Yes, I think that's true... to an extent. She is still a huge force in Japan, even with her declining sales. I was in Japan when Blue Bird came out (the first time I listened to Ayu or had even heard of Ayu!!!) and I was shocked how I heard it being played everywhere I went!!! Stores/restaurants/radio... I even heard it being played at a store in a temple I visited!!!

Anyways, I am also hopeful that she continues doing well in China and Taiwan!

^you have a good idea...
Your's is the best post to quote Lauren.

You said everything that needed to be said saying the least crap and stating it like it is.

My post should have been like this, I should have just agreed with you to begin with :laugh

Well, if that's the case then Ayu maybe don't really have to have those winning positions in polls...I mean look she is a very clear picture of Japan's Pop as people always listening to her in public places, she became a 'Common Artist' like when you ask someone "Do you know Celine Dion or Madonna?" and then everyone would say "Yes". Everybody enjoys her as a part of a public culture IMO

Yes, that's true, the same happens for every other major artist though. If Southern All Stars has a new single out, you hear that everywhere you go, Arashi you hear that, Ayumi you hear that, etc etc.

that's true, that's true.

I think you didn't read my related posts and JUST read part of it.

I don't agree ALL this kind of poll, even Ayu is at #1.

Yes, that kind of poll seems disgrace some artists and unfair....
They kinda making a rivalry between fans (In the reality many artists don't want this kind of thing to happen)...media these days

Haha... The 20 000 people they chose weren't Ayu fans.

well.. i admit that ayu's popularity is going downhill.. but then for ayu to not appear in top 20.. that's shocking.

(TT-TT still sad to hear that she`s not up there, since she`s normally pretty popular. i remember the first time i said to myself "this looks like the decline of her popularity" was around the time of rainbow.. hEH. sanks for the info~~.

I think this poll just works as pick 1 artist that would be your favourite so artists' with consistent fanbases do well. Like Honestly Hikki, aiko and mr children have like the most consistent fanbase so it would make sense for them to hit the top 3 often. I Think people are just overreacting like always and critisizing other artists for no reason =/ what surprises me most is that people think these polls are bias just because the same people win over and over x_x ~!

LOL! And here I was worried it came across too...terse, I guess? :P I just wanted to sum it up without going into the whole explanation of why ayu fans who are really worried need to not be so spoiled.

Every artist has their peak and their downfall, and that's the reality of it. Ayu's downfall wasn't sudden or sharp enough for a huge backlash resulting in a premature retirement, and I'm amazed more fans aren't thankful for that. Any artist who's consistently as low as number 5 on the charts is arguably doing AMAZINGLY as far as popularity. Many artists alot of ayu fans like very rarely even break into the top 10, and they're worried about ayu's number 1 streak. She's already broken records, I don't see why she needs to continue being number 1 at absolutely everything all the time.

As for these polls, they're crap anyway. But seeing ayu fall out of people's top 5, 10, 15, or 20 lists - and then coming back occasionally, but it'll be less & less often over the next few years - should never cause anyone to get so upset over it that they feel the need to share it with other people. You don't see threads like this at alan's forum, because her fans appreciate if she so much as makes it into the top 5.

When your favorite artist is always the best all the time, it's hard to congratulate them on their successes, because those successes come to be accepted. It's easier to find occasions where she sinks in popularity, or has a sales slump, and then be upset about it.

The movie "Searching for Bobby Fischer" said it better than I'm saying it... at one point, Josh is worried about a chess tournament, and he says this to his dad.

"If I win, everybody will say, 'Well, of course he won, he's a top-ranked player.' But if I lose... Maybe it's better not to be the best. Then you can lose, and it's okay."

If ayu loses from time to time, fans need to learn to let it be okay.

Gosh, yes that's CORRECT!!!! Your post is like the most poetic post I've ever read here on AHS (with the exception of lyrics and poems thread):P

Yea, we should learn how to lose...despite of the crappiness of the polls lol

omg this like the moststupid poll ever. most of artist there are awfull sellers, most of them has no number one hits so this is just stupid.
and u r really stupid too. how can u say ayumis carreer is loosing???
which female artist can surpass her nowadays? there isnt one. she still hasnumber one singles, number one albums. utada is power seller but her singles sucks (PoL, HS/SG), kumis sales of singles are poor too. maybe ayumis carrer is supported by die-hard-fans, but they do a very good job. and we all know one day she wont be on top, and it will be soon, but what she has achieved noone ever has...

I'm sure Ayu is the last person not aware of the situation.

Still, what's important is that she's given us TEN years of her life, brings delight each time we hear her recordings, make us jump to our feet on her tours and bring tears to our eyes when she's sad.
For most of us, she will always hold a special place in our hearts and always be No.1 no matter what the charts say.

Looking at her blogs (so kindly translated) she has no intentions of quitting or slowing down, so let us enjoy our good fortune to the fullest and savour every moment. If and when she does decide to leave, let it be with our blessings, wishing her every happiness and good health.

She deserves no less.

i couldn't be bothered...As long as Ayu still sings...I will still support her!
The Asia sales beat the Japan sales and this proves that Ayu is popular throughout Asia! Who needs Japan fans? hahaha

Ummm, everyone of the people on that list are number 1 sellers. Some of which have more #1s than Ayu. And honestly, as much as I'd like Ayu to keep her #1 streak, the only reason that it hasn't been broken is because Avex makes sure to release her singles in weeks where there is next to no competition. Release her against some real competition the last couple of years and there is no way she would have so many #1s.

The fact that she has been gradually losing popularity is undeniable. One needs only to look at the year end single charts to see that she is only making the list at #31. (Great for many artists, but low for Ayu) And last year I believe she came in around #20 at the highest.

But as Delirum said, this is just the natural progression of things. I imagine the popularity will dip much lower until she maybe is able to have a resurgence of popularity like Amuro did.

Well, when you factor in that most of the top 10/20 of the yearly single charts = JE..

She actually does pretty well for herself. lol.

Whether its JE or not is irrelevant though. The top of the charts has always been JE, yet Ayu managed to hang right in there with them. Now she doesn't, thus it demonstrates her drop in popularity. Plus she used to almost always be the top female on the charts, this year and I believe the last two years, have a number of solo or group females ahead of her. The charts are still heavily male dominated though.

Boybands have been reigning over any solo artiste these years...Not many artiste would stand up against them...maybe Hikki but the rest no way...So that said, it doesnt matter if Ayu cant anyway..

Yes yes i agree too. She is more like a household name now and i think, its not really that her popularity has dropped but that people just listen to her like any other artiste...there is no longer this AYU-HYPE after her peak 7 years ago..
They probably still download her stuff...and LIKE it..maybe not so much Love it.

But those artiste on that chart probably stand out more i guess...

yea...i think she is still very big in Japan...and what she has achieved definitely can't be overlooked no matter wad...

her status now should be WIDELY KNOWN and not just POPULAR