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SMAP Biography by Neil Z. Yeung

From their early-'90s breakthrough until their retirement over three decades later, Japanese pop group SMAP ruled the charts and sold millions in their home country and beyond, becoming one of the most enduring and beloved boy bands in all of Asia with their vocal harmonies and mood-boosting sound. With over a dozen number one albums under their belts, they made a steady ascent after their 1992 debut SMAP 001, securing their first platinum chart-topper in 1995 with SMAP 007: Gold Singer. They remained atop the Japanese music world into the 2000s and 2010s until their official disbandment at the end of 2016.

Formed in 1988 by a pool of backup dancers for Hikari Genji (himself a J-Pop star), SMAP (Sports Music Assemble People) was the product of the massively successful Johnny's Music Factory, which specialized in boy bands. The initial lineup featured the talents of Masahiro Nakai, Takuya Kimura, Goro Inagaki, Katsuyuki Mori, Tsuyoshi Kusanagi, and Shingo Katori. At the time of inception, all but one member were just teenagers (Katori was just ten years old). With a fairly unsuccessful start, at least by Johnny's standards, SMAP floundered for a couple of years after their 1992 debut album, eventually gaining ground with their own variety show. Building upon their newfound popularity on television (including a few successful show themes), the group returned to releasing music, sometimes issuing two albums in one year. Success came quickly this time around, with a series of top singles taking the group ever higher. After hovering near the top spot for years, they finally scored their first number one in 1995 with their seventh release SMAP 007: Gold Singer. Eventually, the album went platinum and, from there, SMAP never looked back, even with the departure of Katsuyuki Mori in 1996.

While maintaining platinum sales, they remained atop the Oricon chart with SMAP 009 and SMAP 012: Viva Amigos! (home to their biggest single, "Beyond the Night Sky"), carrying that success into the 2000s and beyond with seven consecutive chart-topping efforts. Despite the usual course of events for aging boy bands, they continued to sell out large stadiums and extended their cultural presence into the 2010s with their 22nd full-length Mr. S. That album would be their swan song, as they announced their official retirement.

On December 31, 2016, SMAP disbanded. To celebrate their legacy, they issued a comprehensive compilation set SMAP 25 YEARS, a greatest-hits collection that sold over a million copies.