Nogizaka46's 'Zehinioyobazu' has jumped from No. 42 to No. 1 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, the chart dated July 29, 2025, powered by a first-week CD total of 756,354 copies sold. The track is the lead song from the group's 42nd single, which reached physical shelves on July 22 after five weeks of digital prerelease (Billboard).

It is Nogizaka46's 33rd title to top the Japan Hot 100, and it extends a run of 37 consecutive single-sales chart-toppers dating back to 'Girls' Rule.' Those are numbers few acts anywhere can match, and they reflect the engine that drove this particular chart victory: CD sales accounted for roughly 81% of 'Zehinioyobazu's total chart points for the week (Billboard).

The Japan Hot 100 blends physical sales, downloads, streaming and radio airplay into a single ranking. 'Zehinioyobazu' placed No. 10 for downloads, No. 18 for streaming and No. 19 for radio — solid but not dominant in those categories. The CD did the heavy lifting, lifting the song 41 positions in a single week once physical copies entered the mix (Billboard).

The single also marks a milestone for one member in particular. 'Zehinioyobazu' is the first centre performance — the lead position in a J-pop group's choreography and promotion — for Miku Ichinose, a fifth-generation member of Nogizaka46 (Billboard).

Beyond the lead track, the 42nd single carries additional material for the group's expanded roster. The regular edition includes 'Inochi no Iro' ('Colour of Life'), a song performed by sixth-generation members (Nogizaka46 official site). The under-member track — performed by members not selected for the lead lineup — is titled 'Fortissimo'. The music video for 'Zehinioyobazu' was released on Nogizaka46's official YouTube channel (Nogizaka46 official site).

The jacket art for the single uses a visual concept titled 'Genkou wo Sagashite' ('Searching for Dazzling Light'), with giant flowers standing in for sunlight and members gathered beneath them (Billboard Japan). Solo artist photos published ahead of release showed members in uniform costumes (Nogizaka46 official site).

What stands out in this chart run is the gap between the digital and physical stories. 'Zehinioyobazu' spent five weeks on the Japan Hot 100 through streaming and downloads alone, never climbing higher than No. 42 in that window. The week the CD arrived, it went straight to the top. For a group whose fanbase still buys physical in large numbers, that pattern is familiar — but the 41-place leap puts the scale of it in plain view.