AKB48 Just Miss 1 Million Sales For The Week

AKB48 Just Miss 1 Million Sales For The Week

AKB48 have reached another incredible milestone with their 20th single “Sakura no Ki ni Narou”. “Sakura no Ki ni Narou” sold an impressive 942,479 copies in it`s first week.  Yet the news does not end there, the last single to sale 900,000 in it`s release week was Utada Hikaru’s 1999 single “Addicted To You” which sold 1,068,000 copies.

AKB48 are currently have the highest sales totals of any artists to debut in the 2000`s, while “Sakura no Ki ni Narou” is 6th highest first week sales in Japanese history. Should this current single achieve the one million sales mark, AKB48 will find themselves in the same company of artists as Mr. Children, GLAY and B’z. in terms of sales and overall popularity.

With their number, ranking AKB48 now has seven number one singles in a row  an accomplishment that was last accomplished by   a female group was Pink Lady in 1978 .

With AKB48 now landing a new prime time variety show slot ,something that is equal to artists  of the likes of SMAP ,little now seems to stand in the way of AKB48 becoming one if not the greatest female  idol group  in Japanese music history. That however is a bold task to accomplish  as the 70`s and 80`s were a legendary time for female idols.

Unless a major damaging scandal hits this group ,little can slow this group down now other then themselves . And as AKB48 continues it`s march ,the effect on Indie idols is being felt as more major labels are hunting for that one idol group that can challenge AKB48. It truly is a great time for this genre to grow into a major mainstream force again.