Reborn Japan for entertainment

Chapter 393
"So, what's your opinion?"

Following Kitano Kenji's inquiry, everyone in the conference room began to think hard.

After a while, the artist director of Universal Music, Uekawa, spoke first.

"We can send our singers to stop him!"

This suggestion seems to be a very good suggestion.

However, anyone who clearly recognizes the enormous influence Kiyoshi Sakamoto wields knows that this is a bad idea.

Especially for Universal Music.

You know, Kiyoshi Sakamoto, who has monopolized the annual Oricon album chart for three consecutive years, is already a new force in the music world that is very close to the king of the music world.

In order to stop such singers, apart from resorting to several big singers in the music world, such as Ayumi Hamasaki, Hikaru Utada, Namie Amuro, or top singers like SMAP and GLAY, there will be some effect.

However, sadly, there is no such person under Universal. . .

Do not!
Yes there is.

Fukuyama Masaharu, and DREAMS COME TRUE.

However, these two groups of singers are unlikely to take action against Kiyoshi Sakamoto.

Needless to say, Masaharu Fukuyama.

As Sakamoto Kiyoshi's teacher, and because Kitano Kenji refused, the relationship between him and Sakamoto Kiyoshi's collaboration single, and the relationship between Fukuyama Masaharu and Universal is deteriorating at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Let him take a shot to stop Kiyoshi Sakamoto?
impossible!
And DREAMS COME TRUE, who joined Universal in 2003, as one of the most famous groups in the 90s, DREAMS COME TRUE, can be said to be a band that everyone in Japan knows.

This is due to their peak period in the late 80s and early 90s. The singles and albums released by them have catchy and positive lyrics and other big selling factors, which led to DREAMS COME TRUE becoming the No. [-] Japanese singer in the total sales list. The prestige of five.

In 1989, the sales volume of the second album "LOVE GOES ON..." and the third album "Wonder3" both exceeded one million.

The fourth album "MILLION KISSES" to the eighth album "LOVE UNLIMITED∞" achieved a sales breakthrough of 200 million copies, especially the fifth album "The Swinging Star" released in 1992, which became the first sales breakthrough in Japanese history The record creator of 300 million copies.

It is conceivable how prosperous the record market in the 90s was during the heyday of the Japanese music scene.

However, such an orchestra, after entering the new century, the old style of music and the rise of various new music forces have also made it a victim of the torrent of the times.

In addition, in October last year, the husband of the lead singer Yoshida Miwa passed away, which caused Yoshida Miwa to stop all music activities.

Therefore, the only two groups of singers who could pose a threat to Sakamoto Kiyoshi were unable to make a move due to various reasons. . .

However, even so, as soon as this suggestion came out, everyone could clearly see that Kitano Kenji's eyebrows stretched a bit compared to just now.

This is a signal.

On behalf of Kenji Kitano, he is interested in this proposal.

As mentioned above, as a "puppet" elected by the board of directors, Kenji Kitano is just a layman with great ability in management and finance.

Rather than an insider who knows a lot about records and the entertainment industry.

If he was an expert, he would definitely not think that the "blocking" plan proposed by the artist director had any possibility of being feasible. . .

And this Director Shangchuan is also a confidant who was cultivated by Kitano Kenji after he took office.

The artist director who took office was a confidant of the former president Ichiro Yamazaki, so Kenji Kitano, who has been appointed as the new official, will inevitably clean up his staff.

That's why, when everyone heard Director Shangchuan's suggestion, there was no rebuttal.

Because, the people sitting in this conference room were either newcomers who were promoted by Kenji Kitano, or old courtiers left by the former Ichiro Yamazaki, who Kenji Kitano was not easy to clean.

The former would definitely not refute people from his faction; while the latter, although he knew that this suggestion was unreliable, had no intention of reminding Kenji Kitano.

After all, if Kitano Kenji hit a snag on Kiyoshi Sakamoto, veteran officials like them would be happy to see it.

They can't wait for Kitano Kenji, an amateur, to fall hard on Sakamoto Kiyoshi, and then be fired by the board of directors. . .

Therefore, it was such a coincidence that Kitano Kenji rashly prepared to attack without a clear understanding of the enemy's strength at all.

Such a reckless plan seems to have seen its end. . .

. . .

"continue."

Director Shangchuan, who was encouraged by the boss, continued.

"Recently, our company is preparing to release new song singers. There are three groups, namely mihimaru GT, perfume, and GReeeeN."

"We can bring forward the date when these three groups of singers will release new singles, and release the film at the same time as Kiyoshi Sakamoto, so as to attract the public's attention to these three groups of singers."

While talking, the director Shangchuan showed a rather smug expression.

"These three groups of artists have different music audiences. This will inevitably add three more choices to the shelves in the CD store. This will undoubtedly make buyers hesitate. If coupled with the effect of hype, It can definitely achieve the goal of reducing the sales of Kiyoshi Sakamoto's album!"

This Shangchuan also knows the information of the singers under his banner like the palm of his hand, and obviously made an advance investigation for this meeting.

He is not like Kitano Kenji, who only blindly annoys and targets Sakamoto Kiyoshi.

After some investigation, he felt that, judging from Sakamoto Kiyoshi's current momentum, it was almost invincible.

However, he is also a very ambitious and confident person.

In his opinion, this is a task ordered by the president.

If the effect of blocking can be achieved, not much, even if there is only a little bit, he can explain to Kenji Kitano.

Therefore, after careful consideration, he came up with such a solution:

Since there are not enough cafes, let's make up the quantity! ! !
As long as there are more singers who release songs at the same time, it will inevitably distract the public's attention. Coupled with the hype and big things, it will definitely divert the public's attention from Kiyoshi Sakamoto to some extent.

This is what he thinks!
And this idea is very suitable for Kenji Kitano.

In his opinion, no matter how powerful Sakamoto Kiyoshi is, he is just a young man who debuted for four years.

In front of Universal, one of the four major record companies in the world, he is just an ant.

Now, if I want to suppress you, you can only obediently be suppressed by me.

He was even thinking, "I have sent three groups of singers under my banner to stop you, which shows how much I value you. If this is the case, you will be convinced to lose..."

However, he didn't even think about it. With mihimaru GT, perfume, and GReeeeN, the three groups of singers who can't be called the first line, it is impossible to stop Kiyoshi Sakamoto, who is only one step away from the king.

It has to be said that Kenji Kitano, who has a background in finance, was pushed out by Universal's board of directors. From the very beginning, he did not have the ability and courage to become the president of a record company.

. . . . . .

After the meeting, while Kiyoshi Sakamoto's album was on sale, Universal Music sold it!

In just a few days, the three groups of singers under Universal released their latest singles and albums.

On March 3th, the sixth album "mihimaru rise" of mihimaru GT, which once caused a sensation with the song "Going Home" was released!

On March 3, the electronic music group perfume, known as the "near-future electronic synthesis music group", released its first album "GAME"!

On March 3st, which is the last day of March, the mysterious harmony group GReeeeN, which debuted for only one year, opened the prelude to Sakamoto Kiyoshi VS Universal with its seventh single "キセキ"!
At a time when many singers have evaded and postponed the release date, even the pre-sale sales of Kiyoshi Sakamoto's album have exceeded 150 million copies.

Such a big move by Universal is undoubtedly telling the world that I am targeting Kiyoshi Sakamoto.

This made the entire Japanese music scene focus on the two industry giants Sony and Universal.

They are all looking forward to seeing how Kiyoshi Sakamoto and Sony will respond to Universal's move?

Is it Kiyoshi Sakamoto, who has already gained momentum, ignoring any obstacles and targets, and continues to sweep the music world; or is he frustrated by Universal's big move?
However, before the two record companies went head-to-head, Kiyoshi Sakamoto's album's first-week sales figures were released. . .

. . .

4 month 1 number.

Tuesday night.

Oricon's weekly sales figures are usually released on Tuesday afternoon.

But on this day, Kiyoshi Sakamoto was not at Sony Music, waiting for his first week of sales, but was recording "SMAPxSMAP" in the studio of Fuji TV.

Since the end of 2006, when Johnny and Sony began to make friends, the relationship between the two artists has gradually become familiar.

Kiyoshi Sakamoto, Goko Arashi, and SMAP are all very close friends.

Especially Kimura Takuya, the "star who doesn't surf and dies", in a conversation, Sakamoto Kiyoshi accidentally expressed his interest in surfing. Since then, every time he goes surfing, he will call Sakamoto Kiyoshi.

Sakamoto Kiyoshi was also curious, so he went with him several times.

This undoubtedly made Kimura Takuya feel more fond of this young man who can be his own son even more.

No, after learning that Sakamoto's fresh album is about to be released, let the program group of "SMAPxSMAP" invite him to the program to promote it.

During the intermission, Sakamoto Kiyoshi asked Uncle Ishida who was standing beside him while drinking water, "Ah! By the way, is today the Oricon ranking opening day?"

"That's right, I just wanted to tell you about this..." Uncle Ishida took out a small notebook from his trouser pocket, "When you were recording just now, I received a call from the company."

"Oh? What's the sales volume?" Although Kiyoshi Sakamoto knew that judging from his pre-sale sales, the sales volume in the first week would definitely not be too bad, but Universal's actions also made him wonder about his first week sales. Sales have improved a little bit.

"Sales are..."

　I'm going to hit three!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)