[Charts & Rankings] The Official Oricon Thread ~A ONE~

[KuuXAyu-fan]

Originally Posted by Miichan

I have no memory of trying to 'bring kuu down' all the time, I'm a fan of her after all, I wouldn't put lots of time into following her if I hated her immensely. I used Kumi as an example because her sales are close to ayu's, I could use AKB as an example with their thirst for #1 but they are a million selling idol group using handshake event tickets to boost sales, not exactly the best comparison.

I'm aware of Ayu's team trying to keep her #1 record for a long time, but I'm not talking about what happened years ago, I'm talking about her promotion and sales now. I'm sure they knew Colours and A One weren't getting #1 from the start, while rhythm zone/team kumi puts some effort into looking up when to release Kumi's albums. Kumi's team probably isn't putting effort into getting #1 singles because they know she sells more albums and concentrate on that.

I apologize if some things I've said have offended you, I may be a bit rude when I'm tired.

I don't know tbh. Personally I think Kuu's team/RZ isn't smart enough to do something like that but we'll just have to keep our own opinions on that matter I suppose.

I also apologize for my outburst as the same happens to me when I'm tired. I'm just really use to seeing some Ayu fans pick on Kuu whenever they can and just got tired of the consistent comparison between them for the past ten years.

[aliceshields]

For those who are interested in chart position and total sales for all Ayu's releases, can see from here:

http://www.generasia.com/wiki/Hamasaki_Ayumi

[Sunrise]

Wouldn't Colours have gone #1 if it were released like 2/3 weeks later? I know it would've been second to Kyary if it was released a week later, right? I know positions aren't that important but it would've been nice to see the album at #1 if it were released in a weaker week.

[KarenPang]

I remembered I read somewhere that Kuu's WOML was supposed to get released on 4th March but because of B'z , the release date was changed

Perhaps avex still wants Kuu to keep her #1 streak for her albums ? I don't know but I'm sure that doesn't apply to Ayu anymore since she already has accomplished so much at this point in time

[BRILLANTE]

Originally Posted by JinHamasaki

Fukuyama fans = older Japanese ladies (>35) with higher disposable income, and more interested in physical copies
Hamasaki = Younger fans, less disposable income, more interested in obtaining whatever is cheaper and more mobile (iTunes, Chaka-uta)

Fukuyama has always been a SALES KING anyways.

Oricon really needs to include digital sales to really be representative of what is sold, but instead they removed concert venue sales and Internet sales...wtf

Does Ayu really have younger fans though? Wouldn't most of her fans be around 30 now?

Originally Posted by kinix

if ayu n avex can't b bothered about the sales, why shd we? ayu's greatness shdnt be measured by numbers on the chart anyway. there's just too much actual sales missing from oricon like sales from concert site, digital album sales, Teamayu versions. do they count mu-mo's total sales?

(how many of us did actually bought the Japan physical version lol)

Oricon does count fanclub and mu-mo sales. Soundscan doesn't.

Originally Posted by Kinder Surprise

Not bad, considering we never knew what Colours first day sales were, since it was #5.



Fukuyama is insanely popular in Japan, even after all this time. Not just as a singer but as an actor as well. So it's really not surprising that any album by him would do relatively well.

Originally Posted by Delirium-Zer0

There's nothing too surprising about it when you consider the Japanese market right now. There isn't much new material on the charts that's REALLY grabbing hold of the Japanese music-buying public these days. I can't remember the last time a single got released where there was an atmosphere of "Oh yeah this song is gonna be a classic!" around it. So tribute albums and cover albums have been doing so well over the last few years.

Plus fans requested that he cover these songs specifically - it's a tracklist full of songs people WANTED to hear Masaharu cover, for sure, no question. There are literally no gambles on here. Combine that with Masaharu's old school name recognition, general good reputation, oddly sweet face, and very nice voice, and this album basically becomes a no-risk purchase. If you're inclined to buy it, it's guaranteed you're going to like it - so there's no reason not to get it if you're even remotely thinking about it. There's no such guarantee with Ayu or miwa.

OMG someone gets it!

Originally Posted by Bigtop

I'm...a bit disappointed with the sales numbers that I'm seeing. But even then I'm disappointed more with miwa as well, even if it's #2. (Probably because too much 'recycled' content, and some miwa fans may be complaining at this).



After all, in the #ayuvsmiwa fight, who's number one? Neither. Masaharu Fukuyama, that is. It turns out that Masaharu has racked up more than miwa and Ayu - COMBINED - and I have a feeling he may have racked up probably a week's worth of miwa's or Ayu's albums in just ONE DAY!

Overall, I feel that more recently we're seeing a bit too much congestion, where it seems some artists are just denying chances of #1 to others, such as Masaharu Fukuyama is doing to both Ayu and miwa. But we need to also consider about digital sales...

There is one thing that we can be happy about: Countdown Live is #1 among music DVDs, as of now.


But apparently the #1 spot for ALL DVDs in general - including movies - is Yamapi - Tomohisa Yamashita - on some domestic theatrical movie... (VAP Video!?)

But didn't everyone think he was going to get #1 from jump though?

Originally Posted by artcika

seriously though considering she's been in the scene for 17 years, the fact that she can still hit Top5 is beyond amazing! Let alone hit the very top in the digital downloads. I'd say she's still quite relevant and obviously still has a huge following. Could AKB48 do that in 10 years? I wonder lol

Is it though? I mean Shiina Ringo came out the same year as her and regularly does it. And Masaharu is celebrating his 25th anniversary this year and he's beating Ayu.

[Ryusei]

I don't mind miwa selling more physically tbh but it bothers me that she does it with an album that is way worse than her last one. Delight had a lot of great songs (Delight, Hikarie, 321, sparrow, whistle, miracle, LOUD!) and this one only has oen good single IMO (Faith) so it bothers me that an album that is IMO a lot worse than A ONE is selling better ://

[ayumisrael]

Originally Posted by KuuXAyu-fan

It's funny how you always bring Kuu down or try to make her look desperate all the time. I agreed with you on some things earlier but I started noticing you have nothing positive to say about Kuu (besides liking her remixes) while everything Ayu does is alright. If anything Ayu/her team were the ones consistently obsessed with #1 singles and albums and always tried to find the best weeks possible for her from about the 90s up until 2013. Meanwhile in Kuu's peak she barely got any #1 singles and got the majority of them after her peak passed by luck. .

Originally Posted by KuuXAyu-fan

I don't know tbh. Personally I think Kuu's team/RZ isn't smart enough to do something like that but we'll just have to keep our own opinions on that matter I suppose.

I also apologize for my outburst as the same happens to me when I'm tired. I'm just really use to seeing some Ayu fans pick on Kuu whenever they can and just got tired of the consistent comparison between them for the past ten years.

KuuXAyu-fan, I wouldn't reply to this message if I wouldn't see the words "luck" and that you will hold your opinion up.
Rythme Zone (which is an avex company) have proffessionals to do the job of finding a release date to release where it's best! It's called "analysts". They are a proffessional company and they know what to do regarding strategies, marketings etc. You can't say they are not smart enough to have analysts, especially after what they did with kuu all the time (since 2004) and another great example would be EXILE. They very much know what they are doing, and each date kuu released an album, they chose it extremely carefully, Karenpang's post above is just an example, just don't let your love for kuu make you blind of these things, kuu doesn't work since day 1 in her own independent company where she doesn't know anything or don't have budget for promotion or marketing. No one gets anything by luck, even though ayu and her had some competition from time to time for their #1s albums or singles.

Originally Posted by melissalove

her concerts venues aren't getting smaller for now, but her tour dates are.

She has more dates than last year (even though it was a really short tour), but the fact that this tour was meant to be 18 dates and is now 22 is a great sign. Also she tours more than most other artists in Japan, popular or not.
Just in 2012 she was the top solo artist with most attendants for that year.

Originally Posted by Zeke.

A company will invest less and less in an artist if they don't provide enough income to garner a profit. Of course sales are important because it means better opportunities and resources invested from within the company (to things like tours, etc.).

I mean, one could make the argument that the poor attention to proper mixing and less time/resources spent in fleshing out the layering in arrangements and compositions is because the company just doesn't see the benefit of spending the additional time/resources when sales just continue to decline regardless.

From a business standpoint, it just doesn't make sense. (Although it's kind a double edged sword cause how can they expect sales to pick up otherwise?)

Besdies sales which avex probably know how ayu would do, people always seem to forget that she still does great money for avex from touring, goods, endorsements (when she gets), tie-ins (like Step by step) and sales/digital sales. ayu probably has a good budget but besides a minmal promo, or promo that ayu agrees to do, it doesn't seem they bother (both ayu and avex) with more than what needed. That's how it looks like anyway. I'm not sure if the tours are great enough to pay for everything+pay for the next stuff promotions but it's probably a lot of money. If seiko sold just a few thousands for a long time and had a budget for her arena tours, so can ayu have budget for her stuff. Even if it's promo and not tour related, question is how much promo they believe she needs and how much promo she or them want for her.

[KarenPang]

A ONE reminds steady at #4 on the 3rd day of release

http://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/ja/d/2015-04-09/

[brener]

^ thank god, i hope it can manage to jump to higher positions on the weekend

I'm afraid that Southern All Stars will get #3 place on Weekly Albums T_T

[KarenPang]

Honestly I rather A ONE get denied the #1 spot by someone established instead of a Johnny's or girl group , even though I'm a big Johnny's fan by nature

Since the tour will start tomorrow , I'm sure it will help sustain A ONE in the chart . Hopefully it can chart longer than Colours

On a side note it's hard to believe Budou is Southern All Stars' 1st album in 10 years but yet they still can sell really well . 300K in the 1st week nowadays is such a rarity number to get

[SummonerXI]

If Oricon started counting digital sales, Ayu would probably be at the top. You can't ignore a popular format like that and still expect to see accurate numbers.

[JinHamasaki]

Originally Posted by Bigtop

...while Ayu - have to agree on that, could be younger fans as well (I'm actually a bit surprised ).

For sure, just look at who attends Ayu's concerts compared to the people that go WILD for Fukuyama. The fact that Ayu is #1 and #2 digitally means a lot. There are probably lots of closet Ayu fans

[//ABEST]

Originally Posted by JinHamasaki

There are probably lots of closet Ayu fans

LMAO

[brener]

Originally Posted by SummonerXI

If Oricon started counting digital sales, Ayu would probably be at the top. You can't ignore a popular format like that and still expect to see accurate numbers.

I think Billboard Japan does count digital/physical/streaming numbers so she'll might get a higher position there ^^

[Pieces_of_SEVEN]

Even though it's normal these days, I can't wrap my head around the numbers...sigh. Like oricon even means a damn thing anymore anyway since they still act like it's 2002

[JinHamasaki]

Originally Posted by brener

I think Billboard Japan does count digital/physical/streaming numbers so she'll might get a higher position there ^^

From what I remember Billboard only collects from specific branded shops.

[visionfactory]

Originally Posted by JinHamasaki

Fukuyama fans = older Japanese ladies (>35) with higher disposable income, and more interested in physical copies
Hamasaki = Younger fans, less disposable income, more interested in obtaining whatever is cheaper and more mobile (iTunes, Chaka-uta)

Fukuyama has always been a SALES KING anyways.

Oricon really needs to include digital sales to really be representative of what is sold, but instead they removed concert venue sales and Internet sales...wtf

why? digital sales are almost insignificant in japan

except for a few acts like Kana Nishino or Utada

you know RIAA counts 10 digital songs as 1 cd sold? and ayu songs nowadays barely sell 100k digitally, that would be just 10,000+ copies sold

[Corvina]

I agree with you.
The only album ever gotten certified digitally for Gold (100,000+) is the Frozen soundtrack (which sold over 1 million physically btw).
Digital sales aren't that high in Japan like everybody is thinking.
It's great that A ONE is #1 at recochoku and such, but actual digital sales for it probably aren't that high. So I don't know if combining digital and physical sales would make a big difference at all. For anybody.

[KarenPang]

4th day - #4 again for the 3rd straight day

http://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/ja/d/2015-04-10/

[brener]

I wanted her on top 3 =\\