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This editorial is rather...unrealistic. As I don't want to call it plain stupid.
Releasing A as a "maxi single" was controversial, especially as it was counted as a full album by EVERY chart system. avex doesn't like controversy - at least inside Japan, they couldn't care less what we think.
LOVE IS technically an album, not even a mini album, a full album. Albums can include remixes, alternate versions and instrumental versions of tracks. The LENGHT of a release determines what it is, not the number of songs or the number of new songs.
X Japan's "ART of LIFE" has one song. But it lasts 30 minutes and is therefore either an album or a mini album.
So, the way it is being released, LOVE had to be released as an album, because it will chart as an album. Some people may say they added all these tracks to turn it into an album, but I doubt that. Ayumi has been increasingly aware of her fans asking for remixes and long singles. So that's just what she and avex prepared, especially since this is to be a big deal. And a long single IS an album.
For the 2 years without singles stuff...Party Queen was concepted and perceived as one in a short period of time, so not releasing singles for it was just natural. While FIVE was an ep, again -> no singles. Ayumi has also moved forward to the digital age more than some other Japanese artists. She is still releasing singles, she is still releasing singles that chart, they are just not physical singles and they don't chart on Oricon because Oricon is outdated. avex couldn't care less for the record because Ayumi has it now and nobody will break it anytime soon. It doesn't matter if she adds one or two singles to the streak or ends it, it's still the biggest streak anyone ever had and that's the only aspect that mattered.
Not releasing singles is most likely Ayumi's decision, she even said it when she released L. avex is a company, a company that makes TONS of money when a single is released, no matter if it's #1, #2 or #3 on the charts, so they will want to release a single every chance they get. They will most certainly take earning much money even if it may breaking a streak that has become irrelevant once L was released.
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