A method of reproducing data from an information storage medium having a plurality of recording layers, each layer having a user data area, on which data is recordable by a pickup. A first amount of data is reproduced from a recording layer located closest to the pickup and lesser amounts of data than the first amount of data are reproduced from other ones of the plurality of recording layers. The amount of data reproduced from each of the other ones of the plurality of recording layers progressively decreases from the recording layer closest to the pickup to a recording layer farthest from the pickup.