[Article] [Billboard] Japanese Physical Market Declines 3.9%

[Maxker]

Ayu's record label, Avex Trax came out at No. #1 with 16.1% of the total market share last year.
--------------------------------

Japanese Physical Market Declines 3.9%
February 04, 2009 - Global | Retail



SoundScan Japan released figures for the recorded music market in Japan in 2008 and the results showed a market continuing to decline overall, despite rising sales of domestic repertoire. The figures also put Avex in pole position again based on market share.

SoundScan Japan bases its methodology on data retrieved from 3,300 points-of-sale (via barcode scanning at stores), including sales of international and domestic repertoire. However, the figures do not includes sales of digital downloads or imported discs.

The overall sales totaled 325 billion yen ($3.6 billion) and this was a 3.9% decline on the previous year. The peak of the market in 1998 saw sales generate 586 billion yen ($6.5 billion at present exchange rates).

However, when broken down into totals for international and domestic repertoire, the latter showed a slight improvement from 2007 - up 0.4%. But international repertoire slumped by 19.7% compared to last year's figures. This was the third consecutive year of decline for international repertoire.

As for market share by individual labels, Avex Group Holdings Inc., with its big sellers Exile, Namie Amuro and Ayumi Hamasaki, came out at No. 1 with 16.1% of the total market share (up from 15.4% last year).

This is the second year in a row that Avex has topped the chart and displaced traditional powerhouse Sony Music Entertainment Japan, which tied for second place with Universal Music Japan at 13.9%. This represents a small gain for Universal, up from 13.6%, and a more significant loss in market share for Sony, which had 15% last year.

The 2.2% gap between Avex and its next competitors is a significant gain for the company from last year, when Avex was just 0.4% above Sony.

Source

[pommy48]

haha awesome! ayu have always been a huge seller for avex :luv1
thanks for sharing!

[tokyoxjapanxfan]

oooh interesting. wonder if the physical sales will ever get really high again...those were the days xD thanks for posting this ^^

[Sironigous]

... Wow..

Ayu label...

Amazing.... Well, is AVEX good with digital?

Poor Sony... Heh.

Who's in Universal though? I know Utada's album is going to be released under Universal... but, other than that...

[RikkuChii]

Heh..Ayu and Namie are the huge sellers..that's nice..

[Zeke.]

Seems like avex's marketing strategies are working extremely well for them. So I guess the multiple versions of singles/albums are here to stay.

[waterballoon]

avex are definitely smart with their marketing strategies, and thus maintaining this #1 position. But it's still sad to know the physical CD sales have fallen... I'll learn not to expect too much from sales anymore.

[Aisha_Angel]

I think we're finally entering the digital age...It's kind of sad too because to me, there's nothing more precious than having a physical CD/DVD in my hands. There's just something about unwrapping it and putting in a CD or DVD player for the very first time that's so much more significant than downloading it onto my MP3 player, or streaming it via the Wii.

By 2020, I predict that avex will probably stop releasing physical albums altogether and go completely digital. Hopefully by that time I'll have every single original Ayu-album in my possession, cuz once that happens you can kiss YesAsia's overstock of overseas versions goodbye.

[emi♡]

Thanks for the article Very interesting read.

[jbrat2219]

Interesting article! Thanks for sharing... It figures Avex is #1 considering what a big year all three of those artists had...

[Rocky Raven]

Japanese Physical Market Declines 3.9%
February 04, 2009 - Global | Retail

By Rob Schwartz, Tokyo

SoundScan Japan released figures for the recorded music market in Japan in 2008 and the results showed a market continuing to decline overall, despite rising sales of domestic repertoire. The figures also put Avex in pole position again based on market share.

SoundScan Japan bases its methodology on data retrieved from 3,300 points-of-sale (via barcode scanning at stores), including sales of international and domestic repertoire. However, the figures do not includes sales of digital downloads or imported discs.

The overall sales totaled 325 billion yen ($3.6 billion) and this was a 3.9% decline on the previous year. The peak of the market in 1998 saw sales generate 586 billion yen ($6.5 billion at present exchange rates).

However, when broken down into totals for international and domestic repertoire, the latter showed a slight improvement from 2007 - up 0.4%. But international repertoire slumped by 19.7% compared to last year's figures. This was the third consecutive year of decline for international repertoire.

As for market share by individual labels, Avex Group Holdings Inc., with its big sellers Exile, Namie Amuro and Ayumi Hamasaki, came out at No. 1 with 16.1% of the total market share (up from 15.4% last year).

This is the second year in a row that Avex has topped the chart and displaced traditional powerhouse Sony Music Entertainment Japan, which tied for second place with Universal Music Japan at 13.9%. This represents a small gain for Universal, up from 13.6%, and a more significant loss in market share for Sony, which had 15% last year.

The 2.2% gap between Avex and its next competitors is a significant gain for the company from last year, when Avex was just 0.4% above Sony.

Source:

[AyuGAME]

thanks for the article...

[Handjan]

Thanks for translation the article.

[angelwing886]

thanks for the article

[kotora]

Of course Avex can top in the market. Look at how this company squeezes milk from its singers / actresses / actors ?

[jimex289]

Ayu's one of their big hitters but definitely not the biggest anymore like she used to be. avex is no longer putting all of their eggs into one basket. EXILE was clearly the artist that gave them the edge over competitors, moving such ridiculous sales and generating ridiculous amounts of revenue. I guess it was a given with that whole 3 best album strategy...on top of that they will go out with a bang by releasing a "best" best albums which includes all 3. Clearly avex was milking EXILE the past year. In '06 and '07 it was Kuu. I wonder what this year will bring.

[Meat Pao]

Originally Posted by Aisha_Angel

By 2020, I predict that avex will probably stop releasing physical albums altogether and go completely digital. Hopefully by that time I'll have every single original Ayu-album in my possession, cuz once that happens you can kiss YesAsia's overstock of overseas versions goodbye.

That's so depressing

[SURREAL__RAINBOW]

hard times for the music industry...

i miss the old good times T_____T



thank u for this article!

[BoBo]

10x

[MissElin_]

Ah maaan, cool for avex.