[Charts & Rankings] The Official Oricon Thread ~LOVE again~ II

[Andrenekoi]

Originally Posted by marty

^
Well, I'm happy it's not so drastic, but still a drastic one for meXD
I was so shocked when I saw the sales of LOVE again, totally didn't expecy them to be so low! And I just thought to say the reason I think is behind it That's exactly why I'm worried, if it was her slowly fading from the scenes, well, I thought that's bound to happen. But when I think there's some wrong decisions behind it, I complain. Cause she's my favourite artist and all, and I want her to be successfull, because for me it's obvious she still has so much to give, she just needs recharging and a bit of luck!

Japanese people don't care about her right now (actually they don't care about here for some years now). She needs a lot more than just clever marketing to bost her sales

[adantatu2]

Sometimes i think she has to make some decent promo in Japan instead of travel around the world doing god knows what, but then i think she is a rich human and she can do what she wants

[visionfactory]

Originally Posted by marty

I totally understand the lack of interest, after all these years, and the consequential drop of sales. But this is not a steady, understandable drop of sales, I think it's a drastic one, and, in my opinion, is in great part because of really questionable marketing choice.

It's not drastic, you have to check other artists discographies...

[Andrenekoi]

I'm not very good at this, but here we go:

A Song dor xx -> LOVEppears: +76%
LOVEppears -> Duty: +13%
Duty -> I Am...: -20,6%
I Am... -> RAINBOW: -19,5%
RAINBOW -> MY STORY: -39,05%
MY STORY -> (miss)understood: -22,5%
(miss)understood -> Secret: -24,1%
Secret -> GUILTY: -14,8%
GUILTY -> NEXT LEVEL: -43%
NEXT LEVEL -> Rock'n'Roll Circus: -15,8%
Rock'n'Roll Circus -> Love songs: -14,9%
Love songs -> Party Queen: -45,7%
Party Queen -> Love again: -40,9% SO FAR

Considering the mini-albums:

RAINBOW - Memorial Address: -42,9%
Memorial Address - MY STORY: +6%

Love songs - FIVE: -21,5%
FIVE - Party Queen: -30,8%

[marty]

That's of course a matter of opinion, for me a drop of sales may matter very differently depending on the singer and his/her history and what she is releasing.
For example, I kinda understand the drop with NEXT LEVEL, but I'm glad she released it, even if it was pretty obvious it was a risk, with a try at a new style and stuff, and I didn't really care it didn't sell much.
I was just very surprised she flopped so badly with LOVE again, which imo is a very safe album, with TONS of ballads that the japanese seem to love so much.
In the end, maybe is just a matter of perception.
I completely agree the japanese public don't care about her anymore, but, still, I think some better managerial choices can help.

[Bigtop]

Originally Posted by marty

That's of course a matter of opinion, for me a drop of sales may matter very differently depending on the singer and his/her history and what she is releasing.
For example, I kinda understand the drop with NEXT LEVEL, but I'm glad she released it, even if it was pretty obvious it was a risk, with a try at a new style and stuff, and I didn't really care it didn't sell much.
I was just very surprised she flopped so badly with LOVE again, which imo is a very safe album, with TONS of ballads that the japanese seem to love so much.
In the end, maybe is just a matter of perception.
I completely agree the japanese public don't care about her anymore, but, still, I think some better managerial choices can help.

Originally Posted by Andrenekoi

Japanese people don't care about her right now (actually they don't care about here for some years now). She needs a lot more than just clever marketing to bost her sales

With the constant flow of Johnny's stuff (even through Ayu's younger years) and (more recently) of AKB48, this is really true. I'm so ****** off with much of the Japanese public about not caring much about Ayu...oh wait - what about Seiko Matsuda? I don't think Ayu's alone, but even some of my favorites, just like Ayu, fans are giving no respect to other musicians whatsoever...

[brener]

i wonder if people in japan know that ayu released an album, judging by this lack of promotion....

[KarenPang]

It's the way LOVE again was marketed which didn't surprise me it sold lower than Party Queen

and honestly if I know upfront that the album tracks from both mini's were going to be included in the album I wouldn't have bought them in the 1st place

Luckily I did not buy A SUMMER BEST if not I will feel more angry if not cheated about it. At least the remixes were great in both mini's so that's somewhat of a saving grace forme to handle

[AyuGAME]

i think her next album will sell higher than LOVE again...
because LOVE again...is a compilation album from her back to back mini album release...
i believe some fans that i already bought LOVE and again didn't buy LOVE again

[KarenPang]

Most if not everyone all says her next album should sell more than the next

But her sales kept on decreasing with each release she put out. I don't see any significant if not slight increase in her sales anytime soon

[mizuki-7]

13th Week
Position: #181
Official Sales: 566
Official Total Sales: 88,170

[brener]

thanks!! i hope it rly reaches 90k!

[adantatu2]

At least this keep selling

[visionfactory]

yay! still selling thanks mizuki-7 ^_^

[Elednist]

5 or 6 weeks to reach 90k, let's see if resist at chart

[BlackSilence]

Originally Posted by Andrenekoi

Japanese people don't care about her right now (actually they don't care about here for some years now). She needs a lot more than just clever marketing to bost her sales

lol funny because i don't think ANYTHING would work, people would just start saying she's trying too hard to be what she's not - a teen idol. But seriously seems like Ayu doesn't need all that popularity boost. Maybe it's exactly where she needs to be for a while, kind of silent, just randomly poping on a show or two. Who knows.

[mizuki-7]

I agree with you ! It's a fan thing this drama of what she should do to be relevant once again ...^^ Seems more like she is no longer popular or relevant because she is allready an "old" singer not fresh etc... and she is ok with that because she can do what she want to do : make concerts and travel the world with her friends!

[marty]

I don't know, is it so strange to want your favourite singer to be successfull and appreciated? Not that it's so important, but I would like it anyway.
Also, a good promotion is not only a matter of sales, is a matter of doing a good job. It's probably true that now anything will really help her boost her popularity, but I would prefer it if she shows that care and love towards her albums that, imo, have been kind of absent with the LOVE again affair. Luckly the tour production is kinda of amazing, from what I've seen.
Of course, the most important thing is that she's happy, but, as a loving fan, I just feel like saying that the marketing of the 5 releases were a complete mess, and I didn't like it at all, and more than because of the sales, because of the lack of dignity and seriousness.

[owlflight]

I do understand the concern for her sales and I would be lying if I said that I didn't pay attention to them. I wish success for Ayu as she is one of my favorite singers. I don't necessarily have to have the million sellers like she used to but I certainly want her to have the respect of a true singer and not all this drama. But then she is a human being. I wouldn't want her to lose what makes her special just to sell a ton of albums. Ayu, just keep making music that you love!

And thanks for the sales update by the way!

[Andrenekoi]

Originally Posted by artcika

lol funny because i don't think ANYTHING would work, people would just start saying she's trying too hard to be what she's not - a teen idol. But seriously seems like Ayu doesn't need all that popularity boost. Maybe it's exactly where she needs to be for a while, kind of silent, just randomly poping on a show or two. Who knows.

I believe she can have a sales boost once she goes from "old act" to "vintage act", she wouldn't be the first or the last to have a revival on popularity. This generation still is the one that came after her peak, and one generation tend to dislike what was loved by the past one (this is also why she is aiming to people over 25 lately). This is not something solved by clever marketing or releasing the right songs. Also, putting your face everywhere on a phase you are mostly hated is a very stupid idea.

But is also pretty common for the 2nd generation after the peak to go after the stuff the past generation hated. It's not a coincidence that people like Madonna, Kylie, Namie, Yumming needed almost a whole decade to spark significant new public interest.

Do I believe Ayu will ever go back to her A-Best like popularity? Never. On the same way Namie never overdid Can you celebrate, for example, but there's a chance she will have significante sales and popularity boost near the end of the decade (2017, 2018, 2019).