AKB48 holds the Guinness World Record for the largest pop group.
The Japanese group was created by producer Yasushi Akimoto and began performing in 2005 at its own theater in Akihabara, Tokyo. The name “AKB48” comes from Akihabara and the number 48, associated with the group’s original concept and management.
Rather than operating as a small fixed lineup, AKB48 developed a large rotating system of members divided into teams. Members could be promoted, transferred, or graduate, allowing the group to maintain a continuously changing roster.
The record is therefore about the size of the group’s member system, not the number of performers appearing in every song. AKB48 is also associated with fan voting, handshake events, and the broader 48 Group network of sister groups in Japan and elsewhere.