NEWS (band): Difference between revisions

Formed in September 2003, NEWS released a promotional single, {{Nihongo|"News Nippon"|News ニッポン|News Japan}}, which was used as the theme song for the World Cup of Volleyball Championships.<ref name="oriconprofile" /><ref name="six">{{Cite web|url= http://www.sponichi.co.jp/entertainment/special/2005jya/KFullNormal20061231052.html|title= NEWS Starts Over|publisher= [[Sponichi]]|accessdate= 2008-10-10|date= 2006-12-31|language= ja|deadurl= yes|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20070208133256/http://www.sponichi.co.jp/entertainment/special/2005jya/KFullNormal20061231052.html|archivedate= 2007-02-08|df= }}</ref> Before holding their first concert, {{Nihongo|''NEWSnow Concert: News' Concert''|NEWSnowCONCERT〜ニュースのコンサート〜}}, [[Takahiro Moriuchi]] left the group. News later released their debut single, "Kibō: Yell", which topped the [[Oricon]] chart.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.oricon.co.jp/music/release/d/549203/1/|title=Kibō: Yell Oricon page|publisher= [[Oricon]]|accessdate= 2009-03-19|language=ja}}</ref> Their next two singles, {{Nihongo|"Akaku Moyuru Taiyō"|紅く燃ゆる太陽|Burning Red Sun}} (2004) and {{Nihongo|Cherish|チェリッシュ|Cherisshu}} (2005), both debuted atop the charts, as did News' first album, ''Touch'', which sold 164,016 copies in its first week.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.oricon.co.jp/music/release/d/561027/1/|title=Akaku Moyuru Taiyō Oricon page|publisher=[[Oricon]]|accessdate=2009-03-19|language=ja}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.oricon.co.jp/music/release/d/588832/1/|title=Cherish Oricon page|publisher=[[Oricon]]|accessdate=2009-03-19|language=ja}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.oricon.co.jp/search/result.php?kbn=ja&types=rnk&year=2005&month=5&week=2&submit5.x=12&submit5.y=8|title=Touch first week sales|publisher=[[Oricon]]|accessdate=2009-03-19|language=ja}}</ref>

In July 2005, [[Uchi Hiroki]] was caught for underage drinking and suspended indefinitely from both News and [[Kanjani8]], another group he was a part of.<ref name="uchifirst">{{Cite web|url=http://hochi.yomiuri.co.jp/feature/entertainment/johnnys/news/20081222-OHT1T00051.htm |title=Hiroki Uchi weeping at the "Welcome back" shouts of support at his first solo live |publisher=[[Sports Hochi]] |accessdate=2009-03-19 |date=2008-12-22 |language=ja |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090307063833/http://hochi.yomiuri.co.jp/feature/entertainment/johnnys/news/20081222-OHT1T00051.htm |archivedate=March 7, 2009 }}</ref><ref name="huhk">{{Cite web|url=http://www.sponichi.co.jp/entertainment/news/2006/12/31/07.html|title=NEWS returns for new year, as 6 person group|work=[[Sports Nippon]]|date=2006-12-31|accessdate=2009-03-19|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070128145246/http://www.sponichi.co.jp/entertainment/news/2006/12/31/07.html|archivedate=2007-01-28|language=ja}}</ref> Despite having lost a member, News released their fourth single, {{Nihongo|"Teppen"|てっぺん|Top}}, which like its predecessors debuted at number one.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.oricon.co.jp/music/release/d/605374/1/|title=Teppen's Oricon page|publisher=[[Oricon]]|accessdate=2009-03-19|language=ja}}</ref> In January 2006, News was reduced to six members when [[Hironori Kusano]] was suspended indefinitely for the same charge as Uchi.<ref name="restart" /><ref name="huhk" /> News released their fifth single, {{Nihongo|"Sayaendō/Hadashi no Cinderella Boy"|サヤエンドウ/裸足のシンデレラボーイ|Peas/Barefoot Cinderella Boy}} (March 2006), which was their fifth consecutive number-one single.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.oricon.co.jp/news/ranking/16083/|title=NEWS, single past third place, 1st to win five consecutive singles by leaders!|publisher=[[Oricon]]|date=2006-03-20|accessdate=2009-03-20|language=ja}}</ref> On May 1, 2006, after News finished their "News Spring Tour", the group went on hiatus.<ref name="huhk" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sponichi.co.jp/entertainment/special/2005jya/KFullNormal20060501057.html|title=ＮＥＷＳの６人"解散しない"宣言|publisher=[[Sports Nippon]]|date=2006-05-01|accessdate=2009-03-23|language=ja}}</ref>

On December 30, 2006, it was announced that News would make their return at ''Johnny's Concert Countdown 2006-2007'' as a six-member group, since Hiroki Uchi and Hironori Kusano had been demoted to trainees.<ref name="six" /><ref name="huhk" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sponichi.co.jp/entertainment/special/2007jya/KFullNormal20070716055.html|title=内＆草野反省も「ＮＥＷＳ」復帰なし|work=[[Sports Nippon]]|date=2007-07-16|accessdate=2009-03-20|language=ja}}</ref> To mark their return, News embarked on a tour and released their sixth single {{Nihongo|"Hoshi wo Mezashite"|星をめざして|Aim For the Stars}}.<ref name="tour">{{Cite web|url=http://www.sponichi.co.jp/entertainment/news/2007/01/07/04.html|title=NEWS returns for new year, as 6 person group|work=[[Sports Nippon]]|date=2007-01-11|accessdate=2009-03-20|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070322175651/http://www.sponichi.co.jp/entertainment/news/2007/01/11/04.html|archivedate=2007-03-22|language=ja}}</ref> "Hoshi wo Mezashite" became their sixth number-one single, which went on to be used as the theme song for the Japanese version of ''[[Happy Feet]]''.<ref name="tour" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.oricon.co.jp/music/release/d/700917/1/|title=Hoshi o Mezashite Oricon page|publisher=[[Oricon]]|accessdate=2009-03-20|language=ja}}</ref>

In February 2008 News released their eighth number-one single, {{Nihongo|"Taiyō no Namida"|太陽のナミダ|Tears of the Sun}}, which was used as the theme song for the movie ''[[Kurosagi (film)|Kurosagi]]'', starring [[Tomohisa Yamashita]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.oricon.co.jp/news/rankmusic/49603/|title=NEWS tied with Hikiri Genji for eight consecutive Oricon No.1|work=[[Oricon]]|date=2008-03-04|accessdate=2009-03-20|language=ja}}</ref> News released two more number-one singles, "Summer Time" (May 2008) and "[[Happy Birthday (News song)|Happy Birthday]]" (October 2008), before releasing their third studio album ''[[Color (album)|Color]]'' (November 2008).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.oricon.co.jp/music/release/d/763345/1/|title=Summer Time's Oricon page|work=[[Oricon]]|accessdate=2009-03-20|language=ja}}</ref> The release of "Happy Birthday" made News the second group, after the [[KinKi Kids]], to have ten consecutive number-one singles since their debut.<ref name="ten" /> ''Color'' debuted at the number one position on the charts, giving News their third consecutive album.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tokyograph.com/news/id-4088|title=Charts: UVERworld's first #1|work=Tokyograph|date=2008-11-26|accessdate=2009-03-20|language=ja}}</ref> News released their new single, {{Nihongo|"Koi no ABO"|恋のABO|Love's ABO}} on April 29, 2009.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.johnnys-net.jp/j/allrelease/allrelease.html|title=Johnny's New Release page|publisher=Johnny's net|accessdate= 2009-04-09|language=ja}}</ref> It became their 11th number-one single. Their 12th number-one single titled "Sakura Girl" was released on March 31, 2010. At the "Live! Live! Live! News Dome Party 2010" concert at Tokyo Dome, it was announced that News would be releasing their 13th single, “Fighting Man,” on November 3, which they did.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tokyohive.com/2010/09/news-to-release-new-single-fighting-man/|title=NEWS to release new single, "Fighting Man" |accessdate=2010-10-02|language=ja}}</ref>

On October 7, 2011, it was announced that both [[Ryo Nishikido]] and [[Tomohisa Yamashita]] left the group. The official press release from Johnnys & Associates explained that Nishikido was leaving because scheduling conflicts made it difficult for him to be active in both News and Kanjani8, while Yamashita was leaving to concentrate on solo projects. Nishikido continued his activities with [[Kanjani8]] but not News. News continued as a four-member group with [[Keiichiro Koyama]], [[Takahisa Masuda]], [[Shigeaki Kato]] and [[Yuya Tegoshi]].<ref name="RP leaving">{{Cite web|url=http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20111007-00000099-spnannex-ent|title=YamaP & Ryo Nishikido withdrew from NEWS|date=October 2011|language=ja}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tokyofever.com/2011/10/yamashita-tomohisa-and-nishikido-ryo-withdraw-from-news/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160112112953/http://www.tokyofever.com/2011/10/yamashita-tomohisa-and-nishikido-ryo-withdraw-from-news/|dead-url=yes|archive-date=2016-01-12|title=English Translation: Yamapi & Ryo Nishikido withdraw from NEWS|date=October 2011}}</ref>