AKB48 Sets Oricon Records With "Beginner"

Oricon has just announced the official weekly sales numbers for AKB48's latest single "Beginner." In its first week, the single sold approximately 827,000 copies, becoming their fifth consecutive number-one.

That total sets a new record for first-week single sales by a female group, surpassing SPEED's "ALL MY 

TRUE LOVE," which sold 601,000 copies in 1998. Among all female artists (group and solo), "Beginner" ranks #3 in first-week single sales, behind Hikaru Utada's "Addicted To You" (1.068 million) in 1999 and Namie Amuro's "CAN YOU CELEBRATE?" (828,000) in 1997. However, that makes them #1 so far in the 21st century, outselling Utada's "Can You Keep A Secret?" (784,000) in 2001.

"Beginner" is also AKB48's third consecutive single to sell more than half a million copies in the first week. This also sets a record for female artists, as Utada and Ayumi Hamasaki held the previous record with streaks of two consecutive singles.

AKB48 - Beginner

Source: tokyograph.com