Johnnys ジャニーズ
Background information
Origin	Japan
Genres	Pop dance
Years active	1962 (1962)–1967
Labels	JVC
Members	Teruhiko Aoi Osami Iino Hiromi Maie Ryo Nakatani

Johnnys (ジャニーズ, Janīzu) were a Japanese boy band created by Johnny Kitagawa before the formation of the Japanese talent agency Johnny & Associates.

The group was formed in April 1962 and lasted until November 20, 1967. They are considered one of the first of Japan's idol groups. Johnnys is also an abbreviation for "Johnny's Jimusho" and also for the talents signed to the agency. For the sake of convenience in Japan, the group is often called "First Generation Johnny's" or "Founding Johnnys". For those considered to be "bishōnen" the term "Johnnys Type" is used. The word, despite referring to one male's looks, is not to be mistaken for the word "Ikemen".

Their debut single "Wakai Namida" (1964) was composed by Hachidai Nakamura with the lyrics by Rokusuke Ei. Nakamura and Ei formerly made the music and lyric of Kyu Sakamoto's U.S. Billboard Hot 100 number-one single "Sukiyaki." On December 31, 1965, Johnnys sang the song "Mack the Knife" in the 16th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen at the Tokyo Takarazuka Theater.^[1]

Although little known in the U.S., they were the first group to record the hit song "Never My Love" by the Association.^[2]

Members

• Hiromi Maie (真家 ひろみ, Hiromi Maie) (November 1, 1946 - March 6, 2000)
• Osami Iino (飯野 おさみ, Iino Osami) (born August 23, 1946)
• Ryo Nakatani (中谷 良, Nakatani Ryō) (born September 18, 1947)
• Teruhiko Aoi (青井 輝彦, Aoi Teruhiko) (born January 10, 1948)

Discography

References