OMG, I would love another song like Ever Free (or Brillante)!

^ Yes!
She was able to craft such a timeless, ethereal and polished album with RAINBOW and I’d love if she made another attempt -it could be her Ray of Light, hennies! I’m sure that my opinion isn’t new, but I see RAINBOW as the “light” that follows “I am’s” turmoil: it shows how Ayumi became less self involved and started to make music for the fans and other people that needed it, just as she’d began to do since Duty/I am but without the darkness of separating between her real self and “Ayumi Hamasaki “ the performer.

I know exactly what you mean :) when she’d release albums on the first on every year or end of year it felt special to have brand new music and look through the album booklet, to watch new PVs. My “winter” Ayumi album was Secret. I remember getting the first press poster with it too.

My Christmas album is Love Songs (my 2nd favourite album).
It not only came out on my birthday and I listened all over Christmas, New Year and the whole January to it, we also got snow over Christmas and year end where I lived and this doesn't happen that often anymore in recent years. It just was a very magical time somehow.

Yep!

how amazing the RAINBOW Album could have been if it actually contained the song RAINBOW?!? I think it would elevate the whole album.

I still remember seeing the PV for the first time - I wasn't an ayu fan yet; didn't kblnowmuch about her and didn't expect anything. by the end of the video I was in tears. such a great song and video! it resonated so strongly with me.

^ It was so cool to get a first print of Rainbow though, and hear the snippet of the song on the special website. Then people sent in their feelings/thoughts/words to help her write the song. I think that's really something special, and I'd love to see her do something like that again.

Unrelated, I'm so impatient with wanting to know her 20th anniversary plans. My plan was to go see her for the actual 20th anniversary tour, but now with Namie's retirement I really want to see her once. I'm sure dates won't line up to see both at the same time, which means I'll probably miss out on Ayu. I hope the whole year isn't overshadowed by the retirement, to be honest.

And, I'm STILL annoyed at TA (especially because I just renewed). Get those translations done or stop promising them!

Yes, I feel the same! For a while when I first got into Ayumi, I would get a release from her around Xmas either due to the release of the album (Secret) or I asked for Ayu stuff for Christmas (A Clip Box, A Song for XX, Loveppears). I wish she would release an album in late Nov/early Dec again so it would arrive for Christmas.

The one I associate most with is Secret. I remember watching the PVs on Christmas morning.

I think Love Songs for me arrived in January.

http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/feature/export_chart_2005-2010

CDJ TOP 40 - 2005
#13 ayumi hamasaki ARENA TOUR 2005 A - MY STORY DVD
#23 ayumi hamasaki COUNTDOWN LIVE 2004-2005 A DVD

CDJ TOP 40 - 2006
#3 Secret [Jacket A / CD+DVD]
#15 ayumi hamasaki Arena Tour 2006 A - (miss)understood DVD
#22 (miss)understood [CD+DVD]
#39 ayumi hamasaki Countdown Live 2005-2006 A DVD

My favourite albuns are A song for XX and Loveppears.
A song for XX (the album) gives me a sense of nostalgia and Loveppears is very catchy.

ok so all this talk about RAINBOW made me addicted to everywhere nowhere

thanks yall :laugh

^ Welks! That song is so much fun, especially the instrumental between the first chorus and second verse!

I wish M-Flo would produce a whole album by Ayu. Merry-go-Round and my way are different and I'd love more of that (and the direction of Colors) in general.



... with PVs that don't cost 5 dollars to make

everywhere nowhere was / is my favorite track on RAINBOW.

And the PVs got more luxurious imo from sixxxxxx onward. She uses a lot of her usual budget on tour though nowadays.

I have such mixed feelings of everywhere nowhere. I was SO excited when the Panasonic commercial came out, but I felt like the final version was more repetitive than I thought it would be. So I go through phases where I don't care about the song, and phases where I really love it.

In general, it's really hard to pick a single favorite. But I LOVE Free & Easy (even if it doesn't fit with the rest of the album), mostly because it's an M clone and she just looked so gorgeous around that time.

Can ayu like do something interesting or exciting now

Yes, it's a shame that trend didn't continue with Made In Japan as Sayonara and Summer Diary looked great!

Everything was perfect with Free & Easy - the song, single artwork, PV.

^ The Joan of Arc theme really just tied it all together, and everything consistently came back to that theme. The Hamasaki Republic magazine was like the icing on the cake.

Merry go round is far too underrated. It's the superior track of that single imo lol. I never listen to feel the love unless it randomly pops up... merry go round on the other hand is on several playlists of mine.

I love everywhere nowhere, the live version from PCDL >>>>>

Um the eurobeat mix is obviously the best.

Merry-go-round is probably the best thing on Colours alongside Terminal.