27-6-05 Singapore Chinese Newspaper article on Ayumi
 

Today, lianhe wanbao had a small segment regarding ayumi's position in Japan... It states that in the past, ayumi's albums sales take up 40% of avex's profit but now it's only less than 10%... Sigh... It says that ayumi is losing to those fast-rising artists who are more influential in Japan now... This newspaper has been coming up with articles regarding ayumi last year about her fame in Japan... what do u have to say? But ayumi's album 'MY STORY''s sales last year hit 1 million.... although nowadays sales of singles are dropping... what do you suggest ayumi and the company should do? im quite worried for her...

She used to be 40% back during her I Am... days...that's years ago now. AVEX is being smart by not letting her control such a high portion of their profits.

as always stupid rumors and gosspips from chinese newspaper.... can't believe that's less than 10%, she's still popular, ain't she?

yeh off corzee !! she is popular and will always !!
Avex is expanding thus the profit is increasing !!

I think Avex needs to put back up the remixes that used to always be on her singles, that's why they sold a lot, the signles were great! and what better than haveing 3-8 remixes of a great song?

Actually the figure "1 million" isn't enough for ayumi at all. To maintain her pop diva status she needs at least 4 million like "I am..."

I think the internet has a great impact on traditional record sales. Avex should commercialize the online sale of her songs, and videos download just like the Apples' iTune and not putting follish strategies like the CCCD and such.

well its obvious that its not that ayu lost that many fans..her popularity decreased slightly but after i am... avex generally became a bigger company with huge profit and sooo many new artists..thats why the percentage is just an inaccurate proof

"I am..." sold 3 million. Avex is currently working with Apple iTunes Japan so I guess they can make even more $$$ of mp3s. Anyway, CCD is now entirely the artist's choice :).

Yes, Ayu used to be 42.6% of Avex....but that was when there were no other major avex artists. Shareholders hated that since Avex stock would climb and fall according to what is happening with Ayu. When "I am..." was delayed....eek to avex :headache .

Maybe "fairyland c/w alterna" will prove them wrong...

hm. i always thought ayu was more than that, even now. =P

Yeah, and I'd be willing to guess that even though her percentage is less than 10%, that's still higher than any other Avex artist. Avex just has a lot more artists now than compared to a few years ago.

Also the 1 million record sales are not bad. You have to compare those figures to what is going on the music industry NOW not 4 years ago. Artists as a whole are not selling as much as they used to - not just Ayu.

I think it will... 5 tie-up's is a lot, and the promotion is starting very early, I think it will definitely sell more than STEP you / is this LOVE?.

10% is still a lot... It's probably still more than any other artist on the label.

Anyway, there's a lot of popular artists on the label now (other than Ayu) - Ai Otsuka, EXILE, Koda Kumi, BoA, Ami Suzuki, Janne Da Arc, m-flo, DAI, ELT, hitomi, Hitomi Shimatani, Namie Amuro, Road Of Major, DA PUMP...

Back in 2001 there was... ELT, Namie, and DA PUMP? My point exactly...

I agree. That's why avex is investing in new singers. Avex is trying to "balance" the selling profits. I mean, new singer are being lauched in the market.

Good business move on Avex's part.

Well, to sell her stuff on iTunes, there would have to be a Japan (or some kind of Asia) iTunes store, and there aren't any Asian ones (yet). I don't think they'll be selling her songs on the US or European stores right out of the blue or anything.

It's good that Avex is investing into other singers as well. It doesn't mean Ayu's less popular. 40% was a LOT coming from one artist. You can't put all your eggs into one basket after all. =P

always people talk about it
i think every single artist in japan has drop their sales
and ayu is still the most powerfull female artist in japan
10% is really huge..

They's an estimated lauch date for iTunes Japanese version, actually. :yes

Took them long enough. =P

It'd be fun to be able to buy from the Japan store. I think you can still listen to samples at stores from other countries though.

Talk about stupid! It's was really dangerous to accord to only 1 ephemeral artist a so big part of their way to make profit.(I mean, I know she's the queen ot Jpop but she won't be a queen forever)

Hmm...like what others have said, the company gets bigger, more income etc... though I believe Ayu isn't as selling as much as before

Anyways~ CHinese papers...*sigh* it might not even be true either, they are wanting publicity and make stuff up to make stuff more intensed etc.~~