Count Down TV
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese late night music television show, originally broadcast on TBS
from 1993 onwards. The program is shown weekly, and features a Japanese music video hit chart countdown, live performances from musicians and music information. It is presented by three CGI
hosts.
, the show airs after a one hour delay (1:58am–2:43am), and on Ryukyu Broadcasting it airs later on Fridays at 12:56am–1:45am (due to a network exchange with Nippon Television
and their variety show ).
On areas without TBS programming, the program is shown at a delayed time on several Nippon Television
channels. On Akita Broadcasting
, the show airs on Fridays from 1:13am–1:58am, on Fukui Broadcasting
the show airs on Wednesdays from 12:59am–1:44am, and on Shikoku Broadcasting, the show airs on Wednesdays from 12:59am–1:44am.
The show was re-branded, becoming Count Down TV and airing from April 1993 onwards. Some of the rebranding changes were later broadcast times, CGI
hosts and imagery, along with only airing the top 40 chart rank-ins.
The format has remained basically the same over the years. Some changes have been extending the broadcast from 30 minutes to 40 (and extending the charts from top 40 to top 50) and introducing album/ringtone
chart countdowns.
The monthly segments include (generally shown in the first week), CDTV History/Album Library (previous #1 singles/albums from that month in history), the top 10 songs performed at karaoke
for that month, the top albums/DVDs. The CDTV Award for the top single/album/ringtone/DVD that month is also announced.
Other segments include information segments for hyped music videos/film tie-up songs/dorama theme songs (potentially with sample clips from these music videos), and user submission polls for such questions as 'Which artist do you want as a lover?', 'What song do you want for your Wedding?', etc.
's singles chart and cable broadcast requests. Due to this, songs not officially released as singles (such as album tracks, B-sides, digital download singles, or the single before its official release) occasionally rank in, if the song has a music video that has been submitted to the station. As of December 2009, only these 13 tracks have achieved this:
As the charts are formulated from only Japanese domestic artists, it is rare for an overseas artist to rank on the charts (usually this is done when a collaboration single with a Japanese artist is released). The non-Japanese artists to rank on the CDTV charts (non-domestically) are:
Count Down TV also ranks albums and ringtone
downloads, but uses the raw data from Oricon
and Recochoku, respectively.
and , voiced by Masami Kikuchi
) have been constant, while the third changed over time. The third is generally a famous program announcer on other TBS television shows. The six third animated announcers are:
(voiced by Yumi Takada
) (voiced by Yumi Takada) (voiced by Mika Horii) (voiced by Ikumi Kimura) (voiced by Chisato Kaiho) (voiced by Maki Arai)
Tokyo Broadcasting System
, TBS Holdings, Inc. or TBSHD, is a stockholding company in Tokyo, Japan. It is a parent company of a television network named and radio network named ....
from 1993 onwards. The program is shown weekly, and features a Japanese music video hit chart countdown, live performances from musicians and music information. It is presented by three CGI
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
hosts.
Broadcast times
On all but two of the 26 TBS broadcasting channels, the show is aired on Sundays at 12:58am–1:43am. On Chubu-Nippon BroadcastingChubu-Nippon Broadcasting
is a regional radio and television service serving Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Its radio service is affiliated with the Japan Radio Network and its television service affiliated with the Japan News Network and the TBS Network.-Radio:Frequency...
, the show airs after a one hour delay (1:58am–2:43am), and on Ryukyu Broadcasting it airs later on Fridays at 12:56am–1:45am (due to a network exchange with Nippon Television
Nippon Television
is a television network based in the Shiodome area of Minato, Tokyo, Japan and is controlled by the Yomiuri Shimbun publishing company. Broadcasting terrestrially across Japan, the network is commonly known as , contracted to , and abbreviated as "NTV" or "AX".-Offices:*The Headquarters : 6-1,...
and their variety show ).
On areas without TBS programming, the program is shown at a delayed time on several Nippon Television
Nippon Television
is a television network based in the Shiodome area of Minato, Tokyo, Japan and is controlled by the Yomiuri Shimbun publishing company. Broadcasting terrestrially across Japan, the network is commonly known as , contracted to , and abbreviated as "NTV" or "AX".-Offices:*The Headquarters : 6-1,...
channels. On Akita Broadcasting
Akita Broadcasting System
Akita Broadcasting System, Inc. is a Japanese broadcaster in Akita Prefecture. Its radio station is affiliated with Japan Radio Network and National Radio Network , and its TV station is affiliated with Nippon News Network and Nippon TV Network System .-The Headquarters:* 7-9-42 San-no,Akita...
, the show airs on Fridays from 1:13am–1:58am, on Fukui Broadcasting
Fukui Broadcasting
is a TV station, established 1 June 1960, affiliated with Nippon News Network , Nippon Television Network System and All-Nippon News Network in Fukui, Fukui...
the show airs on Wednesdays from 12:59am–1:44am, and on Shikoku Broadcasting, the show airs on Wednesdays from 12:59am–1:44am.
History
The show was created after a gap the broadcast of the long-run TBS countdown show The Best Ten (1978–1989). A top 100 music countdown show called (presented by Kuniko Tamada and Masayuki Watanabe) begun airing on TBS networks from October 1992, however received low ratings in its targeted youth market (due to its early airing time, 8pm, and the at average 10pm returning home time of the target audience). The show finished airing in March 1993.The show was re-branded, becoming Count Down TV and airing from April 1993 onwards. Some of the rebranding changes were later broadcast times, CGI
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
hosts and imagery, along with only airing the top 40 chart rank-ins.
The format has remained basically the same over the years. Some changes have been extending the broadcast from 30 minutes to 40 (and extending the charts from top 40 to top 50) and introducing album/ringtone
Truetone
A truetone is a ringtone which has been encoded with a sampled audio format such as MP3, AAC, or WMA. It is also referred to as a mastertone or realtone....
chart countdowns.
Main Segments
The show is split up into several chart segments, based around weekly or monthly sales. Weekly singles rankings are split into last week's top 10, #30-#21, #20-#11, #10-#4, and sequential sections for singles ranking #3, #2 and #1. The top 10 albums' chart is briefly broadcast (from April 2009, non-domestic albums also feature), along with the top 10/20 ringtones. Other than these charts, between 1-3 musical guests perform in weekly segments (generally songs popular on the charts at the time), along with an older clip from the 'CDTV library' and fortune telling for the week.The monthly segments include (generally shown in the first week), CDTV History/Album Library (previous #1 singles/albums from that month in history), the top 10 songs performed at karaoke
Karaoke
is a form of interactive entertainment or video game in which amateur singers sing along with recorded music using a microphone and public address system. The music is typically a well-known pop song minus the lead vocal. Lyrics are usually displayed on a video screen, along with a moving symbol,...
for that month, the top albums/DVDs. The CDTV Award for the top single/album/ringtone/DVD that month is also announced.
Other segments include information segments for hyped music videos/film tie-up songs/dorama theme songs (potentially with sample clips from these music videos), and user submission polls for such questions as 'Which artist do you want as a lover?', 'What song do you want for your Wedding?', etc.
CDTV Top 100
Count Down TV ranks its music video countdown on the CDTV Top 100 chart. The chart is tallied by a combination of OriconOricon
, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
's singles chart and cable broadcast requests. Due to this, songs not officially released as singles (such as album tracks, B-sides, digital download singles, or the single before its official release) occasionally rank in, if the song has a music video that has been submitted to the station. As of December 2009, only these 13 tracks have achieved this:
- Dohzi-TDohzi-T, real name , is a Japanese rapper, who has been active since 1989.-Biography:Dohzi-T belonged to hip hop band "Zingi", formed in 1990. He debuted as a solo singer with the single "Shōnen A" on October 10, 2001. He associated with popular singers such as Shota Shimizu, Miliyah Kato and Hiromi Go...
feat. Beni - (4 weeks early rank-in at #90) - Dreams Come True - (album "Love Unlimited" album track)
- Exile & Kumi KodaKumi Koda, better known by her stage name , is a Japanese singer and songwriter from Kyoto, known for her urban and R&B songs. Having debuted in 2000 with the single "Take Back", Koda gained fame for her seventh single, "Real Emotion/1000 no Kotoba", the songs of which were used as themes for the video game...
- "Won't Be LongWon't Be Long"Won't Be Long" is a collaboration single by Japanese boy band Exile and Kumi Koda. It is a cover of the song originally sung by the Japanese band Da Bubblegum Brothers in the early 1990s. It is a midtempo song. Kumi Koda's album Black Cherry included two versions of this song , both different...
" (1 week early rank-in at #94) - GlayGlayGlay is a rock/pop band from Hakodate, Hokkaidō, Japan formed by guitarist Takuro and vocalist Teru in high school in 1988. Glay primarily composes songs in the rock and pop genres, but they have also composed songs using elements of different styles such as reggae and gospel...
- (2 weeks early rank-in at #97) - GreeeenGReeeeNis a Japanese pop/rock/hip hop/breakbeat vocal group from Kōriyama city in Fukushima Prefecture, comprising the all-male four members Hide, Navi, 92, and Soh. They made their debut with Universal Music in 2007. Their logo image is of a mouthful of teeth, and the four Es indicate the number of members...
- (2 weeks early rank-in at #76) - Kiyoshi HikawaKiyoshi Hikawais a Japanese enka singer who was born on September 6, 1977 in Minami-ku, Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. His real name is and he is known as "The Prince of Enka" due to his young age and popularity...
- (1 week early rank-in at #99) - Kiyoshi Hikawa - (1 week early rank-in at #92)
- Hi-StandardHi-StandardHi-Standard is a Japanese punk rock band who formed in 1991. The release Making the Road sparked sold-out Japan shows and US/European tours with punk bands such as NOFX, No Use for a Name and WIZO. Although members of Hi-Standard were Japanese born, all of the band's major releases were sung in...
- "Love Is a BattlefieldLove Is a Battlefield (EP)Love Is a Battlefield is a four-track EP from Japanese punk rock band, Hi-Standard. It was released on American label, Fat Wreck Chords, in July 2001.-Track listing:...
" (considered an album by OriconOricon, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
, but a single by CDTV) - Sharam Q - (single "Īwake"'s B-side)
- George TokoroGeorge Tokorois the stage name of Japanese tarento, singer-songwriter, comedian, Master of Ceremonies, and essayist . Born in Tokorozawa, Saitama, he attended Takushoku University's Commercial Science class.-Works:*ALF - ALF...
- (considered an album by OriconOricon, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
, but a single by CDTV) - Hikaru Utada - "First Love" (1 week early rank-in at #99)
- Hikaru Utada - "Prisoner of LovePrisoner of Love (Hikaru Utada song)-Digital sales information:On May 13, Barks.jp reported "Prisoner of Love" had sold over 1.5 million downloads across all formats, and on July 7, Yahoo!Japan reported it had sold over 2.9 million downloads, it has been certified by the RIAJ on September 2 for reaching the 1 million mark for...
" (1 week early rank-in at #84) - YuiYui (singer), stylized as YUI, is a multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, composer, actress, and radio personality. Born and raised in Fukuoka, she played live at various locations in her home town before being noticed by Sony Music Japan when she was 17 and released her debut single months later...
- "Laugh Away" (digital single)
As the charts are formulated from only Japanese domestic artists, it is rare for an overseas artist to rank on the charts (usually this is done when a collaboration single with a Japanese artist is released). The non-Japanese artists to rank on the CDTV charts (non-domestically) are:
- Naomi CampbellNaomi CampbellNaomi Campbell is a British model. Scouted at the age of 15, she established herself among the top three most recognisable and in-demand models of the late 1980s and early 1990s, and she was one of six models of her generation declared "supermodels" by the fashion world...
("La La La Love Song" w/ Toshinobu Kubota) - Céline DionCeline DionCéline Marie Claudette Dion, , , is a Canadian singer. Born to a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record...
( w/ Yuna ItoYuna Itois an American pop singer-songwriter and actress who is active in Japan.She was born in Los Angeles and was raised in Hawaii. Ito made her musical debut in Japan with the single, "Endless Story", which was used as one of the theme songs for the popular 2005 film Nana; she also starred in the film,...
) - Melissa ManchesterMelissa ManchesterMelissa Manchester is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Beginning in the 1970s, she has recorded generally in the adult contemporary genre. She has also appeared as an actress on television, in films, and on stage....
("Stand In the Light" w/ Tatsuro YamashitaTatsuro Yamashitais a Japanese singer-songwriter, and record producer. He has been known by his musical style deeply influenced from 1960s American pop and rock music....
) - Park Yong-haPark Yong-haPark Yong-ha was a Korean actor and singer. He committed suicide at the age of 32.-Career:At seventeen, Park was noted for his acting and musical skills, as well as his good looks which earned him popularity with fans. After his debut in MBC drama Theme Theater , Park appeared a range of TV dramas...
(originally considered an overseas artist on his first single, "Kajimaseyo" (カジマセヨ) [which did not chart]) - Maxi PriestMaxi PriestMax Alfred "Maxi" Priest is a British reggae vocalist of Jamaican descent. He is best known for singing reggae music with a R&B influence, otherwise known as reggae fusion, and became one of the first international successes who regularly dabbled in the genre as well as being one of the most...
("Love Somebody" w/ Yūji OdaYuji Odais a Japanese actor and singer.Yuji Oda was born on 13 December 1967 in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. He was born to an upper-middle-class family and attended the private academy of Touin Gakuen. Originally he had a promising career in sports, but had to give it up after a knee injury. He...
) - Richie SamboraRichie SamboraRichard Stephen "Richie" Sambora is an American rock guitarist, producer, musician, singer, and songwriter who is the longtime lead guitarist of the rock band, Bon Jovi. He and frontman Jon Bon Jovi form the primary songwriting unit of the band...
("Forever" w/ Takashi SorimachiTakashi Sorimachiis a Japanese actor and singer. He is mostly famous for having portrayed Eikichi Onizuka in the live-action drama adaptation of the popular manga series Great Teacher Onizuka, and the assassin O in Hong Kong action film Fulltime Killer....
) - Ryu Shi-wonRyu Shi-wonRyu Shi-won is a South Korean actor and singer. After he made his debut in the KBS drama Feeling in 1994, Ryu pursued a singing career....
- Brian SetzerBrian SetzerBrian Setzer is an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. He first found widespread success in the early 1980s with the 1950s-style rockabilly revival group The Stray Cats, and revitalized his career in the late 1990s with a jazz-oriented big band.-Career:Setzer was born in Massapequa, New York...
("Back Streets of Tokyo" w/ Tomoyasu HoteiTomoyasu Hoteiis a Japanese musician, guitarist and actor. In 2003, HMV Japan ranked Hotei at number 70 on their list of the 100 most important Japanese pop acts.- Life and career :...
) - Roger TaylorRoger Meddows-TaylorRoger Meddows Taylor , known as Roger Taylor, is a British musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is best known as the drummer, backing vocalist and occasional lead vocalist of British rock band Queen. As a drummer he is known for his "big" unique sound and is considered one of...
("Foreign Sand" w/ Yoshiki) - Twelve Girls BandTwelve Girls BandTwelve Girls Band are an all female Chinese musical group that initially consisted of twelve members before the addition of a thirteenth. Twelve Girls Band use traditional Chinese instruments to play both traditional Chinese and Western music. Formed on June 18, 2001, the women were selected by...
("LoulanLoulanLoulan or Kroran was an ancient kingdom based around an important oasis city already known in the 2nd century BCE on the north-eastern edge of the Lop Desert. Loulan, known to Russian archaeologists as Krorayina, was an ancient kingdom along the Silk Road. In 108 BCE, the Han Dynasty forces...
" (楼蘭) w/ Sachiko Kobayashi) - Caron WheelerCaron WheelerCaron Wheeler is a two-time Grammy Award winning British R&B/soul singer, who gained fame by writing and singing the lead vocals on the two biggest hits for Soul II Soul Caron Wheeler (19 January 1963) is a two-time Grammy Award winning British R&B/soul singer, who gained fame by writing and...
("Just the Two of Us" w/ Toshinobu Kubota) - Faye WongFaye WongFaye Wong is a highly successful and influential Chinese singer-songwriter and actress who is usually referred to as a diva . Early in her career she briefly used the stage name Shirley Wong . Born in Beijing, she moved to Hong Kong in 1987 and rose to stardom in the early 1990s by singing...
("Eyes on MeEyes on Me (Faye Wong song)"Eyes on Me" is a pop ballad performed by Chinese diva Faye Wong as a love theme for the video game Final Fantasy VIII. The song's lyrics, written in somewhat imperfect English by Kako Someya, unveil the hopes of a night club singer for romance with a member of her audience.-Single:The song was...
", "Separate Ways")
Count Down TV also ranks albums and ringtone
Truetone
A truetone is a ringtone which has been encoded with a sampled audio format such as MP3, AAC, or WMA. It is also referred to as a mastertone or realtone....
downloads, but uses the raw data from Oricon
Oricon
, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
and Recochoku, respectively.
Presenters
The presenters of the show are computer rendered animated characters. There are always three presenters: two ' onMouseout='HidePop("52928")' href="/topics/Hiromi_Ishikawa">Hiromi IshikawaHiromi Ishikawa
is a Japanese voice actress and stage actress from Tokyo, Japan. She is represented by two talent agencies: 81 Produce and Caramel Box, and was formerly represented as a stage actor by Theatre Echo.-Anime:*Bonobono...
and , voiced by Masami Kikuchi
Masami Kikuchi
is a veteran voice actor who was born in Nagano. He works for Kenyu Office.-Anime:* Air Gear * Aoki Densetsu Shoot * The Brave Express Might Gaine * Captain Tsubasa J...
) have been constant, while the third changed over time. The third is generally a famous program announcer on other TBS television shows. The six third animated announcers are:
(voiced by Yumi Takada
Yumi Takada
is a Japanese voice actress employed by 81 Produce.-Notable voice roles:*Yoshinaga-sensei in Crayon Shin-chan*Etsuko in Hanappe Bazooka*Ayeka Masaki Jurai in Tenchi Muyo!*Ayeka Takada /Romio , Ghost Girl in Pretty Sammy...
) (voiced by Yumi Takada) (voiced by Mika Horii) (voiced by Ikumi Kimura) (voiced by Chisato Kaiho) (voiced by Maki Arai)
Theme Songs
Since the show's inception in June 1993, two popular music songs have been used as the show's opening and ending theme songs, changing monthly. For a complete list of these songs, see the list on the Japanese Wikipedia.CDTV in popular culture
- The TV TokyoTV Tokyois a television station headquartered in Toranomon, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Also known as , a blend of "terebi" and "Tokyo", it is the key station of TX Network. It is one of the major Tokyo television stations, particularly specializing in anime...
popular animeAnimeis the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
"Gin Tama" episode's 2009 "Start the Countdown" featured a CD Gin Tama segment, in which all of the greatest quotes from the show were listed. A guest live was even included, in the form of Hitomi TakahashiHitomi Takahashi (singer)is a rock/pop singer from Miyagi Prefecture in Japan. After being selected as finalist in the Sony Music SD audition, which contained about 20,000 applicants, Hitomi entered the music scene in 2005 with her single "Bokutachi no Yukue"...
(whose song "Wo Ai Ni" was the ending theme song at the time). A Gin Tama-styled animated Takahashi even gave a brief comment before her performance. The CD Gin Tama segment was repeated again in the episode "Screw Popularity Polls." - The Fuji TV variety show "Mecha-Mecha Iketeru!Mecha-Mecha Iketeru!is a popular Japanese variety show, shown on Fuji TV. The hosts of the show are the owarai duo Ninety-Nine , and the show is usually attended by regulars Yoiko, Gokuraku Tombo, Oasiz, Shinji Takeda, Akiko Hinagata, and Sarina Suzuki. However, Gokuraku Tombo's Keiichi Yamamoto has not appeared on...
" features a segment called ICDTV (Iketeru Count Down TV), in which two songs are picked by members, and the one voted on most is chosen to be parodied. - The segment of the Fuji TV variety show featured a countdown of their most popular moments on the show called CDDD (Count Down Dame Dame).