Star-Studded Lineup Revealed for NTV's Music Special: Snow Man, King & Prince, and More Set to Perform

The performing artist lineup has been officially announced for 120 Million People's 'Thank You': Songs of Gratitude Festival, a four-hour live music special scheduled to air on Nippon TV (NTV) affiliates starting at 7:00 PM on Wednesday, September 23. The announcement has sparked huge buzz across social media, with related keywords quickly trending on X (formerly Twitter) as fans eagerly anticipate the star-studded roster and special performance segments.

Serving as main hosts for the evening are actress Manami Higa and Shota Watanabe of the wildly popular idol group Snow Man. The latest announcement confirmed that Snow Man as a full group will also take the stage, drawing an outpouring of celebration from excited fans online. Social media lit up with heartwarming comments such as, "It's so moving to see the whole group perform on a show he's hosting!" and "Having your group there must be so reassuring, Shoppi!"

Snow Man is slated to perform a special three-song set featuring lavish staging. The exact setlist will be kept secret until early in the morning on broadcast day, September 23, kicking off passionate song-guessing debates among fans online. The broadcast promises to be a rare treat showcasing both Watanabe's charisma as an MC and his dynamism during the group's high-energy stage performance.

Beyond Snow Man, the show features an impressive lineup of 12 distinct acts. Popular boy bands King & Prince and timelesz are confirmed to appear, alongside acclaimed vocalists and performers including Ayaka, Ko Shibasaki, Ayumi Hamasaki, and MAZZEL. Adding to the excitement, SEKAI NO OWARI is slated to give the first-ever terrestrial television performance of their brand-new song "Supermarket." As an event designed to light up the holiday night during Japan's Silver Week, anticipation and excitement are sure to continue building right up to showtime.

The Context

Large-scale live music specials are a staple of Japanese network television, particularly around holidays and seasonal transitions such as Silver Week—a cluster of consecutive public holidays in late September. Networks like Nippon Television Network (NTV) frequently broadcast multi-hour live shows featuring the nation's top pop idols, legacy vocalists, and chart-topping bands.

Snow Man is currently one of Japan's most commercially successful male idol groups, celebrated for their synchronized choreography and charismatic variety skills. Shota Watanabe, one of the group's main vocalists, frequently balances group activities with high-profile solo hosting and acting gigs. The program also features major J-pop milestones, such as SEKAI NO OWARI debuting new music and appearances from iconic legacy artists like J-pop queen Ayumi Hamasaki.

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