I think in the past two albums, the songs ayumi have written are Wonderland/Will...which both are horrid by the way...she needs to create a full album of "LOVE" like Utada, she puts "LOVE" into her work. Ayumi puts "MUSIC" into her work...

LOL I'm just kidding ya'll...

I hope she puts out A ROCK though...oh they're still horrid

Haha, I think that sums up exactly what fandom is about. ;)

Also, I'm still waiting for A B-Sides. :D

i like her songs now more than those previously.. she exposes herself to various kinds of music which i like them!

So very true. Sometimes we just expect too much from our idols, or want them to do what WE want.

Personally, I think she's gone through quite a lot of changes since A BEST, though I think that these changes may have alienated some old fans and brought in some new ones. It's been really interesting to see how her entire career has developed so far. I find it more interesting than other artistes who keep repeating the same old formula for success throughout their entire career.

Wow, this means that I've been an Ayu fan for five years now!

Although Ayu's music has changed, and I do enjoy her past work more then her more recent stuff, maybe one day I'll look back to "MY STORY" and "(miss)understood" and enjoy them more than I do today.

Maybe it's not an excuse. Maybe we DO like her older stuff. Which I think would be perfectly normal. We don't have to love her recent stuff as much or more than her older stuff. It's not our fault if we think her older stuff sounded better. It's personal taste.



I think "Humming 7/4" is actually in the best songs from "MY STORY".

And the reason why people hated "MY STORY" more than "(miss)understood" even though there's more Ayu-composed songs, it's because they judged the album overally. Not just the song Ayu-composed.

asongforXX is exactly right. We're not "finding any reason to think about the 'good days.'"

To me, Ayu dropped off after 2000, with good songs here and there. A Song for XX, LOVEppears, and Duty are all incredible albums, and I love them.

And where do people come off saying CREA is a good composer along with "I am..." being a good album? I am... is completely overrated.

I am...IS INDEED A GREAT ALBUM...it is the album with our NUMBER ONE FAVORITE M...after that it's MISSUNDERSTOOD WITH STEP YOU...THEN WE GET TO...

Well M is the reigning champion still...I am is not overrated, we just seem to like a lot of songs somewhy

True :D I guess people in fandoms, whether it's movies or books can never be completely satified (and HP fandom, I'm completely looking at you).

I've always enjoy CREA compositions myself, but my favourite is CREA+Dai :D Also I guess the part with people loving I am... as an album because (well, IMO it's a really good album...but that's just me) I think it's somewhat of a turning point of Ayu's career. Her style of composition changed, as well as writing lyrics changed, and her voice changed. She became more "mature" overall. It caused her to lose some fans and gain new ones.

Wow...5 years since A BEST... man I'm old either that or I've been an Ayu fan for longer than I can remember.

Do you think if Ayu were to suddenly come up with a A BEST 2, it will break records???

If it will happen, then i seriously think Ayu should do so...Though money isnt an impt issue now but i feel that it affects the singer in one way or another. Maybe they should have online polls on AYu's official website! Then people can post their views or something.

Ayu has definitely grown and matured. her voice has become more powerful and her concerts and performances are still top. Unless another BEST album will bring in money and hype, i think she should just continue with her present style. I guess, no matter what she does, i will still support her and love her.

Why are you yelling at me? I am... isn't that amazing.

I don't mean to attack you but you can't really say the M is our number one favorite because M is not mine and it may not be others number one favorite either.

M isnt my number 1 favourite now although it was a few years back. M is too overrated. i see no speciality in it.. the way she performs this song is the same forever.

Keep in mind that Ayu wasn't a professional composer. Also keep in mind that there is a difference between "composer" and "arranger" The composer comes up with the tune and the arranger puts the instruments and mixes the song. So I really don't blame Ayu for Humming 7/4. In fact, I enjoy it. It has energy.

But I do agree that something has been lacking with Ayu recently. I became a fan in 2003 and I was blown away with songs like 'Because of you' and 'No way to Say' and I also loved all of her old songs because although I didn't know what she was singing about, she still drew me in. I think between A Best and now, Ayu has improved vocally, but doesn't use it to her full potential which is why some of her songs are coming short for me. I think that was the problem with the MY STORY album as well as (miss)understood.
With some few exceptions here and there. Although I admire that she is trying something new, I just feel that she isn't...I don't know...trying hard enough? Because she knows that everything she makes will hit number one anyways. She's even recycled some lyrics and her lyrics haven't really touched me like they have in the past. I think Ayu needs some new inspiration. I just wasn't feeling some of (miss)understood. I felt that it was too rushed and not much thought was put into it.

I finally listened to all of 'Duty'. It left me speechless. It's an incredible piece of art that is flawed only by the cheetah theme. It really is the best thing Ayumi has made so far. But putting just the singles onto a best album is a real let-down after such an awe-inspiring album. A BEST was just a horrible ploy by avex. .-.

Since A BEST, there was the disappointingly mediocre 'I am...', the awesome comeback with 'RAINBOW' (And good CREA compositions), the awesome piece of art 'Memorial address', the so-so 'MY STORY' and the varied '(miss)understood'. Currently, with her last single, Ayu's stuck in a passionless pop pit, so hopefully she'll wow me next time with #40. I think she's still alive and kicking, and I have some crazy feeling that she'll do something amazing for her next album (Startin'/Born to Be aside), like the real return of CREA. :)

I say CREA and Kunio Tago (SCAR & Key) should dominate the next album, and I'm still hoping she'll bring back the Hawaii album.

I think I am... was the moment when avex pushing her so hard. I mean, whatever she released was a no. 1 hit for sure. Avex (or even ayu herself) didn't really care how similar the songs were. Rainbow... I just dunno, I still dun like the album that much compared to MY STORY or even (m)u. I agree that Startin' is such a passionless pop even tho the lyric is quite good. Probly the pv kinda ruins the value of the song :P.

So yeah our conclusion is that hopefully the 40th is a totally blow off single... :D

I fully agree. The cheetah theme is probably Duty's biggest flaw. While the album's brilliant (my favourite Ayu album by a longshot), the artwork is just terrible.

Haha. I should take all the lyrics from 'Duty' and transfer them onto 'Memorial address'. Wow. That would be a perfect album. ^_^