15 April 2011

SMAP release digital single to help relief effort

It was announced that it has been decided that instead of a physical single release SMAP's upcoming single, which will be the theme song to the drama series Shiawase ni Narouyo, will be released digitally.

A big part of this change is that the CD manufacturing plants are having to slow down their production to save on electricity. So it was decided that this single, that is scheduled to be released on May 4th, will be digital only and will be a sold as a part of the Marching J project. For every full song version purchased of the song 100 yen will be donated to the relief effort.

Momoedgewood Blog. (English)

With the issue with CD production in Japan I think it's become quite understandable not only why releases have been pushed back but why not all have been rescheduled to be released in the same month anymore. I have the feeling that the more recent release dates may have actually been reshuffled because of this and that this will be an issue for a few months. This definitely goes far to explain why it would be much more likely to see a June CD debut for Kis-My-Ft2 now instead of the original May.

Also I think it should be interesting to see how this song does. This will be the first digital single SMAP has released and it has a rather big tie-in. I'm sure being a charity song will help as well and from the title it sounds like the kind of song that should be inspirational in a time like this. I kinda wish there would be a way for international fans to buy it.

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