[Charts & Rankings] NEXT LEVEL Official Sales & Positions Thread II ~the opening Run~

[SunshineSlayer]

Originally Posted by njanjayrp

You are aware that half of those 7 releases are best ofs and that besides DCT all of those were released weeks (or months) ago? I think that you're being overly negative this time. Let's wait a month or so and than talk about the yearly positions.

Actually with the exception of Mr. Children and Exile, most of those were released pretty recently I believe.

And these days, its almost always your first week sales that will determine roughly where you end up on the yearly chart. It's only if you have chart longevity that you will be able to significantly move up and Ayu would have to reverse her trend of non-longevity for that to happen.

I seriously believe that she won't be in the top 10 by year end.

[ayumisrael]

Well, we still should calm at this point since on the next few weeks there will be some things that will keep the sales consistent or maybe will take them up, the 2 encore versions of the USB, the tour, 2 more magazine appearances.
I wish this album would also be better promoted, at least like GUILTY was.
I'm still waiting for Wednesday to see how much the first encore press helped.

[njanjayrp]

Originally Posted by SunshineSlayer

Actually with the exception of Mr. Children and Exile, most of those were released pretty recently I believe.

And these days, its almost always your first week sales that will determine roughly where you end up on the yearly chart. It's only if you have chart longevity that you will be able to significantly move up and Ayu would have to reverse her trend of non-longevity for that to happen.

I seriously believe that she won't be in the top 10 by year end.

Ikimonogakari didn't have a "bigger" first week sales, but yeah I agree with you to a certain extent, and now that I've seen the GUILTY vs NL charts..I doubt NL will ever come close to 500k I still believe that it will outsell TRICK.

[Yumsushi]

Originally Posted by SunshineSlayer

The only ones on that list that are selling less than expected are Ayu and Koda. The fact that she is only number 8 on the annual chart this early in the year, likely means that by the end of the year she will be lucky if she is even in the top 10.

Utada is selling pretty poorly as well. English album or not, her name alone should have ensured sales. But thats another story for another thread.
Avex really destroyed this album's hopes of selling better by rushing everything and limiting Ayu`s ability to promote the album and R/S. But she does have a long tour coming up (here's hoping for a mirrorcle) and 2 encore usb presses which should give the album an additional boost here and there no matter how small. NL is only 1 week old so I'm trying not to lose hope at this point.

[~Inori~]

Originally Posted by ayumisrael

Well, we still should calm at this point since on the next few weeks there will be some things that will keep the sales consistent or maybe will take them up, the 2 encore versions of the USB, the tour, 2 more magazine appearances.
I wish this album would also be better promoted, at least like GUILTY was.
I'm still waiting for Wednesday to see how much the first encore press helped.

You seem to have A LOT of faith in the USBs.

[Ayumiko]

I don't think the USB encores will help that much.

It feels like this album, avex is relying on ayu's name to sell it and not the songs. I guess that's all they can do since ayu doesn't have extra time to do performances...except for 1...>_>...hopfully the tour will help the sales atleast a bit...maybe after hearing the songs, ppl might like them enough to buy the album.

I like how koda does special release events for her albums and even Its all love!...it'll be nice to see ayu do something like that.

[ayumisrael]

Originally Posted by Kolongi

You seem to have A LOT of faith in the USBs.

Seeing how it sold fast in 1 day and had 2 encore first presses it just might really help.
I'm not saying it will 100% and I don't have full faith in it, I'm just saying we should wait and see how it fares and if even it will help since it just might.
We just need to wait and see how it will do with no high or low expectations.
Even if it will lowly help, the daily figures we get now are with no USB editions, just the other 3 so the add of the USB encore press at least need to slightly help.

[SunshineSlayer]

Originally Posted by Yumsushi

Utada is selling pretty poorly as well. English album or not, her name alone should have ensured sales. But thats another story for another thread.
Avex really destroyed this album's hopes of selling better by rushing everything and limiting Ayu`s ability to promote the album and R/S. But she does have a long tour coming up (here's hoping for a mirrorcle) and 2 encore usb presses which should give the album an additional boost here and there no matter how small. NL is only 1 week old so I'm trying not to lose hope at this point.

^ I was referring to those in the top 10. But yeah, Utada's sales have been surprisingly awful. The album did have pretty much no promo in Japan though, but like you said, her name should have been enough. Seriously don't know what happened there other than that the Japanese may simply just not like the style of This is the One.

Originally Posted by Ayumiko

I don't think the USB encores will help that much.

It feels like this album, avex is relying on ayu's name to sell it and not the songs. I guess that's all they can do since ayu doesn't have extra time to do performances...except for 1...>_>...hopfully the tour will help the sales atleast a bit...maybe after hearing the songs, ppl might like them enough to buy the album.

I remember the days that even when Ayu was on tour, she still did tons of tv appearances.

[Andrenekoi]

People worry too much xD
But for the first time ever, Ayu outsold Hikki! xD

[Max_ZZZ]

^ agree!
i know it sounds flawed... but I have a lot of faith in TV performances!

i eman, i remember when A COMPLETE's sales were pretty low, then when she performed Mirrocle World and SURREAL they raised! even though it was insignificant, it still brought awareness to her album and stuff =/

doesn't anyone wish she would sing the promotion songs live?
curtain call, or NEXT LEVEL

or maybe not? im not really sure how impactful tv lives are

i really thought songs like NEXT LEVEL would draw in casual listeners

[Andrenekoi]

I don't really think that putting ayu's face everywhere (tv performaces, magazines, etc) right now would be a very good idea... And I think she agrees, since 2006/2007 she is not showing herself very much...

[ayumisrael]

Btw I wonder if ayu already took southern all star's spot by now being the 3rd best overall selling japanese artist (while only B'z and Mr.Children are above her).

[a_kingdom21]

when will the usb encore counted.......????

[ayumisrael]

^Next week Wednesday's stats
And April 28th's stats.

[TakaSama]

One note about Mr. Children's selling power - they've had a reputation for being a band that bolsters people during hard times. They write songs that are timely and give people hope when they are suffering. That's what put them on top in the 90's, and that's what keeps them on top now during the recession.

I do have to say, in terms of Ayu's sales, it's pretty bad that we're in week 2 and I can still go and participate in the lucky draw at the local CD store...

[TITANIC]

Originally Posted by ayumisrael

Btw I wonder if ayu already took southern all star's spot by now being the 3rd best overall selling japanese artist (while only B'z and Mr.Children are above her).

not yet I think
if she has taken SAS then oricon will announce

[ayumisrael]

Originally Posted by riozz

not yet I think
if she has taken SAS then oricon will announce

Are you sure?
I really hope so since it's not too major thing (or difference).

[rakeru]

why would it not be a good idea to put her face everywhere? because people would get sick of her? that's true for the people that are already predisposed to dislike her, but high awareness will always make people curious. personally, i'd like a bit more promotion.

[Yoo Bin]

Originally Posted by Yumsushi

Utada is selling pretty poorly as well. English album or not, her name alone should have ensured sales. But thats another story for another thread.
Avex really destroyed this album's hopes of selling better by rushing everything and limiting Ayu`s ability to promote the album and R/S. But she does have a long tour coming up (here's hoping for a mirrorcle) and 2 encore usb presses which should give the album an additional boost here and there no matter how small. NL is only 1 week old so I'm trying not to lose hope at this point.

You can't really say that about any artist. Just because it's their name doesn't mean it's going to sell especially if there is no promotion at all. You see how Namie's single did...girl didn't really do no promotion (other than that VS cm) and it's a drastic decline when you compare it to 60s70s80s. ** You can say the same for American artists in America. No promotion, the more likely it'll flop....no matter who you are. Promotion is key to everything when it comes to releasing music which TITO and W/D didn't really have at all. Now that I think about it, Best&USA didn't have much promotion either.

[waterballoon]

Well, it seems that GUILTY has much more steadier sales than NEXT LEVEL. I have to say this, but for the 2nd week, NEXT LEVEL is disappointing. I don't know why... but it's really sad.

But as ayumisrael has mentioned, the USB encore press will be included next Wednesday and on 28th April, so perhaps sales will slowly pick up.