Unconventionality is a concept the all-female Japanese group AKB48 embrace. The theatre troupe, based in Akihabara in Tokyo, have embodied the phrase “go big or go home” since 2005, with over 130 rotating members performing daily. Their musical output is wildly popular: they've sold over 40 million singles of bubblegum J-pop, with a sound layered with rock and techno. Visually striking videos and high-octane dance performances confirmed their status as idols, and the concept has spread across Asia. This teen group delivers earworm choruses and cuteness crammed into a raft of record-breaking hits.