Just because... Visual merchandising in a Japanese CD shop: The sabotage of Ayumi Hamasaki

One thing about Japan when to comes to music stores is that unless you are a big name, record stores will NOT care about you. They will dedicate an entire wall, a table outside the shop, a whole fucking floor to your CD if you are a popular artist; which is entirely understandable. But also frustrating if you are looking for a particular CD by an artist who isn't either Ayumi Hamasaki, AKB48 or Arashi. More so when you ask a member of staff where "Sorry, can you tell me where [Insert flop artist]'s new album is?" and they can't tell you.

On my last trip to Japan, EVERYWHERE was plastered with Ayu's A Summer best. I ain't got time for that shit. So I decided to do some visual merchandising in Tsutaya to help the Queen Les Miserables of Okinawa push more units of Uncontrolled.

I am the reason A Summer best did not go to number 1 and Namie owned the ORICON charts for weeks on end with her Engrish classic.