^ but none of those artist still sell like Ayumi. also, some dont even make music anymore...

as for utada... her last album sold over a million copies, while her last best only sold about 440K... i would say thats a HUGE decline.

but she she were to come back I could see her outselling everyone on the list... something like namie is doing now.

Yes yes I totally agee ^^

I think the difference is that Utada releases much less frequently than Ayu, has had huge periods of no releases (especially by Japanese pop standards), takes more time with her music. Utada generates a buzz with any new release.

Ayu has been very active in 2012, possibly one of her most active in recent memory (by the time again is released, 22 original songs) and casual listeners can't keep up with what she is releasing and when. This is enhanced when there is little to no promotion.

Granted, FIVE to Party Queen was a pretty big gap for Ayu's standards, and she wouldn't be doing this campaign if it wasn't her 15th anniversary. The fans have been spoiled, but constant releases won't generate higher sales for someone like Ayu who is in a decline. This worked in her prime (2001), but not now.

These releases are for her fans - not for sales.

The only way I see Ayu coming out of a sales decline is to do what Utada does - disappear for at least a year, then come back with a huge song. Ayu needs that buzz again to drive her sales up. Aggressive promotion is not going to do much.

^ im sorry, but I dont understand what that has to do with the original comment ?

:yes

That's why I think Five sold well because it was her first releases since 7 month so fan was on the lookout for new musics ^^

...

We're discussing the sales longetivity of some popular Japanese artists. I'm explaining why I think Utada has kept hers intact, and why Ayu's continues to decline.

oh... okay, I see... I dont think we were really talking about that. (I had at first said that ayumi is still selling incredibly well even though she has been in the business for 15 years, compared to some other female artist that have been in the business for the same amount of time.).

although we will have to see about Utada. Just comparing her last studio album and her last best album, again she decline by about 60%

Beside Utada, I don't find any female artist can be like ayu who can stand for the Japanese music industry that long and active in these 20 years.

Utada always used to outsell Ayumi (with some exceptions).
It's true that her sales declined 60% from HEART STATION till her 2010 2nd greatest hits album. I thought that this best could sell a lot more.
It's a pitty for her she used to release cds so less frequently than Ayu cause she could even be a bigger seller than her in terms of total sales. Just think that her debut album sold 7,600,000 copies and is the best-selling album ever in Japan.
Anyway, I'm still glad that Ayu rules the game in overall sales! :love

As for our beloved Namie, she might sell a lot better than Ayu now but just think that before Ayu released her debut cd, Namie had already sold 20,000,000 cds. And now their total sales are like that: Ayu - 50+ million / Namie - 30+
That means that after Ayu's debut, Ayu sold 50 and Namie just 10 millions.
Namie rules the game now but Ayu was far ahead of her for SO LONG!

I'm kinda worried about again's sales...
Is it gonna sell less than LOVE?
Oh god if it does it'll be the first nail in the coffin.
I need to listen to fairyland and cleanse myself

^im thinking its gonna sell about the same in the first week...

really i think most people buying these albums now are her fan base, lol.

I think a little more, given its Christmas time. The winter ballad will help her out, seems the Japanese love those types of seasonal songs.

^ I wish she would do that song on MS or one of those music stations...
she needs to have a live or 2 to make this thing sell moderately.

I'm still proud of ayu, but wish it sold more. I wonder if again will follow in these footsteps.

This so much! :yes

Yeah, with a winter ballad, and being released in December, I'm hoping that 'again' will outsell 'LOVE' by like 50k.

100% agree.

I think she should take a break for about a year.... For me, it's too much releasing and not enough promo the last time. So none of her songs stays in my mind since Surreal or MW for example.... I don't want the old Ayu back, but please her old kind of promotion!

^I think that could also worsen her status, if she were to do that...

If I remember correctly she said in a 2004 interview she knew that her era was over
8 years after her era ended and she's still releasing in the top 5?
That's beyond fantastic