AKB48

Twitter: @AKB48_staff

Instagram: @akb48

YouTube: @akb48 (Music Channel)

YouTube: @akbsudach (Variety Channel)

YouTube: @akb48mukashikiita (20th Anniversary Channel)

TikTok: @akb48_official_tiktok

AKB48 is an all-female Japanese theater/idol group. AKB48 used to be divided into five teams: Team A, Team K, Team B, Team 4, Team 8, and the Kenkyusei or trainees who usually substitute for missing members. As of October 17, 2023, AKB48 began promoting as a full group after abolishing their team system. As of February 25, 2026, the group has released 67 major singles (69 including the 2 indie singles) with 25 different title track center's, W-center's and even one 4-person centered song. The group will have also released 7 studio albums as well as 3 compilation albums, which when included take the amount of combined title track center's to 27.

Unlike other idol groups in Japan, AKB48 are theatre-based and have their own theatre in Akihabara (a district in Tokyo, Japan) where they perform once every weekday, and twice on both Saturday and Sunday. The theatre is set up on the 8th floor of Don Quixote. The group follows 2 main concepts, "idols you can meet" and a "growth" concept, with the former being self explanatory with both the handshake events and the almost continuous theatre performances, while the latter is with the idea of turning unrefined members with weak/untrained dance, singing and variety skills, into polished diamonds with the fans being able to watch the overall journey of improvement as they do group activities. The end goal is for the members to enter the entertainment industry after a "graduation" event, with the more successful ones being able to debut as soloists or actresses, although some have even debuted in new groups with Miyawaki Sakura and LE SSERAFIM, or produce their own groups franchise with Sashihara Rino producing =LOVE, ≠ME and ≒JOY, as the 2 most famous non-traditional examples.

The group's original dance level overall for a while was considered amateurish and not at a high level, although after 2020 both the dance level/intensity and singing abilities have both improved drastically, to keep up with both domestic and overseas competition. The lyrics are varied but follows the "unrequited love at 17 years old" as one of the key influences, with a mid-tempo pacing alongside the non-autotune vocals being the signature for the groups style, although with 67 single releases there's tons of variety and experimentation across the 20 years (actually all Akimoto Yasushi idol groups have a non-autotune vocal base, he in particular likes the imperfect raw vocals clashing together to create an amateurish feel, while also making it so the idol groups that he produces all have a distinct sound and don’t overlap heavily).

The group also holds the following records:

• Most consecutive million-selling singles sold in Japan — In October 2013 AKB48's 33rd single ("Heart Electric") sold 1,021,000 copies on its first day, becoming the group's 14th consecutive million-selling single and breaking the previous record of 13 held by B'z.

• Most million-selling singles in Japan — In December 2013, the group's 34th single ("Suzukake no Ki no Michi de "Kimi no Hohoemi o Yume ni Miru" to Itte Shimattara Bokutachi no Kankei wa Dō Kawatte Shimau no ka, Bokunari ni Nan-nichi ka Kangaeta Ue de no Yaya Kihazukashii Ketsuron no Yō na Mono") sold 1,033,000 copies during its first week. AKB48's 16th million-selling single, it broke the previous record held by B'z for 13 years and nine months.

• Highest Japanese sales of a female single — In June 2017, the group's 48th single ("Negaigoto no Mochigusare") sold 2,555,912 copies during its first week. It broke the previous record held by Dreams Come True.

• Highest Japanese single sales of a musical act — AKB48's 60 singles' total sales reached 73.5 million copies.