SMAP

Formed in 1988 by a pool of backup dancers for Hikaru Genji, SMAP (Sports Music Assemble People) was the product of the massively successful Johnny's Music Factory, which specialized in boy bands. The band was composed of Masahiro Nakai Takuya Kimura Gorô Inagaki Tsuyoshi Kusanagi and Shingo Katori . The group was created by music producer Johnny Kitagawa, originally as a six-piece with Katsuyuki Mori, until his departure from the band in 1996. After making their debut in 1991, the group took the Japanese entertainment industry by storm, becoming the most successful boy band in Japanese history and the bestselling band in Asia, often referred to as a "national treasure" and a "fortune and property of the country" in Japan. Being the first boy band to have a career for more than twenty years and to have extended its activities into various fields outside of music, SMAP was credited for changing the Japanese entertainment and music industry. SMAP released 55 singles, all of which reached the top 10 in the charts, 22 consecutive number one singles, 33 number one singles in total. The band has had 24 top 10 albums and 14 number one albums. "The One and Only Flower in the World" , released in 2003, is the best selling single in the 21st century and the fifth best selling single in Japanese history. Throughout their career, the band has sold over 35 million records in Japan alone. In April 1996, the group launched their weekly variety show, SMAP×SMAP, which quickly gained high ratings and became one of the most famous television shows in Japan. J-pop group SMAP officially disbanded on 31 December 2016.