Morning Musume Timeline

1996

 * MAY
 * 11 - ASAYAN Talent Search - Ishiguro Aya sings " Dancing Junk " ( SUPER MONKEY'S 4 )
 * JUNE
 * 09 - ASAYAN Talent Search - Ishiguro Aya sings " Dancing Junk " ( SUPER MONKEY'S 4 )
 * JULY
 * 07 - ASAYAN Talent Search - Iida Kaori sings " Body Feels EXIT " ( Amuro Namie )

1997 (ASAYAN Sharan Q Auditions)
Morning Musume. (1997)*APRIL
 * 13 - Fukuoka preliminary round (broadcast 11-25 May)
 * 27 - ASAYAN broadcast - Talk with Sharan Q about the auditions and clips of Fukuoka audition.
 * MAY
 * 03 - Tokyo preliminary round (broadcast 1,8,15,22 June)
 * Fukuda Asuka sings " Break Out "
 * ?? - ASAYAN studio examination (broadcast 18+25 May)
 * 11 - ASAYAN broadcast - Fukuoka audition part 1
 * 22 - ASAYAN studio examination (broadcast 15+22 June)
 * Fukuda Asuka sings " Body Feels EXIT " ( Amuro Namie )
 * 18 - ASAYAN broadcast - Fukuoka audition part 2
 * 24 - Osaka preliminary round (broadcast 6-20 July)
 * Nakazawa Yuko sings " La La La " ( Ohguro Maki )
 * Heike Michiyo sings " Anytime smokin' cigarette " ( globe )
 * 25 - ASAYAN broadcast - Fukuoka audition part 3. Winners: Kouguchi Azusa/Aoki Akiko/Matsumoto Yumie)
 * JUNE
 * 01 - ASAYAN broadcast - Tokyo Audition part 1
 * 08 - ASAYAN broadcast - Tokyo Audition part 2
 * 15 - ASAYAN broadcast - Tokyo Audition part 3
 * Fukuda Asuka sings " Body Feels EXIT " ( Amuro Namie )
 * 21 - Sapporo preliminary round (broadcast 27 July+3 Aug)
 * Abe Natsumi sings " Face " ( globe )
 * Iida Kaori sings " STEADY " ( SPEED )
 * Ishiguro Aya sings " Monku ga Aru Nara Kinasai! " ( RieScrAmble )
 * 22 - ASAYAN broadcast - Tokyo audition part 4. Winners: Fukuda Asuka /Kawamura Risa/Kabutomori Masayo)
 * 29 - ASAYAN broadcast - Fukuoka audition - Nakatomi Kazumi
 * JULY
 * 03 - ASAYAN studio examination (broadcast 13+20 July)
 * Nakazawa Yuko sings " La La La " ( Ohguro Maki )
 * 06 - ASAYAN broadcast - Osaka audition part 1
 * 11 - ASAYAN studio examination (broadcast 27 July+3 Aug)
 * Abe Natsumi sings " Face " ( globe )
 * Iida Kaori sings " Sweet Emotion " ( Aikawa Nanase )
 * Ishiguro Aya sings " Blue Velvet " ( Kudo Shizuka )
 * 13 - ASAYAN broadcast - Osaka audition part 2
 * Nakazawa Yuko sings " La La La " ( Ohguro Maki )
 * Heike Michiyo sings " Anytime smokin' cigarette " ( globe )
 * 20 - ASAYAN broadcast - Osaka audition part 3. Winners: Nakazawa Yuko / Heike Michiyo
 * 27 - ASAYAN broadcast - Sapporo audition part 1
 * Abe Natsumi sings " Face " ( globe )
 * Ishiguro Aya sings " Blue Velvet " ( Kudo Shizuka )
 * Iida Kaori sings " Sweet Emotion " ( Aikawa Nanase )
 * 28 - Training in temple, day 1
 * 29 - Training in temple, day 2
 * 30 - Training in temple, day 3
 * The 11 finalists go to a temple where they are given cassettes of the song " GET " which they have to learn, as well as other duties such as cleaning.
 * 31 - Dance training
 * AUGUST
 * 03 - ASAYAN broadcast - Sapporo audition part 2. Winners: Iida Kaori / Ishiguro Aya / Abe Natsumi )
 * 03 - Recorded interviews & studio dance performance shown on Aug 24th show
 * 04 - Recorded appearance on ASAYAN
 * 10 - ASAYAN BROADCAST (showing the girls at home + training in temple)
 * 10 - Sharan Q decide the winner and videotape their decision, to be shown to the girls on 31 Aug.
 * 14 - Recorded ASAYAN show. Heike Michiyo chosen from final 11 as winner
 * 17 - ASAYAN BROADCAST (training in temple)
 * 20 - 5 of the 10 "losers" are asked back and Tsunku tells them he wants them to form a group
 * 24 - ASAYAN BROADCAST (brief clips of what's happened so far, then the 11 finalists dance in the studio and are interviewed - recorded 3+4 Aug)
 * 31 - ASAYAN BROADCAST (recorded Aug 14th)
 * The final 11 ( Heike Michiyo, Fukuda Asuka , Nakazawa Yuko , Abe Natsumi , Iida Kaori , Ishiguro Aya & 5 others - Matsumoto Yumie, Kawamura Risa, Aoki Akiko, Kabutomori Masayo & Kouguchi Azusa) compete in final stage of audition. Each one sings " GET " then speaks to Tsunku . Afterwards they watch a video of Sharan Q deciding the winner. Heike Michiyo is chosen as the winner.
 * SEPTEMBER
 * 07 - ASAYAN BROADCAST (recorded Aug 20th)
 * Tsunku announces if they sell 50,000 " Ai no Tane " singles in 5 days he'll give them a record deal.
 * 08 - Tsunku names the group Morning Musume
 * 14 - ASAYAN BROADCAST - Tsunku names the group "Morning Musume" (recorded Sept 8th)
 * 21 - ASAYAN BROADCAST
 * 23 - Recording Ai no Tane
 * 25 - Recording Ai no Tane
 * 28 - ASAYAN BROADCAST - voice training & CD jacket photo shoot
 * OCTOBER
 * 05 - ASAYAN BROADCAST - Heike Michiyo update, Ai no Tane recording
 * 19 - ASAYAN BROADCAST - Nakazawa Yuko records her solo part for Ai no Tane
 * 26 - ASAYAN BROADCAST - Ai no Tane promotion campaign
 * NOVEMBER
 * 02 - ASAYAN BROADCAST - Ai no Tane promotion campaign & performance
 * 03 - Ai no Tane single released
 * 03 - Day 1 of selling " Ai no Tane ". Event at HMV, Osaka. 16,610 CDs sold
 * 05 - Heike Michiyo - " GET " single released
 * 06 - Heike Michiyo debut at Nippon Budokan
 * 09 - Day 2 of selling " Ai no Tane ". Event at HMV, Fukuoka. 9,004 CDs sold
 * 09 - ASAYAN broadcast - Ai no Tane promotion campaign
 * 16 - ASAYAN broadcast - CD selling in Osaka & Fukuoka
 * 23 - ASAYAN broadcast - Ai no Tane promotion campaign & Heike Michiyo " GET " performance
 * 24 - Day 3 of selling " Ai no Tane ". Event at Sapporo. 14,853 CDs sold
 * 30 - Day 4 of selling " Ai no Tane ". Event at Nagoya Ball Park. (9,533 CDs sold). 50,000 total.
 * ( Osaka : 16,610, Fukuoka : 9,004, Sapporo : 1,4853, Nagoya : 9,533) "Thank you truly. Our dream of debut has been granted, it is delightful it truly is. Thank you truly."
 * 30 - ASAYAN broadcast - CD selling in Sapporo
 * DECEMBER
 * 02 - Learning 3 songs - どうにかして土曜日 ( Dou ni ka Shite Doyoubi ), モーニングコーヒー ( Morning Coffee ), ウソつきあんた ( Usotsuki Anta )
 * 03 - In recording studio recording the 3 songs
 * 04 - Mixing and deciding which one to choose
 * 05 - Tsunku chooses Morning Coffee and decides Abe Natsumi to sing main melody
 * 07 - ASAYAN broadcast - CD selling event at Nagoya Ball Park. Ai no Tane 50,000 copies sold
 * 14 - ASAYAN broadcast - in studio recording 3 songs (recorded Dec 2-5)
 * 21 - ASAYAN broadcast - in studio recording 3 songs (recorded Dec 2-5)
 * 28 - ASAYAN broadcast - Morning Coffee chosen, posing for photos, dance lesson

1998
Morning Musume. (1998)*JANUARY
 * 11 - ASAYAN broadcast (talk + Ai no Tane perf + selling the CDs)
 * 18 - ASAYAN broadcast (We see them at home with their families)
 * 25 - ASAYAN broadcast
 * 28 - First single - Morning Coffee
 * 30 - First performance of Morning Coffee on Music Station
 * FEBRUARY
 * 01 - ASAYAN broadcast - recording a HEY!HEY!HEY! appearance on 25 Jan for broadcast 9 Feb & recording the 30 Jan Music Station appearance.
 * 09 - Morning Coffee performance on HEY!HEY!HEY!
 * 28 - Morning Coffee performance on Pop Jam
 * MARCH
 * 01 - ASAYAN broadcast - photo shoot in Saipan
 * 12 - Tsunku announces Morning Musume to get 3 new members
 * APRIL
 * 20 - Morning Musume meet the 3 new members for first time
 * 30 - 8nin Morning Musume 1st appearance in ASAYAN
 * MAY
 * 03 - ASAYAN broadcast - audition - 3 new members - Ichii Sayaka, Yaguchi Mari and Yasuda Kei (2nd Gen)
 * 27 - 2nd single - Summer Night Town
 * JULY
 * 08 - First album - First Time
 * SEPTEMBER
 * 09 - 3rd single - Daite Hold On Me!
 * 30 - Morning Cop soundtrack album, with Heike Michiyo

1999
Morning Musume. (1999)*FEBRUARY
 * 10 - 4th single - Memory Seishun no Hikari
 * APRIL
 * 18 - Fukuda Asuka retired to continue her schooling
 * MAY
 * 12 - 5th single - Manatsu no Kousen
 * JULY
 * 14 - 6th single - Furusato
 * 28 - Second album - Second Morning
 * AUGUST
 * 22 - Goto Maki joins (3rd Gen)
 * SEPTEMBER
 * 05 - First performance of LOVE Machine on Asayan
 * 09 - 7th single - LOVE Machine

2000
Morning Musume (2000)*JANUARY
 * 07 - Ishiguro Aya leaves to pursue a career in fashion design
 * 26 - 8th single - Koi no Dance Site
 * MARCH
 * 29 - Third album - 3rd -LOVE Paradise-
 * APRIL
 * 16 - Four new members- Ishikawa Rika, Kago Ai , Yoshizawa Hitomi , Tsuji Nozomi (4th Gen)
 * MAY
 * 17 - 9th single - Happy Summer Wedding
 * 21 - Ichii Sayaka leaves to begin a singer/songwriter career (in late 2001 she rejoined the music business with CUBIC-CROSS )
 * SEPTEMBER
 * 06 - 10th single - I WISH
 * DECEMBER
 * 13 - 11th single - Renai Revolution 21
 * 31 - Happy Summer Wedding, LOVE Machine , and I WISH medley performed on 51st Kouhaku Uta Gassen

2001
Morning Musume (2001)*JANUARY
 * 11 - Space Venus video game is released for Playstation 2
 * 31 - First Best Of album - Best! Morning Musume 1
 * APRIL
 * 15 - Nakazawa Yuko graduates
 * JULY
 * 25 - 12th single - The Peace!
 * AUGUST
 * 26 - Four new members - Ogawa Makoto, Takahashi Ai , Niigaki Risa , Konno Asami (5th Gen)
 * OCTOBER
 * 31 - 13th single - Mr. Moonlight ~Ai no Big Band~

2002
Morning Musume (2002)*FEBRUARY
 * 20 - 14th single - Souda! We're ALIVE
 * MARCH
 * 27 - Fourth album - 4th Ikimasshoi!
 * JULY
 * 24 - 15th single - Do it! Now
 * SEPTEMBER
 * 23 - Goto Maki graduates
 * OCTOBER
 * 30 - 16th single - Koko ni Iruzee!

2003
Morning Musume (2003)*JANUARY
 * 19 - Four new members chosen - Michishige Sayumi, Tanaka Reina , Kamei Eri , Fujimoto Miki (6th Gen) on the show "Love Audition 2002"
 * FEBRUARY
 * 19 - 17th single - Morning Musume no Hyokkori Hyoutanjima
 * MARCH
 * 26 - Fifth album - No.5
 * APRIL
 * 23 - 18th single - AS FOR ONE DAY
 * MAY
 * 05 - Yasuda Kei graduates - 4 new members perform Do it! Now onstage at concert
 * JUNE
 * 29 - The new members first proper performance ( Shabondama on 27 Hour TV), but only 14 members as Ogawa Makoto injured her leg
 * 30 - 19th single - Shabondama
 * SEPTEMBER
 * 18 - Morning Musume Otomegumi single Ai no Sono ~Touch My Heart!~, and Morning Musume Sakuragumi single Hare Ame Nochi Suki
 * NOVEMBER
 * 06 - 20th single - Go Girl ~Koi no Victory~
 * DECEMBER
 * 31 - Morning Musume performs Go Girl ~Koi no Victory~ at the 54th Kouhaku alongside former Morning Musume member Goto Maki.

2004
Morning Musume (2004)*JANUARY
 * 21 - 21st single - Ai Araba IT'S ALL RIGHT
 * 25 - Abe Natsumi graduates
 * FEBRUARY
 * 25 - Morning Musume Otomegumi single Yuujou ~Kokoro no Busu ni wa Naranee!~ & Morning Musume Sakuragumi single Sakura Mankai
 * MARCH
 * 31 - Second Best Of album - Best! Morning Musume 2
 * MAY
 * 12 - 22nd single - Roman ~MY DEAR BOY~
 * JULY
 * 22 - 23rd single - Joshi Kashimashi Monogatari
 * AUGUST
 * 01 - Tsuji Nozomi & Kago Ai graduation
 * NOVEMBER
 * 03 - 24th single - Namida ga Tomaranai Houkago
 * DECEMBER
 * 08 - Sixth album - Ai no Dai 6 Kan
 * 15 - Morning Musume EARLY SINGLE BOX (box set)
 * 31 - Morning Musume performs Ai Araba IT'S ALL RIGHT at the 55th Kouhaku alongside W (Double You), former Morning Musume members Tsuji Nozomi & Kago Ai.

2005
Morning Musume (2005)*JANUARY
 * 05 - TV show - Musume Document 2005 begins
 * 19 - 25th single - THE Manpower!!!
 * 30 - Iida Kaori graduation
 * APRIL
 * 04 - TV show - Musume DOKYU! begins
 * 14 - Yaguchi Mari suddenly resigns from Morning Musume
 * 27 - 26th single - Osaka Koi no Uta
 * MAY
 * 01 - One new member chosen in the Morning Musume Audition 2005 : Kusumi Koharu (7th gen)
 * 07 - Ishikawa Rika graduation
 * JULY
 * 27 - 27th single - Iroppoi Jirettai - Kusumi Koharu 's debut single
 * AUGUST
 * 20 - Concert Tour 2005 Natsu Aki "Baribari Kyoushitsu ~Koharuchan Irasshai!~" begins
 * 27 - Promotional events with the group split into 3 teams to shake hands with 15,000 people in 1 day
 * SEPTEMBER
 * 15 - Arrives in Hong Kong for a fan club tour
 * NOVEMBER
 * 09 - 28th single - Chokkan 2 ~Nogashita Sakana wa Ookiizo!~
 * DECEMBER
 * 31 - Morning Musume performs LOVE Machine at the 56th Kouhaku alongside all former Morning Musume members still active in Hello! Project.

2006
Morning Musume. (post-August 2006)*FEBRUARY
 * 15 - Seventh album - Rainbow 7
 * 25 - Morning Musume Concert Tour 2006 Haru ~Rainbow Seven~ begins
 * MARCH
 * 15 - 29th single - SEXY BOY ~Soyokaze ni Yorisotte~
 * JUNE
 * 21 - 30th single - Ambitious! Yashinteki de Ii Jan
 * JULY
 * 23 - Konno Asami graduation
 * AUGUST
 * 01 -  Ribbon no Kishi: The Musical  begins
 * 27 - Ogawa Makoto graduation
 * 27 - Happy 8 Audition begins
 * SEPTEMBER
 * 30 - Morning Musume Concert Tour 2006 Aki ~Odore! Morning Curry~ begins
 * NOVEMBER
 * 08 - 31st single - Aruiteru
 * DECEMBER
 * 10 - One new member chosen in the Morning Musume Happy 8 Audition : Mitsui Aika (8th gen)
 * 13 - Mini Album - 7.5 Fuyu Fuyu Morning Musume. Mini!
 * 31 - Morning Musume performs a medley alongside GAM at the 57th Kouhaku.

2007
Morning Musume in Kanashimi Twilight outfits*JANUARY Takahashi, Niigaki and Kusumi in KoreaMorning Musume in Taiwan*OCTOBER
 * 24 - Morning Musume 10th anniversary special unit Morning Musume Tanjou 10nen Kinentai releases single Bokura ga Ikiru MY ASIA
 * FEBRUARY
 * 14 - 32nd single - Egao YES Nude
 * MARCH
 * 15 - Surprise addition of two Chinese exchange students to Morning Musume: Junjun and Linlin
 * 17 - Start of Morning Musume Concert Tour 2007 Spring ~Sexy 8 Beat~
 * 21 - 8th album - SEXY 8 BEAT
 * 22 - Morning Musume Fan Club Tour in Hawaii begins
 * APRIL
 * 25 - 33rd single - Kanashimi Twilight
 * 29 - Handshaking events in Tokyo and Osaka
 * MAY
 * 01 - Morning Musume becomes the highest selling female group in Japan
 * 06 - Yoshizawa Hitomi graduation
 * JUNE
 * 01 - Fujimoto Miki resigns from Morning Musume. Takahashi Ai and Niigaki Risa became the new leader and the new sub-leader
 * 08 - Takahashi Ai and Kusumi Koharu go as spokepersons in "Nihon TV eco week" opening ceremony.
 * JULY
 * 25 - 34th single - Onna ni Sachi Are (Debut single of two Chinese members)
 * AUGUST
 * 8 - 2nd Tanjou single - Itoshiki Tomo e
 * SEPTEMBER
 * 22 - Start of Morning Musume Concert Tour 2007 Aki ~Bon Kyu! Bon Kyu! Bomb~
 * 24 - Morning Musume's compilation of all singles for tenth anniversary - Morning Musume ALL SINGLES COMPLETE ~10th Anniversary~
 * 26 - Takahashi Ai, Niigaki Risa and Kusumi Koharu arrive in Korea to the compilation of all singles album. Press conference, apperance in MAY BEE radio show with Takahashi and Niigaki
 * 27 - Handshake event in Korea with said members. Footage of their promotional activities was broadcasted by M.Net Star Watch on 2007.11.02
 * 29 - Morning Musume arrive in Taiwan to promote the compilation of all singles album. FC live event (Performances: LOVE Machine, The Peace!, Renai Revolution 21, Onna ni Sachi Are, Chance! (Kusumi). Broadcasted by Saturday Night Fever on 2007.11.11). Radio appearance by Takahashi, Niigaki, Michishige and Junjun (the rest of the girls stayed at their hotel)
 * 30 - Handshake event in Korea with Morning Musume. Footage of their promotional activities was broadcasted by MTV Taiwan on 2007.12.02
 * NOVEMBER
 * 21 - 35th single - Mikan
 * DECEMBER
 * 31 - Morning Musume performs a medley named Special LOVE Mix ～Shiawase no Heisei 20 Shuunen Ver.～ alongside Berryz Koubou and °C-ute at the 58th Kouhaku.

2008
Junjun and Linlin in Shangai*MAY
 * MARCH
 * 22 - Start of Morning Musume Concert Tour 2008 Haru ~Single Daizenshuu!!~ tour
 * APRIL
 * 16 - 36th Single - Resonant Blue . Takahashi Ai, Tanaka Reina and Junjun one day visit to Taiwan for promoting Resonant Blue (released in Taiwan on the same day as Japan) and the 2008 Taiwan concert (one press conference and apperances in three TV shows and one radio show)
 * 11 - Resonant Blue handshake events
 * 24 - Morning Musume 2008 Concert Tour in Taiwan (in TWTC Nangang)
 * 26 - Junjun and Linlin travel to China to donate 1,092,607 yen (fundraising done during Biyuuden's Final FC Bus Tour in Enshuu and Morning Musume's 2007 overseas activities) to Shanghai charity for Sichuan victims.
 * JUNE
 * 1 - Morning Musume 10th Anniversary Live Tour in Korea 2008 (in Olimpic Park, Olimpic Hall - 4,300 seats)
 * 28 - Morning Musume concert in Shangai
 * AUGUST
 * 6 - Morning Musume x Takarazuka Cinderella The Musical begins
 * 25 - Morning Musume x Takarazuka Cinderella The Musical ends
 * SEPTEMBER
 * 2 - Morning Musume Fan Club Tour in Hawaii 2008 begins
 * 24 - 37th single - Pepper Keibu
 * 27 - Start of Morning Musume Concert Tour 2008 Aki ~Resonant LIVE~ tour
 * OCTOBER
 * 19 - Pepper Keibu handshake events
 * NOVEMBER
 * 26 - Cover album - COVER YOU

2009

 * JANUARY
 * 28 - Morning Musume Concert Tour 2008 Aki ~Resonant LIVE~
 * FEBRUARY
 * 18 - 38th single - Naichau Kamo
 * 21 - Naichau Kamo handshake events (1)
 * MARCH
 * 1 - Naichau Kamo handshake events (2)
 * 18 - 9th studio album - Platinum 9 DISC
 * 20 - Start of Morning Musume Concert Tour 2009 Haru ~Platinum 9 DISCO~
 * MAY
 * 13 - 39th single - Shouganai Yume Oibito
 * 19 - Morning Musume becomes the #2 group in Japan with the most singles (39) in Oricon's top 10, only behind SMAP (43)
 * 30 - Shouganai Yume Oibito handshake events (1)
 * JUNE
 * 20 - Shouganai Yume Oibito handshake events (2)
 * JULY
 * 3 - Morning Musume performs in Anime Expo 2009 (Los Angeles Convention Center)
 * 15 - Morning Musume Concert Tour 2009 Haru ~Platinum 9 DISCO~
 * AUGUST
 * 5 - 40th single ( Nanchatte Renai )
 * SEPTEMBER
 * 5 - Morning Musume in Los Angeles Live Documental on TV Tokyo airs
 * 19 - Start of 2009 Fall tour Morning Musume Concert Tour 2009 Aki ~Nine Smile~
 * NOVEMBER
 * 25 - 41th single Kimagure Princess
 * DECEMBER
 * 6 - Kusumi Koharu graduates from Morning Musume and Hello! Project
 * 6 - Kusumi Koharu graduates from Morning Musume and Hello! Project