Yep, that's what disturbing me the most.
They couldn't care less about the real talent, they only care about what is around this and buy quick the limited editions and first presses while they're hot if they are insteresting.
If they would care about real talent and singing ayu would still sell millions for some more years...

^I don't really think so.. since hardly anyone is selling millions right now

^and the main reasons are presented to you at Demure Dusk's post.

No, I don't think that's it at all. While Demure Dusk's post is true in explaining why certain artists are selling more than others, the real reason CDs as a whole aren't selling as they used to is MP3s and Internet Downloading (both legal and not).

^That's a big part of it as well.

in the end you just have to do your part! buyin from internet or from a store it shows your support.

and I agree ppl buy it if it's hot... just my friend the other day was like "oh what should I buy?.. oh _____ is hot right now I will buy her music" and tha'ts not the answer a lot off ppl buy only cause is "hot right now" not beacuase is good,

Ayu's good years may have passed the only think she has to accomplish now is just to be in japan's mind so she may not go away... just like childen and the B'z great sellers.. great music ayu just need to be in the special place and I think she's doing just fine!.

Yeah piracy has taken a huge part in less single sales, since many people are more willing to download online or purchase online.

Well though most of the time we don't know the online legal download sales and they might be really high... and avex and ayu gets money for them as well.

The downloads are usually a bit higher than the single sales.

Like, BLUE BIRD had close to 300k++ downloads, I believe..

^BLUE BIRD had 1,030,000 Legal downloads.

Oh, maybe I mixed it up with INSPIRE or something else? LOL

INSPIRE had 660,000 Legal Downloads ^_^

The one that sold the most Legal Downloads from the reported legal downloads sales is HEAVEN with 1,580,000 legal downloads.
Though another Unreported single/album might've been sold more.

*listens to fated*

is that like the whole song? like itunes? or.. mumo downloads? so can we say that "in a way" blue bird and heaven are million selleres? what if ayu´s singles and albums were cheaper?..

Just remember that the majority of download numbers are ringtones and not the actual song.

...which is why I think oricon should take digital sales into account like billboard does.

^oh I see! ^_^

lol of course it's split between full songs, ringtones and etc. There can't be such a huge difference between a single physical copies to legal downloads, kumi didn't sell over 2,500,000 with her koi no tsubomi downloads and ayu didn't 1,500,000 with HEAVEN it would be insane but good though xD
But anyway it's split and it's mainly ringtones to all of them and that's why I think they don't calculate them together.
I think they actually earn more from the physical copies or equal unless the downloads are insanely high like 5 million or something.

Um no, it's not. If that was true then the talentless people selling 500k now would be selling much higher just like they were back in like 2001.

talentless people like who?
and it is, when did you last see a real un invested or un promoted single or album selling high lately? (which means selling high because if its quality).

You don't know? o_o