"Heavy Rotation" (ヘビーローテーション) is Japanese idol group AKB48's 17th single, released on August 18, 2010. The video was directed by photographer and movie producer Mika Ninagawa. The title song of this single, widely known as HR, was a huge karaoke hit and led the respective JOYSOUND charts for 43 weeks. As of August 2024, the song has been covered in Indonesian by JKT48, in Mandarin by three different groups SNH48, AKB48 Team SH and AKB48 Team TP, in Tagalog by MNL48, in Vietnamese by SGO48, in Thai by BNK48, and in Malay by KLP48.

2010 general election

The group's previous single, "Ponytail to Shushu", contained tickets in which buyers would vote for a member that would participate in the title track for "Heavy Rotation". The winner of AKB48's 2010 general election was member Yuko Oshima, who became the center for the single. She was followed by Atsuko Maeda, Mariko Shinoda, Tomomi Itano and Mayu Watanabe. Oshima was the cover girl for the Type B single, while the next three ranking members in the poll were featured on the Type A cover. Before the track was recorded and the PV was filmed, the annual Kenkyuusei selection process was announced with Atsuki Ishiguro failing it because of her scandal. Thus she is not featured in this single, nor the 40th spot was filled

Tie-in

Three of the four songs found on the single were used in television commercial campaigns: "Heavy Rotation" in commercials for confectionist UHA Kakuto's Puccho candies, "Lucky Seven" for 7-Eleven and "Yasai Sisters" for a campaign by vegetable juice producers Kagome. "Namida no See-Saw Game" was used as the ending theme song for AKB48's variety show, AKB600sec.

Track listing

Senbatsu

Heavy Rotation

Center : Yuko Oshima

Namida no Sea-Saw Game

Sang by the Undergirls. The center for this song is Aika Ōta.

Yasai Sisters

Ishida has only appeared on behalf of Ono in the PV.

Lucky Seven

Iwasa has only appeared on behalf of Miyazaki in the PV.

Charts and certifications

Chart performance

Sales and certifications

JKT48 version

"Heavy Rotation" is a song from Indonesian-Japanese female idol group JKT48. It was a cover from the original in Japanese that sung by AKB48 in 2010. The song was performed first in commercial television performance on 2011 ahead of the group main debut. Heavy Rotation originally performed by 16 members. Later, the song was released as studio album in 2013 which also the group first-ever discographies and released in two physical version. The song features member Melody Nuramdhani Laksani as choreographic performances center. "Heavy Rotation" is also included in the group's fifth main single, "Flying Get" in 2014. Music video from the song released in 2020 or eight years after its debut performance.

Personnel

"Heavy Rotation" was sung by selection senbatsu performer, consist of: Melody Nurramdhani Laksani, Ayana Shahab, Beby Chaesara Anadila, Cindy Gulla, Devi Kinal Putri, Frieska Anastasia Laksani, Ghaida Farisya, Jessica Vania, Jessica Veranda, Nabilah Ratna Ayu Azalia, Rena Nozawa, Rezky Wiranti Dhike, Sendy Ariani, Shania Junianatha, Sonya Pandarmawan, Stella Cornelia.

SNH48 version

"Heavy Rotation" was redone in Mandarin for AKB48's sister group in China, SNH48, as the group's debut single; it was released on June 13, 2013. This EP also contains Mandarin tracks for River and Sakura no Ki ni Narō.

Release

The single was released in two versions: Type Red and Type Blue. The contents in Type Red and Type Blue were the same except their different cover photo. Each CD includes a handshake event ticket, a member photo, a group photo, and a DVD with the music videos of the three songs. A Collector's Edition was released after the initial two versions were sold out, and was also released in Type Red and Type Blue. Each CD included a River theme photo with 16 members, but did not include a DVD.

Track listing

Personnel

The track was sung by the first generation members of SNH48:

AKB48 Team SH version

"Heavy Rotation" originally was a song by Japanese idol group AKB48 then later covered by its sister group into respective languages. The Mandarin version of "Heavy Rotation" was done by SNH48 on 2013, then later covered by AKB48 Team SH with different lyrics. Lyric that used by AKB48 Team SH also used by AKB48 Team TP. This song is included in AKB48 Team SH debut EP "Shonichi". The song features member Liu Nian and Zhai Yujia as choreographic performances center.

Personnel

"Heavy Rotation" was sung by selection senbatsu performer, consist of: Dong FangChi, Li ShiQi, Liu Nian, Mao WeiJia, Shen Ying, Shi KeYan, Wan FangZhou, Wang YuDuo, Wei Xin, Wu AnQi, Xu YiTing, Ye ZhiEn, Zhai YuJia, Zhou NianQi, Zhu Ling, Zhuang XiaoTi.

SGO48 version

Following the group's debut on December 22, 2018, "Heavy Rotation" was adapted in Vietnamese by SGO48, later released as the group's first single in the country on August 25, 2019. The release also contains Vietnamese version of "Shonichi", "Aitakatta," and "SGO48", having previously performed all three songs during their debut concert in December 2018. It was released in three different physical versions, containing a collectible digital card, a random bonus photo, a lyric book, and a handshake ticket. The accompanying music video was later premiered through their official YouTube channel on August 1, 2019, three weeks prior to the physical release. To promote the single, SGO48 released a special documentary series on practicing for their first single, titled Light Up Your Dream from July 26, 2019. The group went on to appear on several native television programs and events to perform all the songs live, and later as part of their setlist during the group's participation at the AKB48 Group Asia Festival in Shanghai on August 24, 2019.

Track listing

Personnel

"Heavy Rotation" Performed by sixteen pre-selected senbatsu performers, with member Trần Cát Tường (Anna) serving as the center for "Heavy Rotation". Other senbatsu members include: Châu Ngọc Đoan Thảo (Hikari), Đặng Thị Huỳnh Như (Minxy), Huỳnh Ngô Kim Châu (Mon), Lê Phạm Thuỷ Tiên (Tiên Linh), Lê Sunny, Lê Thị Thu Nga, Nguyễn Hồ Trùng Dương, Nguyễn Lê Ngọc Ánh Sáng, Nguyễn Quế Minh Hân (Sachi), Nguyễn Thị Lệ (Lệ Trang), Nguyễn Thanh Hoàng My (Mochi), Nguyễn Trương Tường Vy (Janie), Phạm Lâm Ánh Trúc (Trúc Phạm), Võ Phan Kim Khánh (Kaycee), and Vương Mai Linh (Linh Mai). "Shonichi" Performed by fourteen senbatsu members from above, with the exception of Thu Nga and Minxy. Two other Under Girls members, namely Nguyễn Thị Nhi (Dona), and Lê Mẫn Nghi, participated in recording the song. "Aitakatta" Performed by fifteen senbatsu members from above, with the exception of Mon and the appearance of Dona instead. "SGO48" Performed by all twenty-eight members of SGO48.

BNK48 version

"Heavy Rotation" has been redone in Thai by sister group BNK48 in July 2020 as their ninth single. This single personnel were chosen by their second edition of Senbatsu General Election. The first performance from main song also the announcement about this single B-Side was announced at BNK48 Wonderland event on July, 26. On January 27, 2019, during the performance of "AKB48 Group Asia Festival in Bangkok" a snippet of Thai version from this song has been performed for the very first time by WRD48 unit that consist of members from AKB48, JKT48, MNL48, AKB48 Team SH, AKB48 Team TP, and SGO48. The song has been sung in medley by the group's local respective languages. Members who sing the medley in Thai were Cherprang Areekul, Praewa Suthamphong (Music), and Punsikorn Tiyakorn (Pun).

Track listing

Personnel

"Heavy Rotation" "Heavy Rotation" was performed by 16 chosen senbatsu performer that determined by ranking from their Senbatsu General Election placement, which consist of: Kunjiranut Intarasin (Jane) (center), Cherprang Areekul, Jennis Oprasert, Kanteera Wadcharathadsanakul (Noey), Natruja Chutiwansopon (Kaew), Plearnpichaya Komalarajun (Juné), Punsikorn Tiyakorn (Pun), Rachaya Tupkunanon (Minmin), Weeraya Zhang (Wee), Isarapa Thawatpakdee (Tarwaan), Jiradapa Intajak (Pupe), Milin Dokthian (Namneung), Natticha Chantaravareelekha (Fond), Patchanan Jiajirachote (Orn), Pimrapat Phadungwatanachok (Mobile), Praewa Suthamphong (Music). "Hashire! Penguin - วิ่งไปสิ...เพนกวิน" "Hashire! Penguin" (lit. Run! Penguin) was performed by 16 chosen Undergirls performer that determined by ranking from their Senbatsu General Election placement, which consist of: "Wink wa Sankai - วิ้งค์ 3 ครั้ง" "Wink wa Sankai" (lit. Wink 3 times) originally by HKT48 and covered in Thai by 16 chosen Next Girls performer that determined by ranking from their Senbatsu General Election placement, which consist of: