Will Southern All Stars perform at the Tokyo Olympics?
The Japanese Olympic Committee recently held a survey to ask who should perform at the opening ceremony of the 2020 Olympics, and the top 20 artists chosen from over 100,000 votes were recently published.
But netizens were surprised at the top 20 artists, with some wondering why AKB48 only appeared at no.7, and others insisting that western-style artists, such as the number one artists Southern All Stars, should be avoided altogether.
From Getnews.jp:
JOC Announces “The Artist We’d Like To Appear In The Official Opening Ceremony Of The 2020 Tokyo Olympics”; Southern All Stars No.1, AKB48 No.7
The Japanese Olympic Committee announced a survey entitled “The artist(s) I’d like to appear in the official opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics”. The ranking of artists was measured from a total of 143,394 entries, made up from 103,537 online submissions on the official site, and 39,857 postcards sent in. The results are as follows:
■ Artists We’d Like To Appear In The Official Opening Ceremony Of The 2020 Tokyo Olympics (Top 20)
1: Southern All Stars 8,939 votes
2: Arashi 7,482 votes
3: EXILE 6,820 votes
4: SMAP 5,956 votes
5: Yuzu 3,769 votes
7: AKB48 3,057 votes
8: Utada Hikaru 2,952 votes
9: B’z 2,840 votes
10: Wada Akiko 2,336 votes
11: MISIA 2,240 votes
12: Mr. Children 2,146 votes
13: Yuki Saori 2,114 votes
14: Akikawa Masafumi 2,063 votes
15: Fukuyama Masaharu 2,015 votes
16: Kitajhima Saburo 2,010 votes
17: Kuwata Keisukue 1,944 votes
18: Ikimono-gakari 1,888 votes
19: Hikawa Hiyoshi 1,876 votes
20: Amuro Namie 1,814
Number one was Southern All Stars, number two, Arashi, and number three was EXILE. The results from this survey do not reflect who will actually perform at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, this was simply a survey.
Online, the following comments have appeared.
・ I reckon it’s going to be a vocaloid singer or something.
・ Sakamoto Ryuichi or Hisaishi Jo.
・ Utada Hikaru.
・Let’s have someone decent sing Sukiyaki
・ Hope it’s someone other than Johnny’s or AKB.
Online commenters want someone to perform who will be world-class. At the end of the day, it’s the Tokyo Olympics, so we want to surprise the world with a memorable performance and song. If Southern Allstars were chosen, I wonder if they’d sing Manpi’s G☆SPOT”?
Comments from 2ch.net:
ファイナルカット(京都府)：
Southern All Stars and EXILE w
ダブルニードロップ(東京都)：
We’re going to hear the entire world say “Who the fuck is that?”
マシンガンチョップ(東京都)：
I just don’t want it to be an idol.
リキラリアット(愛知県)：
SMAP no. 4, Wada Akiko no. 10…..
I wonder which artists they sent this survey to?
ファイナルカット(京都府)：
To put it bluntly, it would be pretty painful to have artists who are too conscious of western music, like Southern Allstars or Mr. Children. Better off with Kitajima Saburo.
リキラリアット(愛知県)：
Right now, SMAP’s singing prowess is pretty shit, so I’m wondering how they’re going to be in 7 years’ time.
You all know that their hair will also be pretty much gone by then, right?
デンジャラスバックドロップ(千葉県)：
It’s the Tokyo Olympics, so at the very least make it someone Japanese.
ブラディサンデー(埼玉県)：
It’s pretty difficult to understand why Miku isn’t in there.
If there was an online vote, then I’d have thought that there’d have at least been about 2000 votes for her.
ニールキック(大阪府)：
Don’t embarrass us in front of the entire world.
Someone like Yuki Saori might just about be ok.
キャプチュード(神奈川県)：
Better to decide this in 7 years’ time.
キン肉バスター(やわらか銀行)：
It would be so embarrassing if Southern All Stars were being played in front of the whole world I’d cry.
ダイビングヘッドバット(愛知県)：
They should do something with shamisen, biwa and Japanese taiko drums, wouldn’t matter if it was a bit progressive.
キングコングラリアット(愛媛県)：
Please don’t let it be a band who are just aping western music.
ドラゴンスリーパー(滋賀県)：
Come on, there’s still 7 years to go until 2020 ww
And it’s obvious that our value judgements about music will have changed by then.
We don’t even know if Kuwata will still be singing by then!
クロイツラス(千葉県)：
A choir or something would be good.
