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Piko-Taro’s ‘Pen Pineapple Apple Pen’ debuts on Billboard 100

Gianna Francesca Catolico (Inquirer.net/Asia News Network)
Fri, October 21, 2016

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Piko-Taro’s ‘Pen Pineapple Apple Pen’ debuts on Billboard 100  The Japanese comedian Piko-Taro composed the song in one seating and based the lyrics on the first traditional English phrases taught to Japanese students, such as β€œthis is a pen” and β€œthis is an apple”, Japan Times reported. (Piko-Taro official YouTube channel/File)

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apanese comedian Piko Taro’s viral single “Pen Pineapple Apple Pen,” or PPAP, has debuted its stardom on the US Billboard Top 100 Singles at 77th place.

His catchy ditty bloomed into a groundbreaking record as the shortest song on the American weekly charts. Piko-Taro’s track, which is 45 seconds in length, outshone The Womenfolk’s “Little Boxes,” a one-minute and two-second song that peaked at 83rd in 1964, Billboard reported.

Today, Piko-Taro’s single is available on streaming services such as Spotify and iTunes. The comedian composed the song in one seating and based the lyrics on the first traditional English phrases taught to Japanese students, such as “this is a pen” and “this is an apple”, Japan Times reported.

Piko Taro is enacted by 43-year-old comedian-DJ Daimaou Kosaka, whose real name is Kazuhito Kosaka. In his music clips, he wears a golden leotard scarf outfit and wraparound sunglasses as he perkily sways and sings his lyrics.

A native of Aomori City, Kosaka was the founder of comedy group “No Bottom” and previously starred in the 2012 film “Karasu No Oyayubi” (By Rule of Crow’s Thumb).

The music video uploaded on YouTube last Aug. 25 has reached at least 56 million views while the clip uploaded on 9GAG’s Facebook page has amassed 68 million views. The addictive jingle was even endorsed by Justin Bieber when he tweeted that the video was “his favorite video on the internet.”

(Read also: Jay Z's debut album gets pop-up shop, exhibition in NYC)

The internet sensation has produced 11 videos uploaded to YouTube so far, including “Romita Hashimikov” and “Kashite Kudasaiyo.” His recent masterpiece, “Neo Sunglasses,” has been streamed more than 7 million times on YouTube.

 

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