[Charts & Rankings] The IV Oricon Thread of NEXT LEVEL ~Keeps rollin'~

[waterballoon]

Originally Posted by ayumixfan

The DB movie was released like a week before the album was released, causing attention towards her album.

I'm sorry but majority of the people who watched movie (source: serebii.net, go read their DB: E movie thread if you've got time.), finds that Rule sucks.

And why? Because I suppose the impression of the song was greatly reduced due to the disgusting factor of the movie. So in a way, this is an ANTI-promotion.

[njanjayrp]

^
^ The HONDA CM is way too old and it wasn't on air when the single was released as far as I know, not to mention the album, the Panasonic CM with NEXT LEVEL was also aired way before the album release. The mention of the USB in morning news show isn't going to compensate for the lack of live performances and Ayu appearing on variety shows. GUILTY had a heavy Together When.. promo and Ayu also performed JEWEL since October 2006 and she even performed 1LOVE, compared to only 1 Rule perf In other words you're far from being right.

[ALfromHELLSING]

Originally Posted by TeddyGrahams

Next Level had 1 tv performance, like 2-3 magazines, and 5 songs used for promotion. She had 2 DAYS to promote it, mainly her visit to the radio station and her performance in rule. The rest she just practiced for her tour/Finishing her album. 4 versions =/= promotion. USB is not promotion. How can you promote music with no sample??? Also how can you when the majority of ppl cant hear the songs of next level less than a week since it's release date?

Can you say it's the same?

It is actually pretty sad... And I just do not understand if it is she's who do not care about promo that much anymore and more concentrated on her TOURS now, or it's a fault of greedy avex?

And I'm pretty sure that avex once again forced her to release it sooner than she planned. However I might be wrong.

As for promo. I know that Kuu is not Ayu, but she's performed TABOO thousand of times as well as stay with me and she wasn't able to reach even 90K for each. Rule/Sparkle was never performed (that Rule performance was actually for album promo already) and she's easily crossed 100K. Or was it 'cause of Dragon Ball?

[keikeiaznqueen]

Originally Posted by Alucard from Hellsing

It is actually pretty sad... And I just do not understand if it is she's who do not care about promo that much anymore and more concentrated on her TOURS now, or it's a fault of greedy avex?

And I'm pretty sure that avex once again forced her to release it sooner than she planned. However I might be wrong.

As for promo. I know that Kuu is not Ayu, but she's performed TABOO thousand of times as well as stay with me and she wasn't able to reach even 90K for each. Rule/Sparkle was never performed (that Rule performance was actually for album promo already) and she's easily crossed 100K. Or was it 'cause of Dragon Ball?

Ayu's singles have always tended to sell pretty well though, relative to most other artists nowadays who are not Johnny's. I mean, the other artists who release singles that outsell hers... that's usually because their song is a hit, right? I'm thinking of Soba ni iru ne and Kiseki. The other singles by these artists don't really outsell Ayu on average. (Although that's changing.) Ayu's songs don't usually rank on Billboard-Japan since they add in radio-play and other factors... except Days, because Days ranked #1, so Ayu's other songs are usually not really the "hottest must listen song this season!" to the casual listener. That shows that Ayu is selling well consistently despite not producing actual hits.

On a side note, although it's nice that Ayu gets more time away from advertising and promotion (but is performing wayyyyy more concerts), I kinda miss her constant appearance in the public through television or other things.

[TeddyGrahams]

Originally Posted by Alucard from Hellsing

As for promo. I know that Kuu is not Ayu, but she's performed TABOO thousand of times as well as stay with me and she wasn't able to reach even 90K for each. Rule/Sparkle was never performed (that Rule performance was actually for album promo already) and she's easily crossed 100K. Or was it 'cause of Dragon Ball?

Rule/Sparkle was not only a new single, it was a remix single as well with 3 versions. Only the CD+DVD version is not a good buy, while the other two are. Having GREEN/Days Orch versions? With 4 new remixes? Besides, Taboo was a 1 single side, same as Stay with me... so if you combine their sales, they beat out Rule/Sparkle. Kuu is not a singles artist anyways. She had some hits, but it's mostly her albums that sells the most.

Also, I wonder why think the DBZ movie is to promote the album as well. Doesn't it promote the single more? The first press had a pic of Ayu from the artist.

[ayumisrael]

Yeah, NEXT LEVEL had a promotion but it was awful. =\
It must be her lowest promoted release ever. (Maybe except for some remix albums).

That's why I don't get why it's a "flop".
The sales are nothing amazing but for the poor promotion it got, It got more attension from people than it should have or minimum the attension it should have get with this promotion.
4 versions aren't a promotion, it's marketing and it's actually 3 versions + a limited USB version but still the casual listener has to actually know or to get interested in buying any of them somehow since the casual listeners don't follow ayu. XD
Also because ayu did her thing with a different album there must have been less fans who are interested.

[Lanz16]

NL drops at #26 today

[SURREAL__RAINBOW]

Originally Posted by Lanz16

NL drops at #26 today

thats alright I guess



it jumped a lot yesterday

[*-_Ayu-fan_-*]

which position is she this week and how are the sales for this week ?

[babamon]

8th week sales:

**3,439 NEXT LEVEL / 浜崎あゆみ 09/03/25

Total thus far: 357,375

[njanjayrp]

So it will reach 360k in a week or so Thanks babamon~

[ayumisrael]

So it will pass 360,000 in a week or 2 tops.
Great =D.
Thanks for the update.

[njanjayrp]

「NEXT LEVEL」 VS 「GUILTY」
1st week : 240,810 | ORICON's Holidays
2nd week : 050,271 | 432,113 [Combined 1st+2nd week]
3rd week : 028,575 | 072,027
4th week : 013,131 | 024,715
5th week : 009,368 | 012,340
6th week : 006,863 | 008,826
7th week : 004,918 | 004,371
8th week : 003,439 | 003,392
Total 8w = 357,375 | 557,784

It seems it's selling the way GUILTY did now.

[Uemarasan]

Originally Posted by njanjayrp

「NEXT LEVEL」 VS 「GUILTY」
1st week : 240,810 | ORICON's Holidays
2nd week : 050,271 | 432,113 [Combined 1st+2nd week]
3rd week : 028,575 | 072,027
4th week : 013,131 | 024,715
5th week : 009,368 | 012,340
6th week : 006,863 | 008,826
7th week : 004,918 | 004,371
8th week : 003,439 | 003,392
Total 8w = 357,375 | 557,784

It seems it's selling the way GUILTY did now.

Would you happen to have a comparison of ranking position instead of sales numbers?

I think Avex has been using Ayu as a guinea pig of sorts for testing new promotional strategies. First was a download-only single (Together When), then an album in USB form, and now using a tour as the primary means to promote and sell an album. Well, even before, they were doing this kind of thing: with the song Rainbow, for instance.

[njanjayrp]

Originally Posted by Uemarasan

Would you happen to have a comparison of ranking position instead of sales numbers?

Sorry, I don't have those though I've managed to find this:
01st week : ORICON's Holidays
02nd week : 432,113 [Combined 1st+2nd week]
03rd week : 072,027
04th week : 024,715
05th week : 012,340
06th week : 008,826
07th week : 004,371
08th week : 003,392
09th week : 002,004
10th week : 001,886
11th week : 001,371
12th week : 001,245
13th week : 001,024
14th week : 000,800
15th week : 000,755
16th week : 000,800
17th week : 000,619
Total 17w = 568,288

NEXT LEVEL's pattern is similar to GUILTY's the last few weeks. So NL might not be able to cross 380k in the end, hopefully it will drop slower from now on

[ayumisrael]

Yeah now it has got smaller drops than GUILTY though not by a lot.
I hope it will have a better consistency.

[TITANIC]

YAIIY.. it will sell 370K soon... next target is 380K which is quite hard

[CoriKaru]

Originally Posted by riozz

YAIIY.. it will sell 370K soon... next target is 380K which is quite hard

Yeah, it'll be a stretch. :/
Seems to be dropping consistently so sales are consistent in that manner anyway. Doesn't bode well though for steady sales in the end.
Interesting that her Single did how it did without much promotion yet her Album is like this. I'm still shocked the 4 different versions amounted to this. Unusual.

[ayumisrael]

Originally Posted by CoriKaru

Yeah, it'll be a stretch. :/
Seems to be dropping consistently so sales are consistent in that manner anyway. Doesn't bode well though for steady sales in the end.
Interesting that her Single did how it did without much promotion yet her Album is like this. I'm still shocked the 4 different versions amounted to this. Unusual.

Actually Days/GREEN got more promotion than NEXT LEVEL specially when it was still counted a 10th anniversary single.

3 different editions + limited USB don't worth much with crappy promotion.
The promotion of this 3 + 1 limited versions album got is laughable.
What's so shocking and unusual with the poor promotion it got?
It's her least promoted release excluding some remix albums and Rule/Sparkle though it had the whole Dragon ball attension in japan before the crappy movie started and the whole toriyama painting with the Honda commerical tie-in that seemed to draw some attension.
Even the outdoors promotion was poor, shibuya used to be filled with posters (even with GUILTY) and the big billboard in the 109 building, but NEXT LEVEL got just a billboard near that and some in stores.
Casual listeners (that don't follow ayu) could barely notice she is releasing something this time.

I do remember you posted that you don't think it will sell over 350,000 2-3 weeks ago, don't think you think it's great it's going to pass 360,000 soon?

[KarenPang]

top 50 albums of '09

*7 *,357,375 **3,439 NEXT LEVEL / 浜崎あゆみ 09/03/25