SixTONES vs Snow Man: 3rd Anniversary

Picture it, Tokyo 2020. On 22 January, (most of) the world was still blissfully unaware of the stronghold the Covid-19 Pandemic would have on our lives in the coming weeks. Instead, it was a time of celebration because two of Johnny & Associates’ most popular groups, SixTONES and Snow Man, had just released their debut singles simultaneously, a first in the entertainment giant’s history.

Not since the days of Debbie Gibson vs. Tiffany had such a playful rivalry pumped up to the press and fans – and from a marketing standpoint, it was a genius move!

“D.D.” by Snow Man shattered Japanese music records.

Sixtone’s “Imitation Rain” sold 772,902 CD copies on its first day.

Everywhere you turned, it was SixTONES vs. Snow Man (or Snow Man vs. SixTONES, depending on which fandom you sided with). They released dueling music videos, and fans would battle it out on social media as to which group was ultimately the best.

As fans worldwide celebrate the group’s debut’s third anniversary, the guys are working as hard as ever. On 4 January, SixTONES released their third album, 声 (Voice), which in addition to topping the charts, is just an incredible record.

It was big news week for Snow Man, as the group’s youngest member, Raul, walked the runway in Paris Fashion Week. The group is also gearing up to release its eighth single after a hugely successful tour and second album.

No matter which side of the fence you stand on, both groups have something different and unique for the fans. As for me, as a serious music journalist, I can’t be biased.