The 65th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen (第65回NHK紅白歌合戦) was the 65th edition of NHK's Kōhaku Uta Gassen held on December 31, 2014, live from NHK Hall from 19:15 (JST) to 23:45 (JST), with a 5-minute break for latest news. This was the 26th Heisei Era edition. For the third time since 2012, the WHITE TEAM won the contest, thus making the 36th overall.
On September 4, NHK reported the event broadcast schedule. It is the 4th conscecutive year (5th, together with the 2009 edition) in which the Utagassen Kouhaku is performed lasting four hours and 25 minutes. The transmission is made in Japan by NHK-G and the NHK Radio 1. The other countries can also watch the program on NHK World Premium.
On October 10, Yuriko Yoshitaka and Arashi were announced as captains of the Red and White teams, respectively. The year's theme was "Sing! All come together on New Year's Eve" (歌おう. おおみそかは全員参加で) and Yumiko Udo was the mediator for the 3rd consecutive year. On November 26, the list of program artists was announced. On December 23, the program judges were announced. On December 25, the song order was revealed.
Overture: Utaō no March (Opening Theme)
HKT48 – Melon Juice
Sexy Zone – Kouhaku ni HITOMEBORE
E-girls – Highschool love
AAA – Sayonara no Mae ni
Arashi meets Youkai Watch I – Youkai Taisou Daiichi (Dream5 performance)
miwa – Faith
Kouhei Fukuda – Tokyo Gorin Ondo
SKE48 & NMB48 - Bukiyou Taiyou/Ibiza Girl
Go Hiromi – 99 wa Owaranai
Ayako Fuji – Ayako no Okunijiman da yo ~Ganbarou na Touhoku!!~
Pornograffiti – Apollo
T.M.Revolution & Nana Mizuki – Kouhaku 2014 Special Collaboration (Kindan no Resistance and Preserved Roses)
Chris Hart – Ito
Natsuko Godai – Hitori Sake
Sandaime J Soul Brothers – R.Y.U.S.E.I.
Kana Nishino – Darling
Kaori Kozai - Sake no Yado
Takashi Hosokawa – Ouenka, Ikimasu
Hideaki Tokunaga – Hana wa Saku
Yoshimi Tendo – Yappa Sukiyanen
Arashi meets Youkai Watch II – A.RA.SHI/Gera Gera Po no Uta (King Cream Soda performance)
Fuyumi Sakamoto – Otoko no Himatsuri
Shinichi Mori – Toshiue no Hito
Akiko Wada – Furui Nikki ~2014 Kouhaku Special~
V6 – WA ni Natte Odorou
Ayaka – Nijiirou
Hanako & Anne: Special Compilation
May J. – Let It Go ~Ari no Mama de~
SEKAI NO OWARI – Dragon Night
Perfume – Cling Cling
Golden Bomber – Memeshikute
Momoiro Clover Z – My Dear Fellow with Mononofu JAPAN
Kanjani8 – Omoidama
Kiyoshi Hikawa– Choi to Kimagure Wataridori
Kaori Mizumori – Shima Koi Tabi
Hiroshi Itsuki – Yokohama Tasogare
Ikimonogakari – GOLDEN GIRL
Kyary Pamyu Pamyu – Kira Kira Killer
TOKIO – LOVE YOU ONLY
Minna de Utaou! Ana to Yuki no Joou: Sayaka Kanda, Idina Menzel & Kouhaku Stage Singers - Umarete Hajimete/Let It Go
SMAP – Minna de Utaou! SMAP Medley
Ringo Shiina – NIPPON – Kouhaku Boodaresu Hen-
EXILE – NEW HORIZON
Hiroko Yakushimaru – Woman “W no Higeki” Yori
Sayuri Ishikawa – Ten Shiro Koeru
Tsuyoshi Nabuchi – Ashita e Tsudzuku Michi
Special Guest: Akina Nakamori - Rojo -Tierra-
AKB48 – Kokoro no Placard
Masaharu Fukuyama – 2014 Special Medley (live from Pacific Convention Plaza)
Miyuki Nakajima – Mugi no Uta
Miwa Akihiro – Ai no Sanka (If You Love Me)
Special Guest: Southern All Stars - Peace & Hi-Lite/Tokyo Victory (live from Yokohama Arena)
Arashi – 2014 Thanks Medley
Seiko Matsuda - Anata ni Aitakute ~ Missing You~
Finale: Arashi featuring all artists - Furusato
Hotaru no Hikari (Ending Theme, conducted by Maasaki Hirao)
Akagumi: Yuriko Yoshitaka
Shirogumi: Arashi
Masaki Aiba, Jun Matsumoto, Satoshi Ohno, Kazunari Ninomiya, Sho Sakurai
Mediator: Yumiko Udô
Live Comments: Michihiko Yanai, Yoshihide Otomo, Bananaman
Judges: Hiroshi Abe, Mao Inoue, Matsuya Onoe, Tetsuko Kuroyanagi, Tamori, Miho Nakazono, Yukie Nakama, Mika Ninagawa, Shinya Yamanaka.
For the first time since 1999, Ayumi Hamasaki does not participate in the Kouhaku.
V6 makes his debut in Kouhaku. The band is known for performing opening themes from Inuyasha and Ultraman Tiga. Yoshihiko Inohara serve as captain from White Team on following edition (66th).
With the graduation of Saburo Kitajima of Kouhaku, Shinichi Mori becomes the artist with the most appearances in the program, with 47 in total. Kitajima has performed for the last time in 2013, after 50 performances.
