SMAP garners highest audience rating during 'Kohaku Uta Gassen'
Entertainment ( 18 )
TOKYO —
SMAP and EXILE garnered the highest television audience rating during NHK’s popular New Year’s eve musical program “Kohaku Uta Gassen.”
SMAP, who performed last at around 11:30 p.m., drew an audience rating of 48.2%, followed by EXILE with 45.7%, Ikimonogakari with 45.2%, and Arashi with 44.6%. Sayuri Ishikawa, who was the last female act for the Red team, got 44.7%, according to video research by Sports Nippon.
The evening’s youngest performers, Mana Ashida, 7, and Fuku Suzuki, 7, had an audience rating of 39.1%.
Lady Gaga, who performed by video link from New York at 10 p.m., got 40%.
Japan Today
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18 Comments
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0
some14some
Right time for a nap for elderly people (!) nope (?)
-2
some14some
i was commenting on : Lady Gaga, who performed by video link from New York at 10 p.m., got 40%.
2
gyouza
"It'll be over soon, switch on the TV so we can see the live broadcast from the temple"
2
papigiulio
unbelievable. How can SMAP the band with the worst singers (listen to their live voices) be number 1. At least Atsushi from Exile can sing live, but SMAP? Would love to know what the ratings were for Gaki no tsukai. Was another brilliant one this year.
-1
plasticmonkey
As I understand it, an audience rating is based on surveys of how many people watched a particular program. How can you accurately rate a particular segment of a program since viewers have little advance notice of when an act is going to perform on the show? Did a certain percentage of viewers switch on the tube just to watch SMAP? Or was it just luck? Or did Johnny's pay just a little more to Sports Nippon?
Another reason for me to take these ratings with a very generous grain of salt.
2
Michael J. Morris
plastic monkey, viewers were able to use the interactive function on their TV to see exactly the lineup and the performing times. all you had to do was push the red button on your TV remote and all the info popped up. That way allowing people to know exactly what time to switch over from whatever other crap they happened to be watching at that time. New Years Eve in Japan equals rotten TV in my opinion.
-1
Ms. Alexander
SMAP has got to the one of the worst (if not the worst) band in Japan. None of them can sing. It's amazing how popular they are. I mean, they're not good looking either! They're funny and definitely shouldn't be labeled as a singing group.
Exile can sing and dance though :)
-1
namabiru4me
I was in another room when SMAP came on...it was the worst sound EVER! Why have them live?? At least have them lip sync.
-1
noirgaijin
I am guilty of contributing to the 48.2% rating SMAP received, by falling asleep with the TV still tuned to NHK prior to their performance. Can I have whatever my contributed percentage was during their performance returned please?
-1
timeon
I am also guilty. I was in Bali, flipping through channels, and I suddenly stumbled upon the horrendous sounds of these guys. I was so shocked that almost one minute passed before coming back to my senses and changing the channel
-1
MaboDofuIsSpicy
These four men are tone deaf. How can people even listen to them?
In America, tone deaf singers would be booed off the stage.
-1
LoveNot
They are actually 5. Anyway they are much better than AKB48. 48 vs 5 tone deaf.
-4
smithinjapan
I doubt very much they got the highest ratings because of whom they are -- they got them because of the time slot, which was JUST before midnight and the dawn of the new year.
MaboDofulsSpicy: "These four men are tone deaf. How can people even listen to them?"
Not only that, but they can't play any instruments, can't write their own music or lyrics, and can't dance worth a damn. In short, they are talentless hacks, and always have been. LoveNot has a good point that they are better than AKB48, though -- now there's an entire SWARM of talentless hacks!
2
nghhhh
@smithinjapan
SMAP also received the highest rating in 2000,2006,2007 when they didn't appear as the last performer. They also were the second highest rated performer in 1999 when they appeared at the beginning of the second half.
1
nghhhh
@plasticmonkey NHK always reveal the performance sequence a week or days before the actual show. The audience know while the media will give a thorough analysis of the professionally counted ratings days after New Year. The viewers are easily counted since people tune in via subscriptions and even on mobile.
A lot of you guys seems uninformed about Kohaku it seems. It's a great New Year's Eve tradition and this year show was one of the best I've had the pleasure of seeing.
2
Seiharinokaze
Viewers tend to pay attention to the last performer (Otori), but true, SMAP can make the air in the music hall warm and happy. Poor and awkward singers make us at ease and close to them.
Personally I was impressed by Yumin's stage. She looked strained(how could she have a stage fright?), but her singing "Haruyo koi (Roll on, Spring!)" with her bit quirky tremulous voice struck a tender chord I believe for many people, particularly those of my age. Her pink Yuzen kimono also looked good (it didn't look like a stage costume) and perhaps very expensive. Shiina Ringo was also impressive. I didn't notice that she is such a pretty singer (really the same person?) And Ishikawa Sayuri singing Tsugarukaikyo in a whirling confetti has almost become a fixture on the night sending off the old year. Yes, I also think it was one of the best Kohaku's.
2
nghhhh
@seiharinokaze I'm quite young and have only be a fan of Japanese entertainment for the past 5 years but I'm really glad there's a show like Kohaku. The enka performances was delightful especially Ishikawa Sayuri. I'm glad Yuming accepted NHK invitation this year. Her Haru yo koi was splendid especially when Yuzu and the rest came by her side to sing it together. It was a touching moment.
The new generation of entertainers weren't bad either. I was pretty excited for Shiina Ringo and she slayed as expected. Not surprised by her beauty though. She has always been beautiful.
Glad to know that someone else agrees with me on this being one of the best Kohaku. I was glued to my seat from start to finish. Props too for Inoe Mao and Arashi who did very well as hosts.
-2
smithinjapan
I've watched it a few times in the past, and it can be fun. The best part is that you can change the channel if you don't like who's on next. One thing I also like is when they show clips from the Best Song of the Year from the past 20 years or so (is that Kohaku? or am I getting confused?). The past couple of years, though, I've much preferred watching Gaki no Tsukai.
nghhhh: thanks for pointing that out. Of course I'm aware that SMAP has and still has a strong following in this country (it's dropped since ten years ago in favour of Arashi, but still), so I guess it's not just the time slot after all. Thanks. They're still talentless hacks, though.
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