true that! im a huge ayu fan but i believe that you dont have to love everything she releases. i was talking with a member here the other day and i told him that the 3 singles project sucked for me. then he attacked me by bashing my other favorite bands. ayu is my no.1 artist but yeah.

this single project is definitely a grower. but right off the bat, i love Sweet Season. the rest are growers... but i still hate Last angel for the lack of, i read it some post before this, POWER. hehehe.

but im happy she's no.1 with L dailies. woot!

I think that if you can list that many songs that you love, then it isn't a bad score at all. When you think about the quality of other artists, or the amount of hits-and-misses they have, then the fact that she can please so many fans in so many different ways is impressive. It's a matter of opinion after all, as I looked at some of your "just likes" and thought, "But that's the best one!" (Such as BALLAD and Last Links, the first of which I continue to think is amazing, no matter how many times I listen to it).

Ayu is her own person, and writes based on what she's feeling. As she grew and developed as a person and an artist, her music changed with her. Is everyone going to like it 100% of the time? No, but I think she's come to a point in her career where she wants to do things the way she wants, and think more about the music that she wants to make, rather than what the public wants to hear. (Though perhaps I'm going too far, or perhaps that's not a good thing at all, though most would argue art is suggestive and not something that can be sold en masse.)

It's true that I sometimes look back at her old stuff and think, "Wow! That was amazing!" but it's also true that I can look at her music now and think that we both grew a little. I didn't stand still in the time between I began listening to her and now, and neither did she. So we're both taking something from the music that's different than then.

I think that's part of the draw of Ayu--she keeps releasing things that reflects her as time goes on, and I can appreciate that time hasn't stopped for either of us.

But... uh... I digress.

(btw, I was a little disappointed with the numbers for L, but I'm happy that it was #1 daily and so far above the rest. It's definitely been an expensive two weeks for Ayu fans, so I can appreciate the numbers that we have.)

^Thank you for stating your opinion in a mature manner and instead of "you dont liek what Ayu's doin now, no1curr GTFO". Some people here, my god. -__-

Yeah, this project is a grower for me as well, at least for MOON/blossom. I love crossroad and Virgin Road rite from the beginning, and I like Sweet Season as well. But I didn't totally love MOON/blossom at all. It was weird because in the beginning I did like the songs, but my loving decreased before the single released. After two months I started liking blossom again and I kept repeating this song + crossroad + VR :P.

It looks like you're not disappointed at all. If you like her music why do you keep saying that? Yeah I can understand the disappointment in this whole single project thing since it was badly handled. But you made it sound like nothing she's made recently compares to anything she's done in the past (a la the typical Ayu fan these days) yet you list the majority of her music within the past year as something you at the very least like. So seriously, what's the problem?

^ I miss the songs I L:luv2VED. Like I said, it used to be every release or close-to-it was so powerful. Just completely on-par with the previous release.

^They are still there...
And you did list a decent amount of songs that you love so....

Um... looks like you got at least one song for every release you listed...

I'm not trying to tell you how to feel about her music or that you should love everything, but at the same if you're THAT disappointed because your LOVES are every other song instead of every song switch over to someone else for a while. This is going to sound extremely bias because I'm insanely obsessed Ayu fan, but I doubt anyone else in the (Japanese pop) business right now is going to pump out the quality Ayu does on a regular basis. An album and three singles this year and you like the majority of the tracks? Sounds like you need a new perspective, baby. :shrug

^ Yes but compared to older days:
:luv2 = STEP you, Moments, About You, my name's WOMEN, Ladies Night, rainy day, Beautiful Day, evolution, ourselves, INSPIRE, momentum, JEWEL, 1LOVE, (don't) Leave me alone, Mirrorcle World, Life, talkin' 2 myself, Born To Be..., It Was, No Way To Say, Hanabi, RAINBOW, Endless Sorrow, GAME, is this LOVE?, NEVER EVER, Because of you, SEASONS, A Song For XX, Fly High, SURREAL, etc.

It's just that everything was almost too perfect before. I literally loved everything. I fell in love with Ayu because I l:luv2ved her music. Not just because I "liked" it.

I too am insanely obsessed, it's just that for a while now I feel like I've been in denial and really forcing myself to say I loved everything as much as I loved other works. Seriously, there is nothing I would not do for Ayu and spent a crapload of cash to see her in 2008, so yes, I am obsessed - but idk I'm just sad.

:yes Ayu fans can be strange at times. Of course I include myself in that too:P
(hope you don't mind me friending you btw ^_^)

@all.night.raver But does it really matter if you don't love EVERYTHING anymore? If you still love, and like, a fair amount of her songs I don't really see the need to be so disappointed.
Maybe you should try not to compare things too much? :)

LOL The GUILTY tracks were not that long ago babe. And like I said, at least one for every release you have there. So if she's still continuing to make at the very least one for every release, why so disappointed? :laugh When she stops making music you like entirely, then I'll understand. But it seems like you still have a decent amount of music to love... at least by your standards lol.

[EDIT]

Perfect kagami, just perfect! ^-^b

Yes but GUILTY was still almost 3 years ago. :(

I'm trying. I really am. :yes

I hope it works out for you. Just try and see the tracks for what they are and not whether or not they sound like my name is WOMEN etc. :laugh And hey, if you just "like" a song, then you just like it. It's not that bad I promise LOL. I like Sweet Seasons, doesn't blow me a way at all but hey it's nice to listen to while I'm driving at least lol. Now Virgin Road on the other hand.... Over 1,000 plays... Need I say more? xD;;;;;

I don't think you should try too hard. Forcing yourself and pretending you like something will probably just make you dislike it even more.
Maybe you should take a break from Ayu, don't listen to her for a few months, and then start again with some of her more recent songs. Perhaps the new album that will probably be out later this year?

And there's nothing wrong with not feeling some of her stuff. Enjoy the stuff you like, and forget the stuff you dont:)

@all.night.raver, if you're not feeling it you're not feeling it and that's that. if i were you i'd just take a break. i know you mentioned trying to force yourself to like ayu's stuff, but you shouldn't have to do that. try to look for other artists that can satisfy you right away without you having to "force" anything. that's just my suggestion.

it's always drama drama drama with you people.
she's #1 so who cares what the numbers are.

Amen to that!!! But I'll wait until next Wednesday when she officially broke the record and then celebrate in her honor... Just wish I had those RnRC 7 Day Final glasses to do that with lol.

Or do you mean Monday? Oricon usually gives out articles for weekly sales on the Monday after the release week...

^ Yeah sure, whenever it's confirmed lol.

The thing is is that I really don't even listen to Ayu that much anymore - I'm pretty much constantly listening to trance like Armin van Buuren, Ferry Corsten, A State of Trance RADIO, and such. But I'm always following Ayu :)