Ae! Group’s ‘Gotta Be’ Shoots to No. 1 on the Japan Hot 100

Ae! Group’s “Gotta Be” blasts in at No. 1 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, dated Oct. 16.

The title track of the quintet’s second single launched with 411,052 CDs in its first week to rule sales and also came in at No. 4 for radio airplay. Though the figure didn’t match the previous release, “A-Beginning” (782,835 copies in its first week), “Gotta Be” gives Ae! Group its first No. 1 on the tally.

NMB48’s “Ganbaranuwai” debuts at No. 2. The girl group’s 30th single sold 251,651 copies in its first week to hit No. 2 for sales.

Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s “Lilac” follows at No. 3. The Oblivion Battery opener is still going strong in three metrics of the chart’s measurement: streaming (up 101%), downloads (up 112%), and karaoke (slight gain). The former No. 1 hit has coasted along in the top 3 for seven consecutive weeks and in the top 5 for 26 consecutive weeks. The three-man pop band recently launched its eight-day residency at K-Arena Yokohama, slated to run through Nov. 20.

Creepy Nuts’ “Otonoke” jumps 32-4. The opener for the anime series Dandadan dropped digitally on Oct. 4 and debuted at No. 32 last week. Streaming for the track increased by 337% compared to last week, downloads by 135%, and radio by 437%. The number of downloads has remained higher than that of the duo’s smash hit “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born” in both the first and second weeks, so whether the pair’s latest release can also become a long-term hit is something to keep an eye on.

Comparing the number of streams by country during the first week for each track, “BBBB” logged 33% of its plays from Japan and 16% from the U.S., while “Otonoke” accumulated 41% from Japan and 18% from the U.S., showing a slight increase in the U.S., according to Luminate. In other countries, “BBBB” was played more in Europe, such as in Germany and Spain, while “Otonoke” was played more in Southeast Asia and Latin America, including Mexico and Indonesia.

Official HIGE DANdism’s “Same Blue” rises 7-5. Streaming for the Blue Box opener gained 188% compared to the week before.

KID PHENOMENON’s “Unstoppable” debuts at No. 6, selling 66,499 copies and coming in at No. 3 for sales.

The Billboard Japan Hot 100 combines physical and digital sales, audio streams, radio airplay, video views and karaoke data.

See the full Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart, tallying the week from Oct. 7 to 13, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English X account.

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