Artists for 71st Kouhaku Uta Gassen announced

[Bigtop]

*Sakurazaka46 is a rebrand of Keyakizaka46, who performed at the Kouhaku for four times before rebranding earlier this October.

BABYMETAL is a huge addition, Mr.Children a huge re-addition. AKB48, on the other hand, is a huge omission (but given the COVID impact, there's no good reason why they should be in - AKB48 is 'girls you can meet' concept idols, alongside the Sakamichi groups, but AKB48 is heavily impacted and they don't have any good thing to show off, so it's pretty much sense but it could be the end of an era or something, first time since 2008 the Kouhaku will be without AKB48 proper). Ikimonogakari is also missing.