Nogizaka46’s ‘Zehinioyobazu’ Soars to No. 1 on Japan Hot 100
Nogizaka46's single "Zehinioyobazu" has claimed the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart released on 29 July, marking the first time fifth-generation member Miku Ichinose has held the centre position for the group. The track's rise underlines the continued commercial dominance of physical single sales in the Japanese market, with the group extending an already lengthy streak of chart-topping releases.
The song, released 22 July as the lead track from Nogizaka46's 42nd single, sold 756,354 copies in its debut week, also placing No. 10 for downloads, No. 18 for streaming and No. 19 for radio; CD sales made up roughly 81% of its total points. Having circulated for five weeks via digital prerelease at No. 42, it jumped to No. 1 upon physical release, becoming the group's 33rd Hot 100 chart-topper and extending their run of 37 consecutive No. 1 singles on the sales chart since "Girls' Rule." Elsewhere on the chart, Mrs. GREEN APPLE's "Brand New" held at No. 2, DXTEEN's "Wanna" debuted at No. 3, and M!LK's "You!Joy!Parade!" jumped to No. 4.
In short
- Nogizaka46's "Zehinioyobazu" hits No. 1 on Japan Hot 100
- Track sold 756,354 copies, mostly via CD sales
- Group's 33rd No. 1 and 37th consecutive sales chart-topper
Explained simply
Nogizaka46 is one of Japan's most commercially successful pop music groups. The band operates with a rotating membership, with different members performing for a period before departing and new recruits joining to maintain the roster.
Japan's music market is structured differently from Western countries because physical CD sales remain the primary way listeners purchase music. The Japan Hot 100 chart combines physical sales, downloads, streams and radio play, but physical sales account for the majority of the points used to determine chart positions.
This market structure, where physical sales dominate, is how the Japanese music industry measures commercial performance for artists. It differs from Western markets, where streaming has become the dominant form of music consumption.