Some Questions (^_^)

[momo1124.livejournal.com]

Dear Minna-san,

Konichiwa. First time posting in this community. Just want to ask some questions (that are not really arashi-related; MODs Please don't come and kill me) because I am dying for some answers...Hope minna will help me~ Arigatou in advance!

I am actually an arashi fan living in Southeast Asia (SEA) region (If you are curious, it's singapore), and in this area, fans usually purchase albums of singers they like (be it chinese/english/korean/japanese) that usually included about 10 songs...

I don't know whether is it a trend here or not but people in SEA region (For example, in singapore/China) do usually only buy albums and not singles like those sold in Japan (Actually singles are seldom seen in the market here except for japanese music ones). 

Hence, I was just wondering why Japan has this trend of buying singles of singers...You know, like everytime arashi will only release a single that consist about 3 songs and only release a album like once in about 2-3 years? I know that these singles are actually quite costly, and since the songs from the singles will eventually be in the albums, why would people in Japan still want to buy singles?
If fans collect every single of for example, arashi, then wouldn't there be tons of CDs in their houses?

I am just so curious about this buying of singles trend in japan. (Even the Oricon chart is a singles sales chart)
Anyone cares to enlighten me? Thanks alot if you know anything, anything at all, about this subject matter.

To MODs: Delete this if it's not allowed, because I know that this not really related to arashi-stuff but I can't seen to be able to find other places to post these questions except to fellow other arashi-fans around the globe...

P.S. If these questions had already been asked, please direct me to the answers' page, Thanks!!

Comments

[lovestormbaby.livejournal.com]

actually i am pretty confused about it once before, but now that you mention it, it came back into my mind. (i'm studying in singapore btw)
actually this is only my theory but seeing the price of albums in japan, it's pretty costly. like the arashi albums in HMV(if you have actually seen them, they cost over 70 bucks each). i think singles are more affordable and not all singles' songs actually made it to the album. only few in fact. plus there are karaoke?
i'm really making this theory myself. so please correct me if i'm wrong

[abigaillau.livejournal.com]

oh cool! i lived in Singapore too. haha. for me, i think it's because the fans wanted to support the band or singers. if they sell singles in singapore too. i'll definitely buy them too. buying their singles or albums equals to supporting them and giving them moral support, you see. when you are really into the band or singer, you wouldn't mind buying the singles and albums and stacking the CDs all around the house.

anyway, this is just my own view of why people buy singles even though they know the songs will eventually be in the albums. hope this helps. (:

[x-evelyn-x.livejournal.com]

from what i know, in singles not all songs will be on the album. their album is more like a compilation added with a quite a few songs that won't appear on the single itself.
i think its okie to keep the CDs, and the size for a single isn't that big (esp RE. Usually they only come out with like 3 singles a year?
hope this helps. ^_^

[missmomoko.livejournal.com]

Well I don't know if I'm really answering the question but there usually music charts of the best selling songs in countries.You know like the top 40 singles countdown e.t.c. Sometimes you have the charts for best album. I'd be surprised if Singapore didn't have their own charts with local artists (and global ones like Beyonce e.t.c). Selling singles has just been the way of the music industry.

I know imported Japanese singles are just as pricey in Singapore! (The albums are wayyyy too much in HMV). So it wouldn't make sense for Singaporeans to buy those especially for just three songs. I'm guessing in Japan, the price is not as expensive for singles. They don't have to deal with a heavy import tax e.t.c. so buying a single is worth it for them!

[nccgal89.livejournal.com]

agree with all...[btw i'm also frm SG~]

the reason ppl buy singles, there are few reasons to it...

1. Songs that is in Singles will not be in album...Like for example: Though 'Step and Go' has its single and also came out in 'Dream A Live', the second song 'Fuyu no Dakishimete' didn't and only can be found in the single.

2. LE singles come with Special bonus features sometimes and RE singles comes with instrumentals...where as in albums, there's no instrumentals or PV attached to it...

3. To support the artiste..yea any singles sales will be counted into Oricon chart though sumtymes it desn't seems like a big deal but it actuali is cos it wil show the successfulness of the artiste and the songs they produced...

well this is just my opinions and it might be right or it might be wrong...

[nogah.livejournal.com]

Interesting question! I think:

1. Sometimes an artist you're not a fan of has only one song you like; you don't want to buy the whole album, since it's only that one song and an album is expensive, so you buy the single.

2. The whole singles thing started way before you could download songs on the net - you like the song and you can't wait another year or two for the album to come out? buy the single.

3. Some fans love to collect stuff from artists they like. If I could afford to buy every original first edition, special edition etc arashi makes, I'd love that.

4. In Japan you get the karaoke version, so it's good for karaoke bars.

Other then that, not every single makes it into the album, and almost every single has an extra song or two that definitely won't make it into the album.

[annezca.livejournal.com]

one of the reason is that not all the songs in the singles will be featured in the album

and in the instance of singles, there's the REGULAR EDITION and THE LIMITED EDITION

regular usually contains the single song plus a side-b song (that is usually isnt included in the album)

LE usually contains the single song plus a freebie (which usually includes the PV video or PV making nowadays)

soo.. if you want the B side and the freebie, people usually also buys the singles--- besides from the reasons stated above.

[green-yeti.livejournal.com]

Hello, SG fan here. I buy from CDjapan, HMV is just too overpriced.

I think it probably has to do with marketing structure. Usually artists go and record a whole album of songs and release it once a year like what Western artists do, but Japanese artists apparently don't seem to have that many songs per year in the first place.

I guess maybe because of demand? There are so many US artists and they are competing against the global market whereas Japanese artists mainly market to their own country? It's like Western artists (or Chinese artists for the matter), their albums are sold around the world or at least around Asia and they have a HUGE section in music shops and the iconic ones like lady Gaga, etc., even if they disappear for awhile, when they come out with an album years later people will still buy it because it's distinct.

But comparing Japanese albums/singles, they aren't THAT popular globally and probably primarily Japanese artists produce for Japan. Like it takes awhile for them to have a US debut or world debut, etc. So...if they spent all their time in hiding, producing an album, I think they can't really afford to do that. Probably also because they're kinda similar and they bank on personality more than music style. And their fanbase is just not big enough as compared to the US artists to support them so that they can sell their CDs cheaper.

That's my 2 cents. :)

I'll buy their singles because I can't wait 5 years for their album to come out but their album is good for people new to the fandom, or to consolidate and say "this is what we've been doing for the past few years!"

[madongaku.livejournal.com]

single or album?
for the music industry, its actually a technical & economical reasoning.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CD_single

Japan folo U.S closely in everything and dat includes the music industry. Even though single is on a decline in the west, it is still huge in Japan. Japan being the world's no.2 biggest music industry after U.S, its a huge feat!

[aly2.livejournal.com]

Your comment on Japan being the 2nd largest music industry answered a question that was always on my mind - why is it that Asian artists like to break into the Jpop scene =)

[j-halo7.livejournal.com]

I personally think it's the artists way of satisfying fans while waiting for an album. Like you mentioned, some artists take 2-3 years to release an album so there's a chance they'll lose fans during the wait. But if they release singles every few months, fans are kept satisfied while waiting and they get to earn more money too.

Another reason in my opinion is because of tie-ins to CMs, dramas, animes or whatever else. For example if a song is used for a drama, the best time to sell the song would be while the drama is airing because it brings exposure to the song. If artists only use this selling factor many months later when they release it in an album, the interest in the song probably isn't as much as when the drama is airing which means less money earned too.

There are a few other reasons too but I think they've been mentioned above. As for me, I'm more than happy to fork out money for singles and buy the albums later on too. :)

[eggchan.livejournal.com]

what the person above me said.. *points*

and also they just make way more money using that system.. so that's the way the Japanese market has always been.

[aly2.livejournal.com]

Personally, I would fork out money for the single as it is more affordable compared to the album. But of course, if I calculate the cost per song, buying the album would make sense. Unfortunately, paying close to a hundred seems to be more extravagant than paying $30+ for the single.

[saraufc.livejournal.com]

I dont know also and I actually think its pretty annoying.. Because, the fact is, if you're a fan you'll eventually want to buy all singles and albums and you'll end up poor.

I dont live in Asia, so to me is really expensive to buy anything, so if I have to choose I'll definetely choose albums, 'cause I think its too expensive to buy a single with just 2 or 3 songs (except if it comes with dvd or anything)..

There are 2 reasons that I think fans would want singles (it applies to me):
1. The B-side songs that dont make it to the albums (some of them are specially good! Im a Kanjani8 fan and for their singles, for example, B-sides are always better than the main song in the single, so they make it worthy)
2. The pamphlets with nice and cute pics (if the single comes with a nice booklet, its definetely a plus for me to buy it!).

But I think its just a way for the industry to make more money until the artist ca release a full album, I think that's the main reason.. And of course the fans buy it, so it works..

[karened.livejournal.com]

True, I've never came across singles till I got into the jpop scene....For cpop there are EPs...

Well, I guess it's really common in jpop. People do buy singles there, and they buy them like they do albums. That's why singles, like albums, can go out of stock. I'm from Singapore too but I buy all the arashi releases. Singles, albums, dvds....and you know how they have like 2 (LE and RE) editions per release, and for some singles, 3? Yeah when I first started I bought everything...but now, due to a lack of space (lol, not funds) I buy the LE only. So, I have like tons of cds at home. Many single includes b-sides that are much better than the a-side, which will be included in an album in the future! Of course this is not representative of all fans coz I have friends who only buy the album.

[ofs1992.livejournal.com]

but you know japan having singles remind me of those 50's and 60's music. my mom still has those old big discs and 45's (i think they're called) and they just contain 2-3 songs. haha way from what you're asking huh?

[(Anonymous)]

well its like what everybody said...its because of the extra special stuffs and that they are not usually included in the album.....i believe this is also the same trend in the UK, since, back in my heydays, i have been collecting Boyzones' singles and albums.....and yeah, you would be having quite a lot of CDs but its fun LOL