[Editorial] Is avex Afraid Of Letting Ayumi Hamasaki Release Singles?

[JackieRos]

All avex. I don't think ayumi agrees releasing these "minis"

[saigodansu]

^and yet pathetically now theres a article in another thread that Avex is doing this while losing money to give back to Ayu whos given so much to them over 15 years. BULL, it's going to be 5 releases that were on schedule to release anyway with this whole thing of it being for the fans and now for Ayu too & no concern for sales. Theyre so full of it, I hope their printing presses stop working. Better yet I hope she gets enough of having to change her image for each album and just walks out on Avex, then we'll see how much they care about sales.

[TeamAyu2004]

^ well, I for believe what ayumi is saying that it is for the fans...

not caring about release dates and just celebrating the 8th of every month is a pretty good way of showing that.

[Chibi-Chan]

Originally Posted by TeamAyu2004

^ thank you.
charts dont matter.
its a fan obsession really.

and emi, I was talking about fans saying she is scared to release a single because it wil ruin her streak..

It wont... she will still have it, she will just no longer be able to extend it... chances are she will keep that record for a very very long time.

Agree!!!

[saigodansu]

^I don't mind having a difference of opinion. I think though that their track record with press releases show that it's all marketing by Avex, I doubt she even gets so much as consulted on what will be next. She's lost most of her fanbase already and the majority of those still purchasing her products are those who believe every word written or spoken by Avex or Ayu even when they contradict the previous interview. And the only thing saying Ayu even said this about these releases is an Avex press release that could have been written by anyone at Avex.

Sorry to disagree to such an extent, I just don't buy anything they say about anything anymore.

These months would have had the releases anyway and theyre trying to make it sound like they are doing something special for Ayu and the fans at great expense, knowing the statement is just to boost sales on products that will already profit them greatly, not losing money at all.

[TeamAyu2004]

^
1. you cant say for a fact that these months would have had releases for her anniy or not.
2. I think by making remarks about not caring about sales, proves enough.
3. If you dont think anything being said is true, which would include her lyrics... because according to you, she cant do anything for herself, why are you here? If she is just being used by avex and having everything handed to her by avex... why even call yourself an ayumi fan... why not just like avex, because according to you, they have put everything she has ever said into her mouth.

'sorry to disagree to such an extend', I just never bought anything you have ever said.

sorry if I sound rude.
(really, I am. )

[SunshineSlayer]

Well I don't believe any company that says they don't care about sales. Avex is a business not a charity after all. If they really didn't care about sales, they would put their money where their mouth is and release everything for free on digital download. It's business. It's marketing. Nothing more, nothing less.

[Bigtop]

Originally Posted by SunshineSlayer

Well I don't believe any company that says they don't care about sales. Avex is a business not a charity after all. If they really didn't care about sales, they would put their money where their mouth is and release everything for free on digital download. It's business. It's marketing. Nothing more, nothing less.

Agreed

[TeamAyu2004]

^ I think you are asking for way to much with free downloads.

You can still release music, but not care if it doesnt break any records or anything.
It's her 15th year.
Not doubt they want to celebrate all the cash she has brought in since they signed her.

And further more there have been plenty of examples where companies have done things, not for the sales, but because they wanted to release something.

[Andrenekoi]

Originally Posted by SunshineSlayer

Well I don't believe any company that says they don't care about sales. Avex is a business not a charity after all. If they really didn't care about sales, they would put their money where their mouth is and release everything for free on digital download. It's business. It's marketing. Nothing more, nothing less.

How dare you! She is doing it because she love us! Damn hater!

I believe she doesn't care about charts... About sales, totally different story.

[SunshineSlayer]

^Lol. I'm speaking about Avex not ayu really. Haha.

Originally Posted by TeamAyu2004

^ I think you are asking for way to much with free downloads.

I'm not asking them to, nor would I ever expect them to. I'm just making the point that yes, record companies do care about sales because they are in the business of making money. It's just part of marketing to say that this isn't about sales, it's about the fans. For ayu it might be different of course.

I think ayu has quite a bit of creative control but I think the what, when, and how of what is released is decided by Avex.

[saigodansu]

^^ I can say some were on there way to be released as fact & we all know it. It's approaching the time of year the calendar is always released(thats 1/5), Songs were recorded, so a CD was on the way wether it was single/mini or album(thats 2/5), They are now splitting the Lifestyle Book into chapters for more money, so I have no doubt VOL. 2 was on its way already(thats 3/5), that many months passing also was to include the next concert release to dvd/bluray(thats 4/5). The only one that could not have been predicted by anyone on AHS with 100% accuracy is the 5th release.

I only call everyone on AHS idiots when someone makes me so mad I'm not careful with what I say or like last time, catch me during a week long fever. So I'd say everyone on this site has the intelligence to know 4 out of 5 releases were already planned regardless of 15th anniversary or fans having anything to do with it.

I would love to believe Ayu with every word she says, Avex I don't care. But I can't believe either when her own answers in her own interviews disagree with each other. Plus talking with a few people with contracts in companies that make them famous in Japan, they've mentioned this being common & that by info released to press and fans you will never know anything about the celebrity, their private lives are kept private.

[TeamAyu2004]

Originally Posted by SunshineSlayer

I'm just making the point that yes, record companies do care about sales because they are in the business of making money. It's just part of marketing to say that this isn't about sales, it's about the fans. For ayu it might be different of course.

I think ayu has quite a bit of creative control but I think the what, when, and how of what is released is decided by Avex.

In general I can and will agree... Avex is in the business to make money.
But at the same time, I also thing a company can celebrate their most profitable artist in a five month span and not care about the out come. Also I think it helps in the fact that she owns, like 10% of the company...

[Andrenekoi]

Originally Posted by saigodansu

^^ I can say some were on there way to be released as fact & we all know it. It's approaching the time of year the calendar is always released(thats 1/5), Songs were recorded, so a CD was on the way wether it was single/mini or album(thats 2/5), They are now splitting the Lifestyle Book into chapters for more money, so I have no doubt VOL. 2 was on its way already(thats 3/5), that many months passing also was to include the next concert release to dvd/bluray(thats 4/5). The only one that could not have been predicted by anyone on AHS with 100% accuracy is the 5th release.

I only call everyone on AHS idiots when someone makes me so mad I'm not careful with what I say or like last time, catch me during a week long fever. So I'd say everyone on this site has the intelligence to know 4 out of 5 releases were already planned regardless of 15th anniversary or fans having anything to do with it.

I would love to believe Ayu with every word she says, Avex I don't care. But I can't believe either when her own answers in her own interviews disagree with each other. Plus talking with a few people with contracts in companies that make them famous in Japan, they've mentioned this being common & that by info released to press and fans you will never know anything about the celebrity, their private lives are kept private.

Well, it's not like we have a lot of material for her to contradict herself... Most of what she talks for years now is either about her work (releases date and stuff) or something stupid such as "the best nail to use during the summer" or "what does her hair mean to her"... Most of the time, every question about something more personal or deep than that receives some random vague kawaii answer.

[ImpactBreaker]

I often think people idolize ayumi too much and demonize avex as much. I mean, I don't believe in ayumi releasing albums as a charity for fans. Both avex and ayu are interested in sales in my opinion. Maybe ayu just isn't hardcore about wanting to make smashing hits but she definitely wants the stuff she produced to sell, and that's not just because she want her work to reach as much people as possible only.

[TeamAyu2004]

^ I agree too, about the idolize and demonizeing thing...

but I also think people take "we dont care about sales" to literal.

They do care about the sales, because they are business, but they dont care how much it sales:

ie it doesnt need to sell a million for us to be happy. It could break even and we will be happy.

[Zeke.]

You know I do agree that Ayu is a charming, honest, and heartfelt human being... but honestly, I hate when everyone assumes that avex is tying up her hands and her say in things and holding her hostage to what they have planned for her career...

[Uemarasan]

It's Ayu's job. A job brings in money. She needs money to live.

Of course Ayu cares about sales... We don't live in some J-pop utopia. She's not some J-pop goddess that can live on eating air and moonbeams.

[thinkingoutloud89]

ayu is one of the richest *****es in japan. Thh airplay and downloads of her backcatalouge and the millions she made is enough for her to open 5 own musiccompanies if she wanted to.

ayumi has, like many other artist (namie, kumi) and so on surely a lot of creative input. The record label just gives prediction, sometimes sets dates are decides on the promo songs. (I don'T think the latter is the case for ayu anymore)

most of the release patterns is made by her own staff. they make sure the communication between the artist and the company works, and they want both to be happy. so they come up with something cool when ayu is all "I wanna do something for my fans" but they are also looking out to make the things happen that her contracts sets (so and so many new songs a year and blaa)

[Chibi-Chan]

@saigodansu

All of your posts here at ahs in summary:
Ayu is just a puppet and controlled by Avex. Everything she says about her releases, personal life and her feelings is a flat-out lie to her fans.

What the hell are you doing here? You don't believe a single word Ayu says and can't appreciate her as a person, why being a member of a FAN forum? If you just like to listen to her music but nothing more I don't get why you're coming here. Only to let us know your conspiracy theories which you claim to be the truth?

The music business is of course a BUSINESS and therefore Avex cares about money. But there is no reason to speak in such disrespect about Ayu.
If you don't like her as a person: fine
If you think everything that is known about her is only a fake image and also a lie: fine
If you don't like everything she does: fine
If you want to criticize her releases: fine
But why are you here when you NEVER say a single nice word about Ayu or her work. And to bring up your same old story in EVERY ****ing thread and label Ayu as a liar and a puppet is disrespectful and annoying.
Personally I hate Gaga with a passion, still I don't feel the need to go to her thread and tell her fans again and again what I think about her. But for some reason you can't stop coming here to ahs just to have a ***** about Ayu.

The discussion about people should express themselves more appropriate comes up often here. People discuss Ayu's releases, performances, photoshoots, the way she is promoted (by Avex) or something else related to her. A great number of people critizes her a lot and doesn't like everything she does. Those people critizising her for one thing still like her for another thing. But you are just disrespectful.