PHANTOM” (1995) – B’z – 951,14
- “Sakura no Ki ni Narou” (2011) – AKB48 – 942,479
- “Kimi ga Iru Dake de / Aishiteru” (1992) – Kome Kome Club – 924,780
- “Yuuwaku” (1998) – GLAY – 841,280
- “Can You Celebrate?” (1997) – Amuro Namie – 828,480
- “Beginner” (2010) – AKB48 – 826,989
- “Wait & See ~ Risk ~” (2000) – Utada Hikaru – 804,570
- “Don’t Leave Me” (1994) – B’z – 791,310
- “Can You Keep A Secret?” (2001) – Utada Hikaru – 783,620
- “Hadashi no Megami” (1993) – B’z – 778,330
- “YAH YAH YAH” (1993) – CHAGE and ASKA – 754,040
- “Sakurazaka” (2000) – Fukuyama Masaharu – 751,620
One year ago, AKB48 released their first ever janken single “CHANCE no Junban“. With a line-up composed of mainly non-senbatsu members, it was to be expected the single would sell as much as the breakout “BEGINNER” that came before it. To be honest, I expected the same kind of thing this year. Even with Mariko-sama at the forefront, I did not think “Ue Kara Mariko” would sell as much as the four singles before it. Besides totally proving me wrong, the group’s milestone achievement with this release shows many other things.
First, if this single which did not feature their main line-up sells this much, future singles that will inevitably feature their main line-up are pretty much guaranteed to sell even more. Second, the group’s momentum and selling-power this year were absolutely incredible, so much that I feel like it did not matter what they released; people were going to buy it, and buy a crap ton of it. There’s only one group seeing figures in the millions on a regular basis, and that group is AKB48. This is in an age when physical CD sales have declined significantly.
Finally, there are no names that come to mind other than Ayu-Namie-Utada when talking about massively successful and influential solo female artists in the past decade. This trio of divas is it, and to have topped them in the million-sellers category let alone any category is no small feat. These girls have really done it this time, and as a fan I’m excited to be a part of it all. Words cannot describe this incredible ride I’m on!
Though this single marks the last from our beloved idol group for 2011, it surely is a great way to conclude their brilliant year. While not official yet, AKB will most likely be colonizing the top 5 spots on Oricon’s yearly single ranking. I don’t think any artist in the history of Oricon has done something quite like that XD. I look forward to the announcement, and yet another milestone achievement.
Whatever may happen from here on out, 2011 will certainly be a year to remember in Japanese music, and AKB48 will certainly be a group to remember.
Source: Oricon
