These are the songs that are NOT IN OTHER BEST albums and I'm sure that some fans had actually wanted a BEST album as it's been close to 5yrs since A BEST 2 (though it wasnt really an A BEST 3... Hopefully they wun release 1 next year...)
A COMPLETE shouldnt be counted as BEST album as it's just the songs from her singles.

・BLUE BIRD
・glitter
・Sunrise ~LOVE is ALL~
・AUDIENCE
・NEXT LEVEL
・Happening Here
・Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~
・monochrome
・fated
・theme of a-nation'03
・blossom
・MOON
・ANother song feat. URATA NAOYA
・You & Me（※new song）

1 new song, 1 song not from single only, 1 song only from digital download and 1 from mini album.

So did you bought A BEST, A BEST 2 Black and White?

Ah why do people get upset over stuff like this...seriously. No you don't have to buy anything. I personally don't find the release worth the cash, as I have all, but 2 of those tracks on CDs, yet I find the a-nation perfs quite appealing. Even so 42 euros is a lot so I am not sure if I'll end up buying it or not. Nevertheless I am glad it's being released.

yeah, i too dont get why people want to complain about this...
I ordered it because i wanted it.
Can i get it by just combining all her other stuff... yes.
But do i want to, no.
I know she will have a new photo shoot for this and we get new pictures which is what I like it.
Plus a new song is nice.

But, people love to complain, so thats what they do.

Wow this album is expensive!

I get that this release isn't for everyone, but is it really necessary to call everything you don't like "crap" and "trash"? I expect that behavior from rabid haters not her own fans. It is clear this is for casual fans and I highly doubt they take the time to notice how many other albums evolution or Boys & Girls has been on prior to this release. Plus there could be potential new fans who weren't aware of ayu during her last few compilation albums and would be interested in this for the summer. It is really not so big of a deal to get heated over.

This album is as expensive as all of them... :S

Nothing special about the price imo.

There will always be a disappointed/pissed off/angry ayu fan whenever she do or release anything! Just pray that the majority is still in favour of her works =.=
And yeap, the a-nation live is a appealing thing in this release as most ppl didnt bought a nation's dvd
Here's some of the details on which DVD was the song performed.
Others song might be telecast on TV but not released on DVD. I'm not really sure as my files were gone =.= if not, it means that we'll have unreleased performance from a-nation again =)
・BLUE BIRD - 06,09,10,11
・July 1st -03,04,05,07,08,09,10,11
・glitter -07,10,
・Greatful days -03,04,08,10,11
・Sunrise ~LOVE is ALL~ -09
・Boys & Girls -03,04,06,07,08,09,10
・evolution -02,06
・INSPIRE -04
・UNITE! -06
・AUDIENCE -08
・ANother song feat. URATA NAOYA -11
・HANABI -02,04,05,08
・Sunset ~LOVE is ALL~ -09
・fairyland -05,08
・fated -07
・HANABI ~episode II~ -03
・NEXT LEVEL
・independent
・monochrome
・SEASONS
・theme of a-nation'03
・blossom
・MOON
・Far away

RED is released on A COMPLETE

I think casual fans would have preferred a single CD release instead of a double CD one... She really should have just chosen the best summer songs. I don't think casual listeners like being forced to buy 2 CDs, unless it's A Best 3.

Truth be told, I haven't bought an Ayu album since Secret :P And the only best album I have is A Ballads. But I will purchase Next Level and Love Songs at some point :)

You're allowed to have your own opinion, but I have to say that this post makes it like YOU're the one on the condescending high horse.
First off, the point of a "BEST"-album is to show off an artists BEST songs/greatest hits. This particular best-album is meant to show off Ayu's summer hits, of which one of the biggest happens to be Boys & Girls, so I don't see any reason why that song shouldn't have been included.
Second, some of Ayu's newer releases were also included because this best-album isn't specialised on showing off a specific Ayu era, it's meant to show off Ayu's summer hits over her whole career. Sunrise ~LiA~ was a relatively big hit for Ayu, though I'm not sure about Sunset/ANother song (but I'm pretty sure both of those did well on digital charts).
Third, I'm surprised at the way you seem to take such personal affront by this album. Not every Ayu release is going to satisfy you, if you don't like something you can ignore it, one single album won't ruin your world, Ayu won't come knocking on your door if you don't buy her releases.
So calm down. I'm fine with your dislike of this album, but you don't need to act as if this is somehow personal. Releasing albums that are in essence, unnecessary, is part of the money-milking that music labels thrive on, they don't force you into liking or buying any of it. You can keep on living your life as you wish, you can buy or not buy any release from Ayu you want to.
When it comes to my own opinions on this album, I can agree that the album isn't all that necessary, but I don't own many of Ayu's albums yet so filling my collection with some more songs (including a completely new one) plus a DVD with Ayu's a-nation performances is good enough reason for me to buy it.

I definitely hope the older tracks are rerecorded and even rearranged, just to give it a new feel. We already have these tracks on so many physical releases.

I made a list of where she performed songs
http://www.ahsforum.com/forum/showpo...1&postcount=48

I hate that oh you don't have to buy it crap.
No ****** I don't like that ayu is releasing an a best but oh well.

I'm actually supricing myself and feel excited about this album. :D It feels like it's gonna be perfect for this summer. Some Ayu and Kuu summer best songs. Lovely! :heart Also I'm looking forward to delete PQ cover from excitence (since it's being frequently used now on TV e.t.c. since it's the most recent official Ayu picture). I hope the new cover will breathe UNITE! 2012 or even better, & 2012 or something like it.

I think it's just a mixed bag of emotions regarding this album. There are many things people do not like about it.

1. Overuse of songs that have appeared on many other compilations
2. Songs that shouldn't be on there
3. 1 new song
4. No re-arrengement / re-recordings officially announced
5. Almost 2 YEARS since last single (which happened to be her 50th)

I'm not saying Ayu does not work hard, we all know she does... but... I think most of us are sick of her pushing off the 51st single release. I was thinking this year, she would go full force in releasing a badass summer SINGLE. Something extravagant, double A-side, with special editions, different covers, and killer remixes (how the BLUE BIRD single was handled but even better). But no, it turned out to be like the least amount of effort she could do in order to give fans something new...

I mean, look at Kumi (yes I know people hate comparisons); she's effin' 9 months pregnant and HER best album are all re-worked (re-mixed), one new song, and another new song was just announced! Oh, and she's recently engaged!

People complain because they are not satisfied, not because they like to complain. I wouldn't even call it complain, just people who are stating their opinions. You guys should respect that instead of playing the "****ing complainers all over AHS / nobody is forcing you to buy" card. IMO It's WAY too early for her to release another BEST album. And you should also stop provoking the Timmy hate (you probably didn't mean to do that though otherwise it'd be really pathetic).

I don't think they ever announce re-arrangements or recordings at first. Once we get the official tracklist we'll know for sure.

Or avex wants her to maintain her 'number one album each year' streak..

This compilation is not aimed to you guys, not even to me as I'm not ever thinking about buying it, but why calling it crap? Why being so overdramatic and even a little rude to people because of it? It's just a damn pop music release, it isn't meant to cure cancer or something.

The reason why there are so many overused songs on this compilation is because her summer songs are among her biggest hits... The tracklist was voted, remember? And just in case you don't remember, not your personal opinion, nor AHS overall opinion reflects the japanese public towards her discography, what means loads of "crap" songs a lot of people are alouded to like as much u r alouded not liking them...

This release is aimed to collectors (as everything is) and casual listeners who like her big hits but don't bother buying her studio albums (one more reason for having "overused old songs")... Also, her last compilation was released 4 years ago, what is an eternity on jpop years :P

I find this release pointless (except as quick cash in) for many reasons. Most of them have already ben mentioned ( harldy any new material, not even new versions), but also from a a marketing point of vue.

I don't think You & me will appear on the next album, losing out an opportunity to build some buzz for the next studio album that will probably be released sometime next winter. Releasing an album right off the bat doesn't work, PQ's performance has been poor across any media (downloads, physical sales) even taking into account that she's on adeclining trend.

I suppose she's going to use the upcoming xilia song to promote the entire upcoming album with no other tracks seeing the light of day outside of concerts. I'm not even sure how that'll turn out as it'll have less of a buzz than five, which at least had the colabs to (and more tie ins than PQ if I'm not mistaken).

It seems like there's no long term or even short term perspective in terms of marketing for her career right now, just one release after another. As much as it's music that matters, it's like she' missing out for no other reason than messy releases and lack of coherence.

I also think releasing a more a sides will probably do more good for the music as well than bad (IMO) as the sigles are usually more elaborate than the album tracks.

Personally I wont buy this release simply because I already have most everything on it. I love all the songs on it though. ^_^

^Her compilation original songs tend to not be released on an album after it:
Rainbow, Part of Me, Mirrocle World...

I suppose there's something to say with her straying from normal release patterns. It used to be exactly the same for many years. At least 3 singles, album, remix album. Repeat. (Not saying this is bad or good, just saying that this is how it went down haha)

Personally, I'd rather her release this now than release a best album for her 15th anniversary. While this is still possible, I'm holding onto the idea that she won't.

And hey, if you don't want to buy it, then don't buy it. That goes for every release. This could have been just 1 new song plus all music videos for included songs, so at least they're making it more interesting than it could have possibly been.

Would I rather a 3A side single, of course. But, we win some we lose some. :)
Maybe by getting a best album out of her system she'll create some interesting music. :p

do you guys want her to flop? whats up with the logic of people who want BEST album without hits. please gtfo with your flop ideas

err shall we wait and see first,this album isnt even released yet,chill guys :innocent

I think I agree on that, really. 1CD probably isn't much for BEST from avex perspective?

& pretty much this.

I think I might have bought it maybe for a special thing like special summer photobook or merchandise that comes with it

I don't know wtf with her marketing team. I mean, they're like not willing to work and pulling some creative ideas?

alright, I would have even bought this album at least if it had some thing cool about it even if it's just the design of the box

Please take your own advise and realize im stating my own opinion. People are complaining to complain. If you dont like it then you dont have to state all the reasons over and over and over.
Its not to early to release a best... Its been five years... its time for a new best, this isn't even a best, this is a summer mix with a new song.
And my stating what I think about timmy making a song is not provoking, most people on here dont like him. I was stating yet again my OWN opinion.
TImmy said he was working on a song, so it makes me think that timmy wrote this song.
So it will make many people on here mad.

I have no interest in this. I think the fact that people voted for the songs is supposed to create "hype" but I think that her marketing team is really just super lazy and uninspired in general. Gone are the days when her crying face was everywhere you look or she'd re-sing the album's songs. Or maybe it's all her idea; in that case she is the one who is uninspired. And to those that say 'but she doesn't care about sales/#1 album!' the release of this album strongly indicates that she does.

I think she still releases quality music, but nowadays that's not enough to guarantee a good reception.

It would be so nice if they did a A WINTER BEST too!!

PD: Live at MUSIC STATION please!!

amazing post

She may have said she doesn't care about number 1 album(s) [did she really say that?], but I think she also said she still wishes to someday sell 1 million units. In all honesty, it's a hard reality to accept when Namie is older than Ayu and been around longer and she's having a second peak. Put yourself in Ayu's shoes - anyone would feel a little down.

Why can't we count A COMPLETE? It sold extremely well, obviously appealing both to the casual market and hard core fans. It's still a compilation album, even if it doesn't have "best" in the title.

And yes, I own all 3. How is that relevant to me disliking this release and thinking it's completely about money making?

It's like I said, my problem with this release is simply that Avex are doing it because they can make more money & sales with a summer album than a new single. It's disgusting.

Zeke, that's a good point, and many would debate whether Namie's peak is due to a great marketing team that got her all the right tie-ins. Starting with Baby don't cry she had a slew of drama and commercial tie-ins. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying the tie-ins were the only reason but they do make a huge impact. What did Ayu have other than ToX? Alot of drama with fans over her collaborations and Timmy.

Here is what I'm saying; Ayu wants sales, but it doesn't seem like anyone is putting any extra effort into marketing her; there were some mediocre videos, laughable covers, half-assed releases (like this one). Should she try to please everyone? No and that is impossible, however, I think her confidence has taken a serious hit and her marketing team should be working harder to help her regain it.

There is absolutely no need for me to follow my own advice, mind you. And nobody in this thread states their reason OVER and OVER and OVER again, maybe you can list the persons who did that? (No you can't because no single person in this thread has been complaining, just merely stating their opinions).

And it's too early to release a BEST if you ask me, even when it has been 5 years. And this album IS a BEST (/compilation) album, no matter how you want to call it. Just because she doesn't fill the album with her singles, doesn't automatically mean that this is just a 'summer mix' album or whatever... (even the title says 『A SUMMER BEST』 ....)

^^

and also...no album promotion on TV e.g. live performance on TV, musci station, cdtv and stuffs....she should just fired her whole team and get a new one~

if it is TOO EARLY for her to release a best album, then when should she release them????? every 10 years of her anniversary? :rolleyes:rolleyes

Yes I really do think Namie had a killer marketing strategy when she re-invented her self in a way.

When she has enough (new) content to fill a BEST album instead of recycling songs that have been used on multiple BEST albums and Regular albums. The only thing that makes me want to buy this is because of the (unseen) LIVE performances.

A better question is: Why should she fire her whole team and get a new one? Explain that to me you super smart tough girl!

People in general here miss and ignore that "theme of a-nation'03" has never been released in album but in single [&] only, and Happening Here has never been released in album but in digital single only. So, when this BEST album has couple ideas beside new song You & Me and its music video.

the supposedly 'new' content doesn't really amaze or excite me to the extent of willing to buy it, somehow

Look, you may not want to buy this album but I don't think that's a reason to go Ayu-bashing. I'm not talking about the people who are expressing their disappointment over this release, because that's fine-- I'm talking about the people who are almost on the verge of hoping it will fail.

Let's try to play nice, guys! :P

I totally agree. Good / modern / catchy songs of course play an essential part of that strategy, but namie has had a great long term strategy for a long time that comprises all the key elements for being successful as a music artist in Japan. Some on jpm even commented on how prior to uncontrolled she tried to appear more cute as to appeal more a to a male demographic since most of her fans a female. Ayu used to have a pretty good and creative marketing team but not anymore (the release of the song RAINBOW on an album instead of as a single is one example).

I agree with Becky. There's no reason to bash Ayu for her choices. She obviously chose to do this. Perhaps not 100% her choice but the decision to release this was brought on by her too.

Ayu chose to release the 2 single tracks (theme a-nation, happening here) plus the new song on here.

I don't agree with how this album was decided. A bunch of summer songs and 3 un-album songs. Kinda silly because anyone can legally purchase the albums before and then just rip them and make their own summer album with any songs they choose. Or they could down them. Either way...It's a waste, but i'm not going to bash her for it. She did it because she wants to. It's her career. You don't like it? Well...That's all ya can do...Not like it because she's not going to change her dream/career .

What she is doing makes her happy and we support Ayu's happiness so what's the big problem?

Because A COMPLETE is the compilation of all her singles. Regardless of whether it's a hit song or not. (Not all ayu's single is a hit. Fact.)
And since you've own A BEST and A BEST 2, why would you grumble dislike this summer hit? kinda contradicting IMO... If you don't think that this release is meant for you, it doesn't mean that it's not meaningful to the others. As I'm sure that the sale of this wouldn't be zero would it? And avex is a company with share holders of course their priority is making money not charity.
this album do have new items too and more than half of it isn't released in previous BEST albums.

Yeah, I agree with what everyone is saying about Namie and her marketing strategies. It is exactly what has been absent in Ayu's recent eras. Honestly, I'm hoping for this kind of marketing strategy from Ayu, from now, to the end of next year (it'll never happen, but a girl can dream!):

A SUMMER BEST (with some form of promotion aside from A-Nation)
Double A-Side Single (Autumn; hoping for promotion with TOX, and another tie in hopefully)
A-Side/with B-Side (Winter; hopefully a huge, huge ballad with a mellow B-Side as to not overshadow the A-Side)
Double A-Side (Spring; something attention grabbing like Rule/Sparkle)
A-Side/with B-Side single + New Album (Summer; assuming this would be in the middle of her tour)
Remix Album (Autumn)

Sounds demanding, but that would give Ayu 6 A-sides, and 2-B sides.
And we all know she can do it; she's Hamasaki Ayumi.
Namie released four 2A's for Uncontrolled didn't she?
Though, this was over a two year period, instead of one year...
Anyway, I'm assuming that Ayu won't be releasing another A BEST next year, due to the release of A SUMMER BEST. Plus, has she really had enough hits to produce another BEST? I mean, 2007 - 2012, there's been a few hits, but not in the amount she had in earlier years...

I was really impressed with Uncontrolled, I'm hoping Ayu can pull out something as great as, or better than.

Ayu probably doesn't want to release this because it means work/promotion and we know ayu tends to avoid that kind of thing if it's not selling concert tickets

They're a business, Ayu is a product, this is what they do. They want money out of their investment (Ayu) and products (the songs) since Party Queen didn't do it.
Honestly I think it's best ayu avoids releasing singles until she's ready to actually take her recording career seriously again..for the last five years she's been a live act pretty much and i'm so bored of it now..but hey it's easy money once you've got the show off the ground and running. Keep adding them dates ayu

There was an interview by NTV or whatnot... I seem to remember Ayu was against the idea of best or compilation albums, which is why she re-recorded A BEST...?

She was against the idea of that release, because it was out of her control and she felt like Avex was putting an expiry date on her career. She's not against bests in general.

Amuro's second peak began with Best Fiction. A best album.

Just saying.

That'll be next year (15th Anniversary) with A BEST 3, if a second peak happens no doubt Ayu will do about 100 tour dates instead of promoting and making a second peak happen tho.

^Well... Namie's 2nd peak started giving signals of being possible before Best Fiction, and, in fact, one of the fundamental aspects for her having a 2nd peak was her name as a live act... To the point of Namie touring even without albums to promote and tending to have longer tours than Ayu...^^

And people are acting as Ayu released a best album every year... She has 4 bests, this is going to be her 5th. Both Namie and Koda have 5 best albums, and Ayu has far more songs than they both...

I'm so excited for the new song. How soon do you think we will get a preview of it?

You're funny. All of Ayu's singles except Daybreak charted at #1. That makes them hits, wouldn't you say? And don't you find it interesting that aaaalll the songs on this album besides the never-before-released ones are singles? You know...hit singles?

A Complete is a compilation album just like her best albums are. Therefore, they belong in the same category. Don't try to make this Summer Best album seem more "fresh" by craftily manipulating semantics.

The truest, most accurate post in this thread.

And some of y'all need to stop speculating about what other Ayu fans buy and don't buy and stop using your unfounded conclusions to paint them as bad people. It's illogical and unattractive.

I think you'll need to do more homework 1st before commenting =)
Not all ayu's singles are number 1 in oricon. And even if it took number 1, it doesnt mean that it's a hit song (eg. Bold & Delicious. Hardcore fans just buy for the sake of collecting) and singles that doesn't reach number 1, doesn't mean that it's not a hit song (eg. TO BE, Fly high, AUDIENCE.)
Take a loot here if you wana know which single didn't hit number 1 http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/...ing/cd_single/

And I didn't say that I don't take this Summer Best as a Best album. But it kinda fall into a different category as it has a theme : SUMMER

And as I've said before regarding A COMPLETE, IMO I don't think it should be regarded as a BEST album. You can call it a compilation album, but definately not BEST (do you call poker face, For My Dear..., Daybreak, Ｂｏｌｄ　＆　Ｄｅｌｉｃｉｏｕｓ etc... a BEST song? I doubt so.

That was regarding A BEST as she felt that it was too sudden and made her felt like it's gonna be her last album.
Therefore she rebelled by making new recordings on some songs. But on the other hand, she wana give her best for this release thus appearing on almost all of the major magazine front cover and doing lots of promotions for this.

talking about the new song,im curious too,i feel its a bit late the will released it in August,why not July. so we may get the preview in the end of July maybe or earlier

We can't always just decide what makes or doesn't make a "BEST" song :/



Actually the fact that this is a SUMMER best is the only reason why I'm not :rolleyes about it. If it was a regular best, I'd have just laughed and been like "Please."

I really wish it was a summer mix like koda's but meh.

I was thinking A Summer Best compilation was kinda unnecessary. She can release A BEST 3 compilation next year as that would be the best time for a compilation on her 15th anniversary.

If she really were to release another compilation album next year, it would be just too much compilation albums one after another. I see no point!!

There's also nothing much to A Summer Best besides one new song. I just hope they dun release so many Ayu Best when they're not really Best afterall.

I think we'll get it soon. Tomorrow's July already, so I guess we'll get the preview in 1-2 weeks :love

Hope no winter best afterwards

If she going to release A BEST 3, i think she will include the singles from Secret till her latest album....so don't worry, her old hits will not be included~ :)

I still want A BALLADS 2 -BLACK-,-WHITE- with JEWEL (Orchestra Version) on it, but A SUMMER BEST is fine thought because it filled with my favorite song so I just waiting for this release in my country. :)

A Best 3 will cover from (miss)understood album tracks to some unknown point, as A Best 2 covered from evolution to Bold & Delicious singles.

I guess, if she releases A Best 3 next year, that it will cover from (m)u album tracks to some point between Love songs singles and Five...

^^

are so many ways to celebrate her 15th anniversary, not necessary with an A BEST 3 CD

maybe for the next year she prefers to put on the market a second run of concerts in blu-.ray, or the Arena tour 3D II, or maybe new singles with special case and some old songs with new arrangements like she did with the singles of "Days" and "mirrorcle world"
or maybe the release of the HOTEL LOVE SONG tour on a expensive box-set.

if she is releasing this new compilated summer album, is because next year she have no plans to put on the market something similar.

A useless release, but looking forward to the new song. May be be included in the encore of her upcoming shows replacing Last angel?

what the hell....we just wait and see~~~anything is possible...everyone's idea/opinion will be/maybe come true...anything is possible....we can dream~~

First of all, I'm not a GIRL. I'm a GUY.
Second, when you say Ayu "recycling songs" included in the album, you do know it's her hits songs.
Thirdly, I'm just saying...I'm a fan and also her customer. I want to see her on TV. "Maybe she should fire her whole team", is just what I feel/think when she's not promoting on TV. Why? Are you working with Ayumi Hamasaki? Are you a part of her team?
and lastly, why do you have to PM me for this silly thing? If you think I have the time to look back and check...I'm sorry...I'm working~~Lalalalal

Hopefully she does other things instead of releasing A BEST 3 :yes I wouldn't mind an entire year of singles and then a new album in 2014 :P

Well, I apologize for coming off the way I did. I realize a simple "I do not care for this track list" would have sufficed, but I was a little angry for the way the person I quoted was being a sarcastic, snarky snotface to someone else for calmy expressing their opinion, and I do realize I ended up taking the bulk of that anger out on the album.

That being said, I do like most of the songs on this album, and a little bit of my frustration is coming from the fact Ayu has not released a legit single since L in... 2010 was it? I've been a fan of Ayu since 2003-2004, although I was a just a casual listener and listened to a few singles here and there, every now and then. I didn't really start "following" her music until 2009 when I heard Rule in the freaking movie theater when I went to see Dragon Ball Evolution. One thing I liked about Ayu was up until Love Songs, she had this... consistency, this order to her releases. She'd spend the year working on singles and then at the end of the year/beginning of the following year, she'd release the album. She even kept that same formula with Memorial Address, which was in fact a mini album but most of the songs were singles as well. The formula stopped with Five. I get that she's got a lot of things working against her right now, especially since the formula changed: marriage and divorce, getting older, tabloids and papparazzi probably being worse than usual because of her divorce, etc, and I'm really sympathetic about it. I just don't react well to change, and I'm sorry for the way I came off in my post.

Eh, I would put Poker Face on a best album. Not that I particularly like the song, but it's a major milestone for Ayu (A.K.A her career-starting single). Alongside hits, I do think milestone songs and singles should also be included. A Song For XX would be one. Although it wasn't a single, It's the titular song on her first million-seller (hence probably why it was on A Best in the first place). Not sure if "Forgiveness" is a hit or not, but it was a Milestone for being her 30th single. Dunno what the numbers for Mirrorcle World and Days/Green were but they were her 10th Anniversary Singles, so they're major milestones as well. Stuff like that.

Anyway, I think there should be more to a best album than just having her exclusive fanclub voting on the tracklist. Hits are decided by the general public who buys her albums and singles, not a clique of super-obsessed Ayu fans who shell out money for everything she buys. (I apologize if my painting of Team Ayu is over-generalizing. I have nothing against TA and I do want to join myself once I get some spare cash).

O/T



Discussion ended, ayu should fire her team to make more TV appearances. <100% accurate logic... :roflmao LOL

I dunno. I'm inclined to agree with them. Maybe not her whole team, but she really needs to do something about her marketting team. She needs to go back to the days where she was doing commercial after commercial, her face plastered everywhere and parading up and down the streets of Shibuya with a huge crowd of fans following without a permit to do so. Party Queen could have been a great party with the perfect marketing strategy.

I don't really care about the CDs , I want the DVD, that's enough for me. Heck, the only reason I bought A BEST 2 BLACK and WHITE and A COMPLETE was for the content on the DVDs.

I'm not saying anything bad about anyone, just stating my opinion. AHS is in a stage where I feel I have to state that. :D

That is where I wholeheartedly agree. Not fire though, but she needs to stick a bleep into their bleeps and force them to do a better job what applies marketing. :)

Firing her whole team is just the most ridiculous thing ever, and that was exactly what he was talking about.

I said it a million times here, and I'm gonna say that again: her peak is over since 2001, ELEVEN years passed and she is still relevant. Relevant, but not "it girl".

A hundred of magazines, outdoors, massive TV promotion... It's for people in their peak, not for an solid artist who is in the game for over a decade. Overexposure for an artist like her is quite negative.

If she releases something who caught up so many people attention, she will naturally have big exposure (just like Sunrise: a lot of TV lives)

^ I would bump that to 2003/2004 when she sold her mini album. Its the best selling mini of a single female artist.
thats pretty good.

The promotion I was referring to is actually from 2009, but okay :)

Her peak is over? Then why do all of her releases always hit top 5 if not #1? Sure, she's not selling million-sellers anymore because nobody is. We're in a global recession. I'll agree that her peek is over when her releases stop charting that high.

^
I think it's the same he said. Her peak is over, but she's still relevant in jpop industry. Also she have a solid and pretty huge fanbase compared to other senior female singers.


This.
I'll buy this album especially for the DVD. Although I will not rush to get it :/ no interesting first press content yet for me.

This. Another pointless cash grab, but I'm excited for the new song.

That's not really true *cough, cough*

Hahahah:roflmao:roflmao:roflmao:roflmao:roflmao... :P:P:P

I can't bother to read most of these posts, bc I'm sure most of them are you guys *****ing like...I don't even know what, but I will agree that I wish it were being released this week, not almost mid-August. I mean I'll be listening to the summer songs all summer, but it would just be better.

I ordered this along with two ayu blu rays and namie's uncontrolled CD+DVD :) Bye bye $250 lol

She is hitting top 5 (or #1) both because she has a pretty big core fanbase who will buy enough copies of her stuff to put her on charts during a era physical sales are declining (she wouldn't be even top 10 with her sales 10 years ago) and because her marketing team always pics days with no actual competition... So, when she is released against people who will sell 20k copies of a single, she easily gets a good position.

And we can't forget Ayu actually hold a lot of events during Party Queen promotion... She didn't appear on national TV but showed a lot in public (and you needed to buy a copie in order to sit close to her), had a lot of radio/web/local tv interviews) and is having a 30+ dates tour for the album. Considering Oricon only counts 1/3 of the total event sales, Party Queen sold better than we know (Not saying it sold 100k more or something like that, but it probably already crossed the 150k mark). As most of us don't live in Japan, this kind of promotion and nothing to us is the same... What doesn't mean it means nothing to people who were actually affected by it.

There are a lot of ways of promoting an artist, they all work on a different way, and different moments ask for different promotions... Promoting herself now like she did 5, 10 years ago wouldn't bring the same results, it actually could kill her career faster... Being overexposed when people care about you is far different than being overexposed when people don't care about you... And guess what? Right now people don't care about Ayu enough to find it cool and nice seeing her face everywhere...

You have to promote your stuff on the pace it is demanded... Promotion don't magically makes your sales increase and it isn't a science... Promotion may or may not work and you only know if the millions you invested will show results after they show results. People over here are praising Namie's strategies, but her big blockbuster promotion only started once the public started caring about her again (Best Fiction, I guess)... Before that, everything was pretty modest and simple.

How about this? If you don't like the tracklist or the fact that it's another Best Of and not a new single, just don't buy it. If you do like this concept, preorder it. I don't think AVEX would put this out if they didn't think people would buy it. And if the sales aren't great, they will change their method and probably start putting out singles again.
Even though I love this idea and I love her summer songs, I'm probably not going to buy it, simply because I'm saving money for school and I would rather not own all those a-nation performances and have money in my pocket. To each their own.
(Not meaning to start any kind of flame war about my post. If you don't have anything nice to say, say nothing at all.)

This is about as practical as it gets. Party Queen, for example, was placed against ABC because it didn't seem likely ABC would get a #1 and Avex wasn't interested in pushing marketing for PQ. Had she been up in a week against Koda or someone else, Ayumi would have been guaranteed a lower position on the charts because her sales are skydiving at this point.

PQ's promotion efforts were definitely not up to par with prior releases. But, like you're implying, the sales drop cannot be attributed as much to a lack of promotion as it can to the fact that Ayumi really didn't have much on the release calendar for 2011. When an artist is out of the spotlight for awhile, their sales are definitely affected unless a massive amount of promotion is done or fans are really demanding a major comeback for the artist. The amount for PQ simply wasn't enough to curve low sales. And that happens. But it's more of an Avex problem and not an Ayumi problem.

Overexposed is overexposed. It harms whether you're popular or not. This is really why, for example, Justin Bieber isn't selling 20 million copies of every record. It's not that fans wouldn't buy it, it's that the people who would otherwise be interested in Bieber are tired of seeing him everywhere and grow to resent him and everything related to him. I agree that promotion on par with I am... and Duty would actually kill her career at this point, but promotion on par with MY STORY or (miss)understood would help revive it. This is still a question of Avex though, not something Ayumi can really change herself.

Part of BEST FICTION's success is that Namie had not released an actual Best Compilation in almost 10 years. So, having gone through this huge shift in music style, fans ate it up because the album truly was a demanded comeback for Namie. Just look at 60s 70s 80s. The fact that Namie found a way to integrate her earlier pop leanings with her new R&B style is what fans wanted from her, and the public practically ate then regurgitated that single then ate it again.

Really good points. :)

I agree with the first point. But I think people have valid feelings about this being a bad idea. First, it's a whole lot of fat just to get the one good cut from the album—"You & Me." And while I'm definitely not buying this record, and think it's a bit risky to do, there is a point where we should all sit back and really analyze what's happening: There are way too many compilation releases coming from Ayumi in the last 5 years. And the problem isn't that they're solid efforts, but that, like A COMPLETE, they are being pushed with the intent of cashing in on older songs.

Personally, I'm glad any release is coming right now, but I want to see Ayumi get back on a regular release schedule. She's tapered things too much in the last several years, and I'm sure fans are tired of seeing her music go in 8 different directions at once. A SUMMER BEST is probably not the best thing to see, but let's hope "You & Me" is a sign that she isn't losing a sense of direction with her career. She still has a long career ahead of her if she makes every song count.

A BEST was worth it, and A BEST 2 were gifts (I didn't buy them as I didn't think they were worth it! :O). This release is not worth it, so guess what? I won't buy it, and I won't download anything beyond the new song either. Are we done policing purchasing habits in this thread? And we'll agree to disagree about A COMPLETE. "Best" is a title, nothing more, and in the end, it's no different to a single collection.

I hope the new song is upbeat nostalgic, I would have like a real upbeat summer track, but based on the disk, we're in for a sad song. Definitely in the mood for something in the fairyland vein, rather than HANABI.

Ayu was put against Koda not to long ago, during the 50th singles project, and even so, it's not like she was all that promoted... The only song on the series with TV during it's release was Crossoroad. Koda and Ayumi sales are more or less the same these days, even with different promotional aproaches, and it's hard to know who will sell 10k more than the other until it happens...


I don't think it's about how much she is on the spotlight, but about people don't really caring enough to buying her stuff... In other words, she is depending on her core fanbase for a while now. And again, we can't forget PQ was promoted mostly on meeting events, that were meant to sell albums as fans who wanted to get closer needed to buy copies. Oricon doesn't count 100% of those sales, so, the album probably done a little better than we expect.


If people are pretty much tired of your face, being on TV everytime is superexposition... During My Story or (miss)understood eras Ayu was performing around 20~30 times on TV every year. The most I can agree having 2 or 3 lives per single wouldn't hurt, 5, 6 lives per single as she was used to do is A LOT. She never really gave her image a rest until now, unlike Namie or Utada who always took some time to themselves.



Namie's 2nd peak wasn't a promotional strategy miracle, her popularity was giving signals of reviving for a while before she exploded, and once she started slowly gaining more and more attention, her promotions started to increase. Even so, they never really got Ayu-like level... She did one or another live for her singles unless they got big, and still, no overload. She as been touring since forever and I can't even remember her last TV live. It's not like she had a mystical solution to her low popularity, she just kept trying new stuff and eventually things started paying off.

Some overpromoted releases sold poorly, some underpromoted releases sold great... there are far more things involved than just what her marketing team did.

There's no step-by-step guide to revive your popularity, and if there were one, people wouldn't eventually get lower sales... She is releasing a compilation now... I don't think it's good timing for a "career reviving best" either, but I also don't think this is the plan... They seen to be trying get money from older songs, maybe keep her streak of years with #1 albums, or even measuring the reception on the public to plan what to do with her anniversary... Maybe it will sell bad... But it's not like the public care about her enough right now for a bad selling album hurting her image or anything.

Very good points too^^

didn't avex do that little survey on this? asking people to list their FAVOURITE summer songs? I mean the favorites for all of us are the BESTs for us, so i think at some point it is A BEST album, for fans...

as for promotion, I think it pays back for them more to do concerts than promote releases which in general are low these days, so doubtfully that would help much. I kinda think that peole rather go see her live than get an album.

^I know I would!

I only mentioned BF because people were all anti best albums, when Namies best was the thing that brought her back. Yes, she was doing well prior, but the success of releasing a best album definitely helped her cause. It also allowed her to use the P<F concept.

Obviously the release timing is completely different and I do not expect such miracles to happen for Ayu. It's a completely different situation.

But technically speaking, while Namie was in fact doing well, it's generally recognized that her second peak began with BF.

I disagree and I think the difference in sales between Style and Queen of HipPop reflects successful marketing (There wasn't a huge difference in the musical style between the two); she had atleast 3 drama and commercial tie-ins for the singles and comissioned an espicially created pink panther-likeness for the album, a very unique marketing approach. The tie-ins increased for Play and so on. And when her sales were low, she went on an Asian tour. Namie also continues to present herself in a very attractive way; look at the cover for Play or Best Fiction. I think anyone, a Namie fan or not, would want to pick up the album just based on the cover alone. Look at her Youtube channel or her facebook, of course Ayumi has her twitter and weibo but thats not for the casual fan. One can market themselves in alot of ways.

I understand that Tie-ins or beautiful cover art isn't the cookie cutter solution to sales, but I don't think completely giving up on these options is either.

I'm just convinced that whatever Ayu's current vision is, it doesn't maintain the high standard she had for herself in the past and I wish her team would just pick up the slack in any way. Photoshoping yourself till you are unrecognizable doesn't count, lol.

And just for future reference, Namie did some Tv promos for one of the songs off Uncontrolled; I think it was Break it (maybe someone can correct me.)

I Think I'll wait for the 15th Anniversary Releases, I suppose they will have high costs :P, but I'm dying to see monochrome at a-nation

Break it was releases 2 years ago... I highly doubt that lives would help the album promotion.

Unfortunatelly, tie-ins aren't 100% up to the singer (or the label or their team), as the other part needs to agree on having a song from the artist on their material, what doesn't always happen. Still, Ayu had around 2 drama themes, 1 movie theme, 1 game theme and 8 cm themes since Rock n Roll Circus era... Her movies and drama tie-ins being or not being successful having little to nothing to do with her (as we can't know if the movie/game/cm/drama/etc will be a hit until it is). She is also having another major movie tie-in and a major game tie-in this year.

I agree Ayu's facebook is forgoten, but her youtube channel isn't, Namie's don't have full videos but some selected from time to time, and Ayu still is among the japanese youtube users with the most followers and views... She also is one of the most followed japanese people on twitter (where Namie is absent). Namie's covers being prettier than Ayu's falls into personal opinion... IMO they are both at the same pace, with one being better sometimes, and them the other being better than the first.

I just don't get what you guys think Namie is doing and Ayu isn't promotion wise.

I only mentioned it since you said that Namie doesn't do any TV promos thats all.

I thought the artist has a say in the tie-ins. For eg Namie contacted the studio that produced Sin City to promote Violet Sauce to them. Maybe its not always like that?

I agree that the covers are a personal taste issue, but we can both agree that you won't find Namie photoshopped beyond recognition on any DVD, album or single cover.

Look at how Namie is celebrating her 20th anniversary and look at how Ayu celebrated her 50th single for example. That is what I am referring to. I could compare Koda Kumi and her crazy promos instead but I think I made my point.

Anyhow, I only brought up the marketing issue because I thought this release could be much better than it is. I thought the least she could've done is rerecord something, make it special somehow. Maybe I'm still pissed off for having to buy the A best 2s to get part of me lol.

Perhaps she'll release a winter best. And then for her 15th anniversary we'll see some singles. Build the hype of your career with two best albums spaced out and divided into two of the most prominent seasons for releasing material, and follow up with new releases post-best albums tied into ones 15th anniversary.

If this is the strategy, I guess I wouldn't say it's a bad idea.

Just might not be too fun in the meanwhile. If she would do some damn tv lives, it'd be more worth it to me. Seeing older songs performed again is always fun for me.

yEiii, the two songs I wanted to see on the album are there :)))))))))

LOL you could have just bought the black one :P

I like the best albums
I know i can do it myself, but I think its just me owning something that Ayumi thinks is her best work.
This release was picked by the fans, which I like.
But I just saw that evolution was on there... wasnt it released in January?

I didn't say Namie never does TV promos, just that she hasn't done them for quite some time now...

And the Sin City team accepted doing a Sin City tie-in... They could pretty much refuse it too. It's not just giving a call, they have to discuss price, schedule, production and aprove the final result. Also, a lot of movies/dramas/etc already invite the artists to sing the themes before the production is openly announced.

About being photoshoped beyond recognization... I strongly believe people over here tend to be overdramatic about it. She is very edited on advertising and fashion magazines, but ignoring Sunrise/Sunset covers I always find Ayu easily recognizible on her releases...

On the same way, Namie is very edited on Best Fiction (ok, it was part of the concept) and Break It single cover (where I can't really recognize her)

This best is really unnecesary, but i'm excited for the new song. I love this article (it says what i think):

http://www.jpopasia.com/news/editori...ki::11541.html

And talking about her 15th anniversary, i think a special single project could be better than A BEST 3 (or maybe both)

wah.... =O

speechless ... over here....

Maybe it's a part of her contract?