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Originally Posted by asongforXX
Ayu's album is the highest non-best-of albums in that list, so that makes me happy! 
I'd like to know that too! |
No, not really.
No idol female of any other label than avex is selling anything at the moment. People "competing" with ayu in the beginning was basically mai kuraki, aiko, suzuki ami and morning musume. during about 200o other female idols came like koda, otsuka, matsuura, aiuchi, shimatani, aya ueto etc. it was booming. Most of these artists have had good sales, but are now hardly reaching the top ten.
None of them compare to ayumi (except for perhaps ootsuka at the moment, well see about next year though) in single sales, but in album sales quite a few have reached high numbers. As from what I can see, the only label being able to keep their female idols fresh and popular is avex (except for aiko perhaps...?). The females who have "survived" all or gained popularity all have some "special" skill that before the time of ayumi wasen't common among traditional idol girls. THis includes song writing (otsuka), composing (otsuka), sexy erotic image replacing "girl next door" or "kawaii" (koda), or simply being an overly popular niche artist like mika nakashima or namie amuro. This would also explain H!Ps drastic fall in sales. the style is simply not a la mode at the moment.
I think it's quite amazing how namie amuro has managed to reclaim the charts so lang after her golden days though, but I don't think this would have bben possible if she stuck to her old music. Look at what happened to ami suzuki....