Oricon - Weekly International Album Chart (25/4)

Weekly International Album Chart (Japan) - 25 April 2011

1. Avril Lavigne / Goodbye Lullaby
2. Radiohead / The King Of Limbs
3. Green Day / Awesome as Fuck
4. Sum 41 / Screaming Bloody Murder
5. Britney Spears / Femme Fatale
6. Foo Fighters / Wasting Lights
7. The Strokes / Angles
8. Bigbang / Bigbang - Special Edition-
9. PiNK / Greatest Hits
10. Chris Brown / F.A.M.E.

Source: http://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/wa/w/

US and UK No.1 album "Wasting Lights" by Foo Fighters reached to only #6 in this week's international album chart of Japan. Apart from that, there is little change in the chart so not many things needed to be mentioned here.

I just like to make a small note: traditionally Japan edition of an album has a Japanese album title. Please note it doesn't mean changing meanings of its original English title. The change is thought necessary to get Japanese listeners easily understand what the English title means. In the other word, you don't need a Japanese title if the original is very easy to understand like "I Love You" for non-English speakers like many of the Japanese. So Japanese titles are carefully named. Looking at this week's Top 10, Green Day's "Awesome as Fuck" is the one. Its Japanese title is called "Saikyo Live!". "Saikyo" means "Awesome","Incredible","Mega" or whatever words describing an feeling like "This live is the best!".

These days, however, I personally feel the majority of album titles don't have a Japanese title. How you feel about this trend would depend on how old you are. From my experience younger people prefer directly translated titles, whereas maybe over 40 or so people are more familiar with more freely translated ones.  I can guess how musicians feel about but, at the same time, I understand people who think Japanese titles are neccessary. Linguistic barrier is always a big matter to think about international music in Japan and how we overcome this is what I'm always thinking about...

Oricon - Weekly International Album Chart (18/4)

Weekly International Album Chart (Japan) - 18 April 2011

1. Radiohead / The King Of Limbs
2. The Strokes / Angles
3. Sum 41 / Screaming Bloody Murder
4. Britney Spears / Femme Fatale
5. Avril Lavigne / Goodbye LullabyAvril Lavigne / Goodbye Lullaby
6. Chris Brown / F.A.M.E.
7. PiNK / Greatest Hits
8. Within Temptation / The Unforgiving
9. Kim HyungJun / First Mini My Girl - Japan Edition -
10. Far East Movement / Free Wired

Source: http://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/wa/w/

We can see a high Top10 artist turnover this week. As explained before, many big releases went on sale in this chart week. There were pop&rock starts here such as The Strokes, Sum 41 and Britney Spears but it was Radiohead who ruled the chart with their new album"The King Of Limbs". Their 8th studio album actually failed to go straight to #1 in the UK and the US, although they had managed to do it with their last album "In Rainbows". It however won't necessarily mean this new album wasn't successful sales-wise. As you may know two digital versions of the album and deluxe box sets had already become all available on their merchandise site back in February. It can be assumed more people in both countries already got their own copy via the website so that fewer people might grab one from a local record shop for this time. In the meantime, I think the Japanese still prefers physical to digital. It might be one of the possible reasons why Radiohead succeeded in reaching #1 spot here in Japan.

I'm so happy to see two big indie bands in Top 10 this week as an indie rock fan. In Japan indie is not as popular as it is in the UK and states, despite the fact that there are so many bands coming to play and releasing records in Japan. Seeing any indie band in Top 10 is not something often happening. This week's chart battle should've been so bruising but two indie heroes led it. I expect we will see another high turnover next week. See what will happen next.

Oricon - Weekly International Album Chart (11/4)

Weekly International Album Chart (Japan) - 11 April 2011

1. Avril Lavigne / Goodbye Lullaby
2. PiNK / Greatest Hits
3. CNBLUE / First StepFact / Eat Your Words
4. Fact / Eat Your Words
5. Beady Eye / Different Gear, Still Speeding
6. Whitesnake / Forevermore 
7. The Strokes / Angles
8. In Paradisum / Symfonia
9. Lady Gaga / The Monster
10. Rihanna / Loud 

Source: http://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/wa/w/

Very few new releases for this week's Top 30 international album chart. As mentioned last time, most of the record companies pushed back release dates for new albums due for release in the second half of March due to the massive earthquake. These include new albums of Radiohead, Sum 41 and Britney Spears. All of these big releases all went on sale this week so we will see significant changes in the next week's album chart.

Oricon - Weekly International Album Chart (4/4)

Weekly International Album Chart (Japan) - 4 April 2011

1. Avril Lavigne / Goodbye Lullaby
2. Fact / Eat Your Words
3. PiNK / Greatest Hits
4. Beady Eye / Different Gear, Still Speeding
5. Lady Gaga / The Monster
6. Rihanna / Loud 
7. Rumer / Seasons of My Soul
8. Whitesnake / Forevermore
9. Bruno Mars / Doo-Wops ＆ Hooligans
10. Bigbang / Bigbang 4th Mini Album

Source: http://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/wa/w/

First of all, let me express my heartfelt sympathy to people suffering from the earthquake and tsunami in the Tohoku district. Most of my extended family members live in the area and suffered from the tragedy. Although all of them are alive and currently in safe hands, my grandmum's house (that means my dad's home) was hit hard by tsunami and swallowed everything there up. We my family are devastated and deeply saddened. However, we have to keep walking. Whereas damaged radiators in Fukushima have upset us, Tokyo and the western/southern part of Japan are safe and running as usual. I currently work as usual as many people in Tokyo do. It's time to go back to the routine of work. So I will from now on write blog posts as usual then.

Avril Lavigne has grabbed #1 spot with her new album "Goodbye Lullaby" 3 weeks in a row in the international album chart. Looking back over the first 3 chart weeks to catch up, the album had gone to #2 spot in all Japan album chart for its first chart week. Unlike other international acts, she is equally popular as widely known domestic artists and selling a number of records (that's why she is sometime cynically called "a Japanese female musician").

Due to the earthquake, most of the all album releases due in the second half of March have been delayed until the beginning of April. No significant changes in the album chart will be seen for the next couple of weeks. But keep your eye on this place and we will see some interesting moves soon!