Love songs NINKI
 

#1 - Love songs 200.90
SNSD got number 2 with 35.40 and there seemingly is no bigger competition this week.

http://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/na/

Rock'n'Roll Circus 229.7
-----------------------------
Secret - 254.1
(miss)understood - 280.9

Ew, that rerelease, haha. Anyway, yay for the NINKI!

Pretty good. If people want a number like the one from five years ago... that's scary, haha.

:(

I know NINKI doesn't predict sales but... I'm not happy with either of those numbers (and by those, I mean Ayu and SNSD's :P ).

it's sad to think this release prob won't cross the 300k threshold =/

Why is that? Hopefully it's not because there are weird acts [like two or three] getting over 550 NINKI points because they're insanely popular.

^No, it's not that but I was kind of holding out hope for this album to do better than RnRC but it doesn't seem that way now. Maybe it'll still surprise us and do better than expected but like Max mentioned it'll be sad not to see it do 300K in the long run. Meh, I'm just being emo don't mind me. :raincloud

So exciting to have NINKI numbers! That means the release is near~

Yosh!

I see. Very rarely though do albums improve upon the last album's sales, especially in J-Pop but it's also true for most Western pop acts too. That usually only happens if you're INCREDIBLY IN or something which is what Namie Amuro managed to do with her last few albums mostly because of a reinvention of her sound. With Ayu, I don't think that's happened necessarily but that's okay. However, the really small decrease from NEXT LEVEL to Rock'n'Roll Circus was a good sign. Usually decreases are way more than that.

I think most fans should probably try to be a bit more positive about the sales situation considering only about 20 albums sold more than 300k this year. Interestingly enough, last year was the same sort of thing with only about 20 albums selling that much...

A good number 1 and a good number 2. I hope they both sell well!

let's be positive

As much as I'd like this album to do better than Rock 'n Roll Circus, there's really no reason why it should. The singles all did less and none of them has the digital sales to back it up (like Sunrise). Considering all of that, I'm sure the album will do fine ^^

Not too low, let's see how it will sell =)

I say 180,000-200,000 total.

yeah ia. I think it'll sell from 200-250k which I think is fine, but I'm sure people here will freak out about it and be all dramatic and such.

thanks for sharing~~
I'm happy if Ayu + SNSD could be in the same ranking~
1st Ayu 2nd SNSD -> gonna make my day~ :)
anyway, I hope Love songs would be sold more than that number!
Ganbatte Ayu!

None of the 3 singles did nearly as good as Sunrise and You were...I guess it was mostly because they weren't promoted that much.

I think I'll stick to the 200-250k prediction. The drop from Next Level wasn't too high, so let's hope this one won't be either.

Lower NINKI..zzz..
What? SNSD is releasing too...gosh....this better turn out right...IF NOT! *reveals hidden fanboy dagger*

I also see the Urata Naoya collaboration at #1 in the singles - 64.10; the nearest competitor is 21.90, so Ayu and Naoya, let's go FTW!!!

But let's not get too shabby with SNSD - they're quite new to Japan, so let's see - and isn't SNSD part of Avex's Rhythm Zone? No, apparently they're part of Universal...

I smell a #1 album and a #1 single for Ayu ^_^

Same, hopefully :luv2:luv2


But at the same time, I'm guessing this is going to become ayu's lowest selling album yet. Not being pessimistic, but realistic. Oh well :P


thanks for the info!

most likely that's true. It's kind-of impossible to rise in sales in this digital era, with low general sales for CDs. ESPECIALLY if you've been the queen of pop like Ayu has for like 13 years.
But.. This only means Ayu has to work increasingly harder so keep in the top10 of yearly music sales.
I can only expect her to release loads of singles and albums, remix, dvds and such in 2011, and do LOTS of touring. 1 album with 200~300k sales simply isn't enough anymore ^_^

Wow duh Ayu is gonna beg the #1 position lets' not get too surprised here.

ugh I hate this! AVEX is gonna milk her even harder :weep

I think that the smartest move right now would be to reinvent herself once again, but I'm not talking about just changing her hair, but also her musical style, pvs, etc. I think Love songs is just another step to musical perfection :O

What I mean is that for example, Madonna is been around for 3 decades, and ayu still has more albums and videoclips than her. Ayu is done what Madonna is done in 3 decades and more in around 1 decade only! Which is just mad :laugh

Ayu's music has a style that is very familiar to us all, and we get "bored" or used to it, but if we heard these present songs a few years ago, We would have been so overwhelmed :thud

Ninki only goes up to 400 doesn't it? 200 still is a VERY good result!

me too.... >.< though it's sad...

Haha yea Ayu has more albums than Madonna. Isn't that fantastic? ^_^ But.. I think that if Ayu REALLY reinvented herself, a lot of fans would be disappointed.. PLUS, it's hard to get new fans, cause everyone already knows the name Ayumi Hamasaki, and whether she makes good or bad music, they already 'like or dislike' her ;p... Gradual change is safer.

Like Dream On.. Ayu is testing a new genre. But not in her own single, but in someone else's. If this fails, it's okay. If it's a success, I bet Ayu wil think about doing this genre solo too :)

No.

If re-invention means singing the same stuff Namie or Kana do, then plz no. We have enough generic pop princess singing tra-la-la R'n'B-wanna-be songs about relationships. And in my eyes Dream ON was an epic fail, so once again - no, plz. If anything Ayu should dig into rock more.

No at it only going to 400 or it being a good result? If the latter:
Why? Most artist's releases are somewhere between 20 and 150. If Ayu has her album, her SECOND album of the year without very much promotion, at 200 IMO that's very good. And even if that ends up "only" translating to like 150k album sales I'd still call that very good.

YAYY for big bro and lil sis!!

Yes. Check arashi's NINKI, they usally go above 400 points.

Hm...where does it stop then? 500?

Of course she has more albums than Madonna! Madonna takes no less than 2 years for each album, and Ayu is one each year NON-STOP. Her level of work is INSANE! She has been working her ass since she started! Also japanese system is very different from the rest. The way to release singles before albums and all that kind of stuff... Ayu must be the musician that has worked that much in history!! She has never stopped! She deserves to be a LEGEND!! Oh wait... she already is... :D

Not really sure tbh, there should be 400 people taking the poll, still there might be indexes and stuff the points get multiplied with.

I hope 'Love songs' sell well.

Ayu already does enough rock. She mixes rock with pop more than any other genre. Rock wouldn't be something new or progressive, it would just be more of the same old. If you want more rock listen to a rock band. :innocent

And making Dream ON-like tunes would be new and progressive now that those kinda of songs have been *****d for years in Japan? If you want more stuff like that there is plenty to choose from. I'd say she does what she's good at instead of trying to please the masses with stuff everyone else's already doing :innocent

Now see, I didn't say that. I'm all for Ayu doing what she wants to do instead of doing stuff to please you. :innocent :rolleyes

i smell low sales for Love songs although NINKI doesn't really show anything ! ^^!wish the best for u,Ayu !

We are all used to it now arn't we?

The last two albums were released during the slowest sales periods of the year, while this is being released during the busiest. I expect either a virtually non-existent drop or a small increase.

I'm hoping for an increase!

I think it's always weird when people ask Ayu to change or reinvent, there's visual and sound-reinventions all the time, her performances changed, even her lyrics are changing a bit. Like...compare RnRC and Love Songs, the visual images are extremely different, the music videos are quite different and the songs...RnRC was more or elss themed after diversity with some slight classic rock influences in most songs while Love Songs is what happens when strings, guitars, vocals, a piano and (acoustic and electro) beats have an orgy. The only songs in Ayu's recent past that I would compare to the sound we know of it so far in any way are count down and Last Links, both generally unknown to people that don't own the RnRC album and both MUCH more raw in terms of arrangement.

I choose to remain positive. I think it will get 300-320k.

^ That's what I was thinking.

And as long as she's #1, it's all good IMO.

This... most of her albums have a new main sound and a new main image...

SNSD is no competition for Ayu. sorry.

I don't want to be rude or pessimistic, but I doubt a rise will ever occur. There might be a smaller drop at times, bt a drop nonetheless. This is entirely natural. Seiko Matsuda used to be the undisputed pop queen. Here she is barely scratching 20k. It happens. Not saying ayu is there yet but it's bound to happen someday and instead of fearing it we should be glad for any succes she still has and for the great music she's putting out.

Reinventing yourself generally only works if you've dropped quickly to a low, not if you're slowly sliding away. It generally looks forced in the second scenario.

In short, go Ayu, we love you.

last weeks ago there was hikki vs kara on album chart
n there will be ayu vs shoshi in a few week latter..

but this HOOT album of SNSD is just a compilation with her korean songs, isn't their debut japanese album. They aren't a problem YET.

Actually, they are selling a lot with Genie and Gee, both are selling more than 100k.

Honestly, the previews of Love songs are really awesome, i love them!!! For me this album is gonna be better than RnRC, i hope a rise in her sales!!!

I don't see what the problem is. As Rody! said, the digital age causes constant drops in CD sales. That's just how it is, for everyone. If Ayu is #1, I'm more than happy.

While I don't disagree that Avex likes to squeeze every last drop of cash out of...well, everything...I don't think Ayu is your typical overworked pop star. Remember: she's a workaholic. She hasn't taken any kind of real vacation over her entire career. If she wanted to go on hiatus, for example, I highly doubt Avex would complain, because she works so damn much of her own volition. But she won't take a hiatus (at least, if she ever does, I can't imagine it would be more than a year, if that). This is what she loves to do. So I don't know if it's fair to say that Avex is "milking her." Milking her work, sure. But they're not actually forcing her to work constantly. Know what I mean?

STOP being so pessimistic and go support and buy her album!!!

Haha I always wanted to say that. :D Can't wait for my copy! And great numbers! :) Always number 1 in my heart!

^ I bought two copies! xD; I did my part, twice.

^ Hey brit! Long time no see!

Haha I was about to buy the CD+DvD one too, but I never really watched the PVs more than once. Not sure if its worth it.

i'd love to see this album sell 200K

I agree with this. I see some people complain (fans and non fans) that she never does anything new and all of her songs sound the same but I think the complete opposite.

Those are people who don't really listen to her music. I mean really listen. Her music is the most versatile of any other J-pop female artist I know.

Those are people who don't really listen to her music. I mean really listen. They confuse "Ayu essence" with similarity. Her music is the most versatile of any other J-pop female artist I know.

Most people who complain about that stuff aren't real key decision makers, though.

This album deserves number 1!
Sales are alright.. I'm kinda surprised that R'n'RC is ahead.

I think she does too much "new" stuff. Stick with what sounds good.

To be honest, I don't want to ever see Ayu's fans in charge of her musical decisions, haha.

What sales? The album hasn't even been released yet?

NINKI doesn't predict sales.
Is just like a poll
But i really want 200k in the first week