With the results of the latest Oricon weekly charts, it was confirmed that popular idol group AKB48 finally managed to become the top-selling girl group in single sales with a total of 11,787,000 sold copies since their debut.

AKB48 needed a total of 25 singles along with five years and eleven months since their debut in 2006 in order to overtake fellow idol group Morning Musume. The previous record held by Morning Musume was 11,774,000 sold copies with 56 singles and a history of thirteen years and eleven months since their debut. Third place belongs to no other than Pink Lady with 11,037,000 sold copies (23 singles).

Member Takahashi Minami commented, "The big excitement of having won the Japan Record Award has yet to calm down, when we already get astonished again with such an unimaginable big number. We are delighted (to have achieved so many sales) and are really grateful towards our fans."

By the way, a staggering 7,346,000 of the 11,787,000 sold copies were by their five million sellers in 2011 alone.

Source: Sanspo, Oricon