New music?
 

Jw because I feel like I've been coming back every so often and there's nothing. Am I wrong in thinking this has been the longest time without an album? Don't get me wrong if she's taking her time I'm all for it. It's just constant tours and no new content makes me concerned for retirement or something. Just curious if there is some news I've missed or something.

You won't have to fear that ayu will (willingly) retire. She will keep going as long as she can, it simply seems that touring is her priority at the moment.

It has been three years since M(A)DE IN JAPAN was released so in terms of studio albums, yes this is the longest time without one. However, there was the EP "TROUBLE" that got released in August 2018.

I kinda feel like Ayu isnt all that interested in filming PVs and recording music anymore :/

No new music on horizon, kinda sad, maybe she will release mini album during this year, but there is no announcement (yet).

I feel like she is not releasing even one single song this year. I'll be super grateful if there will be a new song at the rest of 2019, just one song is enough.

Wouldn't be surprised if TROUBLE is the last album with new music.

I guess every concert from now on will just be a collection of songs from her discography. Only changes are new arrangements.

U guys r way too dramatic...

I think some people cringe at the constant mention of retirement. I think that it's very unlikely.

However...

At this point, I do wonderif there's any chance that she'll go on hiatus. She's never done that, but things do seem kind of hereand there with her releases.

This. It hasn’t been a year since TROUBLE was released and people are saying this might be her last release ever 🤣🤣🤣

That's not drama, that's realism :) anyway, we'll have to wait and see

A One and MIJ were more than a year apart. MIJ and TROUBLE more than 2 years. We are still under a year since TROUBLE. Let’s give her a chance~~~

Considering this is all based on pretty much nothing, nope, it's not realism.

Not releasing a full album in a pretty reasanoble time does't mean she won't release anything anymore.

Not even getting deaf means she won't be releasing anything anymore considering she is still performing and may have past recorded material.

Stating ur fears as a fact doesn't make them real.

At least she released sixxxxxx and Winter diary between A One and MIJ.

Imagine if people were saying Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears, Rihanna and most pop girls are retiring for not releasing new music every year (they usually take 3 to 6 years between releases) so I don't see why start talking about retiring in Ayu's case. Even if we don't count TROUBLE (I do but some people act like it doesn't exist) MIJ was realeased just about 3 years ago, is not really a long period (compared to others artists) and during those years she toured like crazy, like it or not, as long as she keeps touring she's active and even if she decided to stop realising new music she still has a HUGE catalog of songs to do another 20 different tours :laugh

Honestly not expecting any new releases any time soon.

She's a touring act now guys.

If it wasn't for the concerts we've been able to watch the last 2 years, I would have already lost it a long time ago.

I think that eventually (next year?) she will realize that she has sung almost all of her discography live since 2016 and that she needs to make new music to make her shows worth attending again lol

Considering she usually does tours with a narrative in mind, there's an infinite number of possibilities and combinations. So, don't count on that :D

Well, I really miss her studio works, but it's been almost 10 years since I'm aware her final goal is to be on stage, it's her priority and the deafness made it more urgent than ever. Also, she mentioned being out of ideas for new songs, so I prefer she keeps away from recording until she has a clear concept or interesting idea for a PV, for example.

What I really want from her is a release of her concerts, from Jtb CDL 'til now. Wouldn't be wonderful if she releases that at streaming platforms?

Avex just needs to force their hand and release the onslaught of fan service releases of unreleased, outtakes, remixes, etc like they did with globe.

Isn't it quite common that "older" (don't get me wrong, but "old" for the music business, lol) artists stop making new music, and just make loads of money off the old stuff?

I would love some new music, and I think there will be more, though I suspect we will see fewer releases and perhaps more mini albums. But that said, even if she doesn't release anything new, her concerts the last few years have been AMAZING. I've been off for a few years, and watching M(A)DE IN JAPAN tour was basically the one reason I fell into the pit again, lol. Then I watched Chapter 3, and then I watch Cirque de Minuit, and I just can't decide which one is better! Her older concerts were great, but they were more just entertainment. Her latest concerts have been absolutely stunning performances, that lift her studio music way above what it would be without their powerful live versions.

I'm so grateful for the "new concert ayu", I think it's brought her to a whole new level, and the last few years' palette of rock songs are all I need. But... maybe that's just me, lol.

Yes, that would be great! Although she is still active I do miss her as we don't have the last few concerts/tours to watch or buy in the meantime. I'm sure those would keep me occupied if they were released.

I do need to buy the Cirque De Minuit and Made in Japan tours sometime.

I agree with you. The first Ayu show I watched was AT06 and I think there are good performances from older concerts, but I prefer her current style of show. Also, I think she improved A LOT as a performer. People tend to dislike her "dramatic" acting, but I like it a lot, it's very theatrical and sometimes her aesthetics and her body language looks like contemporary dance (like the 'void' section of MIJ Tour).

As much as I want a new album I do want Ayu to wait until she is truly inspired and release a grand comeback album with proper promo and at least 2 or 3 PVs. For me, TROUBLE is Ayu's weakest release to date so I don't want her to make music if she does not have her heart in it.:shrug
I am still confused that we don't have any compilations or remix albums despite a major 20th anniversary milestone. On top of not releasing any major studio albums for years when they used to come out annually for 16 years. It's very unlike Avex so it must be Ayu's request to not release anything.
I would also like to add that those of you wishing for Ayu to release concerts on streaming instead of physical should be careful. The chances of her tours being available on a major streaming service internationally are quite low. It would probably be through an Avex streaming service and locked to Japan only. Then someone would have to rip it and post it here for download. The video and audio quality would also be lower than blu-ray.:dead2

This is just speculation obviously but I think she's going through a writer's block and is avoiding writing/making music and instead just focusing on making the most money she can by touring until she gets inspired to write again. She's been through a lot the past few years, so I don't blame her for not being particularly as inspired as she once was.

This.
She's been at this 20 years now. After 10 years, most great acts slow down their output of new material. Life gets in the way. It happens. No big deal. Better than her trying to just release some bad music to fill a gap or jump on the latest bandwagon.

Lol funny there are so many posts. I used to struggle to get a reply when I was more active on here lol. I am absolutely for her taking time that's a beautiful thing. I was just worried cause I haven't been as active if there was something I missed is all.

In the west there can be three years or more between albums and its normal. Don't be so dramatic.

Let's not forget this is the woman who used to release a new album (and sometimes even two) every year for nearly twenty years! That's why I think it's a bit unfair to compare her to western acts since she (or avex) was very strict to that release pattern for too long, so it's normal people miss/question the lack of new material while they get used to a new pattern. And I must say I'm glad she has a HUGE catalogue and we can rediscover and revisit hundreds of songs and dozens of tours, I guess I'll never grow tired of her "old" material.

Would there be as much TROUBLE hate if WatQ and WORDS weren't previously known about? I think the songs themselves are really great. Sure, I already played those two to death so the "new" material wasn't much compared to most releases but would it be as disliked if it had an opening interlude or had been still 5 new songs and those were bonuses?

Ayu said recently that she doesn't even listen to music at home, right? I don't doubt that she's been trying to write but she has 300 songs, as much as I always want more she's still eclipsing some of my other faves by volume even if I add their discographies together lol

^I know that I at least wouldn't have been as bothered if she didn't announce a new album but a mini instead and had 5 new songs on it. Actually it could have been a triple A side single for all I would have cared with WATQ and WORDS as bonus tracks.
But announcing a new album and then only releasing three new songs was a pretty stupid move and obviously going to disappoint people.

I really want new material...
On the other hand I really really don't want another TROUBLE.

I prefer she takes her time and go back with something strong, polished, which smells sweat and ward-work, rather than coming back with few new songs, sounding like old left-overs with demo-like arrangements.

I asked this question initially cause I had entirely forgotten about Trouble being a mini album and not just a tour title. I honestly didn't like it at all when it came out so I kinda forgot about it. That obviously makes the void much smaller than I originally thought. Not sure if people were calling me dramatic, but I'm American so I'm used to artist taking years to release albums. I would have no problem if she went that route I just hadn't logged on in awhile. So I was just genuinely curious if there was just some info I'd missed. Or if it was just coincidence. Definitely not being dramatic though.

It doesn't help that TROUBLE had some of the most lackluster material she's ever put out, so I don't blame you for forgetting about it and thinking we've been in a dry spell since 2016, lol.

I can't speak for other people, but I was calling those who concluded Ayu will never release new music anymore dramatic.

@gustavismo Another way to see that: She releases 1-2 original albums every year for 18 years. Maybe she just got exausted or out of things to say considering how much material she released.

Personally, I'm just trying to convince myself that Ayu's saving it all for her 25th anniversary, just to "one-up" Namie and (soon) Koda Kumi's 20th.