25 Days Of Christmas Countdown Day #13: Top Morning Musume

Now that I've had 24 hours to process the news of 13th gen, I'm just somewhat ambivalent towards them. They need to release something for me to have any interest in the new girls. I do think people are being a little unnecessarily harsh towards Kaede though. I don't particularly care for her because I don't think that her voice is good like people say it is. It's a deeper voice which draws people to it, but I don't find her a good singer. As for her supposed attitude problem, I don't follow the Kenshuusei close enough to even know what people are complaining about. With Reina, I'm really thinking she would make a good double center with Maria. MM needs faces to lead the group. Keep the Sakura/Mizuki/Masaki lead singer trio, but put Maria/Reina front and center to push them into the minds of the general public.

With MM this year, I feel like they just coasted through it. Two singles a year for the most popular group of H!P is not a good business plan Up-Front. They even have a bunch of new songwriters so they can't use the excuse that Tsunku has too many songs to write. They need to have an album next year and at least three singles. If they want the new members to gain traction, they need to start shoving them onto as many music, variety, internet, cooking, or alien theory shows as possible. Anything that they can get them on is the point really. Now is a great time to start with the buzz from new members.

Musically, MM was once again the group with the best releases (with maybe the exception of Juice=Juice this year). Their first single was a bit blah, but Utakata ended up being fun & Tokyo to Iu is still awesome. I like to pretend The Vision doesn't exist. The entire Sexy Cat single was pretty solid in my opinion. I like Sou Janai the least but it's still cool. Mukidashite (? I can't spell to save my life this month I swear) is freaking amazing. Sexy Cat is quirky and fun. Something different for the group in it's current incarnation. Hoping next year's single exceed this year.

#10

Yuugure wa Ameagari (2015) (NEW)

#9

Onna ni Sachi Are (2007) (-2)

#8

Only You (2011) (+2)

#7

Ai Araba It's All Right (2004) (+1)

#6

Do It! Now (2001) (-1)

#5

Renai Hunter (2012) (+1)

#4

Onna to Otoko no Lullaby Game (2010) (-)

#3

Fantasy ga Hajimaru (2010) (-1)

#2

Osaka Koi no Uta (2005) (+1)

#1

Watashi wa Watashi Nanda (2014) (-)

25 Days Of Christmas Countdown Day #16: Top H!P/48G songs (From acts other than the current main groups)

I know, I know....I missed another day. I was doing so well with being on time for things (even having some things typed up early!). I will try not to fail for the few days I have left lol.

This pretty much covers any former group, subgroup, and soloist of HP/48G. So essentially none of the current main groups. Of course the vast majority of the list is Hello Project, mainly because I haven't heard much from the subgroups and soloists of 48G yet. They just have SO MANY songs to get through lol. The list was pretty difficult to come up with because of the massive amount of songs to pick from, but I think I like the way the list is. Maybe next year I'll have more 48G representation.

#10: Koharu Kusumi - Balalaika (2006)

#9: High-King - Kioku no Miero (2008)

#8: SDN48 - Tengoku no Door wa 3kaime no Bell de Aku (2011)

#7: W - Ai no Imi wo Oshiete! (2005)

#6: SDN48 - Kodoku na Runner (2010)

#5: Def.Diva - Suki Sugite Baka Mitai (2005)

#4: Country Musume - Uwaki na Honey Pie (2003)

#3: Aya Matsuura - Good Bye Natsuo (2003)

#2: Maki Goto - Ai no Bakayarou (2001)

#1: W - Samishii Nettaigyo (2004)

Enjoy! What do you think of the past groups of 48G & Hello! Project?

25 Days Of Christmas Countdown Day #13: Top Morning Musume Songs

This list was SO DIFFICULT. It's no secret that Morning Musume is my favorite group of all time. I've never heard a group where almost their entire discography is listenable for me. Unlike with all of the other groups on my countdown, I've actually heard all of Morning Musume's songs which just made this ranking all the harder. I'm kind of glad I've been too lazy to listen to 48G stages or Berryz albums, for example lol. This is also probably the only list of I've done where all of songs might not be ones I like to listen to the most, but songs that have a lot of meaning for me & my following of Morning Musume. Like how Onna to Otoko is the first MM song I ever heard, or Only You is the song that made me from a casual listener to a fan, or Renai Hunter which turned me from a fan to someone who actually cares about the actual group itself and not just the music. As much as I love Hello! Project & 48G, as a whole they just have good songs. Morning Musume is the only artist that I've ever connected to on the level that I have.

#10: Only You (2011)

#9: Say Yeah! Motto Miracle Night (2000)

#8: Ai Araba It's All Right (2004)

#7: Onna ni Sachi Are (2007)

#6: Renai Hunter (2012)

#5: Do It! Now (2001)

#4: Onna to Otoko no Lullaby Game (2010)

#3: Osaka Koi no Uta (2005)

#2: Fantasy ga Hajimaru (2010)

#1: Watashi wa Watashi Nanda (2014)

Enjoy! What's your favorite Musume track?