this.

i swear i read this same ayu popularity conversation/debate at least every couple months. it's always with the same few people too lol

LOL she is still one of the most popular singers in japan anyway :rolleyes

We Enjoy great discussions. :D

We bring each other our points and opinions in a civil way and there's nothing better in a forum than such a discussion (if you exclude talking about ayu new releases *_*).

:shrug

sure, her latest album didn't sell much, but her singles still sell steady (MW, D/G - 190k, R/S - 140k).
Ayu has been in the industry for a long time and still selling well for today's standards. and I think that the only solo female artists who can do that are Ayu, Namie & Utada.

ofcourse there's the young, new generation of great top selling girls like YUI & ayaka, and I love them alot, but we have yet to see if they are still on top after 10 years.
as for Koda Kumi, she started of weak, was a best selling artists for 2 years thanks to her 2 best-of albums.. her singles never sold much. and now her latest single sales are kind of laughable again. she's definitly not on the same level as Ayu, Namie & Utada (imo)

some of you guys should stop worrying so much, if she doesn't get a #1 single, so what?
I do kind of agree with the guy saying that she should take a break, just for a little while.
so she can get more involved in her music again, but if she likes her current sound who am I to tell her different lol

on topic: I hope we get covers soon :P

I think they are trying to maximize profits by not promoting her much. It's like she's well known in Japan that she doesn't need to be up and everywhere anymore, but it's clearly not the case. Look at Next Level, a chance to win box of tissues isn't really any incentive to buy the album... lol

We're already 19 pages deep, and it's not even a week after this thread was created!? You sure are really discussing very much about this, all because of the Fukuyama threat...

I hate when people say Ayu is not popular anymore. You tell me, which other top singers sell so much more than her? God, Kumi is in the same range and Ai has fallen way below (sadly). Everyone is suffering.

i'm so stumped and curious about how the covers will look. especially since she said this:
i mean.. how could it be so different than anything she's done so far? i really don't get it. unless it actually didn't have her on the cover x_x but i don't think it could be that or else there wouldn't be so many changeable jacket card things, IDK.

^ lol, or maybe like these..

http://www.mypsptubes.com/images/han/psp6245m.jpg

http://i36.tinypic.com/1jam1s.jpg

XDDDD

I have nothing against Koda Kumi. I was just disputing the point that someone said no one says any other artists are looked down on in Japan.

I think Ayu is in a moment of her career when she is still singing because she loves it and because she wants, not because she needs it (money-wise I mean) And because of that I think she doesn't care a lot about singles, sales, streeks, records, etc... and that now she's free to make and sing the music she wants to and focus more on singing in fron of her fans rather than promoting herself... not that her previous music is something she didn't wanted, but I think that avex had more power over Ayu than nowadays... it's like ayu is in her own way...

So well... as others said, if she keeps singing, I'm happy, no need anything more ^^

_____________

And about the covers, now I read again what Ayu said I wonder what she hasn't done already... XDD I think S/S covers came on friday... I hope we'll have them this friday!

yes, I know.. I have the matter closed ^^
this is the ayu thread after all, so..

I WANT THE COVERS AND PREVIEWS!!! :weep

I'm just wondering about how the cover will be - with her dark hair? I don't know how it will be...

i'm getting impatient :grumpy

nothing new.. :cry

In a positive manner, it's kind of good that we don't get the covers, rips and stuff already (or even just covers), by the time the single would be released, it would be overplayed and the covers will start to appear normal (even if we would really love them). xD
Getting all the stuff in just 3 weeks is better than in 4 or 5. =P

Aa, I see you guys had the "Ayumi isn't liked in Japan anymore" debate again, lol. I won't participate this time. It's pointless to debate against something so ridiculously untrue, lol. :thud

This is a very good point. I don't think, either, that Ayumi cares a whole lot about being at the very top. Of course she cares for her success and wants to continue her records and streaks if at all possible, but the most important thing for her right now is just singing, for her fans and for anybody who'll listen. I'm sure she's content with her place right now (how could she not be--she's still definitely one of the biggest artists in Japan). We should probably stop worrying so much about her sales, or even where she is on the charts, at least for now. If she starts selling 50k singles and barely makes it into the top ten for a debut, THEN we can start worrying. D:


Anyways... I assume we'll get some sort of leak next week. I don't mind, as long as we get something. I may not even listen to previews this time, so I'm just excited to see the covers, mostly. ^_^ And I agree with what you said there, Israel. ^ :yes