NMB48 Rises to No. 1, as Long-Running Hits Return to Top 20 on Japan Hot 100

<a href="/music/nmb48">NMB48</a>'s "Warota People" takes the top spot on the latest Billboard Japan Hot 100 dated Dec. 25 to 31, selling 298,081 CDs in its first week. The Japanese girl group based in Namba, Osaka, came in at No. 1 for physical sales, No. 4 for look-ups, and No. 10 for Twitter mentions.

With Christmas having come and gone, holiday songs have dropped off this week's chart and long-running hits have returned to the top 20 due to the artists' appearances in various year-end live music specials.

The songs that have risen this week include Yoko Oginome's "Dancing Hero," <a href="/music/DAOKO">DAOKO</a> x <a href="/music/Kenshi-Yonezu">Kenshi Yonezu</a>'s "Uchiage Hanabi," <a href="/music/TWICE">TWICE</a>'s "TT," <a href="/music/nogizaka-46">Nogizaka46</a>'s "Influencer," <a href="/music/Gen-Hoshino">Gen Hoshino</a>'s "Family Song," and <a href="/music/Daichi-Miura">Daichi Miura</a>'s "EXCITE." These songs share a common trait in that all were boosted mainly by downloads, streaming, and video views. Physical sales are on the rise as well, but the effects of holiday consumer activity and the artists' TV performances appears to have manifested in digital points before influencing the physical.

The breakthrough successes of Gen Hoshino, who's "Koi" became the No. 1 song of 2017 on the Japan Hot 100, and <a href="/music/Keyakizaka46">Keyakizaka46</a>, which landed three songs in the year-end top 10, started from their songs' performances on the tally around the end and beginning of the new year. 

Will a long-running hit become the No. 1 song of 2018 as it did last year, or will a yet-to-be-released track break new ground? The race has already begun, so check out the action on the Japan charts as we continue to keep you updated every week.

The Billboard Japan Hot 100 combines physical and digital sales, radio airplay, Twitter mentions, YouTube and GYAO! video views, Gracenote look-ups and audio streams from Apple Music, AWA, Google Play Music, KKBOK, LINE MUSIC, Rakuten Music, Recochoku provided by Gfk Japan, as well as streaming counts based on lyrics displayed on PetitLyrics.

Watch the "Warota People" music video:
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CpdmskJ0arM" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Billboard Japan Hot 100 Top 20 (dated Dec. 25 to 31)
1. Warota People / NMB48
2. Mabataki / back number
3. Dancing Hero / Yoko Oginome
4. Uchiage Hanabi / Daoko X Kenshi Yonezu
5. Reboot / TVXQ
6. Anata / Hikaru Utada
7. TT / TWICE
8. White Love / Hey!Say!JUMP
9. Influencer / Nogizaka46 
10. Kaze Ni Fukaretemo / Keyakizaka46
11. Heart Shaker / TWICE
12. Family Song / Gen Hoshino
13. DNA / BTS
14. Hero / Namie Amuro
15. 72 / Atarashii Chizu
16. Kaede / Spitz
17. LIKEY / TWICE
18. EXCITE / Daichi Miura
19. Toutoi / flumpool
20. Shape Of You / Ed Sheeran