AKB48 – 10nen Zakura

10nen Zakura has got to be one of my favorite AKB48 songs ever. I really love this song. Once you get past the “girl group pop song”, you can really appreciate this song a lot more. Not only do they actually express some emotion when singing together(which is a rare thing to hear), but the varied instrumental with strong brass, piano and lots of electric guitar all make the “fun graduation” song that much better. I also love who the song goes through different “phases” and switches back to the original melody.

Surprise surprise! The b-side is just as great! Sakurairo no Sora no Shita de makes a great contrast to the energetic and positive a-side. It’s a slower, more calmer song with soft and low vocals. It’s one of those songs you would listen to at sunset(you know what I mean, right?). I like how the chorus builds everything up and just comes out epic.

Tsunku take notes! If Momosu released stuff like this, I’m sure they’d sell just as well(ok, maybe not…). A great a-side is something we get most of the time in H!P, but it’s the b-side here that really made the difference. BEAUTIFUL~

♠Overall Rating♠

10nen Zakura is AKB48′s 11th single and it was released on March 4, 2009. It reached #3 on the Oricon Weekly Charts and has sold 106,975 copies.

♠Tracklisting♠

1. 10nen Zakura♠
2. Sakurairo no Sora no Shita de
3. 10nen Zakura (off vocal ver.)
4. Sakurairo no Sora no Shita de (off vocal ver.)

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• Final Rankings: 2009 ~H!P & AKB48~
• AKB48 – Oogoe Diamond
• SKEBADASS
• AKB48 – Namida Surprise!
• [...R•A•T•E...] Week II