^ Oh well I guess that makes sense then. I didn't think of it that way.

Her sales might be declining, but I hope the next singles will get higher because the next single would be the run-up to the 50th single and the attempt to tie Seiko Matsuda's consecutive #1 singles record!

Here's the situation:
18 AUDIENCE (2000) #2
19 M (2000) #1 (1)
20 evolution (2001) #1 (2)
21 NEVER EVER (2001) #1 (3)
22 Endless sorrow (2001) #1 (4)
23 UNITE! (2001) #1 (5)
24 Dearest (2001) #1 (6)
25 Daybreak (2002) #2

(streak broken up to that point - re-starts below)

26 Free & Easy (2002) #1 (1)
27 H (2002) #1 (2)
28 Voyage (2002) #1 (3)
29 & (2003) #1 (4)
30 forgiveness (2003) #1 (5)
31 No way to say (2003) #1 (6)
32 Moments (2004) #1 (7)
33 INSPIRE (2004) #1 (8)
34 CAROLS (2004) #1 (9)
35 STEP you / is this LOVE? (2005) #1 (10)
36 fairyland (2005) #1 (11)
37 HEAVEN (2005) #1 (12)
38 Bold & Delicious / Pride (2005) #1 (13)
39 Startin' / Born To Be... (2006) #1 (14)
40 BLUE BIRD (2006) #1 (15)
41 glitter / fated (2007) #1 (16)
42 talkin' 2 myself (2007) #1 (17)
43 Mirrorcle World (so close!) (2008) #1 (18)
44 Days / GREEN (2008) #1 (19)
45 Rule / Sparkle (2009) #1 (20)
46 Sunrise / Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~ (2009) #1 (21)
47 You were... / BALLAD (2009) #1 (22)
48 MOON / blossom (2010) #1 (23)
49 ??? (crossroad, likely) (2010) (24th consecutive?)
50 ??? (2010) (25th consecutive?)

Besides, the Japanese music industry isn't the only one where sales are dipping.

The US had a streak of no. 1 albums selling less than 180k which has never happened before. The UK recently had the lowest sales for a no. 1 album ever. So yes, sales are terrible in Japan, but they're terrible all over the world so that kind of makes up for it? XD

Also, apparently, they're dropping a bit less in Japan because recently Japan had the largest share of sales ever, meaning that in comparison, they're doing better, even if they're doing worst in general ; )

We could blame the current global economic downtrend and the increase in digital music due to the iPods, iPhones and MP3 players we have...

@Bigtop: Thanks for the list. I was kinda wondering at what point the streak started again.

Cool. So just 2k more on the last day and she'll beat t2m. With the way she's been selling all week I can it's very likely this single will beat it.

For first week, yes. But remember that talkin' 2 myself sold just short of 110K in the end, I don't really see that happening with MOON / blossom. Could be wrong, though. =)

Or the quality of music is getting worse. :innocent I don't buy as much music as I did in the 90s for example. On the other hand that could be because I was a teenager in the 90s and I always have the notion teenagers buy a large percentage of releases.

It's mostly illegal downloads, especially in the West. 90% of all music downloaded these days is downloaded illegally. It's a bit lower in Japan, but still high.

And the reason single sales look so low in Japan is because they still exist. The West doesn't have physical singles anymore but sales don't look lower because they now count downloads.

I'm wondering how long physical singles will be able to survive in Japan. I hope they don't die out like in most of the rest of the world.

I hope she can sell 100k at end

OMG YAY!!!
MOON/blossom's first week sales are between 70,500 to 71,500, it outsold talkin' 2 myself's first week and it's #1 weekly!!!
talkin' 2 myself remains ayu's lowest first week seller since 1998. XD

New achivements that ayu earned with MOON/blossom:

-23 Consecutive #1 Singles.
-Solo artist with most #1 Singles, 35.

Well done ayu! :D

Source: http://www.oricon.co.jp/news/rankmusic/78299/

^YEAH better than Talking 2 myself!
Woow what an cool archiefments! She is just so freakin awsome!!!!!

6th Day DVD
Position: #2 (Music), #7 (General)

Congrats Ayu!!!

Who is the solo artist with the second most No. 1s then? And will she be the SOLO singer with the most consecutive if she breaks it, or FEMALE SOLO?

Edit: Oh and of course congratulations to Ayu!!! (^_^)

Thanks for the info, and congratz ayu!!!!

Aw congrats ayu <3

greaaaaaaaat *O* hahaha~

congrats to Ayu~ she managed to do it with 0 promo!!

Yay yay ayu :3

That's so lovely

Now our next job is to wait for the 49th single and get started if we can tie the consecutive record - because now she's ONE AWAY from the record at 24!!!

But when will it be released? September? Maybe I want September 1st, but the announcement for that may be a bit too late - it should be sometime this September, but we'll just have to see by Avex executives and Ayu when the single will be released on...

I dun really think she'll release the 49th in August. I mean, if avex wanna secure the no. 1 position for ayu's 49th single, they have to find a right spot (i.e., the week with no major competitors).

Can someone list the major competitors in August?

I dun think avex or ayu was thinking about building up the streak during that moment, not even the fans. When Daybreak was announced I predicted it would not get no. 1 anywayz. I think most of us started aware of that streak during (m)u era (or probly MY STORY). I hope she can break the record, then I dun need to worry about that streak anymore (at least not as much as now).