2012 in Japanese music
# 2012 in Japanese music

Events in 2012 in Japanese music.

## Events

* 26th Japan Gold Disc Award
* January 20 – 3rd CD Shop Awards
* June 23 – 2012 MTV Video Music Awards Japan
* October 7 – 6th Animax Anison Grand Prix
* November 14 – 45th Japan Cable Awards
* November 22 – 45th Best Hits Kayosai
* December 5 – 2012 FNS Music Festival
* December 6 – 45th Japan Lyricist Awards
* December 30 – 54th Japan Record Awards

## Charts

* List of number-one albums of 2012 (Japan)
* List of Oricon number-one singles of 2012
* List of Hot 100 number-one singles of 2012 (Japan)
* List of number-one digital singles of 2012 (Japan)

## Best-sellers

### Artists

The following is a list of the five best-selling music artists in Japan in 2016 by value of sales, including sales of records and of DVDs and Blu-rays, according to Oricon.

| Rank | Artist | Total earnings |
| - | - | - |
| 1 | AKB48 | ¥19.098 billion |
| 2 | Exile | ¥12.177 billion |
| 3 | Arashi | ¥10.454 billion |
| 4 | Mr. Children | ¥9.947 billion |
| 5 | Kanjani8 | ¥4.196 billion |

### Albums

The following is a list of the top ten best-selling albums in Japan in 2016, according to Oricon.

| Rank | Artist | Album | Sales |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Mr. Children | Mr. Children 2005–2010 ＜macro＞ | 1,170,000 |
| 2 | Mr. Children | Mr. Children 2001–2005 ＜micro＞ | 1,105,000 |
| 3 | AKB48 | 1830m | 1,030,000 |
| 4 | Arashi | Popcorn | 848,000 |
| 5 | Exile / Atsushi | Exile Japan / Solo | 767,000 |
| 6 | Keisuke Kuwata | I Love You: Now and Forever | 758,000 |
| 7 | Kobukuro | All Singles Best 2 | 694,000 |
| 8 | Mr. Children | (An Imitation) Blood Orange | 613,000 |
| 9 | Yumi Matsutoya | The Best of Yumi Matsutoya 40th Anniversary | 550,000 |
| 10 | Tatsuro Yamashita | Opus: All Time Best 1975–2012 | 519,000 |

## Debuting artists

### Soloists debuting

* Misaki Iwasa
* Leo Ieiri
* Yūki Kaji
* Nagi Yanagi
* Mayu Watanabe
* Ray
* Daisuke Kishio
* Aoi Yūki
* Tomohisa Sako
* Alma Kaminiito
* Mikako Komatsu
* Konomi Suzuki
* Ayana Taketatsu
* Kana Hanazawa
* Nobuhiko Okamoto
* Rino Sashihara
* Kavka Shishido
* Luna Haruna
* Mai Aizawa
* Machico
* Erena Ono
* Takuma Terashima
* Rina Sumioka
* Kanako Tahara
* Yui Ogura
* Mariko Gotō
* Yumi Hara
* Yutaro Miura
* Sachika Misawa
* Kanako Takatsuki
* Sayoko Izumi
* Zaq
* Sakiko Matsui
* Sayoko Izumi
* Yoshino Nanjō
* Yunchi
* Tomomi Kasai
* Fuku Suzuki
* Shiori Niiyama
* Tia

### Returning from hiatus

* Kobukuro
* Koda Kumi
* Rag Fair
* Tomomi Kahara
* Brief & Trunks
* T-Bolan

## Disbanding in 2012

### Disbanding

* GO!GO!7188
* Tokyo Jihen
* Serial TV Drama
* SDN48
* Doping Panda
* School Food Punishment
* Stereopony

### Going on hiatus

* Yashiki Takajin
* Remioromen
* Saasa
* Dream Morning Musume
* Chemistry
* Elephant Kashimashi
* Yui
* Nozomi Ōhashi
