Oricon Reveals the Artist of the Year Sales Rankings for 2020!

As we approach the end of the year, Oricon has announced the music ranking for the year 2020. First up, the Artist with total amount of sales is five-member Johnny’s Idol group ARASHI taking the crown once again for the ninth time in their illustrious career. Selling over 14.5 billion Yen in total revenue, ARASHI puts a definitive period to their legacy. Korean sensation BTS placed second, selling a total amount of 10.7 billion Yen in total revenue in Japan, with vocalist Kenshi Yonezu taking third. 

For singles, the double debut single of “Imitation Rain/ D.D.” by SixTONES vs Snow Man rocked the industry by selling over 1.7 million copies. Breaking several records, such as being the first artist to have a debut single sell over 1.5 minion copies, both groups shook the year of 2020 up and has been successful with every release since then. Iconic female idol group AKB48 took second with “Shitsuren, Arigato” the graduation single for first generation member Minami Minegishi. With Five-member Johnny’s idol group ARASHI taking third with “Kaito.” 

For album, it is no surprise that STRAY SHEEP by Kenshi Yonezu took first with its dominating performance of selling over 1.5 million copies throughout the year, with it also taking top streaming album of the year as well as being downloaded close to 200,000 times. This is ARASHI, also had a great showing by taking second with BTS’s MAP OF THE SOUL: 7 ~ THE JOURNEY~ taking third in the Japanese Domestic Market. 

Digital single and artist, it is no surprise that vocalist LiSA took both categories. With “Gurenge” dominating the year by being downloaded over 900,000 times over the course of the year and “Homura” taking second by being downloaded over 700,000 times. Official HIGEDANdism took third with their hit song “I LOVE…” 

We at Ongaku to You would like to congratulate all the artists for a very successful year and hope to see more from them next year!