AKB48: “Beginner” Passes 1 Million In Actual Sales.
Earlier when “Beginner” was released I wrote about the record sales shipment of 1,030,000 giving the single a million certification by RIAJ [Note-Certification is based on store order numbers shipped, not on actual numbers sold. It`s the same with international certification]
“Beginner” has now officially crossed over one million in actual sales with 1,001,000 copies sold. By crossing, this sales mark “Beginner” now becomes the 243rd single in the history of all music genres here to reach one million in actual sales.
The last female group to have a single crossed over one million in actual sales was Morning Musume’s “Koi no Dance Site” in February 2000. That single would later pass 1,236,000 in sales.
The handshake tour dates
Nov 13 Apio Iwate
Nov 21 Hiroshima Prefectural Sports Center
Dec 5 Tsukisamu Dome
Dec 11 Ajinomoto Stadium [Soccer Stadium]
Dec 12 Fukuoka Kokusai Center
In related news, “Beginner” is currently at 865,988 copies sold.
In Breaking News
It took five tries; however, Suzuki Mariya got “Beginner” right on her blog posts. Those tricky single N`s and double E`s gave her trouble, however at last she figured it out
Time for some more fun with AKB48, see if you can spot the spelling error. The error was made by Suzuki Mariya [Mariyannu] .In her defense she is not good at English, but is cute as can be.
AKB48 once again sits on top of the female idol world, as “Beginner” and it`s near 830,000 opening week [Oricon reports the topping out at 827,000 for week 1] have captured a number of records.
With each single, AKB48`s capturing of records grows more impressive. “Beginner” treasure chest of records includes the following.
AKB48 had the highest first week sales totals of any female group in history by passing SPEED's "ALL MY TRUE LOVE" which was released 12 years ago.
They became the third highest sales total for the first week by a female artist. Falling in just behind Utada Hikaru's "Addicted To You" (1999/11 release) with 1068k, Amuro Namie's "CAN YOU CELEBRATE?" (1997/2 Release) with 828k.
First female artist to sell 500k first week for 3 singles consecutively ,while Hamasaki Ayumi holds the record with 25 consecutive #1 singles , AKB48 with “Beginner” has achieved their 5th consecutive #1 single .
“Beginner” also become the group’s third consecutive 500,000 + first week single.
In addition, if that was not impressive enough for you as of this writing AKB48 and “Beginner” currently sit at #9 on the top ten first week sales totals in history. If “Beginning manages to reach 830,000 they will move to #8.
“Beginner” impressive run ,is also being viewed as a sign of market turn around for physical singles as the current year income for singles is up by 105.6% from this time last year.
With what looks like a strong return by consumers for physical CDs, is there any record that is safe from the hands of AKB48 in 2011?
AKB48 Has signed an endorsement deal with 7-Eleven to promote nationally AKB48 member produced Christmas Cakes.
Ever wonder what AKB48 as a rock band would sound like? Well recently on Domoto Kyoudai they did just that as AKB48 performed “Beginner” with a live house band.
They also brought their charm and comedy to Mujack as AKB48 continue being the hardest working female Idol group in Japan with appearances airing almost nightly.
In sales news AKB48 continues to hold on to the #1 spot with 23,109 yesterday 791,295 total ,also “Heavy Rotation” shot up the charts to #10.
Mujack
Sayaka makes a guest spot as a skit comic role; this was one of their best guest appearances in a while. Lots of comedy and cuteness overload.
UPDATE-Added Team B ,version of the song from AKB Theatre
AKB48 are moving to arenas and sports stadiums at last.
For a national handshake and performance event tour that is.
AKB48 in support of "Beginner" are going on an arena and sports stadium handshake tour .The tour starts November 7 and ends December 12.
AKB48 "Beginner" Celebration Tour
[Seats]
Nov 7 Saitama Super Arena [37,000]
Nov 13 Apio Iwate[2,000]
Nov 21 Hiroshima Prefectural Sports Center [10,000]
Dec 5 Tsukisamu Dome [5,831]
Dec 11 Ajinomoto Stadium [Soccer Stadium] [49,970]
Dec 12 Fukuoka Kokusai Center [10,000]
In Sales news AKB48 held on to the #1 position with 26,077 [768,186]
Sales were down across the board as rain and strong winds in the Kanto region from a Typhoon affected various events.
If you have some free time and want to play a game, here is something for you.
The AKB48 TV performance costumes are the same; however, each member is wearing something that another member is not.
The items are the following
Maeda - badge
Oshima - glove
Shinoda - tail
Itano - hat on her waist
Watanabe - suspenders
Takahashi - armband
Kojima - ribbon on her waist
Kashiwagi - rings
Miyazawa - wristband
Matsui J. - pouch
Matsui R. - chain
Kasai - garter
Takajo - earrings
Minegishi - glasses
Kitahara - white wristband
Sashihara - pass case (trains/subway ID/Pass Case)
Here are three recent performances; if you look closely, you can spot the items.
AKB48 “Beginner” continues it`s impressive run and in only three days taking the top spot for the #1 single in Japan for 2010 by passing Arashi’s Troublemaker who at last count had sold 693,000 . AKB48 impressive three-day total of 742,109, puts for at least one single AKB48 as the top artist for 2010.
With several more days of sales the chances are that this single will reach it`s distribution numbers of 1,030,000
With their rapid rise, you have to think that a shift to major venues such as the Tokyo Dome and possible Outdoor Stadiums is in their future.
However, there is one other thing to consider, have AKB48 with “Beginner” set the bar so high that the first time front girls for the 19th single cannot live up to expectations it will bring to top this single?
What will they do next to continue their record breaking rise?
AKB48 entered the Oricon daily charts with a first day sales total of 568,095 .The next closest release to AKB48 at #2 sold 14,696 , #3 came in at 4,746 . Morning Musume/Muten Musume came in at #6
It`s not often that you see a release nearly out sale a groups entire catalog of releases in it`s first day.
These numbers actually go much deeper then showing that the gap between AKB48 and Morning Musume has reached the point that Hello!Project will be unable or unwilling to fight to match. It shows that the gap between AKB48 and Arashi is getting smaller .
AKB48 by reaching #1 with 568,095 becomes the highest selling single day total since Oricon started reporting daily releases .
Currently the best selling single for 2010 is Arashi's "Troublemaker" with 699k ,there is very strong signs pointing to AKB48 passing that total on day two at the earliest .
AKB48 has gone from just a simple Akiba idol group to Onyanko Club respect, mentioned along side the very best in the history of this industry both male and female.
They are changing the face and the standards of JPOP Idol genre for female groups.
AKB48 are the current queen's of the female branch of JPOP Idol genre , they are opening doors for many new groups to be discovered and very little it seems can stop them now from becoming the best female JPOP idol group in history .
A lot was said before the release of Beginner about the video being edited and that the original first not being able to be released, then it is only for mobile downloads. After seeing the uncut version, I understand why it was considered for editing.
When it comes to gore films, it falls short of the classics and I think in a lot of ways it could have been released in it`s original format. There are several "terminations ,they are in a video game" in the video, and the screams in the single comes from when Maeda breaks free of the virtual world and feels real pain.
I can see from a marketing standpoint how small children, could be bothered by the video, however overall there are horror films and the AKB School drama that was much more violent.
In the end, it could be hard to see their favorite member suffer in this video and given the time of day it would air ,maybe it was best to hold off the TV release and CD release.
Record label censorship or another brilliant marketing stunt ?You decided.
UPDATE
There is a large amount of posters in Shibuya promoting this single, it is impossible not to know this single is out.
Midday -Some media outlets have the single already past Heavy Rotation midday totals by a lot .
I don`t want to give numbers yet as everything is subject to change.
The media is a buzz over the AKB48 1 million first press shipment, so I thought I would share with you some of the records that could fall this time.
Oricon has announced that if AKB48 sells 1,030,000 copies of Beginner in the first week , they will become the first opening-week million seller in approximately 11 years since Utada Hikaru's "Addicted to You", released in November 1999.
The last time a million was achieved was by Akikawa Masafumi 's "Sen no Kaze ni natte" in May 2006. A single that took approximately a full year to clear 1 million sales.
They will also achieve this in a time that has seen in the last ten years the increase in digital sales lowering physical CD sales across the board.
Tower Records representatives have reported to Yomiuri news that compared to the last time (Heavy Rotation) the period for preorders was smaller, but it completely outsold it putting it on the same pre sales levels as JE's top groups .AKB48 makes a strong rival" and competition for JE`s with a large number of middle and high school students buying CDs according to a Music Research firm.
AKB48 recently came back from a Korean event on the 23rd and have upcoming concerts in Macau and Singapore and are expected to be headliners for the End-Year Music Shows. According to several public relations representatives for a number of store franchises, “AKB48 seems to be building a lot of expectation.”
King Records has shipped 1,030,000 copies of the first press edition of Beginner to the stores.
Add this news item on top of a Ninki score of 550.70 and AKB48 are yet again looking at record sales.
To compare the last two Ninki scores
351.30 Heavy Rotation ------------sold 527,336 week one and is still charting after 9 weeks at 677,034 in total sales. [650,000 was shipped first press]
260.80 Ponytail to Shushu ---------sold 513,453 week one and is still charting after 21 weeks at 645,498 in total sales
Will the controversial Beginner finally send AKB48 to the Love Machine level of idols? We will see soon.
I am not going to say this is the final official "edited"version that will replace what everyone was expecting .I will just say that it`s just another piece in the strange puzzle that this release has become.
This version says Dance Version, and all they have done is create more mixed feelings, the game segments have been removed and it`s mixed with dance and making of scenes, it also has segments in it that the song completely stops before restarting.
Given how strange this entire release build up has been who knows what will happen next.
For now, you will not find this video on Youtube; instead, you can watch it here and decide how you feel about this.
On AKBINGO! They aired a special version of Beginner, showing the different formations. If this is what the "so called edited version" will be like, then it`s not so bad. , however TV stations have not stop showing the TV ads for the original version and no scenes have been edited from the TV ads.
