[tokyoxjapanxfan]

I live in Japan, so I figure I can have a little bit more insight on the subject, but feel free to disagree.

I'm finding that AKB has been losing their...magic? as of late. Like I said earlier in this thread, I haven't actually been hearing their new songs lately. Where as previous singles like Flying Get, Manatasu no Sounds Good, etc. were played regularly.

Obviously they're still extremely popular, but it's actually very hard to tell just how popular because of the way they sell. But I also wonder what'll happen as (if) more of the popular members graduate.

For instance: Ayu and Namie were selling -amazingly- back when other singers were also selling great. They weren't necessarily the only people doing well during their peaks. Also, the majority of their highest selling singles and albums only had one version, cd only. It wasn't until 2004 that people started using cd/dvd combos. So when they were selling millions of copies of singles, it was one type (Ayu was using sales strategies too, though, with multiple versions of A and H. However in H's case, it didn't have any music videos, just commercial tie-ins.)

But now, AKB are truly the only group doing well. And because they package their singles in such a way, it's actually hard to say how truly popular they are with general buyers.

If a singer is able to sell one million copies of a single that's only one version, it shows a bit more in terms of their popularity because most people aren't going to be buying two (or 2 or more) of the exact same things.

Morning Musume, during their peak, achieved million selling singles, but they used the trading card aspect--which is/was a more "normal" form of first press editions, especially for idol groups both then and now.

AKB is an outlier in the way they release. Sure, other bands may have various handshake events or chances to go to concerts packaged in their music, but it's generally not with every release.

Where as AKB depends on such things as determining the members for the next single or what have you to fully form the AKB concept.

So while I personally don't care about who has the sales record, I just wish everyone would realize and accept that AKB's sales are extremely skewed--it has nothing to do with their hard work, which I don't want to take away from them. However I'd personally say any artist in the spotlight is working hard.

I just wish everyone could walk in to -any- Book Off (a re-sale shop) and look at the AKB section, because there are shelves and shelves and shelves of the same single, multiplied by how ever many singles they have. Because people buy various versions and then re-sell them to Book Off (and like stores) because they don't actually need anything except the first press bonus inside.

So while they are selling millions, they are doing it in an extremely, as some might say dirty, way.

A lot of people dislike Ayu, but they don't generally deny her of her success in sales (at least at the beginning of her career). But AKB haters bring it up constantly. It's obviously something people have problems with. Especially in a Japan where arguably much more musically talented/respected/involved/etc. singers and bands can't possibly reach the same success.

For instance, many comments talk about how Kyari Pamyu Pamyu or Golden Bomber would have been -huge- successes in the 90's/early 2000's--but because of the way the Japanese music market is now, it's impossible for even them, who have huge hits, to get millions in sales.

Sorry to have written a novel, but I actually don't have an issue with AKB. Some of their songs are catchy. Do I support them financially? No. I also find many of them funny when they appear on TV. But I don't think what I've written here is bashing them in anyway. But like I said, people can disagree.