The Signature Song
 

My friend asked me what is Ayu's signature song and I hardly tell him because she has got a lot of famous songs such as M, Dearest, SEASONS, and, Voyage not like other divas when you mention the name then you know their signature song. i.e Utada hikaru (First Love), BoA (Every heart), Namie Amuro (CAN YOU CELEBRATE?), Kumi (1000 no Kotoba) or Ayaka (Mikazuki).

So what do you think a song that deserve to be her signature song??

Definitely evolution. Yeah she has many, which include the ones you mentioned, but evolution I think was the pinnacle of her stardom and sums up her image and style pretty well.

I guess it would be either M or Dearest?

evolution definitely. but M comes close.

evolution

It's definitely No way to say

Evolution of course.

I think a Japanese would be best to respond that since her signature songs are played throughout there. If we look here on last.fm for example, it's Dearest that people play most.

But I would agree at the fact that evolution is probably the most recognized song by her.

I would say evolution or M.
These two will always be with, although I wish she would sing M more.
I also thing she has evolution set deep in her heart as her song. LOL... she sings it at every concert for a reason.

Perhaps "SURREAL"?

I would say evolution, M, A Song for XX or Dearest...

It's not SURREAL, as when she chose to perform it wherever she performed it last on tv, the news reports mentioned they were surprised she didn't choose a song everyone knew.

M.

It is still her best-selling single of all time.

once I sang BLUE BIRD at a pub, my friend was explaining Ayu to another friend and the first song he hummed to was "M".

I like to think of it as A Song for XX as it represents more closely to her life.

It's not evolution, she sings that one a lot because it's really recognizible and up-beat, while her biggest songs are all ballads...

I would say either M or Seasons

evolution. I think Japanese people think so too, I read about it somewhere, how they regard that song as much as a national anthem.
Very close after there's M. But, yeah, evolution, hands down.

I'm surprised asfxx is not in this, I've always thought that song was her signature song

There's that one video of someone imitating multiple artists and they use ayus evolution.

M.

Ayu was already huge when "evolution" came out, so it certainly wasn't her original signature song - time kinda turned it into that.

Before "evolution" it was definitely "SEASONS," not even a question. Fans and the general public alike lost their minds when that song came out. It was EVERYWHERE.

"Dearest," since it was another personal nostalgic ballad and a tv anime theme, seemed like it would usurp evolution at the time of its release, but over the years it's faded into the background for the general public - while still being hugely popular among people who listen to ayu regularly - and "evolution" has gradually come out on top.

If ayu hadn't continued her career past LOVEppears, "LOVE~Destiny~" would probably be her signature song. It was a drama theme, written by tsunku, a ballad, and her first #1 single.

^I believe either M or Seasons still stir up bigger reactions... Ayu avoids her classic ballads on concerts, probably because they slow down the show, but M always get the showstopper moment when it's part of her setlist. And I don't think having an anime tie-in means much for the japanese public, considering anime is mostly seen as a children product over there...

Anyway, it's hard to point a signature song for people with several huge hits... Ayu has 6 or 7 songs that could be hers, and even people like Utada can seen obvious to point First Love, but she is also very remembered by travelling, Flavor of Life, Colors, etc.

I feel like Boys & Girls is her signature song.

Overall its evolution, M or Dearest, but for the newest generation its deffinitely BLUE BIRD. This year ive been on erasmus and i have met a lot of japanese girls, and when asking about ayu they all mentioned BLUE BIRD (some also mentioned Days and Sunrise)

BLUE BIRD is DEFINITELY a big one for newer fans, I'm surprised I didn't think of it! It's certainly endured since its release, too.

BLUE BIRD is her most recent 'iconic' song.

When it comes to her ballads, I think Dearest or Voyage are the ones to beat.

The ones that the public knows IMO:
Boys & Girls
SEASONS
M
evolution
Dearest
Voyage
BLUE BIRD

Nothing other than BLUE BIRD has really stuck out, I think... HEAVEN or CAROLS -maybe- but barely.

A Song for XX M SEASONS

I've found Dearest to be relatively forgotten over here haha.

Voyage, however, is quite well known.

One of these for sure:
A song for XX
Evolution
M
Dearest
Boys & girls
Blue bird
Seasons

/endthread

Even though ASFXX is pretty big, I think it's mostly big among fans since it's an album track.

The 'signature' songs for fans imo:
Who...
A Song for XX
JEWEL
MY ALL
Days
Fly high
appears
teddy bear
July 1st
Memorial address
walking proud
STEP you
Sunrise ~LOVE is ALL~
Love song

evolution or M.


SURREAL best song ever though :o



Blue bird such a pretty song. And Blue bird part 2 in california.

And damn Voyage. She only performed it 50 million times.

I remember one of those translations of nietzins or whatever mentioned "her last good song/hit was "Ah-itsuka..." So maybe they just aren't Aware of the title??

"Deserves to be"? M. Actually is? Probably Evolution.

I swear that it was either M, seasons, boys & girls or evolution
Every Japanese person I know knows one of these four Ayu songs only
The tie is with evolution and boys & girls.

(But we ALL know it's evolution)

is this thread even serious? it has always been M.

it's definitely evolution :)
but I'd also name M and SEASONS.

I'd say evolution, SEASONS or M, but if I had to choose one it'd probably be evolution. It's also the first song I've heard of her back when I didn't know the world of jpop nor ayu. It was just so popular that even nonJPOP fans knew it by heart.

evolution or M (maybe SEASONS?), but I'm leaning towards M. It is her most viewed video on Youtube (it's approaching 4 million views, very soon) and her second best selling single a-side after SEASONS. evolution and SEASONS would be very, very close still, though.

You could argue the case for one of these three and still be right imo.

M, evolution and ASFXX

Talking about hits, no way to say was pretty big in Japan back at the day

Seasons seems to be her most recognized song in japan, I guess maybe dearest for international fans but I doubt it's the same thing in japan.

I would say SEASONS

I would say Boys & Girls or maybe evolution

SEASONS definitely.

I would say her signature song is M.

M is the first song that comes to mind when I think of Ayumi although Evolution is a close second.

Perhaps Boys & Girls?
I don't think she has just one signature song.:yes

A Song for XX or Who... for me :)

Can't decide among fly high, SEASONS, evolution or M :laugh

A lot of Ayu's songs from the so-called Golden Era could be considered Her signature ones. I for one always appreciated "SURREAL" the most since it is like the epitome of an unusual pop-song to me. Very strange song structure and so much melancholy in the instrumental part, yet coloured by a very up-beat driven cheerful chorus. "SURREAL" is neither black nor white; it's a mysterious mixture of both.

I will never understand this song in its wholeness, though. Such a weird song, providing the listener with so much pleasure :D

I love your description of SURREAL. Indeed, an unique song. As a signature song, I would choose Moments.