『A BALLADS 2』on sale 2021.03.12

[j.graziano]

Originally Posted by AndyF

There's no way this album selling less than TROUBLE, which is a mini album. A BALLADS 2 is a concept album, but still a compilation. I expect at least 50k, with the right promotion 100k isn't that SURREAL. Just look at last Seiko's release, it has sold 40k by now and her studio albums sells usually 10-15k.

I think the same. I think she could reach 100k maybe too optimistic but I think it is possible. After all it is a compilation and Japan loves a compilation.

[Deep snow]

^ plus it's a compilation of her ballads, which I think are one of the things she's most famous for.

[j.graziano]

^ The medal situation gave her a plus I don't know if that translates into sales but a dear japanese friend of mine that only listens to classical music and jazz sent me the article because at least in his circle everyone's talking about the donation she did last year and the medal of honor.

[URANUS]

It's hard to get even 50k in Japan nowadays unless you a part of one of the AKB groups or related sister groups or a JOHNNY's group.

Solo singers getting 30k is considered moderate success.

I think we should be happy with 50k for this album. Not to mention there's literally no promo for the mainstream audience.

[summerain]

I guess it's gonna sell around 15k~20k. Even Japan is more digital now than when she released TROUBLE 2.5 years ago and physical sales were really affected.

[thinkingoutloud89]

I guess we should stop worrying about sales. If you want to compare, you should check Seikos later releases and compare them to her hight.

[summerain]

Originally Posted by thinkingoutloud89

I guess we should stop worrying about sales. If you want to compare, you should check Seikos later releases and compare them to her hight.

Yes. If we compare with people from her generation or older than her, she is good. And physical sales isn't the right termometer to verify her carreer health, her main selling point right now is concert ticket sales and (if we exclude pandemic situation) she's in great shape. Her concerts are events in japanese pop culture and she's far from being "a flop".

[AndyF]

SEIKO MATSUDA 2020 has sold 40k and is still charting. It's almost an A Ballads- kind of album, she re-recorded some of her ballads. Trouble's last pure sales figures we got was +35k. Anything less than this will be a disaster.

[Cahz-]

Alright, I made a poll http://www.ahsforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=125180

[jbrat2219]

Originally Posted by summerain

I guess it's gonna sell around 15k~20k. Even Japan is more digital now than when she released TROUBLE 2.5 years ago and physical sales were really affected.

TROUBLE was that long ago?!

Has Oricon finally gotten around to counting digital sales or streams, yet?

[pedronekoi]

Well, her last compilation album was A SUMMER BEST and it was released 9 years ago and sold 139k total (a compilation with her major hits July 1st, evolution, BLUE BIRD, SEASONS and new music and new PV)... Times have changed and I don't see any physical releases from now on hitting the 70k mark (and that's ok because she is salying on Spotify streams)...

[njanjayrp]

Originally Posted by AndyF

SEIKO MATSUDA 2020 has sold 40k and is still charting. It's almost an A Ballads- kind of album, she re-recorded some of her ballads. Trouble's last pure sales figures we got was +35k. Anything less than this will be a disaster.

Ha ha. This is overly dramatic. Ayu literally advertises the releases to her fanbase only. Her sales have been a disaster since Party queen.

[AndyF]

^ Do you think that Seiko in her 4th decade of career has any appeal to the general public? Despite this, her label did a great promotion, this is not ayu's job.

[njanjayrp]

Originally Posted by AndyF

^ Do you think that Seiko in her 4th decade of career has any appeal to the general public? Despite this, her label did a great promotion, this is not ayu's job.

I really wouldn’t know. It comes down to what the album was offering and whether her fans are ultimately too old and prefer buying cds over streaming etc.

Don’t really understand the comparison �� as ayu hasn’t managed to sell 40k in 2018, so highly doubt that a potentially recycled compilation is going to sell no matter how you promote it and the world will not end. Its all about providing people with something they want to buy...

Also I am not disagreeing with you, just saying that we have all collectively accepted ayu isn’t selling nor is being promoted and the world kept spinning.

[AyuCanada]

Originally Posted by summerain

Yes. If we compare with people from her generation or older than her, she is good. And physical sales isn't the right termometer to verify her carreer health, her main selling point right now is concert ticket sales and (if we exclude pandemic situation) she's in great shape. Her concerts are events in japanese pop culture and she's far from being "a flop".

This is partly true, Utada Hikaru still sells a lot, Namie would sell too if she haven't retired. For some reasons, Ayu is now seen as an as-been by the common Japanese people, she is more like a Nakamori Akina than a Seiko Matsuda.

[Andrenekoi]

Originally Posted by AyuCanada

This is partly true, Utada Hikaru still sells a lot, Namie would sell too if she haven't retired. For some reasons, Ayu is now seen as an as-been by the common Japanese people, she is more like a Nakamori Akina than a Seiko Matsuda.

Utada and Namie aren't the norm when it comes to sales. Namie studio albuns sales were also dropping at each new release. If she wasnt retiring, she most likely wouldn't have huge numbers nowadays.

[j.graziano]

A lot of different point of views... This is interesting I just hope she does fine I really want to see a good product overall, nice photoshoot, good content on DVD's. One particular release grabbed my attention Juju's last compilation that sold 160k in Oricon 'till this date but her latest album which is a cover album is at 60k or 70k would it be too much for A BALLADS 2? Maybe it is just my feelings or expectations but I think she really could do well since A Complete is doing great all of these years. I just wish avex treats her better though.

[mizuki-7]

Originally Posted by AyuCanada

This is partly true, Utada Hikaru still sells a lot, Namie would sell too if she haven't retired. For some reasons, Ayu is now seen as an as-been by the common Japanese people, she is more like a Nakamori Akina than a Seiko Matsuda.

If you want to compare Ayu with Seiko you need to checks how Seiko was doing during the second decade of her carrer and you will see she barely reached the top 10 back then so Ayu is doing all right considering everything... her albums still reach the top 5 etc...

There are plenty of reasons behind the decline of Ayu success but from what I get Japanese people seems to not like how her image/personality has evolved they don’t recognize the singer they once liked... She is a bit misunderstood it’s a bit sad because in the end I think she is more authentic now than when she debuted with this kind of «pretty pony~fake cute imagepretty pony~» she portrayed back then. She is a strong independant woman and don't follows the norms ... in a coutry like Japan where not following the norms is frowned upon...nothing surprising.

[URANUS]

Originally Posted by mizuki-7

If you want to compare Ayu with Seiko you need to checks how Seiko was doing during the second decade of her carrer and you will see she barely reached the top 10 back then so Ayu is doing all right considering everything... her albums still reach the top 5 etc...

That is an excellent point. I just took a peek at Seiko's discography and her sales were horrific during the early 00's. (When Ayu was dominating the whole industry).

I think Ayu's career trajectory is going to be very different than Seiko's and the others. She is one of a kind because she is "THE best selling solo artist in Japanese history" so there is a bit of expectation from her.

I do feel that the next A COMPLETE or A BEST will do amazing numbers though. I just think that Ayu should release a HIT single before releasing another compilation.

[Evan Odinson]

Also Hikki and Namie both have collaborations with huge anime/series such as Evangelion, One Piece and Kingdom Hearts that are popular not only in Japan but world-wide, you can't convice me that doesn't help in sales/streams, Ayu's last big collaboration was with the Tales Of Series but tbh it's not that popular outside of Japan. Hikki and Namie's songs are great on their own but if you add those big anime/games names to them, of course they're going to sell more, at least that's what I think.