ayu did bring more profit (at least overall sales) in all of these years (maybe except for 2006-2007).

ayu is their most profitting female artist for 1999-2005 and 2008-2009 (and might be this year as well).

She is like one of the top selling (overall) artists every year.
They are still riding on this horse since it's their best bet.

^^Wasn't ayu responsible for almost 50% of Avex's revenue at one point?

Yeah, that was in her peak in 2001 and also when sales in general were way better.

When u have only 1 bet, u r totally screwed when that only bet fails... I wouldn't be surprised if Avex biggest problem with Ayu was how much they depend on her.... this is not about "how much they love their biggest star", this is marketing, and considering a lot of stuff Ayu said and produced on the past years, the honeymoon between Avex and their most successful artist ended a long time ago... They are trying to make her less important to their anual incomme since A Best, so, it's not like they would be all that sad and depressed if Koda stoped Ayu's streak... actually, it would be pretty positive for them if the one who beat Ayu was also an Avex star...

I think that it would be smarter (if at all) after she has got the record and not right before that, it would be really stupid.

Also, they (avex) don't try to make her less important.
They still and will probably always try to make the best out of her along with the others.
She naturally became less "important" since her peak each year, like kumi since her own peak.

^Yeah, they do xD Even the release of A Best was they trying to end her peak, make the most money of it and get another new face as soon as possible...

In the end of the day, what does Avex lose if Ayu doesn't break Seiko's record? I can see where does Ayu lose (and still, not that important), but I fail at seeing what does Avex lose... But I can see what do they win putting 2 of their biggest starts to debut a single on the same day (they have a good chance of getting rival fanbases buying singles like there's no tomorrow), and I can see how can they take advantage of the end of her streak... Good for them she is a major selling force, but what company wants to depend on only 1 product?

I hope Ayu will get #1! 好きで､好きで､好きで｡ is being quite successful (it's been in 着うた® top 5 since it came out), while crossroad has flopped... No doubt it's gonna be a tough competition for the top spot :yes

It took them 4 years in order to get new face though. =P

Ironically though, I am... which was released after A BEST is the album with most singles (taking out re-cut ones or 2nd with re-cuts).

most of her albums since then were pretty invested to.

And all of those years when they worked really hard keeping her streak up.

It took them 4 years cuz they need a lot more than just marketing and a big budget to turn a pop singer into the new face of pop to a generation :B They tried really hard with Ai Otsuka anyway (and she never showed much interest on the role xD)

And really, we can't really know how much of what happens is made by Ayu and her staff, Max Matsura inside Avex or the entire Avex... we only saw the numbers, but in the end of the day, we have no idea of what (or who) caused them

Over the years she also got her number of songs reduced on A-nation (and they gave her more songs again after that) for example... Of course they are not going to shot her on the head just to get rid of them... and considering I am... it's her album with the biggest impact on Japan, considering that even if Duty it's her best selling, I am... has the most singles and it's her album with the biggest amount of her signature songs... ironically, when they tryied to end her peak, they caused it instead xD

I'm quite nervous still because of the JYJ situation that popped up 24 hours ago...

Even if crossroad is a sweet song I actually think (for the first time) that Kuu have a better one with 好きで､好きで､好きで. But I will keep my fingers crossed for Ayu. Kuu can get the 1# spot later on when herself is on a streak or something. :P Lol.

Exactly, and since then I think that they developed a certain attitude like, there is their ayu, and their other most successful artist of the period.

Something like ayu+ai ayu+kumi, ayu+EXILE (excluding namie since her management is Vision Factory). It's like they will always ride on the ayu "horse" while they will also invest in someone else or try to bring someone fresh and new.
kumi for example joined to that since 2005.

^I would find it easier to believe if there weren't so many magazines calling Otsuka "The New Ayumi Hamasaki" when Planetarium got big at first xD

Not since Matsuura's in charge ^^ Her concerts are still more expensive than a-nation and all of their other artist's concerts. They send her away all over the world to record albums and PVs, while only Ku got the similar during her per peak (and it was only for the PVs). Ayu's the only AVEX artist who got to shoot numerous PVs with huge budget even though she isn't the most popular thing in Japan and even at the time Otsuka and Kumi were more popular. If they are looking for a new face, they are failing badly ^^ So my question is, how is it that avex is trying to replace her? Yes sooner or later they will need another new face to compete with Kana and other new artists, but so far avex still has some of the best selling female artists Ayu, Namie and Ku and they don't really need anyone else, although more money can never hurt you :P

I don't wanna sound rude, but take all the JYJ/DBSK talk as far away from here as possible, Ayu fans don't care and they are the ones buying the single, she won't have probs getting that #1.

We also don't know how much of ayu's budget comes from Avex or from herself, do we? As she never stated "oh, Avex gave me this amount of money to do this, and this amount to do that!" Some of her huge budget videos are more on the ego trip side than as something with garanted profit, like Green for example... If Avex is pumping Ayu with money, I wonder why her recent concerts seen to have a bigger budget than her peak concerts, for example^^

i hate that many people still think that avex control MW sales...
for me it's not avex that control it...

but the japan fanbase, i believe when they know that MW is in danger, i think they unite and maybe buy 2 copies per person...and it's logic that she got high sales...

don't underestimate the power of japan fanbase...

that's my opinion...

Some people just seen to think that Avex controls everything, everytime xD They created earth and sky above it...

I didnt realize you spoke for all Ayu fans.
Not a DBSK/JYJ fan by anymeans but bringing them up is sort of relevant since the suspension of activities announcement. Who knows if their fans will start buying their stuff like crazy; its unlikely but who knows. Anyhow, don't forget that Avex is relying on DBSK fans aswell to buy crossroads. The sudden increase in preorders upon the anouncement of JJ's involvement is proof.

Alot of people were calling Jasmine the new Utada and as much as I like her, how did that help? I don't know how Otsuka Ai can replace Ayumi or her achievments.

I hope so!
I want to believe Ayu's Japanese fanbase to help Ayu to be no. 1 on top chart with the 2 new singles!

I'm not saying Ai Otsuka was trying to replace Ayumi or her archievments, but she was being marketed that way, anyway, as a replacement... The same way there's a huge hype about Lady Gaga being the "new" Madonna, for example