[emi♡]

Originally Posted by tokyoxjapanxfan

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.

thank you for saying this. I don't think people realise sometimes, and as much as I don't care for AKB, the bashing gets so annoying.

It's not their fault what the industry's become.