I'm not saying it's "so easy" or "just marketing strategy"... I'm just saying IMO it's strange for her to have "number 1 hits" that sometimes sold less than singles that didn't reach number 1... and IMO this whole "single streak record" not only to Ayu, but the overall idea, is pretty meanless...

Nice... she is breaking a record and everything but... what else does it means to her career? This is not making her a living legend, she already is one since A Best... this is not giving her smashing hits (japanese general public doesn't even know most of the songs of the streak)... So, she is just picking her releasing dates based on "wich competition is weaker" for some years now and breaking a record of someone who did the same and... what does it changes?

Someone made fun of the other countries #1 streaks, while some of those women have more song recognized by their countries population than Ayu has on Japan...

*hope no fan gets offended* Mariah Carey has the most #1 singles at Billboard charts, but what does it gives her besides reason for her fans to brag? General public doesn't remember most of her #1 hits...

Do you live in the US or Canada?
Because over here EVERYONE knows ALL of Mariah Carey's songs, when they are released every girl is singing them, and the guys are staring at her music videos.......
small flaw in your theory

I did not even know about this... So Japan has the longest consecutive single streaks in the world...

Heck, I live in Holland and I could easily name all of her songs that reached no. 1. In my time, at least.

Did someone got 2 nº1# at singles in two weeks with different singles before? Maybe Ayu will get that "record" too!

Of course the points are true. Somehow those streaks are not meant to show the artists' selling power. They are just a proof the artists' positions in the music industry. They used to be power sellers, and everything they sold were like golds back in the old days. That's why now they have the power to pick weaker weeks to release stuff. And that is the sarcasm for this "system". Their streaks are real (at least the first half for sure), yet to save the streaks they had to avoid those new power sellers..

That's why I really hope ayu will have a single to sell over 300K in the future. All her recent singles are bought from hardcore fans, and I think probly only 10% or less from those sales are bought from casual listener. I want her to release a song that even the general public love so much and can't resist to buy a physical copy.

Ok back to topic. In about 8 or 9 hrs we'll get the half day sales of L... Cross my finger and hopefully it will have a BIG number :D.

Nope, there are several examples of that happening. The most recent one I can think of is Bump of Chicken, that released HAPPY and Mahou no Ryouri one week apart in May, both hit no. 1.

Sorry, but on the same way I really doubt everyone knows every Mariah Carey song (considering she has 13 full albums), I doubt everyone can sing by heart, or even name all of her 18 #1 singles... A hardcore fan? Yeap... A casual listener? Unlikelly... Neither? Nops...

On the same way, I doubt anyone but hardcore fans (and maybe not even those) can name by heart all the singles Ayu has on her streak...

Actually that's wrong. Japan actually has a lower % of 'young people' people
as compared to 'old people' than the rest of the world.

The real reason is because Japan practices blanket marketing. They don't stretch their promotions over 3 months are more like in most other countries, and instead do most of it within a week or two. Everybody that wants the single will know about it virtually immediately.

Radio is a dead factor, in Japan. Over in America, Radio is the greatest and main promotional tool. While TV show performances and product tie-ups do certainly help a bit, it was Radio that got TiK ToK, Poker Face, and I Gotta Feeling to 5,000,000, 5,500,000 and 6,000,000 sales respectively.

^ Blanket marketing? I did not even know about that either...

That is not wrong. I never said Japan has MORE young people.

It is simply a fact that the average age of the music buyer is YOUNGER than int he rest of the world. I can find numbers if you need them. The buyers are generally younger, more fickle, and are quicker to change their appetite. It's been looked into many times.

GOOD sales!!!!!
congratz ayu

I live in Canada and only know...we belong together and touch my body...

^O__O

Sales, sales, sales, where are the sales? XD (yeah, I care about stuff like this, sue me)

LOL i know a few, but ya, mariah songs are old man.... maybe i'm too young but sooo many people thought she was a new artist when we belong together came out LOL

I was a child of the 90s so I grew up with Mariah, she's a talented artist!

and I agree, the number 1 singles streak is mainly for bragging rights of the fans... as are all records in the music world. I don't see why Ayu would want to point it out often, it's just for marketing. I don't think Ayu is that obsessed with the streak, but AVEX.

also this whole world value fight is pointless...
different charts use different methods etc etc
who cares, as long as she has it in japan then anyone who cares to know will know she's the highest female =D

That was her big comeback song; she had been in a horrible slump for a long time. From then on, this has been like her Second Coming where she's had a couple really big songs again.

Kind of similar to Namie Amuro actually, where her popularity was kind of dormant and then exploded with 60s70s80s/Best Fiction.

Yeah, maybe it's because I'm a child of the 90's but it's so weird to see these comments since most (if not all) people I know recognize Mariah for stuff like Hero, Always be my Baby, Vision of Love, Daydream, etc. lol Learn new something everyday, I really am getting old. :P

When it does come down to it, stuff like high sales and rankings really are just there for bragging rights because in the larger picture, do we really need stuff like Oricon and Billboard? Nothing about who's on top says anything about the quality of their music or their relevance in the industry. For older acts though, it can to some extent show their longevity in the industry like "hey we've been around for so-so years and this new act may be the hot thing right now but people still get hype whenever I release something yea". Not true for everyone though, acts like Madonna show their weight more on tour then on music charts but I feel I'm rambling now. lol I personally just think it's good fun and competitiveness and I like to brag about artists I like so to that extent stuff like rankings and streaks matter to me but just for artists I care about. /last thing she'll say on the topic XD

Yay it's doing a little better than MOON/blossom :luv2!

Well, Avex might recognize the record, but not Ayu, as she might still be busy...

Tomorrow (or today?) the first sales for L !!!
i hope really good sales !!!

What a nice birthday present this should be, seeing L on top of the charts!

Any mid-day sales as of now?

It hasn't even been an hour since stores opened. :rolleyes

really i guesss it's 3 pm on japan right now....

i hope L do a better job than crossroad, it's a better single IMO

2:14 pm Japan time

surely the shop already opened since they open in the morning,,,,

we should have the mid day sales..
last time someone posted the early day sales (like 11am Japan time sales index) for MOON or You were...

2nd Day
Position: #8
Sales: Up Later
Total Sales: Up Later

Still in top 10 !! ^^

2 Singles on top 10 XD

^still at position 8?!?!
wow...so cool...i think L help crossroad too...

Well, I do find charts a valid way to know how well artists are doing, in the end of the day, sales reflects the impact of the song sometimes... But as Oricon charts only focus on physical sales, they miss some huge digital singles and sometimes a not very popular song reach #1 just cuz the artist has a strong fanbase... And it doesn't even need to be a very big one xD

*braging* About Madonna, she is not really having hits on north america, but as far as I know, she had at least 2 big hits everywhere else in the world on the 00's after Music: Hung up and 4 Minutes... and even in the USA those reach Platinum on downloads xD *fanboy mode off* Still, it's inevitable... at some point of the career, every artist and band will be active for so long general public will not be interested on their new music anymore... For great performers, this mean kicking everyone else butt on tours xD

Most of America's sales come from Teenagers. In fact, a large chunk of them come from pre-teens as young as 11 and 12. The variable really doesn't change from U.S. to Japan all that much, so It's clearly something entirely different.

Honestly US and Canada 99% of the people know the lyrics to Most of Mariahs singles. I personally hate hate hate her (im not hating right now im just proving a point so dont kill me fans of mariah) but when a single of hers comes out or when her new album comes you just end up learning the lyrics because EVERYONE at school and on tv is singing her songs. I know most of her songs and yea maybe not every single album song, but yea most of her singles i know the lyrics pretty well, they are always played at clubs with remix and parties(especially her more sexy singles AKA Touch My Body) and her number one singles, are basically in everyones head for about an entire month after she releases them... Even someone like Kesha, who isnt half as popular as Mariah Carey everyone knows the lyrics to ehr singles Tick Tok, Blah Blah Blah, Your Love is My Drug, Take It Off, so if we casual listeners know her singles and their lyrics to someone not as popular as Mariah then i think yea im right. Or Lady Gaga EVERYONE in NA even Mexico (i travel alot between the 3 countires with family) knows 99% of her singles and lyrics to them.
Not only die hard fans
Ps. Im not mad or angry at u at all, im just trying to show my side of things sorry if it comes across as that. :P

Relax^^

Plz stop with Mariah, i don't care Mariah Carey!!!!!

crossroad in the top 10, that's great !!!

3rd Day
Position: #7
Sales: Up Later
Total Sales: Up Later

thank you! :D glad to see it rise in position. did we ever find out the sales from yesterday?

Well. natsu style didn't update (maybe yet). ^^

wow..it's rising...maybe it can enter top 3 again...crossing finger

that would be *****in awesome!!

Yay congrats on Crossroad rising!! :)

She sold 2418 copies today
total: 7283

THNAKS NATSU style

^thanks for the number....
Looks like crossroad can pass 100k

Thank you adantatu ^^

2nd Day
Position: #8
Sales: 2,727
Total Sales: 78,557

3rd Day
Position: #7
Sales: 2,418
Total Sales: 80,975

Great over 80,000! :D

yay for passing 80k!

the sales is steady 90k+ for the second week seems possible, 100k for the long run

amazing sales! :D

The sales are good this week, and if the sales remains stable the next week it will surpase the 90k+, then the 100k are much possible :P

4th Day
Position: #6
Sales: Later
Total Sales: Later

keep on rising!! :D

I hope the sales for both crossroad and L can stay steady during 7days special!

It looks like crossroad will be more successful than L, when it should be the contrary xDD Maybe it can be enter to the top 5 tomorrow :P

^^! i find it so interesting to see Croosroad still in top 10 ! Moon/Blossom fell out of top 10 on the second day of its 2nd week ^^!

GO! GO! GO!

I am amazed how these three singles have relatively consistent sales in a short release period.

I am more amazed that Crossroads might take the lead with only one Aside (not sure with the 7days tour, L might surpass it there). Maybe the JJ fans help after all?

It would be amazing to have crossroad #2 xD

cool...

it would be totally AWESOME!!! cross fingers!!

Although I completely agree with you, we shouldn't forget that the first few days are definitely the most important for the weekly rankings. She might make into the top 5, but I definitely think top 3 is too much to ask for : P

5th Day
Position: #7
Sales: Later
Total Sales: Later

^

Darn it!! It could just stay where it was =(

4th Day
Position: #6
Sales: 1,599
Total Sales: 82,574

5th Day
Position: #7
Sales: Later
Total Sales: Later

These sales are great :)
Good Job Crossroad! :D

5th Day
Position: #7
Sales: 1,432
Total Sales: 84,006

already over 84,000 and it has 2 more days :D

NICE! :)
Goodjob ayu! <3

Just got my single and poster in the mail~

6th Day
Position: #8
Sales: Later
Total Sales: Later

^Cool! I hope I will get mine on the next few days ^^

6th Day
Position: #8
Sales: 1,330
Total Sales: 85,336

Awesome :D less than 15,000 for 100,000!

Wow these sales are really great!!
Go Ayu!

crossroad's pretty strong

Wow! Crossroad is doing so well... It hasn't even really been two weeks yet.

Do you guys think it will reach 100k??

^yes...

crossroad definitely will sell over 100,000 unless if it will start dropping to 150- a day already.

Stupid question... why it's the 6th day of crossroad and 5th of L ? '__'

That's astonishing!!! It will certainly reach 100k, no doubts!! Would be nice if MOON could do that too..

Great sales! :)
but still lower position than M/B second week.
I think M/b was 5 on its second week
by the looks of it crossroad will be a bout 6 or 7 :)
But YAY! almost 100k ;p

7th Day
Position: #5
Sales: Later
Total Sales: Later

It will need consistency to sell as much, though hopefully it will make it.

hope that all 3 singles 'll cross 100k mark ! i don't want them to stop charting at 99k~~!

me too and wow!! great jump!!!

great jump! :) gj ayu!

7th Day
Position: #5
Sales: 1,846
Total Sales: 87,182

2nd Week
Position:
Estimated Sales: 13,491
Estimated Total Sales: 87,182
Official Sales:
Official Total Sales:

2nd week (crossroad)
Position: #7
Sales: 13,751
Total: 87,712

3rd week, 1st day
Position: #5

Crossroad has a really nics second week ! hope that it can keep on ^^!

2nd Week
Position: #7
Estimated Sales: 13,491
Estimated Total Sales: 87,182
Official Sales: 13,751
Official Total Sales: 87,712

3rd Week

1st Day
Position: #5
Sales: Later
Total Sales: Later

Thanks Gkone!

Way to go CROSSROAD!!!

The 7# position is very good for a 2nd week on chart! If the sales drop slowly is sure that crossroad will reach 100k, for the next week I think it will get 93-95k

Crossroad is selling so strongly!

Really great second sales =)

great second week sales :)
GJ ayu ;p

2nd Day
Position: #15
Sales: Later
Total Sales: Later

Still on top 20!

yawch! Big brop!
Thanks to Arashi! xD

^
Arashi is only 1 team! XD

Did someone see that "crossroad" got 80k copies digitally sold in its debut week according to the GLOBAL TRACK CHART?

http://www.mediatraffic.de/tracks.htm

So I guess it will surelly got a certification soon by the japanese charts too..

Actually ! i don't think Mediatraffic's a reliable source but i also hope that Crossroad can be her another digital hit !^^!

^
I also don't think MEDIA TRAFFIC is that trustfull source anyway I just posted it for curiousity..

Even Wikipedia says that it's not a reliable source. Some kind of "dubious" methodology...