Flying over the bubble era

Chapters 1568 and 1569. Manipulating Emotions
The methods of producing artists are largely the same; most of the time, they are simply adjusted in accordance with the development of the times and changes in the social atmosphere.

For profound changes to occur, first and foremost, the way mass media disseminates information needs a major overhaul. Until that moment arrives, the overall approach to debuting singers from the Showa and Heisei eras cannot be said to be fundamentally different.

The internet age is now brewing its arrival.

Shinichi Iwahashi enthusiastically told Mayumi Watanabe about people sharing album audio online. Mayumi's reaction, in contrast to his, was remarkably calm. She asked directly, "What is it that you want to say, Shinichi-kun?"

"Sharing is a virtue of humankind, and the Internet is a perfect channel for sharing."

Shinichi Iwahashi didn't mind the wariness that Mayumi Watanabe showed.

Whether it's memorizing music you've heard, singing it to others, or making copies with a tape recorder, it's all sharing. Each generation has its own way of sharing. The birth of the MP3 music format laid a solid foundation for internet sharing.

"Music will eventually lose its physical form, and not just music..."

“Perhaps,” Watanabe Mayumi interrupted Iwahashi Shinichi, “but you can’t be the one doing this, Shinichi-kun.”

This was the first time she had expressed her opinion before Shinichi Iwahashi revealed his true plans. Mayumi Watanabe was acutely aware of the complex workings of the entertainment industry and the intricate web of forces behind it, making her exceptionally sensitive.

Shinichi Iwahashi feigned surprise, "What can't I do?"

Watanabe Mayumi remained silent.

He asked himself and answered, "I know that Japan was a country that needed the Black Ships to open its doors."

"You know that much. ... The record industry and its related sectors are huge, needless to say. Behind it, there are forces from all sides sharing this pie."

Over decades of operation, the Japanese entertainment industry has developed a tightly integrated system. Countless gears work together, operating strictly according to the "rules."

All associations and systems are created to maintain these rules.

In this context, the rise of the internet meant an "invasion" for the Japanese entertainment industry. New methods of communication meant that the existing, seemingly unshakeable, might become vulnerable. No force would allow this to become a reality.

...unless, when the tide turns and there is no way to avoid it.

"The wheels of time roll ever onward, and no one can stop them. When they finally reach the point where they can no longer be stopped, a new era will naturally arrive. But before that, anyone who tries to meet this wheel is undoubtedly a traitor."

Mayumi Watanabe seemed to be making some kind of prophecy about the future.

When Shinichi Iwahashi made this connection, he couldn't help but laugh. "It sounds like we need to choose a good time to surrender."

"So, what were you trying to say just now?" Watanabe Mayumi asked casually, launching a surprise attack.

Shinichi Iwahashi looked at her and thought, "I want to say 'I admire you.'" He admired her for how quickly she could change her expression.

"Just out of 'admiration'?"

Watanabe Mayumi's casual remark put an end to Iwahashi Shinichi's teasing attempt.

He replied, "Let's put aside what the internet will bring for now. I'm just thinking, if records are going to lose their physical form, how will we, as industry professionals, maintain our connection with the public? Can we expect to make better music?"

The increasingly elaborate arrangements, to some extent, are a sign that there's nothing more to write about melodies. The outline of a new era is looming, and the impact on the record industry is unavoidable. Even the most exquisitely produced music will one day be abandoned, not even for reasons like "physical records aren't portable enough," but simply because the public no longer likes new music.

Mayumi Watanabe grasped the key point: "What level of music is better music?" If the public has lost interest in music, how can you offer your love to someone who doesn't need it?

"So, the question will eventually lead to an answer. Records will become a byproduct of liking a star."

Popular trends may change in various ways, but the feeling of liking someone remains the same. Creating a superhero-like idol, in essence, is about getting the audience to like the star themselves more than they like the star's music.

In the past, people would buy records of singers they liked if they enjoyed a particular type of music.

In the future, it will be an era where people will buy records of celebrities they like in order to support them.

"Is this your reason for launching Ayu?" Mayumi Watanabe asked.

Shinichi Iwahashi shook his head. "It's more accurate to say that it was because I was living in this era that I understood why Ayu exists." On his journey to create a super idol, he figured out why Ayumi Hamasaki became a superstar.

"Light, thin, short, and small are concepts that were proposed and widely used in the 1980s, and can be said to represent the values ​​of Japanese lifestyle culture."

Shinichi Iwahashi explained, "The evolution of the record industry has also developed in this direction."

Portable CD players or 8cm singles embody the concept of "light, thin, short, and small." However, taking this concept to its extreme has ironically become a constraint on development.

Take portable media players as an example. Japanese manufacturers' portable CD players were unstoppable, dominating the market. Companies like Sony and Panasonic also had strong ties to the record industry. Therefore, when new forms of mass media emerged, allowing them to enter meant that decades of hard work would be impacted.

In terms of portability, nothing is more portable than the future of digital music.

However, the complexity of the Japanese market makes it difficult for it to expand digitally. Light, thin, short, and small will reach their bottleneck. Just like increasingly elaborate music arrangements, within limited conditions, no matter how much you try, the effect will be extremely limited.

Shinichi Iwahashi declared: "Therefore, I will go against the grain and abandon this concept. With Ayu's debut, I will release a gorgeous, profound, and unprecedented single."

Breaking away from the convention of one main single and one or two C/W tracks, the singles were produced with the standards of a mini-album. Each song featured a lavish music video and high-quality inner pages.

"In this new era, portability may not be so important. Television ratings have risen sharply because people are staying home. But why are people staying home? It's certainly not just because of the high quality of television production."

On the one hand, in times of economic downturn, people cut back on spending and naturally tend to stay at home. On the other hand, in times of division, distrust between people increases, and the result of closing oneself off is retreating into one's own space.

As a result, portability is no longer as important as it used to be.

Of course, portability also means cost reduction, while pursuing luxury naturally increases costs. But compared to the benefits that come with it, this cost is nothing.

Ayumi Hamasaki, this superstar, can sell more than just music.

"Ayu's debut preparations couldn't be better. But she's missing that spark. Simply having the public like her isn't enough..."

Shinichi Iwahashi said, "I not only want the audience to love her, but also to hate her."

How do you give love to someone who doesn't need it?
The answer is: Let them hate.

Love and hate are two sides of the same coin.