Ayumi Hamasaki Sekai - View Single Post - [Official Message] Winter Single 「Zutto... / Last minute / Walk」 2014.12.24 in stores
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Old 10th November 2014, 01:35 AM
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orbitalaspect orbitalaspect is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hayasaki View Post
She might not get number 1 again this time but I have a feeling that this single's gonna sell well. The Japanese people love ballads and this single won't be exempted IMO. Let's just all wish for the best (regardless of the chart positions). At the first place, Ayu releasing a "single" (and a BALLAD SINGLE OMFG) is enough for me. <3
Well, I totally wanted to think of this single as a comeback for Ayu, but when the no CD+DVD part, no PVs part, and what we already know will be true about this single because every other release of hers has had the same treatment for the last four-six years: No promotions or performances, was all announced... That really tanked my expectation that she wants to have her Namie Amuro moment.

I'm excited for new winter ballads, though I think sales will be significantly lower than Ftl/Mgr and may be only a bit higher than Terminal. I mentioned before that almost no one bounces back from a really low-selling single release in Japan unless they are completely reinventing their career (Namie) or they are part of an idol group. BoA, Otsuka Ai, Mika Nakashima, Kana Nishino... they are all big names that haven't recovered after a low-selling album or single. BoA dropped off the scene after IDENTITY, Otsuka's Love Letter ended her album streak, Mika had the same issue with YES, and Kana underwhelmed with Thank you, LOVE. I know Ayu is a little different, much more well-known, but she has been very experimental for J-Pop since 2008 when GUILTY was announced as her first rock album, so I think audiences are genuinely unsure what her next song or album will sound like... if they even know she is releasing something, which is where the lack of promotion makes things worse.

The whole industry has changed because of technology and the focus on idol groups now, so I think the only thing we can expect is that this will surely be a Top 20 single, but I won't bet on it being in the Top 5 and with no PV or CD+DVD, I am almost confident this will not be a Top 10.

I will actually kind of give my idea of what the figures will be just based off what we know right now. No promotion, no PV, no CD+DVD, the huge drop in single sales for Terminal, Colours' sales, etc... I think first week sales will be between 8-12k. Total sales may be close to 15k. If the previews sound very different from what she did on Colours and LOVE again, I think total sales will be closer to 10k.

At this point, I'm just glad she's releasing a new single before a new album comes out. But, at the same time, I am also kind of having my shock moments when things like Terminal come around. Ayu is having a lot of career firsts now... mostly things like "lowest selling single" and "lowest charting album"... which just aren't as exciting as saying "15th year in a row with a #1 album". But I'm still on board for right now.

I secretly hope though that she goes back to her old sound and only a few of us get to stick around to enjoy it. I always feel like I'm in a very special club listening to artists like KOKIA and RURUTIA because they aren't well-known but they are so amazing.