[12/4] ORICON "Secret" 1st Week Sales [See P.7 post 130]

[simonlau]

thanks ayu_fan929
is that for the year 2006?
where is koda kumi?

[Mad_Cactuar]

Koda hasn't released an original studio album this year, those are only studio album first weeks. That's why Hitoto You isn't in it too.

So... if Cherry Girl flops, maybe it might have an effect on BC like B&D on (m)u.

[ayu_fan929]

Well what would be "flop"? Under 50k?

[midnightispure]

Well, it would be amazingly awesome if she pulled a "Catch the Wave".

Beyond awesome. Who knows?

[darc_aqua]

It'll be nice, I hope this album is one of those that grows on people and dont just have a big flop after the first week. I really hope it ends up like Catch the Wave.

[Ayumi-Yummi]

I'm actually really sad about the CD sales, but she must have loads of digital sales! I'm sure jewel alone will sell over a million via cell phones!~

Secret is also for sale on iTunes japan.

[Jayee19]

The musical direction of the singles might have turned some off from the album. That's exactly what happened to me. But the sales aren't bad. Or disappointing really. That's a damn good number. Not as good as Ultra Blue, but hey. That's a comeback album. This is Ayu's second album within the same year. Sales are bound to decline a little. And don't forget digital sales (which is every bit as legitimate as a cd purchase.)

[darc_aqua]

CD Sales are dropping everyday due to digital media. Oricon should really update and count digital sales.

[IYFreak]

I don't think thats gonna happen for Kumi

[ayu_fan929]

Originally Posted by darc_aqua

CD Sales are dropping everyday due to digital media. Oricon should really update and count digital sales.

Again, I stress that CD sales have pretty much stabilized over the past 3 years. There might be increases and decreases as we go year by year, but generally, they've stayed in the same range since 2003.

[darc_aqua]

Orginally Posted by IYFreak:
don't think thats gonna happen for Kumi

I think Koda's "Black Cherry" will be another "over a million" seller. Her stuff is being promoted like crazy and so much is released by her this year. 2 BEST albums and a bunch of singles. She got really lucky when they put out BEST ~first things~.

[ayu_ayu301]

can't say i'm not disappointed by the sales ...

I just hope it can reach 1 million someday in the next 2 yrs

[marty518]

Oricon simply doesn't rank an artists popularity accurately, especially with a star like Ayumi whose CDs are released throughout Asia.

Oricon only counts CD sales from stores in Japan.
NO online orders from customers in the U.S. or Europe, NO CD sales in other Asian countries, and NO digital download purchases from cell phone companies or iTunes.

For all we know, downloads in Japan and across the world, as well as CD purchases in other countries could almost DOUBLE the number of purchases listed on Oricon! I'm certain hundreds of us forum users outside of Japan bought the album, and those sales will never be counted on Oricon.

[ayu_fan929]

^Unless you bought it from HMV, Neowing/CDJapan, Amazon, or Tower Records JP.

[iphis]

no matter what....i have to admit Ayu's golden time has gone

but as long as i love her, and she gives us great music
i dont care about anything else

[IYFreak]

I think they should count all sales where ever the CD is being sold like (miss)understood World wide it had about 900,000 copies sold

[ayu_fan929]

^It would actually be kind of hard to do such a thing.

[simonlau]

Originally Posted by ayu_ayu301

can't say i'm not disappointed by the sales ...

I just hope it can reach 1 million someday in the next 2 yrs

1 million would be hard at present, for all singers

[darkswordz]

not up to my expectation but these are good sales as compared to other album i contributed to the sale!!!!!!

[ruixiong89]

I think you have to really examine clearly what is happening here.

1. Online digital downloading has become more popular than ever. Utachaku and iTunes are examples in which Ayu music downloads are soaring! I guess people decide to not invest as much in getting a tangible Ayumi CD but still support her through digital music downloading.

2. Ayu's tours. She has loads of fans faithfully following her through her tours and a+nation. You have to remember that even till now, she still does sell-out tours, and like it or not, they do take up a huge chunk of the money of her fans. Her fans could decide to budget, get the online music downloads, afterwhich get enough money to see Ayu live.

3. Low on Ayu's standards doesn't mean low across the entire music industry. Ayu's standards are really high. Even Ayu's recently lowest selling single Bold & Delicious/PRIDE, when compared with other artistes, has achieved high sales. As fans, I think we're spoilt with all the "platinum", "double platinum" sales that Ayu used to achieve. I think it's time you examine the entire music industry collectively before you decide.

4. Ayu is a solo female artist. Like it or not, the Jpop scene seems to favour boy groups the most e.g. SMAP, KAT-TUN, Kinki Kids since they have a lot of fan girls. It is more difficult for a female solo artist to actually achieve phenomenal success with the exceptions of Ayumi, Utada Hikaru, Namie Amuro and recently, Koda Kumi. It's a trend that is dominant in the Jpop scene, where female solo artists tend not to be favoured and look upon. Hence, for Ayu to have come this far and achieved sales like this, it's considered remarkable.

5. General decline in sales. I know ORICON would always have a totalled number to display the total number of singles and albums sold in an ORICON year. If my memory doesn't serve me wrong, all I've seen is a percentage DECLINE in overall sales. Hence, it's just part of the bigger trend that is occurring in Japan.

Hope this clears things up for people who are 'extremely disappointed' with her sales figures.