I agree about the tie-ins, but not about TV appearances and more singles... I really think that Japan needs some time to miss her

I don't think that's an appropriate comparison for the simple fact SMAP is 1000000000000 times bigger than H!P was in their peak. They're the biggest stars in Japan and been that way for over a decade. So I don't think they and H!P are in the same level.

I disagree as that could backfire as well, even fans could start losing interest that way not to mention that the general public could slowly start forgetting her. Even though that might work in the US for some, it doesn't seem to be working for people in Japan :yes Koda Kumi and DBSK didn't stop after having poor sales but kept releasing constantly, as in Japan that seems to be an easy way to make a solid fan base.

To a new artist that started unpopular, appearing everywhere may be a good thing, but she already has her fanbase, and everyone in the country already nows her... I would hate to see her doing something like Seiko Matsuda that kept releasing 2 albums a years in the most part of her career and now have so many songs that I doubt even she knows half of them...

She doesn't need a 5 years hiatus, but taking 2, 2 1/2 years per album would be interesting... The only top singer that made a successful comeback after a huge down in popularity was Namie, and she didn't started releasing like crazy after her sales started getting low... Ayu (pretty much like Namie some years ago) needs to be fresh again to japanese public, but if she starts releasing a lot and appearing everywhere, her image will only gets older and older

Good point. Sure I would be ok if Ayu wasn't releasing an album a year and had a tour every six months. Atm I am not really sure what would be better xD

But namie's sales took quite a dip when she took a year off right? Her releasing schedule is currently not unlike ayu and ayu has definitely toned down on the frequency of her releases after I am...

What's bothering me about NL is that i can't really associate the songs with ayu. It's like any lesser known artiste can produce this kind of album. I think it's the disconnection that's hurting her sales.

I agree about the frequency of her releases, but not about the "disconnection" you talk about, sales aren't hurt by quality most of the times, other factors, but not those. That also depends on the taste of each person of course ;)

#16 today again.
Today it's also a month since NEXT LEVEL was released. =D

wow

has it really been a month since it was released ? time files when you're having fun

yeap.. it's a month excatly...
XD

I think she will get #2 monthly

Namie is not releasing 1 album per year... and she is releasing 2 singles a year but 3 or 4 singles per album^^

^Thanks for the correction. I don't really follow Namie's release but my impression was her release is not that infrequent.

Woah i remember when NL was announced to be released 1 month before the release date and i was thinking that's way too long. Now it's NL's 1 month anniversary! May it stay on the chart for many more months to come!

Time really does fly! It's almost May....

I'm glad it is still holding steady on the charts, after 1 month of its release date. :)

Concentration 20 (1997) - 1,929,860
Namie's last successful album at the 90's... this album has 3 singles, all from 1997, including "can you celebrate", her biggest hit and the best selling female single ever in Japan)

181920 (1998) - 1,689,53
First single collection, has one single released in 1997 too

Genius 2000 (2000) - 802,740
The first post marriage, divorce, son and "hiatus" album, have 4 singles released between 1998 and 2000...

Break the Rules (2000) - 334,52
3 singles between 2000 and 2001

Love Enhanced Single Collection (2002) - 314,570
Second single collection, 2 singles, one in 2001 and another in 2002

Style (2003) - 221,874
Namie's worst selling album. 4 singles in 2002 and 2003... amont them, her worst selling one (Put 'em up).

Queen of Hip-Pop (2005) - 455,428
Namie's selling starts going up again, her first single that went 1st daily since 1998 ("Girl Talk / The Speed Star") and also her first top10 monthly single since 1997 (Want me Want me). 4 singles 2004/2005

Play (2007) - 540,952
This one had a huge chart life (53 weeks), her first top 50 yearly since 2000 and top 5 monthly since 1999 (Baby Don't Cry) 4 singles, 2005~2007

Best Fiction (2008) - 1,508,159
Third compilation, first album from hers that sold more than 1million since 1998, first weekly number-one hit since 1998, first top20 single since 1997 (60s70s80s)

This is Namie story of going down and then up xD

do u guys realise its over 500 post already?

yes I realise that too

ayumisrael , get your butt on & make another new NEXT LEVEL album thread like NOW :eviltongu :grumpy

*joke* :D

^Done Karen =DDD

We were comparing gender perceptions in Japan and not degrees of popularity.