Hello!

Once again, I'm looking for recommendations. I checked the categories but it didn't help me narrow down.

I need manga (although other media is also okay) about idols, boy bands, girl groups... as long as the music industry/showbiz aspect is important to the story. I want to see the characters training and working hard for their dreams, and the issues they face should be things like rivals/competition, bonding with their band mates, learning new songs/choreo... Romance and such are okay, but showbiz should be equally or more important, not just an afterthought.

Best example I can think of right now is AKB49 - Renai Kinshi Jourei and something like Skip Beat, but with music instead of acting.

I would prefer it to be about a pop group, instead of solo artist or an orchestra or something, but I'll take what I can get.

Anything comes to mind?

Teen Spirit -- Boy band

Starmyu! -- Idol anime (imo idol stories are better suited to animated media anyway). This is the only idol anime I've ever so much as watched until the end, let alone liked, actually. Mostly because the boys' training is the heart of the story rather than a gimmick.

Blue Giant solo sax player at this point
Kaidan Tochuu no Big Noise no signs that there will ever be showbiz involved; firmly set in high school
Shiori Experience
Wood Stock

Also, if you're interested, Kono Oto Tomare! is an incredibly good music-oriented manga about koto playing. There's all the other stuff you're looking for: characters training and striving for their dreams, rivals/competitions, etc. Just: no music industry/showbiz (for obvious reasons).

And, Piano no Mori is about piano playing. Think: Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso but more invested in the music than the romance (and, in my opinion, better written, haha).

Anime:
Shounen Hollywood
Wake Up, Girls!

(And I assume you've already watched Love Live! and Idolm@ster and whatnot.)