Things Avex Could Have Done To Improve (m)u sales

[micster]

So for the first time in quite a while i decided to fetch my (miss)understood cd and while listening to Bold & Delicious i was thinking of how avex could have used that single to improve the album sales

They could have [obviously] not released the B&D single at all which would improve sales because of 2new songs and 2new pv's

Another thing they could have done [which is sneaky] is release B&D as a CD only, with no CD+DVD and only allow the B&D pv to air on tv. Now if you think about that then people would buy the single for instrumentals and remixes but they would also have bought the album for PV's


Can anyone else think of what avex could and should of done

[Coelacanth]

B&D was a necessary single, I think. It introduced the style of the album. And didn't it break some single sales record? It was a great risk I think.

There were no album track tie-up's though like there were in MY STORY, besides rainy day for Onimusha.. so.. maybe that was a factor.

[immel]

That I believe that those things would have increased the sales of this album does not mean that I agree on them:

Startin' as the opening track.

A prettiful cover.

No Bold & Delicious/Pride single.

More diversity in composers, not so much GEO.

Ladies Night as a single release instead of B&D/Pride could possibly have increased the sales, it's a catchy tune and if it's played on the radio/MTV it's possible that would promote the album better than B&D did.

[HilaryDuffFanboy]

BETTER COVERS would have helped more than not releasing B&D in my opinion. CD only cover is hideous.

I think we've had such a thread before......

[HilaryDuffFanboy]

Originally Posted by Phantoma

B&D was a necessary single, I think. It introduced the style of the album. And didn't it break some single sales record? It was a great risk I think.

Er.... yeh it's records were that it's TOTAL sales are 30k- 40k less than the other 2005 singles!!

It debuted with like 85k, and Ayu JUST snuck into #1 spot, and she could very well have broken her #1 streak!

B&D itself had not-so-good covers as well.

[alternarist]

I think B & D single is necessary to introduce the style to the audience.. but preferably NOT that close to the date of release of (m)u.. (B & D was released at 30/11. it shld be released earlier..)

a better looking and better quality cover is needed.. i dont get it.. the smiles.. -_-

they should not focus so much on ayu's trip to LA. it can be quite boring after sometimes.. perhaps something different? something more studio may be better...

better tracks that sound good..

actually i think that its rather hopeless.. since a 60 - 80 pages photobook (never seen before in ayu's albums) is unable to push the sales to a million..

[Kikaru]

B.E.T.T.E.R covers. Especially the one with the smile...>_<

I think B&D should have been released as a digital single, so it's not that focused. Since the reaction to that song is so mixed, it also creates a lowered album sale. She should have promoted Criminal or Rainy Day more or something...

[Raiu-Ayu]

Yeah, better covers is a given. Maybe just better songs or maybe a few album-only mixes.

[immel]

Originally Posted by alternarist

actually i think that its rather hopeless.. since a 60 - 80 pages photobook (never seen before in ayu's albums) is unable to push the sales to a million..

That scares me when I'm reminded of it... ugh.

[HilaryDuffFanboy]

It's disappointing that the singles from STEP you to HEAVEN were impeccable, yet the album fared so poorly. Mind you I love m(u), but I can see why it wasn't that popular with Japan.

I daresay if B&D wasn't released, Ayu's current singles would still hit 300k, or definitely come much closer to it than they are now.

[*Petit*]

I think that some more thorough music would've helped extend the albums life in the chart too. It was messy, had many non very outstanding album tracks ESPECIALLY compared to ayu's former albums which always has been stream lined, bu still diverse. I also think she did too many new styles at once. B&D brought on an entirely different genre, in the corner was unlike most she's been making, Pride was different etc etc. It's nice to try out something new, but not when it sounds half-assed, or tripple assed like B&D...

[jasjasss]

i think what can improve MU sales
if she didnt perofrm so much of B&D but maybe
perform Rainy day or missunderstood

[huyuhuyu]

the cover should be prettier. (m)u cover is REALLY ugly, and also the booklet is like that. ayu what have you done?
and, maybe , a new song in a different style from "in the corner" and "criminal"

[Coelacanth]

Originally Posted by HilaryDuffFanboy

Er.... yeh it's records were that it's TOTAL sales are 30k- 40k less than the other 2005 singles!!

I'm not talking in terms of sales. She became the first female artist to have like 20 consecutive #1 singles with B&D/Pride, or something like that..

[elepop]

I think a better cover would have attract more people to buy the CD. It sounds silly, but I really think that it would have help the sales.

[Coelacanth]

And seriously stop blaming the covers. You guys can't blame the covers when you don't even know how much the Japanese take the cover of an album into consideration when deciding to buy it.

I think Duty has a ridiculous cover, but the music inside is brilliant. It's also her best selling album, I don't understand why a 'bad' cover would affect sales at all. Or else 'The White Album' would have sold absolutely nothing.

[immel]

Originally Posted by Phantoma

I'm not talking in terms of sales. She became the first female artist to have like 20 consecutive #1 singles with B&D/Pride, or something like that..

Ayumi is far from the top position in most consecutive #1 singles. Currently she's at 15, since Daybreak hit #2, with BLUE BIRD.

Maybe it was around when B&D was released that she broke 20,000,000 million singles sold?

Originally Posted by Phantoma

And seriously stop blaming the covers. You guys can't blame the covers when you don't even know how much the Japanese take the cover of an album into consideration when deciding to buy it.

I believe they'd take it in as much consideration as we do. I hate it, but as a fan I bought it anyway, if I wouldn't be much of a fan, just a random shopper, I'd much rather have picked up for example ULTRA BLUE.

[huyuhuyu]

Originally Posted by Phantoma

I think Duty has a ridiculous cover, but the music inside is brilliant. It's also her best selling album, I don't understand why a 'bad' cover would affect sales at all. Or else 'The White Album' would have sold absolutely nothing.

I discovered many artists (like ai otsuka, or hitomi, or tommy) from their Cover. cover gave you the first impression. I remember the first time that i listened to ayu I was scared about her rainbow cover.
If you like a cover, you are inspired to listen to the tracks, while if you don't like it the possibilities are less

[Coelacanth]

Originally Posted by immel

Maybe it was around when B&D was released that she broke 20,000,000 million singles sold?

That's it. I knew it was something with the number 20.

Originally Posted by huyuhuyu

I discovered many artists (like ai otsuka, or hitomi, or tommy) from their Cover. cover gave you the first impression. I remember the first time that i listened to ayu I was scared about her rainbow cover.
If you like a cover, you are inspired to listen to the tracks, while if you don't like it the possibilities are less

I guess I understand where you're coming from. It makes you curious about what the music inside sounds like.

But I'm the type of person that would be attracted to bad/weird covers - the type of covers Ketsumeishi, Ai Otsuka, and Mr.Children come out with. If they were put next to Ayu's covers, I would definitely move towards the more abstract covers. I don't think hardly any of Ayu's covers scream creativity or artistic quality. What makes (m)u so different from A BEST or ASFXX?

[No_Doubt]

I think that the album would have fared better had the release been a bit earlier, maybe mid-December. Also, I think that they should have kept Bold & Delicious and Pride as album tracks used to promote the album alongside rainy day and Ladies Night simply because there was already enough single material on the album.

Originally Posted by *Petit*

I think that some more thorough music would've helped extend the albums life in the chart too. It was messy, had many non very outstanding album tracks ESPECIALLY compared to ayu's former albums which always has been stream lined, bu still diverse. I also think she did too many new styles at once. B&D brought on an entirely different genre, in the corner was unlike most she's been making, Pride was different etc etc. It's nice to try out something new, but not when it sounds half-assed, or tripple assed like B&D...

Calling the album messy seems ridiculous to me when the production is just incredibly slick and every song is impeccably polished. The album definitely isn't her most coherent work, but it has far, far more variety than any of her others so I think the vast range of genres made the lack of cohesiveness forgivable. Also, half-assed is one thing Pride and Bold & Delicious definitely aren't, those songs have more conviction, personality and polish than almost any Ayu song I can think of. People love or loathe those songs because the style of them was radically and unapologetically different than anything Ayu had ever done, not because they were half-hearted attempts at something new.