[Charts & Rankings] Official Oricon Thread ~50th Single L~

[Bigtop]

Originally Posted by Mai82Go

Of course Arashis sales will decline sooner or later. Atm, though they are at their peak. When Ayu was at her peak, nobody but a few fangirls cared about Arashi. Now Ayu is at a place where she'll never sell that much ever again. But she also releases her music digitally and Arashi doesn't. She is an old woman (yes that's cruel, but me I'm also a Christmas cake so I'm allowed to bring it up) not fresh and new like Kana Nishino for example. If you take all this into consideration, her sales are very good. People are never satisfied though, it seems.

I agree with that. Things have really changed over time: when she was at peak back in 2002, the time that her consecutive #1 streak broken with Daybreak early on in the year and then restarted with Free & Easy back on April, there was not much of the digital music revolution; now, this is 2010, which is eight (and a half or more) years later, with the fact that she's aging, she's not at her peak anymore, some are getting tired of Ayu, and the digital music revolution that Ayu is part of while Arashi's popularity is increasing but with Johnny's no-digital-sales policy (especially when their releases are actually distributed through Sony Music Entertainment, and a combination of Johnny's policies as well as the dispute between Sony Music and Apple/iTunes that prevent the releases of Arashi as well as other Sony Music artists, such as ikimono-gakari, Mika Nakashima, miwa and SCANDAL, to be sold on the iTunes Store worldwide), it seems that Ayu is facing tough competition. Even though with tough competition, it seemed that Arashi's "Dear Snow" single was released on a week when Ayu was not releasing a single, and it seemed that the Arashi team and the Johnny's management may have respected Ayu in some way to allow her to break Seiko Matsuda's consecutive #1 record (by a female artist/any soloist). Ayu's #1 singles (crossroad and L) that she has achieved, along with Ayu's reiteration to fans that were thinking about if she would be retiring, saying that she's not retiring within the foreseeable future, proves that Ayu is still viable to the Japanese pop market and will STAY for years to come, maybe possibly a decade or two, or even three. Maybe she could become the "next" Seiko Matsuda! We'll just have to see with the long-term, but it's only October 2010 already...

[Andrenekoi]

Originally Posted by Bigtop

I agree with that. Things have really changed over time: when she was at peak back in 2002, the time that her consecutive #1 streak broken with Daybreak early on in the year and then restarted with Free & Easy back on April, there was not much of the digital music revolution; now, this is 2010, which is eight (and a half or more) years later, with the fact that she's aging, she's not at her peak anymore, some are getting tired of Ayu, and the digital music revolution that Ayu is part of while Arashi's popularity is increasing but with Johnny's no-digital-sales policy (especially when their releases are actually distributed through Sony Music Entertainment, and a combination of Johnny's policies as well as the dispute between Sony Music and Apple/iTunes that prevent the releases of Arashi as well as other Sony Music artists, such as ikimono-gakari, Mika Nakashima, miwa and SCANDAL, to be sold on the iTunes Store worldwide), it seems that Ayu is facing tough competition. Even though with tough competition, it seemed that Arashi's "Dear Snow" single was released on a week when Ayu was not releasing a single, and it seemed that the Arashi team and the Johnny's management may have respected Ayu in some way to allow her to break Seiko Matsuda's consecutive #1 record (by a female artist/any soloist). Ayu's #1 singles (crossroad and L) that she has achieved, along with Ayu's reiteration to fans that were thinking about if she would be retiring, saying that she's not retiring within the foreseeable future, proves that Ayu is still viable to the Japanese pop market and will STAY for years to come, maybe possibly a decade or two, or even three. Maybe she could become the "next" Seiko Matsuda! We'll just have to see with the long-term, but it's only October 2010 already...

I would prefer her to be the next Matsutoya Yumi over her being the next Seiko Matsuda any day of the week

[Yumsushi]

Originally Posted by Mai82Go

Of course Arashis sales will decline sooner or later. Atm, though they are at their peak. When Ayu was at her peak, nobody but a few fangirls cared about Arashi. Now Ayu is at a place where she'll never sell that much ever again. But she also releases her music digitally and Arashi doesn't. She is an old woman (yes that's cruel, but me I'm also a Christmas cake so I'm allowed to bring it up) not fresh and new like Kana Nishino for example. If you take all this into consideration, her sales are very good. People are never satisfied though, it seems.

I dont know what you mean by being a Christmas cake and I get what you're saying about being new and fresh in the market but I think you meant to say that Ayu is older, not old. But just her age alone isn't the only hinderance since Namie Amuro is even older than Ayu but has somehow managed to reinvent herself and make herself more appealing to the general public.
At the end of the day that is what making it is all about no? Appeal!

[Bigtop]

Originally Posted by Beauty4123

wasn't it enough for ayumi to get #1 for the week of HER release? so why is everyone complaining about arashi now? does ayumi need to get #1 this week, too?

her record wasn't broken, so no one should be complaining.

Originally Posted by jbrat2219

^This is AHS, we need to complain about something! LOL

No, no...we don't have to complain about it. Ayu already got a #1 weekly, so we don't even have to worry about Arashi - they're a different story: they released their single yesterday (and they're doing another one later next month!), and Ayu already released her 50th single LAST WEEK, with no new data if she's going to be releasing her 51st single or even a new album at this time, as she's still busy with the RnRC tour...

[maikaru]

Originally Posted by Yumsushi

I dont know what you mean by being a Christmas cake and I get what you're saying about being new and fresh in the market but I think you meant to say that Ayu is older, not old. But just her age alone isn't the only hinderance since Namie Amuro is even older than Ayu but has somehow managed to reinvent herself and make herself more appealing to the general public.
At the end of the day that is what making it is all about no? Appeal!

Actually, people in Japan care much more about Ayu's age than Amuro Namie. And Amuro is just one year older than Ayu, so not much difference.

Remember, Amuro went through a period when her popularity was reduced drastically, because of her "re-invention" when she became the Queen of R&B, during a time when R&B in J-POP was a new and polarizing thing. But she battled through years of unpopularity, and she decided she didn't want to force herself to be seen by everyone, and that's when she started to regain the popularity.

I think Ayu is doing that now... no one really sees her anymore, just in ViVi, and now Softbank... but it's not like a saturation of Ayu as it once was. Maybe we will be seeing a boom in Ayu popularity soon. I think it will happen.

Arashi has an advantage because there are 5 members. You don't have to like all of them, but even if they only like one of them, they will buy. And because the personalities are kind of all different, it can appeal to a MUCH broader audience than say Ayu can with her gyaru-ish style.

Arashi has been getting better in singing. Whether they are lipsyncing on Mste or so, I don't know, I believe so, but I don't really know for sure. But anyways, because they sing, have likable personalities, they SEEM down to earth without any cocky personality like KAT-TUN or so, and like someone said before that they do not have online sales, the oricon charts will be of course in favour of Arashi since physical copies are literally the only way to listen to them.

[Yumsushi]

Originally Posted by maikaru

Actually, people in Japan care much more about Ayu's age than Amuro Namie. And Amuro is just one year older than Ayu, so not much difference.

Remember, Amuro went through a period when her popularity was reduced drastically, because of her "re-invention" when she became the Queen of R&B, during a time when R&B in J-POP was a new and polarizing thing. But she battled through years of unpopularity, and she decided she didn't want to force herself to be seen by everyone, and that's when she started to regain the popularity.

I think Ayu is doing that now... no one really sees her anymore, just in ViVi, and now Softbank... but it's not like a saturation of Ayu as it once was. Maybe we will be seeing a boom in Ayu popularity soon. I think it will happen.

Arashi has an advantage because there are 5 members. You don't have to like all of them, but even if they only like one of them, they will buy. And because the personalities are kind of all different, it can appeal to a MUCH broader audience than say Ayu can with her gyaru-ish style.

Arashi has been getting better in singing. Whether they are lipsyncing on Mste or so, I don't know, I believe so, but I don't really know for sure. But anyways, because they sing, have likable personalities, they SEEM down to earth without any cocky personality like KAT-TUN or so, and like someone said before that they do not have online sales, the oricon charts will be of course in favour of Arashi since physical copies are literally the only way to listen to them.

Interesting that people only focus about age when they don't like the individual...double standard? Anyhow my point wasn't to negate Arashi's popularity. I don't like them or get their appeal but I can't deny that they are incredibly appealing in Japan and that is why they are so successful as is Namie.

My point was simply that Ayumi isn't old and that its all about appeal, exactly as you have said but thank you as always for your input ^_^

[SunshineSlayer]

Originally Posted by maikaru

I think Ayu is doing that now... no one really sees her anymore, just in ViVi, and now Softbank... but it's not like a saturation of Ayu as it once was. Maybe we will be seeing a boom in Ayu popularity soon. I think it will happen.

Actually I think Ayu is seen more now than she was a couple of years ago. Not as much as her peak period of course. Right now she is actually on the 109 building (I saw it yesterday); its the cover of Jelly magazine. She also has been more visible when passing magazine racks again and in billboards that are put up around the train stations; I think I've seen her more in Tokyo over the past 2 months than I have in the past two years. Unfortunately though it didn't seem to translate that much into higher sales for the new singles.

[Mai82Go]

Originally Posted by Yumsushi

I dont know what you mean by being a Christmas cake and I get what you're saying about being new and fresh in the market but I think you meant to say that Ayu is older, not old. But just her age alone isn't the only hinderance since Namie Amuro is even older than Ayu but has somehow managed to reinvent herself and make herself more appealing to the general public.
At the end of the day that is what making it is all about no? Appeal!

Yep, I meant older not old. Sorry.

@bluegie
Don't worry, I see you're male so you're not. Women over 25 that aren't married/taken are leftover christmas cakes.

It was an expression that to call women over the age of 25 "Christmas cake," meaning that they are out of season, as the cake is after December 25th. Now the age is raised to 31, linked to toshikoshi-soba, a noodle dish eaten on December 31st.

from here


Never heard that about the 31st, but now Ayu even passed that age.

[bluegie]

Originally Posted by Mai82Go

She is an old woman (yes that's cruel, but me I'm also a Christmas cake so I'm allowed to bring it up) not fresh and new like Kana Nishino for example. If you take all this into consideration, her sales are very good. People are never satisfied though, it seems.

I'm confused about the Christmas cake... does that have anything do to your age? (and probly my age as well, we're only a year difference... lol). I dun think people are dissatisfied. More likely they're hoping to see ayu to get into a 2nd peak, just like how namie achieved that two years ago.

Originally Posted by Bigtop

and it seemed that the Arashi team and the Johnny's management may have respected Ayu in some way to allow her to break Seiko Matsuda's consecutive #1 record (by a female artist/any soloist).

I dun think that has anything to do with respect... right? I think it's just a game between music companies. They dun break rival artists' streaks in order to save their own? Er... you can say that's a respect.. maybe.. I dunno
This reminds me tho last year time when ayu released You were.../BALLAD. I wonder why the heck Sony and Masaharu Fukuyama picked Dec 16 for the single Hatsukoi. You know I was actually shocked about that. This forced avex to change the release date of ayu (in order to save the streak). This is just too weird...

Originally Posted by maikaru

I think Ayu is doing that now... no one really sees her anymore, just in ViVi, and now Softbank... but it's not like a saturation of Ayu as it once was. Maybe we will be seeing a boom in Ayu popularity soon. I think it will happen.

I guess you're rite. She's like namie in 2000 - 2003. But I think ayu is "luckier". At least people still treat her as the queen of JPop, and she still has the "power" to get a safe/weaker week to release her singles. I do hope she will have a boom in the future.

I have a question... Is hikki still able to been seen by people? Well I became fans of them around the same time. For recent years, I always have a feeling that general public has more interest on hikki. Can you tell me if that's true or not? If so... I wonder why...

Originally Posted by waterballoon

Interestingly though, what's the appeal about Namie? Don't get me wrong, I love her songs, but I've always wondered what's the secret behind BEST FICTION that gave her a million sales... is it the R&B sound, or something else?

You know, namie was extremely popular around the end of 20th century. She was basically in the position like ayu or hikki in 2000 - 2002. If she wasn't pregnant during her peak, she would have a longer success. And probly she'll become another "ayu" (like.. popularity decreases in a steady pace). She gain her audience back when she released Queen of Hip-Hop, so she wasn't really that bad during 2004 - 2007. 60s70s80s was a huge catalyst tho. It really boost up her popularity and all of the sudden people wanna rediscover her lost music (during her bottom era).

Originally Posted by Andrenekoi

I would prefer her to be the next Matsutoya Yumi over her being the next Seiko Matsuda any day of the week

Let's make a wish for that. I'm so afraid to see ayu becoming another seiko. I dunno but I just dun really like this lady. I prefer Matsutoya Yumi as well.

[maikaru]

Originally Posted by bluegie

I guess you're rite. She's like namie in 2000 - 2003. But I think ayu is "luckier". At least people still treat her as the queen of JPop, and she still has the "power" to get a safe/weaker week to release her singles. I do hope she will have a boom in the future.

I have a question... Is hikki still able to been seen by people? Well I became fans of them around the same time. For recent years, I always have a feeling that general public has more interest on hikki. Can you tell me if that's true or not? If so... I wonder why...

You know what, Utada Hikaru has the right strategy I think. She releases every so often, and tours once in a millenium or so... but she doesn't over saturate herself. Avex of course wanted to cash in on Ayu being regarded as the best thing since Yoshinoya in Japan, so in her early years (Especially 2001), they had her EVERYWHERE, I mean you couldn't go anywhere without seeing her face... even in countryside, they had posters of Ayu in some shops.

Because Utada's marketing made it so that they only focused on her music, her face wasn't that important. On the contrary, in the beginning, many people would make fun of her eyebrows or her nose, and of course most people regarded Ayu as MUCH more beautiful than Utada. But Utada's schedule was perfect in that there wasn't a chance for her listeners to get tired of her, and they didn't see her face everywhere...

But Utada's popularity with singles has also taken a major dive. In just one year, her single sales dropped more than 500,000 units. (Flavor of Life vs. Heart Station/Prisoner of Love). But her albums continue to sell more than Ayumi Hamasaki, due to a kind of hit and run tactic with Utada Hikaru... She releases something, and then kind of goes back into hiding.

Anyways, Utada is Utada, and Ayu is Ayu, and what works for Utada will not work for Ayu, and vice versa... but I think we are forgetting that in an era where only Johnny's can get over 200,000 single sales, 90,000 or 100,000 is not at all a bad number to be staring down. Ayu's solid, and yeah her sales are fluctuating a bit, but she is still one of the strongest artists out there, and consistent. The era of female idols is over, and I think the era for male idols will soon come to an end, with the exception of Arashi. People don't just like one artist anymore, or they don't even like the artist, just the song. "I like this song, but this song is bad, so I won't buy it," kind of thing. The era where one female idol's face is seen everyone is probably also over... for a while.

[Andrenekoi]

Originally Posted by maikaru

You know what, Utada Hikaru has the right strategy I think. She releases every so often, and tours once in a millenium or so... but she doesn't over saturate herself. Avex of course wanted to cash in on Ayu being regarded as the best thing since Yoshinoya in Japan, so in her early years (Especially 2001), they had her EVERYWHERE, I mean you couldn't go anywhere without seeing her face... even in countryside, they had posters of Ayu in some shops.

Because Utada's marketing made it so that they only focused on her music, her face wasn't that important. On the contrary, in the beginning, many people would make fun of her eyebrows or her nose, and of course most people regarded Ayu as MUCH more beautiful than Utada. But Utada's schedule was perfect in that there wasn't a chance for her listeners to get tired of her, and they didn't see her face everywhere...

But Utada's popularity with singles has also taken a major dive. In just one year, her single sales dropped more than 500,000 units. (Flavor of Life vs. Heart Station/Prisoner of Love). But her albums continue to sell more than Ayumi Hamasaki, due to a kind of hit and run tactic with Utada Hikaru... She releases something, and then kind of goes back into hiding.

Anyways, Utada is Utada, and Ayu is Ayu, and what works for Utada will not work for Ayu, and vice versa... but I think we are forgetting that in an era where only Johnny's can get over 200,000 single sales, 90,000 or 100,000 is not at all a bad number to be staring down. Ayu's solid, and yeah her sales are fluctuating a bit, but she is still one of the strongest artists out there, and consistent. The era of female idols is over, and I think the era for male idols will soon come to an end, with the exception of Arashi. People don't just like one artist anymore, or they don't even like the artist, just the song. "I like this song, but this song is bad, so I won't buy it," kind of thing. The era where one female idol's face is seen everyone is probably also over... for a while.

Yeap, ayu sales are doing great considering everything.... Magazines and companies still are interested on her, her singles are far from selling bad, so are her albums and her tours are getting bigger instead of getting smaller...

Even if the image thing affect her on a bad way, that TV special about her lives, the lower tickets sales on A-nation'08 cuz she didn't performed on most dates, that TV show where she talked with Gaga and her tours becoming bigger over the years are IMO signals that even if she is not the hottest thing in the world anymore, she still is seen as a strong pop performer to Japanese people... And I always say this: When I watch Koda or Namie concerts, there are mostly teenager girls and young female adults on the audience... While Ayu's audience is getting more and more diverse... There always is younger and older people of both genders (well, on DVDs and photos people post over here)...

Imo Utada created for herself a musician image, while Ayu created for herself a performer image... And both women are making tons of money on their own way

[Beauty4123]

wasn't it enough for ayumi to get #1 for the week of HER release? so why is everyone complaining about arashi now? does ayumi need to get #1 this week, too?

her record wasn't broken, so no one should be complaining.

[jbrat2219]

^This is AHS, we need to complain about something! LOL

[Zeke.]

Originally Posted by jbrat2219

^This is AHS, we need to complain about something! LOL

So true!

[ストロボ・EdGE]

Originally Posted by jbrat2219

^This is AHS, we need to complain about something! LOL

C'mon, she already got her #1, guys... What'd you expect, for Ayu on her second week to still be #1 against The Storm?

[Ranma Matsuri]

LOL @ the direction this thread took.

[Pieces_of_SEVEN]

this is why the japanese annoy me... 200k for some crap arashi single? imo they're just a worthless boy band...I don't get it

[AyumiAi]

Originally Posted by Pieces_of_SEVEN

this is why the japanese annoy me... 200k for some crap arashi single? imo they're just a worthless boy band...I don't get it

This. Thank You.

[waterballoon]

Originally Posted by Pieces_of_SEVEN

this is why the japanese annoy me... 200k for some crap arashi single? imo they're just a worthless boy band...I don't get it

omg I was trying to phrase that in a better way, but meh you took the words right out of my mouth

[ストロボ・EdGE]

Originally Posted by waterballoon

omg I was trying to phrase that in a better way, but meh you took the words right out of my mouth

Aren't you like, one of the biggest boy band fanboys around, waterballoon!?