SMAP

History

1986–1991: Formation

In 1986, Masahiro Nakai (age 14), auditioned to enter Johnny & Associates, a Japanese talent agency that recruits and trains young boys, preteens to teens, to become singers and members of boy bands. Later, in 1987, Takuya Kimura (age 14), Goro Inagaki (age 13), Katsuyuki Mori (age 13), Tsuyoshi Kusanagi (age 12), and Shingo Katori (age 9) auditioned individually and joined the agency. In Autumn 1987, twenty boys, from ages ten to seventeen, were put together into a group called The Skate Boys, which was initially created as backup dancers for a famous boy band, Hikaru Genji. In April 1988, producer Johnny Kitagawa chose six out of the twenty boys to create a new boy band and named them "SMAP".

While the group continued to work as backup dancers for Hikaru Genji, they spent their early years as actors and television personalities. In 1988, they starred in a weekly variety program, Watto Atsumare, with Masataka Itsumi and Cha Kato and appeared regularly until the program ended several months later. In 1989, they started to host their own music show, Uta no Big Fight and Pop City X, as well as appearing regularly on a variety program, Idol Kyowakoku, from 1989 to 1991. In 1988, SMAP made their acting debut in a drama television series, Abunai Shonen III, playing themselves as the main role. Their first self-titled variety program, SMAP no Gakuen Kids, aired from 1990 to 1991.

1991–1993: Debut and early years

On January 1, 1991, the band held their first concert in Nippon Budokan and their first tour from March through April, before releasing any music. On September 9, 1991, they released their first single, "Can't Stop -Loving-" from Victor Entertainment, which peaked at No. 2 on the charts. Subsequent singles, "Seigi no Mikata wa Ate ni Naranai", "Kokoro no Kagami", "Makeru na Baby" peaked in the top 10. The band asked the fans to write the lyrics for "Kokoro no Kagami", and the one submitted by a fourteen-year-old girl was chosen. The song was later used in a Panasonic television commercial. They were invited to perform the song at Kohaku Uta Gassen, an annual music show, on December 31, 1991.

At the same time of their debut, the Japanese music industry experienced what is frequently referred to as an "Idol Ice Age", where many of the popular music shows that aired weekly since the 1980s ended, and singers and bands lost a place to perform, resulting in scarce opportunities for TV exposure. Therefore, the agency decided to market the band through variety programs, where members participated in sketch comedies and game shows along with other television personalities. This non-mainstream marketing approach turned out to be a success, as the members' humorous and playful spirits on these shows propelled them to gain new fans, despite not having many musical performances on television since their debut.

In 1991, the band's first self-titled television show, SMAP no Gakuen Kids, got renewed and changed to, I Love SMAP, which aired until 1996. From October 7, 1991, Inagaki launched his radio program, Stop The SMAP, still airing as of 2016. From April 1992 to September 1995, the group appeared regularly on a weekly variety program, Yume ga Mori Mori. Due to the fact that this was the first time in Japanese history, that a band participated in a sketch comedy, this rare act attracted wide attention.

On January 1, 1992, they released their first album, SMAP 001, which peaked at No. 14 and released another album, SMAP 002, in the same year and peaked at No. 6. Their singles, "Egao no Genki", "Yuki ga Futtekita", "Zutto Wasurenai", "Hajimete no Natsu", "Kimi wa Kimi dayo", "$10", and "Kimi iro Omoi", released from 1992 through 1994, all peaked at the top 10. They headlined three tours in 1992, from January to August. In 1993, they released their third and fourth album, SMAP 003 and SMAP 004, which peaked at No. 11 and No. 3 respectively. In 1992, Inagaki starred in a drama television series, Hatachi no Yakusoku, as the main role. In 1993, Kimura starred in a drama television series, Asunaro Hakusho, which became a massive hit, with an average household share rating of 27% and 31.9% for the season finale. Kimura's popularity soared and from then on, members of the band started their acting careers individually.

1994–1995: Breakthrough, "Gambarimashou", and SMAP 007 Gold Singer

In 1994, they released two albums, SMAP 005 and SMAP 006 Sexy Six, which both peaked at No. 2. On March 12, 1994, they released their 12th single, "Hey Hey Ookini Maidoari", which gave the band their first number one hit. Subsequent singles, "Original Smile", peaked at No. 2 and "Gambarimashou", and "Tabun Alright", reached number one. The two number-one singles became the band's ninth and tenth best selling single. "Gambarimashou" saw a jump in sales from the previous singles, becoming one of the most popular songs in Japan and helped the band gain a broader fan base. From 2002, "Original Smile" appeared on text books used in music classes in high school. From April 1994, Nakai and Katori started starring on the most famous Japanese daytime live television program, Waratte Iitomo. In October 1995, Kusanagi joined in and the three members appeared regularly for 20 years, Katori on Mondays, Nakai on Tuesdays, and Kusanagi on Fridays, until the program ended in 2014. From July to August, the band held their first large-scale tour, Sexy Six Show, hitting the three major cities in Japan. The tour was released on VHS on November 11, 1994, and later on DVD on December 24, 2003. On March 12, 1994, SMAP starred in their first film, Shoot!. The film aired on television for the first time on January 4, 2010, sixteen years after its release.

On January 1, 1995, the band released their first compilation album, Cool, which reached number one. The band gave an opportunity for fans to create the track list and the top fourteen of their favorite songs made it into the album. Singles released in 1995, "Kansha shite", "Shiyouyo", "Donna Iikoto", and "Oretachini Asu wa Aru", all reached number one on the charts, giving the band six consecutive number-one singles since "Gambarimasho" released in the previous year. "Oretachini Asu wa Aru" became the band's sixth best selling single. From January 1995, Kimura launched his weekly radio program, What's Up SMAP, still airing as of 2016. In January 1995, Nakai landed his first drama television series, Ajiichi Monme, which became an instant hit. Two seasons and four special episodes were made through 1995 to 2013. While he started to pursue his acting career, he also started to work individually as a television personality and as a news presenter, carrying many of his own television programs, which lead to expanding the capacity of a boy band.

From April 1995, the group launched a variety show, SMAP no Gambarimashou, derived from the single released the previous year, which aired on weeknights. The content of the show changed daily. On Mondays they performed a theatrical act, Tuesdays were talk show-based with a musical segment, on Wednesdays they aired a short TV movie that they starred in, Thursdays were talk show-based with a guest celebrity, and on Fridays they performed sketch comedy. It is said that this program became a basic framework for SMAP×SMAP which started a year after the program began. From April 1995, Kusanagi and Katori launched their radio program, SMAP Power Splash.

1996–1997: SMAP×SMAP, Lonvaca phenomenon, Mori's departure, and "Shake"

On March 3, 1996, they released their eighth album, SMAP 008 Tacomax, which peaked at No. 2, with over 500,000 copies sold. Singles "Munasawagi wo Tanomuyo" and "Hadaka no Osama" both peaked at No. 2 on the charts and was certified double Platinum. "Hadaka no Osama" became Mori's last single before his departure from the group. The band released another album, SMAP 009, on August 12, which reached number one. From March to April, they held their last tour as a six-piece.

On April 15, 1996, SMAP launched their self-titled variety show, SMAP×SMAP, commonly known as "SmaSma" (suma-suma), which was their first program on a prime-time slot. Along with the band's ability to entertain and their humorous personalities, the distinct format of the program received widespread critical praise. The show quickly gained high ratings, as it topped the rankings of annual household share ratings, dominating other existing popular programs. Consisting with an interview/cooking-based segment "Bistro SMAP", sketch comedy series, games, and musical performances by the group and with other musical guests, the program has had countless guests from around the world and is known for being the show with the widest range of guests in Japanese television history. The show ranked No. 1 in the annual household share ratings in 1996, 1997, 1999 – 2002, 2006, and 2016 making it the most watched television show in Japan. The episode aired in January 2002 is currently ranked No. 7 for the most watched Japanese variety show in history, with 34.2 million viewers. It is the eighth longest-running prime-time television program in Japan and Fuji Television's second longest-running prime-time television program, as of 2016.

From April to June 1996, Nakai, Kimura, and Katori each landed a role on a drama television series. Nakai played the main role in Shori no Megami, Kimura in Long Vacation, and Katori in Tomei Ningen. All three series were successful and gained high ratings. Among the three, Kimura's Long Vacation, which aired Monday nights, became a major success and a social phenomenon. Magazines and other media stated that, "women disappear from the city on Mondays", pointing out the large viewership and how intoxicating the show was for women in Japan. After Kimura playing a young pianist, there was a rapid increase of young men who started taking piano lessons. The cultural impact and influences of the show is commonly referred to as the "Lonvaca (ron-bake) phenomenon". This was also a breakthrough for Kimura as an actor and helped him gain recognition and a more broad fan base.

1998–2000: "Beyond the Night Sky", "Lion Heart", and Shingo Mama phenomenon

On January 14, 1998, the band's twenty-seventh single, "Beyond the Night Sky", was released. It reached number one on the charts and became the best selling single of that month and the second best selling single of that year. The song became the band's second best selling single, with over 1,620,000 physical copies sold. From April 2002, it has appeared in text books used in music classes in middle school and has become one of the most recognized songs in Japan. Many artists have released a cover since its release. Its subsequent single, "Taisetsu", which was used as the theme song for Nakai's drama television series, Brothers, peaked at No. 4 and was certified platinum. On June 18, 1998, the band released their eleventh album, SMAP 012 Viva Amigos, which reached number one in the charts and became their tenth best selling album. The band headlined their fourth stadium tour, Viva Amigos. The tour was released through VHS on December 24, 1998, and later through DVD on December 6, 2000.

From October 1998, Nakai and Katori launched their own variety program, SataSma, which was created and aimed towards younger viewers and families. Katori starred in a segment titled, "Shingo Mama's Secret Breakfast", where Katori would cross-dress into a character called, "Shingo Mama", and visit houses to cook breakfast for children instead of their mother, allowing her to sleep in and rest in the morning. Katori started to use the phrase, "Ohha", a pun for "Ohayo", meaning "good morning" during the segment as his trademark phrase, which soon became a popular word used among children. Shingo Mama, the lovable character Katori played, and the phrase "Ohha", became a social phenomenon. As a result, SMAP incidentally brought in kindergartners and preteens to their fan base.

In January 1999, the band released "Asahi wo Mini Ikouyo", which peaked at number 3 and its subsequent single, "Fly", peaked at number 2 in the charts. On January 3, 1999, SMAP starred in a special episode on the popular Japanese detective-drama television series Furuhata Ninzaburo, as themselves. The episode became the most watched program among all television series broadcast in 1999, with 32.3 million viewers, and the second most watched television program after an episode of SMAP×SMAP. On July 14, 1999, they released their twelfth album, Birdman SMAP 013, which peaked at No. 2. From July to September, they headlined their fifth stadium tour, SMAP 1999 Tour Birdman. The tour was released through VHS on December 22, 1999, and through DVD on January 1, 2000.

2001–2003: SMAP Vest, pamS, Drink SMAP, "The One and Only Flower in the World", and MIJ

On March 23, 2001, the band released their third compilation album, Smap Vest, which reached number one in the charts. It sold one million copies during the first week of release and 1,800,000 copies in total, becoming the band's best selling album. Singles, "Smac" and "freebird", peaked at No. 3 and No. 1 on the charts respectively. "Smac" was released as the 10th anniversary single and lyrics from the band's past singles were put together and made into a new song. On August 8, 2001, another compilation album, pamS (read as "Ura-suma"), was released just four months after Smap Vest. It was a compilation of fan-favorites and songs that the members personally like, that aren't usually sung on tour or on television, such as B-sides and songs from past albums. From July to September, the band launched their seventh stadium tour, pamS Tour, which was also their first five-dome tour and the first five-dome tour ever headlined in history. SMAP invented the concept of a "five-dome tour", a tour that hits the five dome-shaped stadiums located in Japan (Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka, and Sapporo). Since the invention of this new touring style, the five-dome tour is now used by many artists in Japan, as a symbol of being a first-rank artist in the music industry. The pamS Tour was released through DVD on December 21, 2001.

Throughout the year 2001, all five members starred in their own drama television series individually. Nakai starred in Shiroi Kage, Kimura in a detective series, Hero, Inagaki in Onmyoji, and Kusanagi in Star no Koi. Katori starred in a special episode of a comedy-drama television series, Ohha wa Sekai wo Sukuu. All programs were that year's high-rated programs. Among all shows, Hero became a massive success, becoming the most highest rated television series in Japanese history, becoming the only television series to have all episodes marking above the 30% sharehold rate.

On July 24, 2002, they released their fourteenth album, SMAP 015/Drink! Smap!, which peaked at No. 2 in the charts and became the band's fourth best selling album. The title was derived from a superseded soft drink, called SMAP, which was sold in Japan in the 1980s. From July 23, 2002, a canned soft drink, Drink SMAP, was launched from Kirin Beverage Corporation. Six million drinks were shipped on the day of its release. From July to November, they launched their eighth stadium tour, SMAP 02 Drink Smap Tour, which became the largest tour in terms of attendance in Japanese history, with a total attendance of 1.2 million. They decided mainly to use soccer stadiums for their venues, as it was the year the 2002 FIFA World Cup was held. The tour was released through DVD on March 5, 2003. On September 21, 2002, they released their first video album, Clip! Smap!, a collection of ten music videos released since 1996.

2004–2005: Individual activities and SAMPLE Bang

Although all five members were able to work actively as a group while pursuing solo careers since their debut, in 2004, their solo projects were on a tight schedule compared to the previous years, as they all carried their own television programs and worked as actors, on both television and film. They were not able to rearrange their schedules to fit in a time to work as a group, besides the taping of their weekly television program, SMAP×SMAP. It was announced that the band did not have a single day that all five members could meet together, other than the taping of SMAP×SMAP, which happened four times a month, commenting on the impossibility of shooting a music video, promoting a record, or going on tour. This led to a musical hiatus in a way, although they continued to perform their songs every week in a musical segment on SMAP×SMAP. This was the first time in thirteen years that the band did not release any new material or go on tour. A song titled "Wonderful Life" was initially scheduled to become the band's new single in 2004. After finding out that the release was unlikely, they first decided to wait until the coming year but later had Inagaki release the song as a solo artist instead. He created a temporary stage name, &G, and made his solo debut in March and the single reached number one in the charts.

From August 2004, Nakai launched his career as a sportscaster and became the host of the Olympic games on TBS. "Susume Gold", a remix of their song form their fifteenth album, SMAP 016/MIJ, was scheduled to be released on September 8, 2004, as the band's thirty-sixth single but was later canceled. The song served as the official song of the 2004 Summer Olympics and used during its television coverage on TBS. In December 2004, SMAP aired a television special as an apology for their musical hiatus and to show the fans their appreciation for their support on the group's solo projects. By the end of 2004, their single, "The One and Only Flower in the World", released in 2003, had become the best selling single in the 21st century and the most recognized song in Japan. Although many assumed that the band would be performing the song again at Kohaku Uta Gassen as the ootori, as they did the previous year, the band declined their invitation from the show due to not releasing any new music in 2004. Kohaku experienced a fall in ratings that year and became the lowest-rated Kohaku in history and the absence of SMAP is thought to be the cause of this.

In January 2005, the band released their new single, "Tomodachi e Say What You Will", a cover of Eric Clapton's "Say What You Will", which reached number one in the charts. Its subsequent singles, "Bang Bang Vacation" and "Triangle", and their sixteenth album, Sample Bang!, released on July 27, 2005, all reached number one in the charts as well. "Triangle" served as the official song of all sports broadcasts on TV Asahi, such as the 2006 Winter Olympics, the 2006 World Baseball Classic, and the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating. It was featured during the television coverage on TV Asahi from November 2005 through March 2006. Later in 2008, it was announced that "Triangle" would be appearing on text books used in music classes in school. From July to September 2005, they launched their tenth stadium tour, SMAP to Iku SMAP Sample Tour. SMAP became the first artist in history to perform at the National Olympic Stadium. The tour was released through DVD on December 14, 2005. In August 2005, Soichi Noguchi, a Japanese astronaut, played SMAP's hit single, "The One and Only Flower in the World", while flying in the Space Shuttle Discovery and it became the second Japanese song played in space. Noguchi also took with him, food that Inagaki, Kusanagi, and Katori cooked in Bistro SMAP, a cooking segment aired on SMAP×SMAP, when he made a guest appearance on the show. On August 27 and 28, Kusanagi and Katori hosted NTV's annual telethon, 24 Hour Television, and raised one billion yen. It also became the highest-rated 24 Hour Television since its launch in 1978. On December 31, SMAP performed "Triangle" at Kohaku Uta Gassen. As artists are ranked according to the ratings during their performance, SMAP ranked number one out of fifty-four artists, and was the most watched act of that year's Kohaku, with a household share rating of 48.6%.

2006–2010: Pop Up! Smap, super.modern.artistic.performance, and We are SMAP

In April 2006, the band released their single, "Dear Woman", and its subsequent single, "Arigato" in October, both which reached number one in the charts. "Dear Woman" became one of the most recognized songs in Japan after being used in a shampoo commercial in Japan. Katori designed the cover art for "Arigato". "Arigato" served as the official song of the 2016 Summer Olympics, ten years after its release, and was featured during its television coverage on TBS. On July 26, 2006, the band released their seventeenth album, Pop Up! SMAP, which reached number one and became their ninth best selling album. From July to October, they launched their eleventh stadium tour, Pop Up! SMAP Tobimasu Tobidasu Tobisma Tour, and recorded an attendance of over one million, three years in a row. The tour was released through DVD on December 6, 2006. On December 31, SMAP performed "Arigato" at Kohaku Uta Gassen as the ootori for the second time. As artists are ranked according to the ratings during their performance, SMAP ranked number one out of fifty-eight artists, and was the most watched act of that year's Kohaku, with a household share rating of 48.8%.

On January 18, 2007, "The One and Only Flower in the World" was chosen as one of Nihon no Uta Hyakusen, a collection of one-hundred songs, widely beloved in Japan and encouraged to be sung in future generations. On September 8, 2007, Kimura starred in Hero, a sequel to the 2001–2005 detective television series of the same name. The film was a commercial success and became the highest-grossing film that year, as well as becoming the second highest-grossing film among all films starred by a SMAP member, after Howl's Moving Castle (2004) starring Kimura. In December 2007, they released a new single, "Dangan Fighter", which reached number one in the charts. It served as the official song of all sports broadcasts on TV Asahi and was featured during its television coverage. On December 31, SMAP performed "Dear Woman" and "Dangan Fighter" at Kohaku Uta Gassen. As artists are ranked according to the ratings during their performance, SMAP ranked number one out of fifty-four artists, and was the most watched act of that year's Kohaku, with a household share rating of 43.9%. Their hit single from 2003, "The One and Only Flower in the World" was performed by all fifty-four artists together as the finale and marked 46.1%.

In March 2008, they released a double-A-side single, "Sonomama / White Message", which reached number one, giving them forty-two consecutive top ten singles. Its subsequent single, "Sono toki, Kitto Yume janai", also topped the chart at number one, giving the band ten consecutive number ones. It also served as the official song of the 2008 Summer Olympics and was featured during the television coverage on TBS. On September 24, 2008, they released their eighteenth album, super.modern.artistic.performance, which reached number one in the charts. Will.i.am from The Black Eyed Peas produced the opening track, "Theme of 019", and also wrote and produced Katori's solo on the album, "Here Is Your Hit". SMAP became the second artist in history to have a total album sales of ten million, after Chage and Aska. The band launched their twelfth stadium tour, super.modern.artistic.performance tour, from September to December. The tour was released through DVD on December 17, 2008, and later through Blu-ray on March 26, 2014. On December 31, SMAP performed "Sono toki, Kitto Yume janai" at Kohaku Uta Gassen.

2011–2015: Smap Aid, Gift of Smap, and Mr.S

From March 2011, SMAP has shown active philanthropic support to the victims and regions affected by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. On May 4, their first and only digital single, "Not Alone" was released. It was initially scheduled to serve as the band's 46th single but was canceled and released digitally in light of the earthquake and the situation in Japan, considering circumstances in power shortages and distribution. One hundred yen per single downloaded was donated to the victims. On July 23 and 24, 2011, Nakai hosted the annual twenty-seven-hour long television special, FNS 27 Hour Television, for the fifth time. A special episode of "Bistro SMAP" was aired during the show, titled "Bistro SMAP On The Go". Four members flew to regions that were affected by the tsunami, Kimura and Inagaki to Iwate Prefecture and Kusanagi and Katori to Fukushima. The four members cooked a total of one-thousand meals to the victims evacuated in these areas. Nakai started to host his own music show, Ongaku no Hi, meaning "music day", to show their support to all those affected by the earthquake and tsunami. The program is aired every summer since 2011.

On August 17, 2011, the band released their fifth compilation album, SMAP Aid, to support the people affect by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. It was released for a limited- time period, until the end of December 2011. Two-hundred yen per album sold were donated to the victims. Fans were given the opportunity to create the track list by voting their favorite songs through the internet. The top fifteen songs made it into the album and the complete track list was announced on SMAP×SMAP on August 8, 2011. The album reached number one and was certified platinum. Although they released an album, concerts were not held in consequence of the earthquake and tsunami but the band decided to host fan meetings in various venues, including the Seibuen Theme Park in Saitama, where they had their first fan meeting on the day of the debut in 1991. On September 16, 2011, their postponed concert in China was held in Peking. The concert was released through DVD on December 7, 2011, and reached number one on the charts. After several fan meetings at small venues, on November 12 and 13, they hosted another event, titled FanxFun Party, at Tokyo Dome, for those who couldn't make it to the previous ones held that year. In December 2011, they released their new single, "Boku no Hanbun", which reached number one. Throughout the year, a Chinese version of their hit singles, "The One and Only Flower in the World" and "Beyond the Night Sky" was released in China. On December 31, they performed "Not Alone" and "Original Smile" at Kohaku Uta Gassen, as the ootori, for the fourth time.

2016: Disbandment

On January 13, 2016, media reported that Nakai, Inagaki, Kusanagi, and Katori were in talks to leave Johnny & Associates agency, inevitably leading to a disbandment of SMAP. On January 18, such a breakup was denied later by the group through a live broadcast of their weekly variety program, SMAP×SMAP, issuing an apology for worrying the fans and creating chaos in the Japanese entertainment industry. On August 14, at 12:50 am, Johnny & Associates announced through a press release that SMAP will disband on December 31, 2016.

From August to December, radio stations that carry programs hosted by the members of SMAP announced at their press conferences that the three programs, Some Girl SMAP hosted by Nakai, Stop the SMAP hosted by Inagaki, and SMAP Power Splash hosted by Kusanagi and Katori, will continue to air after the disbandment, though the name "SMAP" will be removed from the titles. In December, Kimura announced that his radio program, What's Up SMAP, will continue as well, though he decided not to change the title, unlike the rest of the members. On December 30, the band's weekday radio program, Ohayo SMAP, which debuted in 1994 ended its twenty-two-year-long broadcast.

On September 21, 2016, Victor Entertainment announced that a compilation album and a video album will be released, commemorating the band's twenty-fifth anniversary. Fans were given the opportunity to choose the track list for the compilation album, by voting their favorites through the internet out of the 400 songs SMAP had released during their quarter-century-long career. On November 3, the full track list was revealed on Victor Entertainment's website and announced on national news in Japan. On December 21, SMAP released their sixth compilation album, SMAP 25 YEARS. The album sold 668,000 physical copies during the first week of release and debuted at number one, giving the band its fifteenth number one album and becoming the fastest selling album of 2016.

It was certified triple Platinum on December 27 in its first week and was certified Diamond on January 10 during its third week, denoting physical sales of one million copies. The album stayed at number one for two consecutive weeks.

On December 26, 2016, the final episode of their weekly variety program, SMAPxSMAP, was aired. The five-hour-long episode was aired in a clip show format, primarily consisting of excerpts from past episodes that aired during the past twenty years since its debut on April 15, 1996. SMAP's last singing performance as a group, which was taped on December 1, 2016, was aired at the end of the program. They sang their mega-hit song, "The One and Only Flower in the World" (世界に一つだけの花). At the ending credits, a heartwarming video of SMAP taking photos with the program's staff was shown.

Members

Masahiro Nakai

Takuya Kimura

Goro Inagaki

Tsuyoshi Kusanagi

Shingo Katori

Katsuyuki Mori

Other ventures

Philanthropy

SMAP was heavily involved in philanthropic activities. They have actively offered philanthropic support especially to the victims and regions affected by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami and the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes. On August 26 and 27, 1995, SMAP hosted NTV's annual telethon, 24 Hour Television, and raised 1.1 billion yen. On August 27 and 28, 2005, Kusanagi and Katori hosted the 24 Hour Television, again, and raised one billion yen.

In 2011, after the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, they bought a 30-second television commercial block in their weekly television program, SMAP×SMAP, to air a commercial on the information about the Japanese Red Cross Society and a message from the band members encouraging people to donate. Rather than reusing the ones aired in the past, they have been reshooting the commercial every time they have a taping and have them aired every week at the end of the program. Since March 2011, they have actively worked as the members of Marching J, a charity organization established by their agency, Johnny & Associates. Each band member have also made individual donations.

On May 4, 2011, their first and only digital single, "Not Alone" was released. Initially scheduled to serve as the band's 46th single, it was later canceled and released digitally in light of the earthquake and the situation in Japan, considering circumstances in power shortages and distribution. One hundred yen per single downloaded was donated to the victims. On July 23 and 24, 2011, Nakai hosted the annual twenty-seven-hour long television special, FNS 27 Hour Television, for the fifth time. A special episode of "Bistro SMAP", a cooking segment on SMAP×SMAP, was aired during the show, titled "Bistro SMAP On The Go". Four members flew to regions that were affected by the earthquake and tsunami, Kimura and Inagaki to Iwate Prefecture and Kusanagi and Katori to Fukushima. The four members cooked a total of one-thousand meals to the victims evacuated in these areas. Nakai started to host his own music show, Ongaku no Hi, meaning "music day", to show their support to all those affected by the earthquake and tsunami. The program is aired every summer since 2011. On August 17, 2011, the band released their fifth compilation album, SMAP Aid, to support the people affect by the earthquake and tsunami. Two-hundred yen per album sold were donated to the victims. Being that it was the band's twentieth anniversary, many predicted a tour after the release of the album but the band canceled it due to power shortage in Japan that year.

After the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes, the content of their 30-second long commercial changed, adding a new message by the band members toward the victims in Kumamoto. On April 24, ten days after the earthquake, Nakai made an unannounced surprise visit to an elementary school in Kumamoto, used as a shelter for the evacuees. He, later went back to Kumamoto on 2 more occasions: May 7 and again on May 15 with Katori. On June 12, Kimura made a visit to Kumamoto as well.

Endorsements and partnerships

SMAP is one of the highest paid celebrities for endorsements and commercial appearances in Japan, with an estimated contract of one hundred million yen per commercial. Since 1991, they have had over fifty contracts with Japan's largest firms, both as a group and individually. Among the firms and products they have endorsed in the past, the most recognized are NTT, SoftBank, Dole, Meiji, Ajinomoto, and Suntory Boss Coffee. From 1991 to 1992, they contributed "Seigi no Mikata wa Ate ni Naranai" and "Kokoro no Kagami" to Panasonic's television commercial. From 1992 to 1993, their songs "Egao no Genki", "Hajimete no Natsu", and "Kimi wa Kimi dayo" were used as the theme song for anime series, Hime-chan's Ribbon. From 1994 to 1995, "Original Smile" and "Shiyouyo were used in Kimura's television commercial for Oronamin C Drink. In 1996, "Munasawagi wo Tanomuyo" was used in Kimura's commercial for Kanebo Cosmetics. In 1999, "Fly" was used in the television commercials for NTT. From 2005 to 2006, "Triangle" served as the official song for all sports broadcasts on TV Asahi.

Since 2004, they have contributed their material to serve as the official song for the Olympics. Their song "Susume" was used for the 2004 Summer Olympics, "Kono Toki, Kitto Yume Jyanai" for the 2008 Summer Olympics, "Moment" for the 2012 Summer Olympics, and "Arigato" for the 2016 Summer Olympics, and were featured during the television coverage on TBS. In 2006, "Triangle" served as the official song for the 2006 Winter Olympics. In 2006, the band contributed their song "Dear Woman" to Shiseido's shampoo commercial and led it to become number one in the Top 10 Best Commercials of 2006. In 2007, their debut single, "Can't Stop Loving" was used in Otsuka Pharmaceutical's television commercial for Pocari Sweat, after sixteen years since its release. In 2008, "Dangan Fighter" served as the official song for all sports broadcasts on TV Asahi. From 2009, they signed a deal with SoftBank. On August 1, the first commercial aired on 124 commercial broadcast television networks and five digital billboards located in Japan at the same time at 6:59 pm. On December 29, 2011, a 330-second long commercial aired, setting a record for the longest television commercial aired in Japan. In 2009, "Super Star" served as the official song for all sports broadcasts on TV Asahi. In 2012, they contributed "Sakasama no Sora" to NHK's television series, Umechan Sensei.

From 2012, SMAP signed a partnership deal with 7-Eleven. While appearing in 7-Eleven's television commercials, the product development department collaborated with Bistro SMAP, a cooking segment in the band's weekly television program, SMAP×SMAP, where the band members cook food for celebrity guests. After airing Bistro SMAP for over fifteen years, the project was launched in response to requests from viewers and fans who wanted to try the food cooked by SMAP. Each member created their own food, such as sandwiches, snacks, noodle soups, and bentos, to sell at the 7-Eleven stores in Japan. The bentos were collectively called "Bistro Bentos". The first set of menus were sold in 2012 and a new set was sold every year until 2015. In 2013, they signed a deal with Suntory's Boss Coffee, starring in television commercials with Tommy Lee Jones. In 2013, they collaborated with Sanrio and contributed their song "Hello" in celebration of Hello Kitty's 40th anniversary. In 2014, they became the ambassador for Universal Studios Japan and contributed their song "Battery" to play as the background music for the attractions at the theme park. "Amazing Discovery" served as the official song for Universal Studios Japan. The same year, their song "Kokokara" was used as the theme song for Nihonbashi's Revitalization Project. In December 2014, they contributed "Humor Shichauyo" to be the official song for Shidax's Heart&Smile Project launched to help children in Africa and fifty yen per single sold was donated. From 2015, "Ai ga Tomarumade wa" was used in Katori's television commercial for JA Group.

Discography

Studio albums

Compilation albums

1995: Cool

1997: Wool

2001: Smap Vest

2001: pamS

2011: SMAP AID

2016: SMAP 25 Years

Filmography

Concert tours

Spring SMAP 91 (March–April 1991)

SMAP 92 Yattekimashita Oshogatsu (January 1992)

Spring SMAP 92 (March–April 1992)

SMAP 92 Summer Concert (August 1992)

SMAP Live (November 1992)

New Year Concert (January 1993)

Spring SMAP 93 (March–April 1993)

New Year Concert (January 1994)

Spring Concert (April–May 1994)

Sexy Six Show (July–August 1994)

Cool January (January 1995)

Cool Spring (March–April 1995)

Summer Minna Atumare Party (July–September 1995)

Winter Concert (December 1995 – January 1996)

Spring Concert (March–April 1996)

Chomugendaisho (July–August 1996)

SMAP Subarashii Sutekina Sugoizo (July–September 1997)

Concert Tour 1998 Viva Amigos (July–September 1998)

SMAP 1999 Tour Birdman (July–September 1999)

SMAP 00 S map Tour (October–November 2000)

SMAP 01 pamS Tour (July–September 2001)

Awards and nominations

Golden Arrow Award

The Golden Arrow Award is presented by the Japan Magazine Publishers Association (JMPA) to recognize excellence in domestic media. SMAP has won two awards.

Japan Gold Disc Award

The Japan Gold Disc Awards are the Recording Industry Association of Japan's annual music awards. SMAP has won fifteen awards.

Japan Music Award

The Japan Music Awards are presented by the Broadcast Music Producers Federation for outstanding achievements in the record industry. SMAP has won one award.

Japan Record Award

The Japan Record Awards are presented by the Japan Composer's Association for outstanding achievements in the record industry. SMAP declined their nominations, citing the lyrics of "Sekai ni Hitotsu Dake no Hana" which encourages listeners to seek individuality instead of being number one.

Publications

SMAP Super Photo Book The First (October 1992) ISBN 978-4056011500

SMAP Photo Book Shonenki (June 1993) ISBN 978-4081021123

SMAP Year Book 1993–1994 reminiscence (May 1994) ISBN 978-4847024283

SMAP Year Book 1994–1995 revival & evolution (June 1996) ISBN 978-4847024290

Snap (December 2001) ISBN 978-4893891716

The SMAP Magazine Super fashion & Music Assemble Photo magazine (October 2010) ISBN 978-4-8387-8614-5

SMAP×SMAP Complete Book Gekkan SmaSma Shinbun Vol.1 Pink (June 19, 2012) ISBN 978-4863362369

SMAP×SMAP Complete Book Gekkan SmaSma Shinbun Vol.2 Red (June 19, 2012) ISBN 978-4863362369

SMAP×SMAP Complete Book Gekkan SmaSma Shinbun Vol.3 Blue (July 24, 2012) ISBN 978-4863362376

SMAP×SMAP Complete Book Gekkan SmaSma Shinbun Vol.4 Yellow (August 28, 2012) ISBN 978-4863362383

SMAP×SMAP Complete Book Gekkan SmaSma Shinbun Vol.5 Green (September 18, 2012) ISBN 978-4863362390