Sadly the mini album charts don't exist, so it's not important at all.

No, it's logic. Marketing logic. From the songs over the videos and packaging to the promotion this EP is made for people new to Ayumi while her last full-lenght album that did that was...a long time ago. Secret possibly.
I hate it when people make everything out to be solely opinion.

Do you really think FIVE is not marketed at new fans? o.0 Casual fans eat this EP up(just look for reviews on the internet, the ones by people that are not Ayumi fans are far more favorable than they usually tend to be) and I'm pretty sure that was Ayu's plan. She knew progress would get major exposure(just look at how much the game sold in just a few days!) and used that to produce an EP that works well as an introduction to her. And she knew she had to work towards a second peak sometime or her sales will go down alot in the next years, so she did it before it's too late, we'll see if it worked when her next album is released.

She put songs of very different types on it but the only song that is not (japanese) mainstream in some way is BRILLANTE, the last track to be heard after the (pretty much)easy-listening stuff. progress is a ballad then going into anison, ANother song is a typical RnB song which is quite popular in Asia right now, Why... is a typical Ayu-midtempo, beloved is the perfect generic J-Pop song and BRILLANTE...well that one sticks out.
This EP is pretty much a blend of Ayu's "typical" style(- summer and winter single) and what is popular and all of the songs except for BRILLANTE are radio-friendly in Japan. That's probably one of the reasons all of them got videos instead of 3-4. Because all of them have the ability to sell as shown by digital charts where even the worst charting track(BRILLANTE) still broke into the top20. 4 of the 5 tracks can basically be played on the radio and music TV at all times and one shows that she is more than just an average J-Pop singer(talking about diversity, uniqueness and stuff, not quality)

And the marketing supports that. There is one version that basically exists solely for Tales of Xillia fans. Do you really think 1/3 of Ayu fans that buy the EP got that game? Well...at least 40-50k copies of that version were produced and very quickly sold out in most online stores(it was the most preordered version for some time) but they are the least interesting to people not having the game. To people that prefer seeing Ayu on the cover and having a bonus track over a videogame cover and an extra game outfit. So basically to those who first and foremost are into the game(who else would take a game outfit over a bonus track?)
They expected many copies to be sold to people that know Ayu through progress or re-discovered her that way.

FIVE being an EP is also perfect to attract new fans. It's very cheap. People are less likely to buy an album or a single just to try a new artist because an EP tends to be the cheapest of those(calculating price/number of songs), an album is too long and expensive "just to try" an artist and a single with 1-2 songs is not enough for someone to become a fan.

And I love FIVE as well, but fact is quality has little to do with sales. If FIVE is good or not doesn't matter much(and many people would disagree with you that it is good), it is perfect to get new fans into her.

Wow, you know what? : D I never thought of that, and now it all makes sense to me! Thank you for this post, really really much [and I really mean it, this isn't sarcasm], why I didn't thought those things? XD How logical, indeed.

If FIVE is the start of her working toward a peak, I dread what the peak actually will be. I agree it would work well as an introduction, but at the same time - it is not an introduction to Ayumi's music because nothing on this album is her (except progress which is probably her weakest out of the epic rock songs she's released and BRILLANTE which to me is classic Ayumi). This album is so generic it's sickening. It is the complete opposite of "perfect" to get new fans because this is NOTHING like what SHE IS KNOWN FOR. It is a blemish on her music career and I would pick NONE of these songs to showcase her to new listeners.

I wrote "it's perfect to get new fans", not "it's perfect".
And how can progress be the weakest of her epic rock songs when she isn't even doing a rock song in it? It's far more anison than rock really except for the guitar solo. The melody is very anison, so is the arrangement.

The general public wants generic, Ayumi took a step into that direction with FIVE.
And honestly while far from my favorite release I think it's much better than ASFxx(generic Jpop with good lyrics), LOVEppears(horrible production), Duty(great songs mixed with bad songs + too short for a full album), I am...(the ballads on that album are so generic it's sickening, make them stop!!!), MY STORY(half the songs sound the same on this one) and Secret(would have worked better as EP). All those had great tracks but to me consisted mostly of fillers - and they all were just as generic. While FIVE has one masterpiece to me(BRILLANTE), one great song(progress) and 3 songs that are just normal Ayu. (and I think it's very Ayu with the exception of ANother song, all the songs are very much like stuff she did before)

And FIVE being the beginning of a new peak(if it turns out to really be one) doesn't have to mean she continues releasing the same type of music. It just means she gets the attention to sell better again, so whatever she releases next may have a higher chance at selling well as more people may listen.

BTW: I used progress and BRILLANTE to introduce new people to Ayumi and it worked every time, worked better than songs like Love Song.

REALLY?? I know it's opinion but each of those album have one song at LEAST, if not more, that blow everything on FIVE out of the water.

Also, I just felt like progress was trying way too hard. It was going for the Mirrorcle World route but you can tell with Mirrorcle World it just worked and came together and this is just too messy. The only part I absolutely love, probably one of my favorite parts in ANY of the songs she's EVER released, is after the instrumental bridge and then the lyrics for the bridge kick in - God that is epic. So heartfelt there.

^U should learn to stop mistaking ur opinions by facts...

Most of Ayu classics are generic... Anyone could release Seasons or Dearest or almost any of her summer tracks...

Not everyone feels the same way about Ayu's music and I guess that's a good thing. She can please all kinds of listeners but at the same time, a lot of the music can be loathed by people who liked X over the more recently released Y.

In the end, it's selling well for what it is which seems to indicate that her main audience (Japan) likes this kind of thing. It's funny how it was said to be her 'worst release ever' by a handful of people here and then it goes and gets some of her best rankings of late.

And about progress, I feel as though it's completely stunning. To be honest, I think FIVE is full of ~future classics~. Even ANother song which really grows on you if you actually listen to it.

So true. Once I really gave it a chance I just couldn't get the last choruses out of my head.

^ I agree too... at first hearing the colabs... I didn't care for them, but after a while I find myself singing along with them in the car... lol. And I claim to at hate that Natura (what his name is) guy... lol... he is growing on me :)

As for the best ever? I don't know... I love FIVE, but you can't really compare them to other albums because it's not an album... the diversity isn't there because there's not enough material to compare. Personally I think I love old ayu better... (to me her peak in music excellence was Duty to I am, maybe Rainbow because I like to include memorial address into it...)
But the stuff she is doing now is just as good, different, not "old ayumi" but still good.

I loved ANother song since the beginning.
The melody and arrangement <3

^ Yeppers!

By the way.. totally off topic, but the sales for Tales of Xillia were finally posted: 509,026,

pretty amazing...

I do believe thats better then the combined sales of Graces and Graces F...

yes, ANother song grow on me too, though I don't like this kind of songs :D

I personally think this EP sells good, because of Tales of Xillia tie-in, cause progress is played every in Japan. It would be better if she had at least one CM with her on TV too, as she used to.

and I really like isthisLOL?'s idea about attracting new fans... oh how I want to witness her second peak! :laugh :love

^ I feel it coming! In the coming years she will have another peak! :luv2

i surely hope she has another peak! am i wrong that most of the fans here didn't witness her peak in 2000-2001?

^ hmmn, good question. Most people who joined before 2004 should have witnessed her peak during 2000 - 2002 (I think she's still at the top on 2002, which H being yearly no. 1 single, and I am being yearly no. 2 album). Of course, some older fans joined AHS really late as well. I can't recall exactly but a member with join year 2010 has been actually following ayu since 2000 or so.

Sadly i have a feeling that this idea of her having a new "Peak" wont really manifest itself unless Ayu's management really picks it up and starts putting ayu's face everywhere again... like everywhere and actually promote on TV and Radio and stuff to people who arent already ayu fans

'Cuz Love Song is just as boring. Lol.

But anyway, I just really do not think this is a good representation of Ayumi and her work. It's completely different than her usual stuff. Maybe not in a BAD way to some, but cannot be argued that it is very different for Ayumi.

Well, she needs to put her face on stuff according to public demand... Putting her face everywhere if nobody is interested on seeing her won't really work...

it counts in the album charts =)

yeah, I joined AHS only this may, but I had been a fan already, when she released H. it felt like the beginning of the end of her peak tho :yrolleyes

I don't think Ayu wants another peak. I really don't think having amazing sales and appealing to the general public is a priority for her.
She seems happy where she's at now.

so we'll know the numbers in a few hours!! im so excited =)

That's... actually quite true. Her momentum went down a bit with the release of F&E, but then H came out, and I guess those four covers were too pretty to resist, so H became the yearly no. 1 single. I was actually glad that she got a yearly no. 1 because she's always yearly no. 2 for quite awhile (Duty --> A BEST --> I am...).

(and to be honest, I was sick of ayu during that time, so I didn't buy I am... :P. lol)

Anywayz, is the weekly sales out yet?

3rd week
Position : #2
Official Sales : 22,548
Official Total Sales : 179,836

^it will get platinum...i'm sure of it...225k seems really possible, even 250k

I think FIVE is doing pretty well :D.

^
FIVE is doing great!!

yeah. the platinum certification is a sure thing!
but 250k copies is kinda far away from achievement...

next goal --> 190k!!!

only 8K less than last week. that is so cool. I cant even remember when was the last time she had such a steady sales. I only remember NEXT LEVEL stayed in chart quite long.

today sales..
no.3 with 1789
i hope it will increase to 2000 again
:p

4th week
1st day
Position : #3
sales : 1,789

still strong, AAA at #1 sold only 2,513. dropped pretty quick

so it is officialy above 180k!!

i hope FIVE will remain on top 5 this week with sales between 10k~15k =)

4th Week

1st Day
Position: #3
Sales: 1,789
Total Sales: 181,625

Thanks!

so it's easily breaking 200k....

THis is pretty cool! I don't think anything major is coming out this week, right? She may get a number one monthly too!

180k yeah ^^

I still think we can get close to 250K... although it's looking more like 210K... we just have to see how long it will chart for... here's hoping for another strong month!

PS
I think it was here that we where talking about the limited edition being sold out, right??

Just a heads up, for people who want it. Amazon.jp still has some!

aawww I'm so happy it's doing well! it's great she's no 2 at 3rd week :)

Such a great sales for the 3rd week!Frankly, i didn't expect this! hope she can sell 12k for this week!

Yay go ayu number 2 in 3rd week! :)

can't remember which interview, but I remember one sometime last year she mentioned she always wishes her albums/singles will reach the million mark again.

>< thatd be amazing

Like predicted, the third week beat both RnRC and Love Songs 3rd week :)

I've been really susprised about this week sales :luv2
Sure she'll break the 200k mark :lech

Then she's delusional lol

If she really thought that I would think she'd do something to make it happen....

almost 200k, yeah!

lol yeah, but instead we get FIVE.

^ I just read that she wanted people other than her fans to listen to FIVE so I think she really is trying to gain more casual fans.

there is nothing wrong with FIVE in terms of genre and trying something new. i love when she does that. the quality for me is what is lacking. ayu is capable of any genre, but whether or not it's executed properly is a different story.

I feel like FIVE is the perfect album to gain casual fans, then. Most of the songs are very public-friendly; the only radical song is BRILLANTE, which showcases a broader range of talents than the other songs.

I don't think Ayu ever has issues with execution, it's just that it can really depend on whether or not people like her brand of whatever genre she's trying out.

^the beauty of differing opinion. it always makes for much excitement watching the sales. :)

I agree but not really.

People could've said the same about namie, but she reached the top again :) So it's not completely delusional :P

Yeah and for Namie it didn't happen over night, it took her a while. So if this is Ayu's genuine attempt we can't expect any miracles.

^ And Namie had some really good promotion. Avex is gonna have to try harder if they/Ayu want something like that.

Namie's hype started to seen possible around Queen of Hip-Pop era (2004/05), still, it only really hapened when 60s70s80s was released (2008)...

She only started to get good promotion after Baby Don't Cry (2007)

People need to be interested in you for a massive promotion to work after u r famous... Putting Ayu face everywhere may make her sales a little better, but would hardly result in a peak by itself... unless people like the song...

I think with the right kind of promotion/exposure Days and Sunrise could have done really well. I mean, Sunrise did pretty damn good digitally, compared to her usual. I think part of that was due to the exposure from the drama tie-in, imagine if the show had actually been popular.

What more could they do? I think they did all they could for Days/GREEN, right? Days is a monster in Japan. She performed it a lot and I remember one of the performances was SPOT ON. It was flawless live (the performance where she had little pink-like feathers hanging from her earings).

I don't know how much I believe about if you put Ayu out there more, people will listen. We had the discussion in the chat room not that long ago how in reality, most Japanese people are sick of her. They haven't been "sick of her" long enough for her to begin a new peak just yet. Her career hasn't hit a low enough mark yet, but it's heading there. I fear the worst before I'll fantasize about a peak that in all honesty I do not see happening anytime soon.

I don't think Days was nearly as popular as some of the people here claim it to be...sure it's a popular song among Ayu's Japanese fan base, but I think that's all there is to it.

Maybe if Ayu can get a magic hair contract and sell her soul to the devil with a gimmicky single she can be big again too.

Basically, they need to get the right tie-up with the right song that might get people interested in her again.

Sunrise with a more popular drama could've resulted in way more than the stellar digital sales it got~

^Yeah, basically what I was trying to say.

adding... it was many times proved that tv performances helps sales increase too....

I agree with this completely. In terms of CD singles, Namie's "Baby Don't Cry" had a mediocre drama tie-in which began her revival of physical copy sales. Utada's last major selling single was tied with Hana Yori Dango. Even Ayu's first #1 single was popular because of drama tie-in as well! Although Ayu may have to limit extremes in creativity, I think the only way for her (if she truly wants to) to be on top again is if she produces some song that everyone would want to keep as a memento, like in memory of a good drama that's been watched.

2nd Day
Position: #16

from 2ch

FIVE #16

Quite a drop =p

it will rise back to top 10 for sure. the competition is quite tight and but low for album this week
here's top 3 daily's number
8,674　Kalafina
*8,327　BREAKERZ
*7,990　Every Little Thing

^ this.

Wish people would stop bickering about her sales. For someone at her stage of their career, they are fantastic. This is pretty clearly what how she likes it. If its about sales, she'd do a whole lot more TV lives, magazine shoots and public apperances. Remember that she has a lot of control over her career? She's a true artist - its about writing music and doing concerts for her fans. I'm sure money is not issue for her anymore.

Ayu having another 'peak', what difference is that going to make to how much you like or hate her? To get another peak she'd have to start releasing boring generic songs that appeal to the wider Japanese audience. I don't know about you but I'll take songs like BRILLANTE over Days or Sunrise anyday.

^I don't think the thing about having a peak is about money, but about her music reaching and touching people... She is an artist, as u said, and artists like to see their work being enjoyed by the public... Like Utada saying she wouldn't mind people doing ilegal downloads of her music, cuz that would mean more people were listening to her.

About the tie-in... People needs to be interested enough on her for some big movie/drama/game invite her to write a song for them or she (or Avex on her name) needs to offer it and the production's managers and producers needs to accept it, what also means they need to think she is relevant enough... It's not like Avex could force any major production to use Ayu's music...

You can draw as much strategies u want to put an already old artist on top again, but u can't really control the public reaction^^ So, lots of times, even the best planned comeback falls flat.

OMG big drop :(

^There were new releases... her sales may be somewhere between 1,2k and 1,8k...

so there's no news about her sales?

^only top3 sales are showed...

About the tie ins... i think its safe to say that Tales of Xillia is a monster of a success at the moment (Over 500K sold in the first week.)
It doesn't seem to have bumped Ayumi's sales much..
I agree with some of the people here that I think most people are just tired of her and want her to go away...
Maybe not forever, but I mean think about it. The girl has been on top ever since her career started. Every album (not including remixes) has gone to the number 1.
Maybe if she took a break and came back?

^ See, I think a break would just hurl her further into oblivion unfortunately.

^Well, to a good part of japanese people, she is on a hiatus since Voyage :P

omg what happened to the sales, i'm so upset..how can such a big drop happen?!

lol. Im really torn between the break or not a break... because it can go wither or... She might never be able to bounce back, but at the same time, just be reading stuff here and there it seems a lot of people hate the girl.
She has her fan base, but beyond that people just don't like her..
Its sad really... who knows? I hope she gets a second comeback, it would be nice, but if it will happen? Who knows?
I know a lot of people dislikeed namie after all her drama, but three or four years later she hit it big and now she just seems to be getting bigger and bigger

There was a poll not some time ago asking people what are their favorite Namie songs from 3 different parts of her career... begining to 2000, 2001 to 2005 and 2006 to now, or something like that...

The first part, Can you celebrate (obviously) got the majority of the votes
The 2nd and 3rd part: Never heard any of those songs :P

Even if Ayu have a new comeback, she hardly ever will beat her first peak... Even Madonna who had a few comebacks already is mostly remembered by Like a virgin... Still, she had the biggest tour ever by a solo artist... twice!

Ayu will have her hits from time to time... and even if she doesn't sell how she did once, and if she never sell like that, this doesn't mean she won't give the new singers from today and the ones that will already debut a run for their money...


Even Seiko Matsuda and Matsutoya Yumi still oversell newer acts concerts and albums from time to time... Ayu already is overselling Koda, Otsuka, Mika Nakashima...

ayu is like britt in US..
she's known very well but also hated very well...

That's not really true. Her sales haven't really been increasing like mad and she hasn't had an actual hit song since NEW LOOK. So I wouldn't say she's getting bigger, just currently not getting any less popular. Currently the female solo artists aren't in in Asia.

^ WILD and Fight Together also have been hits

I was reading a magazine with Ayu on the cover and a student next to me asked me who it was. When I said it was Ayu, he said he hadn't heard anything about her since 10 years ago LOL.

such huge drop... 200k seems impossible o-o'

Hits are songs like Baby don't cry that sell really well digitally like double platinum+ for a ringtone or full song (or physically selling well). WILD (and for the moment Fight Together) are not on the hit status.
Both WILD (and for now Figher Together) did digitally just like ayu's Love song, MOON, Virgin Road etc. Just that ayu sell slightly better for singles physically.

Not really. WILD has done worse than Sunrise digitally. Not sure how Fight Together did, but it sure didn't stay in top 5 for too long (on Recochoku). So I disagree, the last huge hit Namie Amuro has had was NEW LOOK. And talking about hits, the only female singers who recently had huge digital hits were Nishino Kana and JUJU.

This might seem rude, but do you give even a little thought to the things you post? Let's see there were many new releases this week which pushed Ayu out of top 15, it's not that her sales suddenly dropped to 500 copies, but there were so many new release which obviously sold more than 1.5-2.5k. Chill, FIVE will reach 200k in 3-4 weeks tops :)

I think she's more similar with Madonna.
I talked about Madonna in our class once [saying "Yeah, but Madonna is the pop queen/legend of the whole World"] and then I got answers like "Oh, no way, she's so old and all, Gaga is the queen/legend, not her!"
I think, to be a legend you must have a long career [Which Gaga hasn't] and use different kind of styles [which Gaga doesn't do] Gaga is popular yes, and hyped right now [and btw, I like her too] but calling her a legend in her situation and with so short career, I think it's just absurd and not a fact.

And she hasn't outsold Madonna, has she?

^Madonna's overall sales are somewhere between 250 million and 350 million right now... She is the best selling female singer in the world...

Lady Gaga's sales are at 64 million... But this counting digital sales, what I do find strange... Still, Madonna's digital sales are pretty strong too and weren't counted on the source I have...

If Gaga wishes to break all of Madonna records, she needs a lot of luck and stay strong for the years to come x,x

I don't want to sound like a hater, but I don't know if Gaga has what it takes. But only time will tell. I hope she doesn't run out of creativity by then because it seems like she's losing a bit of steam sometimes.

Wow, I think that just means they're more out of the loop than anything, lol.

I doubt it's because she's hated... but moreso because she's seen as 'not fresh' in this day and age. What I've seen is that people are okay with Ayu, it's just that they have other artists they really like nowadays. The Kana Nishinos, Ikimonogakaris, AKBs... they're all in atm. Though how long they'll be in the spotlight really depends. Most people who have even stood a match against Ayu's popularity among those who DO still listen to her have fallen off the face of relevance. (Ai Otsuka, ORANGE RANGE, etc.)

I feel the same way; she doesn't have enough variety to keep people interested for too many years to come.

I think if Kana's next few singles don't make it big time in 2-3 years she'll be forgotten which is sad as the girl really has the potential ^^ In other words she'll end up being the new Otsuka Ai.

she needs better tie-ins, seriously ?? XD
Tales of Xillia is an amazing and huge tie-in, i think without the tie-in, this mini-album would sell like 120k-140k.
And to be honest, the people is losing interest on female singers, now they love girl groups (48 groups, korean groups, blah blah blah).
We can see a huge droop for female singers, just look kana's last album

^ I agree :yes

As for the other stuff (namely the Kana comments and singles)
I don't think you can just look at single sales...
Some people have rather poor (Oricon) sales but the albums do rather well... frankly I think Kana as some staying power... her last album changes my opinion a bit... To love was so much better then Thank you...

I think people are underestimating a lot to ayu
that's what I think, but ....
even if her popularity is not like before I keep track of what it produces
I think that it will be difficult to stop and back later.
you think she has not thought about it?

Yeah you're right about the singles, but her album sales also halved with Sankyu love...

^ yeah, I noticed that. I wasn't too impressed with the album and I think a lot of people weren't impressed, it seemed like she took a step backwards...

And looking at sales this week for the top 3... man, its been a rather slow couple of weeks for Japanese music industry... I think the biggest sales were FIVE and AAA best album.

^ yeah so was I, especially when if, Distance and Esperanza were so amazing <3

Kalafina should manage to sell over 20k this week, though this is by far their worst album.