Hmm.. If thats true.. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE PEOPLE! :P If they do reach the point where they think Beautiful Day is mocking, I think they might be overanalytical when it comes to Ayu. Or maybe no one's heard of Puffy Amiyumi yet.

actually I like Beautiful Day -- it's a pretty uplifting song IMO.

I've been pretty distant since Ayu released ourselves, that's the only song I remember being really crazy about. And know what?- I don't really care anymore. She's good to listen to once in a while, but I'm not going to die because I don't listen to her every single minute. I'm used to all her releases with crappy mixes, and all the photoshoots, and commercials, and this and that. After 3 years, it's just not as amazing anymore :shrug There's no need to feel bad about it- if she influenced your life in a good way once, then be happy :) Things eventually get old.. and that's it :shrug (I'm talking about obssessions getting old, not Ayu herself) We still have 50, 60 years of our lives to go thru (hopefully) ..she's not going to be around forever for us to obssess over.

well I too have been listening to other artists lately... but not because I'm distant from Ayu... there's just alot of new stuff out that I like... such as Koda's second best... or Boa's OUTGROW... but I still listen to Ayu alot... it is an in-between kinda feeling... I am listening to her older stuff right now, I go through phases...

Maybe she's just run out of stuff to say. To all the people that say her lyrics are bland and recycled, I give her props for still writing her own lyrics. I would love to see an average person write as many songs as she has and not repeat themselves with the same ideas or concepts. Even Shiina Ringo said after KSK, that she really didn't have much more to say. Her lyrics are bound to seem the same sometimes. But I thought some songs on (miss) understood were great. I think she just needs to cut the tie ups for events or movies. I don't mind the Morinaga ones or Panasonic CMs, because they don't have an effect on the type of song she's going to make. It just seems to me like a big tie in comes along, and they ask her to write a song for them, and she does it. Thats what bothers me. I have high expectations for her next single though, I really am excited about it. (Whether it be the rumor one, or one to be announced). I think she's due for a big hit that will hit home for all her fans in Japan, and on AHS. I would love it for everyone on AHS just to be happy and love her new songs once again. But maybe thats asking too much :P I would also love to hear CREA compose again, but I don't think she'll re appear anytime soon...there were a lot of mixed reactions from winding road and Humming 7/4, so maybe she got discouraged again.

Remember that it's not really Ayu's fault.. technically xD for the tie-ups anyway. Blame the tie-up coordinator! Boo on him!

Well I just went through this period...but I've returned somewhat. The newer stuff just doesn't seem as influential, regardless of whether it is good or not.

i guess i'm like some of the people here .. I'm still crazy about Ayu these days, I tune into all her news, listen to all new songs repeatedly .. but just not as crazy as I was back a year or 2 ago ... my playlist then was 100% ayu .. n nothing else ..

now I'm listening to Kumi and other artists

It's normal, I guess. I admit that I don't like every single thing that Ayu does but I'm still here.