Has AKB48 overshadowed Morning Musume & Hello Pro Members?

AKB48's popularity has been increasing slowly and the group has gotten alot of CM work,promotions and even Google+ has gotten into the group. But the main question is that has AKB48 "stolen" the popularity of the hello project groups like Morning Musume? At one time, Morning Musume was at the top of the world with their members and grew to be super idols. But around 2006-2009 Morning Musume has been on the decline and the members haven't been on tv lately or released any new songs. The OG members are really the ones everyone wants to see in the end because they liked the members and the songs.The other groups like Berryz and Cute aren't really being pushed as well, and should be given credit for trying, but in the end Morning Musume was always the one to lead the two groups.
-Will AKb48 eventually over shadow hello project groups?
-If MoMusume was like it was in 1999-2001 would akb48 survive today?
Your input please.

 

Re: Has AKB48 Over Shadowed Morning Musume &Hello Pro Member

I think AKB is at the top right now. MM is no longer even close anymore. AKB is breaking records left and right while MM is just sort of hanging around.

 

Re: Has AKB48 Over Shadowed Morning Musume &Hello Pro Member

I don't think getting something previous owners had to give away since they cannot keep it to themselves anymore is Stealing.

There is no "Girl group that public care about" since 2001.

And if MM were what they used to be in golden era at the time AKB debut, AKB probably get some recognition more quickly than they actually had to, like Passpo or MomoZ who get some recognition so quickly since AKB48 already re-open public awareness of traditional Japanese girl groups that used to die down after MM golden era.

 

Re: Has AKB48 Over Shadowed Morning Musume &Hello Pro Member

Yeah i think AKB has been in the lead for a while now and they "overshadow" more than just MM too. They literally went past their highest level.

 

Re: Has AKB48 Over Shadowed Morning Musume &Hello Pro Member

I think MM wasn't at this level during their golden years. Even the mighty love machine was I think the no. 7 song for that year. And that's just for singles. Akb's just everywhere these days.

What MM does have is being popular for a span of years so we just have to wait for akb to get to that point in terms of years being popular.

 

Re: Has AKB48 Over Shadowed Morning Musume &Hello Pro Member

AKB has overshadowed Momusu, no questions asked. To fully realize the scope of their popularity, come to Japan for a while. It doesn't need to be Tokyo. It's impossible to go into town and not see at least one member's face somewhere. You don't even realize it anymore. The exposure to them is at such a level that these days you're not even asked much if you like AKB or not; they ask who your favorite member is.

 

Re: Has AKB48 Over Shadowed Morning Musume &Hello Pro Member

Yes, I think that's a good answer. There was a time when I waited eagerly for the incoming MM's single and used to check the web every day just in case they had released something new. Now I don't even know they have a new single until I read someone else talking about it. AKB48 has totally overshadowed MM in my life, and I think that many former MM fans feel like this.

 

Re: Has AKB48 Over Shadowed Morning Musume &Hello Pro Member

I somewhat agree with all the posts but I think reddertar described the situation perfectly. Momosu was the top group for that whole Goto/Nakazawa era that lasted roughly a few years before they went on the decline. Even in their prime however, they didn't come close to scratching the surface of what AKB has now. As much as some of the more bitter H!P fans would like to argue it, AKB48 couldn't take the spotlight from something that wasn't there. It'd already been years since the general public couldn't even name half of the MM line up, the most you would get is "huh? Takahashi is still there?". Regarding Berryz and C-ute, neither were ever in a position to reach the level of the mothership, they came in when it was already starting to sink. Though BK did experience more success than the latter it was mostly within the wota community, after seven years people outside the fandom still go Berryz Who? If there's one post-Golden Era H!P group that's managed to "break" it into the mainstream, it's S/mileage and even their popularity is pretty limited right now to some weird place between Momosu and the H!P Kids. They're still fresh though and currently have undergone a LOT of changes so it's hard to tell how far they'll go until they find their flow and get more age on them. So my answer would be yes and no. AKB48's popularity now has without question eclipsed H!P's at their highest level but they definitely didn't steal any spotlight that the latter hadn't lost already.

What AKB48 has done though, is not only surpass their highest level but also has made it possible for other Idol institutions to do so in the years to come. Already significant changes in the industry have occurred since their rise, like the Tokyo Idol Festival, the rise and success of non-H!P/AKB groups like MomocloZ, PASSPO, and SUPER GIRLS, all the artists jumping on the bluray wagon after seeing ga Ippai's success, and the slowly changing shift in gears with marketing strategies. So while plenty would disagree, I say AKB48's popularity is the best thing that's happened to the J-music industry in years and to the Idol industry in... probably ever.

Btw, I'm pretty much convinced MomocloZ will be the next big mainstream Idol group so maybe after AKB48's eventual decline we won't have to wait so long for another group to storm the scene. :music:

 

Re: Has AKB48 Over Shadowed Morning Musume &Hello Pro Member

In all likelihood, MomocloZ won't even be around to see that day.

 

Re: Has AKB48 Over Shadowed Morning Musume &Hello Pro Member

^True, they'll be MomocloGT by then.

 

Re: Has AKB48 Over Shadowed Morning Musume &Hello Pro Member

There is one record to beat for AKB - Love Machine sales figure. After that there can't be any questions who's the best.

 

Re: Has AKB48 Over Shadowed Morning Musume &Hello Pro Member

And then they'll make a comeback as MomocloZ Kai, eh?

 

Re: Has AKB48 Over Shadowed Morning Musume &Hello Pro Member

I don't think it's necessarily about who is the best, I mean, that isn't just defined for who sold more of one single. After all, we can draw comparisons, but the market is very different now from what it was like in 1999

 

Re: Has AKB48 Over Shadowed Morning Musume &Hello Pro Member

Tsunku's management of the group has gotten REALLY sloppy in the past couple years. As soon as he had a built in wota fanbase, he pretty much gave up trying to be original.

Early H!P was really varied in it's line up; with Mini Moni, Country Musume, Coconuts Musume, Melon Kinenbi, Tanpopo, etc. Not to mention all the shuffle groups. Nothing's new or original about them anymore.

The only real advantage H!P has over AKB, aside from fan loyalty, is the loli appeal. It's no coincidence that MoMusu and S/mileage, H!P's biggest groups in term of popularity, are made up primarily of preteen girls.

 

Re: Has AKB48 Over Shadowed Morning Musume &Hello Pro Member

i definitely agree. AKB48 has paved the way for many female idol groups and bring them lots of free public attention with simply the 'will they be the next AKB?' or 'has AKB's true rival appear?'. J-music industry has been on the decline in terms of sales and even lesser people seem to debut these days. AKB48 has definitely re-ignited some of the past glory days where people get excited at CD releases and actively buys them at the stores and has definitely given some hope to the music industry that all is not lost yet.

 

Re: Has AKB48 Over Shadowed Morning Musume &Hello Pro Member

MM was already declined before akb48 came into light. If you mean looking in a future perspective will akb48s legacy overshadow mm's then probably, yes. AKB48 have broken many records and statistics tend to stick around many years after the group is over.

 

Re: Has AKB48 Over Shadowed Morning Musume &Hello Pro Member

^

True when you look at as both groups in thier prime respectivly then now AKB has managed to outshine MM with the amounts of records they have broken and the series of million sellers they have had, MM will always have thier place as an important part of the industry but perhpas AKB is seen as the most dominant group now (out of the two of them anyway)

 

Re: Has AKB48 Over Shadowed Morning Musume &Hello Pro Member

I don't think it's that fair. MM basically got everyone ready for AKB then AKB took over the country. MM was a small group with the popular members literally leaving every year. AKB is like 100+ girls doing nonstop handshakes and doing so many concerts and events every week. I don't really see them in the same category as mm or other artists. I'ts more like an empire or grouping of groups that are each riding each others success and also building off of what mm had and expanding it. AKB is more like a very healthy plague now and cannot be stopped

 

Re: Has AKB48 Over Shadowed Morning Musume &Hello Pro Member

^
well they are both idol groups and h!p is a pretty large group.

I think it's the opposite and that akb even had a tougher time because of MM. When akb started, there was already a negative view regarding idol groups and akb had to overcome that and make liking idol groups cool again for mainstream people.

There were several idol groups ---- good ones too (mostly the avex groups like parago, hinoi team, etc) ---- that just couldn't go on because idols weren't viewed positively anymore.

If anything though, akb management learned a lot from the h!p model. what to do and what not to do.

 

Re: Has AKB48 Over Shadowed Morning Musume &Hello Pro Member

Yes, and very well. MM has been on the decline I think since 2004 after Nacchi graduated they haven't reach the 100k sales figure since then, the last to hit that mark was Ai Araba It's Alright. After that it's all the way down.

I think after Yosshi, the last of MM's golden age member, graduated the decline became faster. With different Idol groups sprouting every where at that time no one was really able to take that top spot from MM then came 2009 and AKB48 releases RIVER with a 100k first week sale and capturing #1 in the ranking, that confirms AKB48's status as the new super idol group.

I think the battle is actually with Tsunku and Aki-P. Both groups are to dependent on their producer.

I wonder if both of them get to an accident and die. This maybe the end of the current idol world.