Call it a mystery or pure bad luck, but due to inexplicable circumstances (or someone just way too keen), 北ウィング lost out on the No. 1 coveted spot on the Oricon Chart in January 1984.
According to this site, if one observed the chart for 1984.1.9, which collects sales data for the week ending 1983.12.26, 北ウィング makes its debut on No.2 on its first week on the Oricon chart, selling 8.5万枚, losing out to eventual 1984 sales champ もしも明日か。。。by わらべ. Call it bad luck.
If you look at the chart closely, you will notice that 北ウィング is the only single released on 1984.1.1.
Now, let’s look at the next chart, which collects sales data for following two weeks (as Japan shuts down for the New Year). You will see that 北ウィング sold more (two week total) at 12.3万枚, but still insufficient to defeat the champ.
However, look at the sole new entry that week -クライマックス御一緒に by あんみつ姫 (小泉今日子). The release date for that single is the same as 北ウィング (1984.1.1), which means that 北ウィング’s entry in the previous chart was premature.
Somehow, Oricon had calculated 北ウィング’s sales in advance and charted it early, causing 北ウィング to miss out on the coveted No. 1 spot, which it would have because its combined sales would have been 20.8万枚, eclipsing もしも明日か。。。and entering at No.1.
What caused this? An over eager staff member releasing the single for sales earlier and Oricon punishing Warner? An over zealous Seiko fan who was working at Oricon? I guess we will never know. It’s unfair but there’s nothing we can do to correct “history”.
The only saving grace is that 北ウィング topped ザ・ベストテン chart for 5 weeks, which is a more definitive chart of sorts because it tabulated airplay requests as well.
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