I think the Japanese system builds up more anticipation for the album. I rarely get REALLY HYPED about Western releases unless they're from artists I already know and love, but the "singles first" release style lets me get familiar with and develop a taste for upcoming albums because the singles are usually a good indicator for what the rest of the album is like.
Please excuse my atrocious post --- it's late, I got up too early this morning, and I should really go to bed.
