AP | id

SMAP is a very popular Japanese "idol" group, formed by Johnny & Associates. Current members are: 中居正広 (Nakai Masahiro), 木村拓哉 (Kimura Takuya), 稲垣吾郎 (Inagaki Goro), 草彅剛 (Kusanagi Tsuyoshi) and 香取慎吾 (Katori Shingo). The members of SMAP have dominated the Japanese pop cultural landscape from their musical debut in 1991 until the present time (as of 2008), showing incredible longevity. They produce not just numerous hit singles, but also star in numerous television variety shows, dorama, commercials, movies, etc. They are almost unrivaled in their immense popularity among younger, and especially female, Japanese. SMAP was first formed in 1988, though their...

X (later changed to X JAPAN in 1992 to avoid confusion with the American punk band X) is arguably one of the most influential bands in the history of the Japanese music scene. Formed by childhood friends Yoshiki and Toshi in 1982 at Chiba, Japan, X was originally founded to play high energy rock music. Besides being one of the first Japanese acts to achieve mainstream success while on an independent label, the group is widely credited for pioneering the visual kei movement. Their early music was speed metal, but later on they acquired a more symphonic metal sound. The...

There are 4 groups called Happiness: 1) Japan (2009 – present) Happiness is a Japanese pop girl group signed to rhythm zone and managed by LDH. They are considered to be the sister group of best-selling J-Pop boy band EXILE, and have even performed as backup dancers with them in the past. The group formed in 2009 and released their first single, entitled "Happy Talk", under an independent label in October of that year. They made their major debut with the single "Kiss Me" in 2011, followed by 3 more singles in advance of their debut studio album "Happy Time",...

Papa Roach is a hard rock band from Vacaville, California, United States. Formed in 1993, it consists of Jacoby Shaddix (vocals), Jerry Horton (guitar), Tobin Esperance (bass), and Tony Palermo (drums). Tony, previously of Unwritten Law, joined the band permanently in 2008; the move came after the departure of one of the band's founding members, Dave Buckner. The band has sold more than 10 million album copies worldwide and are known for their hits "Last Resort", "Scars", "Forever", and "Lifeline", among others. The group had mostly regional success until their breakthrough with the hit single "Last Resort". That song came...

Apink (Korean: 에이핑크) is a six-member South Korean girl group under A Cube Entertainment; a sister company of Cube Entertainment. The groups consists of Park Cho Rong (박초롱), Yoon Bo Mi (윤보미), Jung Eun Ji (정은지), Son Na Eun (손나은), Kim Nam Joo (김남주) and Oh Ha Young (오하영). Hong Yoo Kyung (홍유경) left the group in April 2013. They released their first album, Seven Springs of Apink, on April 19 2011, and rose steadily in popularity. Their official debut was April 21, 2011 on M! Countdown. They were named "A Pink" because "A" stands for the girls always showing...