AKB48

AKB48 is an all-female Japanese theater/idol group. AKB48 currently consists of 83 members divided into five teams: Team A, Team K, Team B, Team 4, Team 8, and the Kenkyusei or trainees who usually substitute for missing members.

Unlike other idol groups in Japan, AKB48 are theatre-based and have their own theatre in Akihabara (a district in Tokyo, Japan) where they perform once every weekday, and twice on both Saturday and Sunday. The theatre is set up on the 8th floor of Don Quixote. As of 2012, they had 7 releases, or 6 consecutive singles, sold 1 million in the first or second day as well as top Japan popular download site Recochoku. They became the first female group to win Japan prestigious Record Award in 2011 for their song Flying Get. They also became the first artist to win 4 awards at Billboard Japan award, best artist, top pop act, best single of the year, best single sales of the year.