Don't even mention Miley Cyrus.:puke
It will be old news in a few days anyways, it probably already is.
It's interesting that they care so much since Gackt and Ayu are supposed to be irrelevant nowadays.:roflmao:rolleyes

Thought the same! But who knows maybe in a few days there will be an article like this: "Ayumi Hamasaki's songs got 50 million illegal downloads! Singer is now the most successful artist Japan's with more than 103 million copies "sold"* and the first artist in Japan, to break the 100 million mark!" okay, no... But who knows...

Who knows...

*I know illegal download aren't "sold"

To be honest.... now we can claim Ayu has sold over 80 million records in her career, as Recochoku has revealed Ayu has sold 30 million downloads in the chart's 15 years story.:irked

^ yeah it's impressive tbh :)

I didn't see that?

Yeah, it didn't have its own thread:P

http://www.ahsforum.com/forum/showpo...&postcount=377

http://recochoku.jp/special/100529/?...ate=4299010125

That and her current popularity. I bet you, if ayu would've been super popular this wouldn't be happening

I wonder what her popularity would be like if she didn't use social media and kept her personal life completely to herself and unknown to her fans/public (marriage, divorce, maro drama)

Thanks. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I can't see any actual numbers, just the ranking.

Yes, here are the numbers:

「アーティストランキング」１位はEXILE。 「着うた（R）」「着うたフル（R）」「着うたフルプラス（R)」を合算したランキングで、最もダウンロー ドされたアーティストとなりました。
レコチョク創立と同じ2001年にデビュー、数多くのミリオンヒットを連発し、長くランキングに入るロング ヒット作品も多く、総ダウンロード数が47,453,103と、アーティストランキングで唯一4,000万ダウンロードを超えています。「Lovers Again」「ただ・・・逢いたくて」「Ti Amo」「ふたつの唇」など、着うた（R）週間ランキングでの１位獲得数も最も多いアーティストです 。

なお、累計ダウンロード数は、2位と3位は3,000万ダウンロード以上、4位から7位までの楽曲は2,000万以上ダウンロードされています。

Basically it says the exact numbers for EXILE, second and third spot (Kumi and Ayu) are around 30 million downloads, and 4 - 7 spots are around 20 million downloads.

http://www.oricon.co.jp/pressrelease/98448/

It's odd though, because prior to Mannie she was pretty low key about her private life. Her relationship with Nagase, I think his name was, was relatively hush hush. I wonder what changed?

For a while, I never even knew what Nagase even looked like.:laugh
I also feel like during that time he was kept very separate from Ayu's career.

Going out with Papico
http://i.imgur.com/q9PRlzJl.jpg

More likely packing Papico and shipping it to somewhere

What is I can't even what?

Nagase is a member from Johnny's. The low key part is probably due to him and not really to her. But it's not like it's hard to find out how he looks like, he is pretty famous himself :P

Ayu's private life was never all that public either, if it wasn't for that photo she posted by accident on instagram these days for example, it would be easy to assume she doesn't have non-famous friends.

30 million download...that's really nice!

and wow that's cute...the bag for Papico..

If Ayu wasn't as big as she was, that relationship probably would've been squashed either from their management or by angry fans interfering. But they were actually a very well accepted couple.

Thanks. That is awesome!

I completely forgot about the inclusion of mannie and maro in her music videos. I believe that was the time when her personal life and career which used to be separate starting becoming intertwined

Her relationship with Nagase Tomoya was much longer than both her marriages. They dated for 7 years, if I remember correctly. That's a really long time.

From watching other people around me (online and offline) it always seems that the couples who are more private (particularly online) are the happiest and the closest.

Ayu wrote her best lyrics while she was dating him. He might be that one unforgettable love for her. I'm just speculating, of course. You can't date someone for that long without it making a big impression in your life.

I think he was a good fit for her. They had a lot in common: both Japanese celebrities living and working in Japan. And Nagase had plenty of money of his own so he didn't need Ayu's.

THIS IS AWESOME! I'm probably a bit too excited over this!

that's crazy. I saw the ranking but never knew about the numbers. thanks!

I always wondered how was the backstage of TV shows that both Ayu and TOKIO (Nagase's band) were present lol Wonder if they keep in touch... But I don't think so since there was an article saying that he removed their combined tattoo.

^I don't think his next significant others would like to see his ex tattoed on him... Removing the tattoo doesn't mean they are in bad terms or aren't keeping in touch.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com...ed807a320c.jpg

Removing such a large tattoo must have been such a hassle.

They were cute together, maybe as some said, if she dated a japanese man, specially an artist as well the relationship could work better, since they probably will think likewise and have more similars points of views, but then again is just a suposition, it could be the other way around as well, idk :rolleyes single or not, foreign partner or not, I just want her to be happy, her personal life and choices are of her own, but yeah 7 years is a lot, maybe not in touch but I hope they are in good terms, I'm sure they have so many good memories and I really liked them as a couple :laugh

There was a sort of weird interaction I recall, on an episode of Music Station, I think around the Bold & Delicious time. The hosts had moved on from the previous guest to talk to ayu and just as she was saying "gozimasu" or something, I think Nagase or one of his band mates immitated her. There was a weird little sound, some giggling, and I remember ayu giving a real annoyed look in his direction.

I went to Tokyo Auto Salon concert on Saturday, that's when I realised again how bad Ayu vocals are. When you hear someone as genuinely good at singing as Aikawa Nanase there's no way you can say that Ayu's vocals are awesome. All 3.5 hour show artists line up was amazing, I forgot how amazing naturally talented singers are. I won't say that Ayu is very bad, but can't come close to them.

I never said she was a talented singer. When I say awesome it means either better or near the studio version. TBH the CDL this time seems to have sounded very mediocre.

Unfortunately, I think Japanese people would still hate her. Even if she was a very quiet person, if she had still married foreigners and divorced them, the media would bash every single move of hers. Also, ageing is a sin for women in general, especially if you're an artist/entertainer.

I think the only way for most people to like her would be if she had retired after her 10th anniversary, got married to Nagase, became a housewife and stayed at home taking care of their three beautiful children.

Is it the same episode that Utada performed Passion?

i saw a table on a japanese show on instagram.. do you know what this is all about ?


https://www.instagram.com/p/BPU0oeyg...=ayumihamasaki

Well yes, eventually I got around to looking into him.:laugh
I too find myself wondering if Ayu ever spends time outside of her career. Sometimes it seems like she has no private life and just spends every moment with avex and her dancers.:think

average age of the fans?
I saw description "utahime ranking"

So, Ayu is pretty much the only one topping 2 generations? And she also appears on 3 diferent generation rankings? Thats good.

Is this recent? I mean, I guess it is considering Kana Nishino appeared on the 20s.

Is it normal not to have any news from a pontential 2017 tour at this point? I never paid attention before to when she announces it but I'll be moving to Tokyo for 3 months in April and I'm getting a bit anxious that I will miss her, I've never seen her live after 11 years+ of being a fan x)

Tomoya, according to my friend who's a major TOKIO fan and follows their private social media, still had the A tattoo, but without the wings, in 2014-2015.

seems so
http://www.bilibili.com/video/av8050168/ link for the full show
it's pretty long, I have no idea at what time this ranking appear



yes. It may be announced later this or next month

It's a ranking of people in those age groups, which female artists they remember. Pretty likely were asked to name female artists they know. Not who they listen to. But I don't know, why there are gaps - there shouldn't be in a ranking. Plus it's sadly not mentioned from which show this is.

Btw. there are age rankings for every artist on the karaoke sites. And you can see there, that all big female artists have a significant amount of people singing their songs in Karaoke from all age groups. That's pretty much the reason, why they got big.

ayu's first visit to ROI and esNAIL salons at 2017
http://i.imgur.com/v6a1oUsl.jpg

New hair?? :-D

seems her hair really short now

Phew thanks, I'm just a bit worried I'll miss her again!

I like her hair, it reminds me of WARNING @ Made in Tokyo!

Yeah, that's what I thought as well. It's good that they remember Ayu the most, though, but a little sad that they still don't listen to her... at all. It's funny how Namie is farther down in the list but she's still a top-seller.

Well, Ayu has a far stronger iconography than Namie, and this makes her kinda easier to remember.

Probably. But interesting note, the poster of that chart wondered as well, why Namie Amuro didn't "win" in any of these categories. So it happens with Japanese as well.
And well, it all depends on who and how many you're asking anyway.

I wonder what episode would love to see this

And the namie ayu comparison starts in 3,2,1

It has already started 😅

"Recent journey with super heavy Vuitton
I want to put a lot of stickers and make it original"
http://i.imgur.com/h3goCp6l.jpg

Those boots are pretty, and they make her legs look longer. :luv2

She looks sexy af :luv2

I like her outfit.

are there any pictures of him that show how he covered up that tattoo? that would be very interesting to me.

and I also want to see that taping of music station...

I think this Music Station is the one she sang "Pride" and there was Utada and also TOKIO (it was the only episode where both Ayu and TOKIO were present) and there's nothing like that @Raiu-Ayu mentioned. :~ There's no giggling or laugh during Ayu's speech.

The episode from JPS: http://jpopsuki.eu/torrents.php?id=114715

^ There was no giggling or anything during. The way I remember it, just as she was being introduced there was something like really small but it did make ayu look a little annoyed in Nagase's direction

Wow this pic is so beautiful :love:luv2

This picture looks like taken in Bali...?
Lots of plants

Ayu spent her Monday clearing thoughts, taking nap with Papi-san and watching the sunset *sign of turned off phone*
http://i.imgur.com/P30EwTQl.jpg

^ I wish I could've done that too... Cute picture, thought but I have to admit that she looks a bit as if she's a doll or dead... I directly had to think of the Ladies Night PV!

yeah, that's what I thought. Like a doll

I thought she looked like Ayupan.:thumbsup

Do I realize ayu just added a couple of new piercings recently based on this photo? :shakehead

Guessing probably the right ear as I'm guessing this may have been a 'mirrored' photo. For comparison:
Left ear:

^She always had her ears pierced but sometimes she don't use all the piercings and earings.

how many holes is she having now???

She's had them at least since 2010 or so. I think the top piercing on each ear and then the two or three along the bottom lobes.

Her ears are most of the time covered by her hair and she's not using piercings all the time haha So I'm not sure how many holes she have by now.

her forehead is so shiny

I love her frames! And I was going to say her skin looks like it has a lot of "healthy glow" instead of oil :laugh

She is looking like a child in those recent pictures lol So cute with the glasses <3

Sigh

I miss her being in magazines. I wonder why she does so few now.

Wow, this the first photo that I saw that shows that her skin is not perfect.:D

I don't think magazines invite her to be featured...

She could just not really have a reason to appear in them lately. If there's no release or anniversary-type deal to talk about, is there a need for an appearance? I imagine we'll get more magazines as the 20th anniversary looms nearer or whatever the next release on the horizon is.

That said, M(A)DE IN JAPAN only really got that single Numero Tokyo, but at least it was Numero Tokyo. Weird to think it's been a pretty long time since she's done the normal magazines she usually appears in.

Do her magazine appearances even make an impact?
I feel like only the fans even care about it.

I'm sure many people would love to know in what direction she's heading these days.

you forgot about ViVi haha
actually it's quite great to see her every month in ViVi at least.

I know I am very late but as an addition to the boob-discussion: http://i.imgur.com/5WitpUS.jpg

^Wow ayu looks beautiful!

new photo from instagram
http://i.imgur.com/wz0gbhrl.jpg

aaaaand
premium showcase
http://i.imgur.com/bYxabWLl.jpg

aaaaaaand boobs.

You can tell that Alvin was involved with certain styling decisions because boobs.

http://i.imgur.com/eQ5VKZPl.jpg

https://www.instagram.com/p/BP1amdtDdjt/

Ugh... Not a fan of her new hair tbh...

Her hair looks better in the second instagram picture, but I'm not a big fan of it. The 2001 short bob worked so well because it had some volume. This just looks flat and therefore unflattering :/ but I'm glad that it isn't as short as I first thought :)

She's looking so natural in that second picture! Like a normal girl. Like that :) And she's having good time taking a break, that's nice to know.

I think she looks good.:yes
She is just being casual and laid back.

Looks like she went for a more ashy version of the 2007 hair?

aaaannnnd she sweats a lot

She's so hot, that she makes herself sweating! XD

was it posted? looks familiar, but I can't find the source

http://i.imgur.com/wiWfmIwm.jpg

https://www.facebook.com/AyuTheOnlyQ...923648/?type=3

From the latest TA blog post.

ah really. Can I keep this post here, since photo already spreaded at the facebook?

I love her hair here! :)