[2007] Can Ayu Really Make A Comeback?
 

Well these past years, Ayu's sales have not been really good at all. She is constantly getting beat by other artist and her work as of late seems too repetitive to me and others. A-BEST 2 sales are lower than expectation. What does Ayu, really have to do in order to get back her crown of the queen of jpop? because surely now its known it defantly isnt her anymore? do you fans have any ideas here are mine.

1.Image change, cut the hair short and die it black : example

2. Fire all the producers hire fresh new faces and start composing as Crea again and work with HAL and DAI they defantly did great work on her stuff.

3.Change up to different styles and be daring. Ayu in electronica was awesome look at I AM.

4. Rock!!! Every one seems to love Ayu's rockier and edgier songs. Duty was explosive

5.constantly promote! promote! promote! advertise more products, new songs.
6. Surprise fans with a hip hop or R&B song!

those are my ideas what are yours?

6. No more ballads don't sound similar or the same

Yeah... part of Me is just similar with many songs... It will turn out bad if she produce any more songs like that...

I think u have a great idea... If only there is any Avex staff here...

What would you do to help her out. The thing is Ayu has controll over everything she states why do you think she is not changing her style and what not?

They've been great compared to other female artists and music sales in general haven't been what they used to.

Has there ever been a time when she was the one and only musician people loved? I don't think so.

I assure you, there are still plenty of people who love her recent stuff.

We all knew it won't sell like A BEST, but the thing is - you don't even know the sales. No one does. The week is not over yet. That indicator which has been messing with our minds does not show the sales.


She has secured the position of biggest-selling female artist for a while. That makes her the queen.

Maybe she doesn't want to do that anymore.

Have you listened to Secret? If most of that album isn't rock, please tell me what it is.

She's been through that phase already.

What was this talk about rock then? And if she would only surprise fans with that song, what would the rest of the people do?

The question was what would you do, to ensure Ayu of a comeback.... which you didnt answer to at all.

I heard Secret i own it. Album is not very good full of filler songs and upgraded versions of others. That is why it didnt' sell.

Ayu's fan base went down alot. It's true! in this day and age there is somthing we call competition which she has now and it isnt flowing too well with her sales Kumi Koda has taken alot away because she is younger and more fresher and takes risk her songs arent always sad or soapy and complicated they are fun and meaningful. Utada's lyrics are so lovable and can be complicated. Mika Nakashima is just a well rounded singer. They all take risk.

No one has Ayu advertising anymore really. Because she is not selling as much as she used to. People get tired of seeing her everywhere, they already know who she is and want somthing new. Yeah Ayu was a goddess back then but now that day is long and gone sad as it may seem she may not be back to that status.

Ayu was around when downloading was just in the early works so of course her cds and stuff would sell because technology was not that advanced yet and capable of what it does today.

These are all opinions of mine my ideas. Ayu needs to go back to writing and composing herself. Rethink the music she is putting out. Because everything is sounding the same and is not tasteful.

And its sad that fans knew A-BEST 2 would sell so low... and it was expected "Black Cherry" has surpassed SECRET by thousands and so has "Ultra Blue"

now to reinstate the question...
"How can Ayumi Hamasaki secure a come back?

I didn't, since I don't think Ayumi has been gone in order for her to have a comeback.

How can people find out about the tracks without buying it? It didn't sell that much because people purchased it on-line or on their mobile phone. Also, the fact that she released only two singles before the album might have hurt as well. But the third single might have been cancelled because of her health.

She has had competition since day 1. It won't magically disappear or reappear at any given time.

I think it's more because she's advertised for everyone who can afford her.

That is just your opinion. How can you call her music distasteful? Distasteful would be stripping out from her geisha outfit and flirting with the horse. Those are references to the "part of Me" PV which isn't music, but still, she doesn't have random orgasm noises in her songs. They're nowhere near distasteful.

Are you trying to say that anything under 4.5m is low? Low by Ayumi standards is 100k which is a lot to some. Koda Kumi is the most popular female singer in Japan now, but it's not like she's the only one. There are other very popular singers as well. ULTRA BLUE was released before Secret so it hasn't surpassed Secret's sales.

Well, maybe not "surpassed" but "surpasses", becouse it has sold more than Secret has so far... and I believe Secret will never outsell ULTRA BLUE, which is 950k~, while Secret is 660k~ copies sold...

Although you can tell that sales lowered over the years in Japan, but if you look at Orange Range... they can still sell around 2 million copies, right? It's not like Ayu left, but yeah, she could get way higher sales than she gets now. It's not that she's "not popular", becouse I bet she's a household name throughout the whole country, but just knowing her name doesn't make people like/buy her music...

But you can't really control people's tastes. You can't really predict what's gonna happen when you release a record. Who knows if a song's gonna flop or send the sales through the roof.

If Ayu is all about money that is so wrong... But people have moved onto new artist. Ayu is not what she was back then and defantly not coming back into that era. Alot of her songs have sounded the same i can find 500 different post if not more where people opinionated just as i have that her music isnt even close to as it was before. That is why it is called an opinion their isnt an official spokesperson who says Ayu's music sucks now. That is why it isnt fact but opinion i am seeing what Ayu can do to make a comeback happen to make her as good as she was back then. If there is no reason for her to make one like you said i guess her career is where its gonna stay now. At normal artist level. And contiually to sell low

Comeback? Oh Please. Give me a break. She never left. Plus last time I checked she was still topping Oricon charts. Her songs don't sound the same, people just complain and whine too much. I like the direction her career is taking. If people don't like it, it's their problem not mine.

Also electronica and rock are in Secret. Didn't you listen to her most recent album or not?

You should write for tabloids. You like to create this whole like "Who's selling more than who?" drama. And I completely stopped taking this thread seriously when you started comparing Ayu to Koda Kumi, Utada, and Mika Nakashima - sales-wise and music-wise. All these artists have COMPLETELY different fanbases in Japan. Just because everybody here at AHS has to like every single mainstream Japanese female artist, doesn't mean everybody in Japan does. The Oricon graph in the News section pretty much confirms that Ayu is most popular with people in their 40's. Guys in their 20's like her, but girls in their 20's don't like her so much.

She's touring Asia, she's the best selling Japanese female artist of all-time, she's had the chance to even release a second best album. What comeback has to be made? Though I do agree her music and lyrics are getting repetitive, I don't think your theories of bringing back CREA or doing more rock (than she already does) are going to help her career.

We don't live in Japan either, we can't possibly know what the situation is. People might think her music is great right now, but not buy her albums for.. whatever reason. Especially after that whole Max Matsuura drama in '04. This is Japan here, a society that will shun an artist because she gets pregnant, gets divorce, or attempts suicide.

At least Ayu can look back 10 years from now and certainly be proud of what she has accomplished with her music, style, image, lyrics - everything she has done. She possesses ingenuity and honesty. She makes her own visual map of her career and what she wants to do.

Unlike other filthy *****s in the music industry today (yeah, Japan too), who aren't being honest with themselves, have a lot of issues, are being trashy, etc. If they were a decent human being, they'd be ashamed of themselves ten years from now.

Ayu can't have a 'comeback', because she was never 'gone'; like "criminal" & "demure" already explained; Ayu is still at the very top breaking all the records... Ayu is just not a hype anymore, and to get her hype-status again is nearly impossible. I think the only way to get hyped is to follow the trend... Do R&B/hiphop songs, dress really sexy etc..

In order to make a "comeback" you must first "disappear" somehow, change, and come back. Like Namie. And no one else I've heard of in Jpop ever did this. No one. Disappearing like that is too much of a risk to take to be worth it unless there's something you really really are passionate about (like namies hip hop obiously). Ami Suzuki failed even with avex help.

If you mean comeback sales wise, this may come with time (probably no though) as trends shift (population getting older f.ex.)

It wont work just to follow the trend either, especially if you're an established artist. Also she IS getting older, the jpop scene is very young and you can really refresh ayumi hamasaki like you can with johnny's and morning musume.

yeah i do. But there were too many filler songs. "Beautiful Fighters and Bluebird" should have been left out and replaced with better songs it messed up the flow of the album completely. "Startin" got me started thinking Ayu was taking a new direction. And then went right back into the stupid "Jewel" thing. Her rockier and edgier songs were great i mean i rather have "(MISS) Understood with "STARTIN" on it and id be happy the "SECRET" album just didnt do it for me.

As in comeback i mean, a new change in artistic visions, music and sales. People aren't all hyped about Ayu anymore. I get hyped listening to her older works but now the songs seem emotionless and not meaningful. It seems she is working hard but it isnt getting her anywhere. If A-Best 2 sells its defantly not because of "PART OF ME". None of her songs have people dancing and having fun as of late. They are all freaking ballads. You mean to tell me you rather be sitting in a room listening to ballads all freakin day instead of an upbeat song? thats so emo.

I don't think Ayu needs those back up dancers. Herself on stage was enough pressence. I don't think she is putting her heart and soul into her new music. I think this music is forced on her nowadays. She needs to go away for a while and make another kick ass song then let go! of all her creative juices because right now nothing is flowing

Filler songs? That's just your opinion and not a fact. If you don't like it get over it. You're saying stupid "Jewel" but for me it's a beautiful masterpiece. In Secret many of her songs were rock/edgy and upbeat but you can't have a whole album full of rock or it would get boring. If you didn't notice the first four tracks were electronic-rock tracks and "kiss o' kill" & "taskint" where in the same style of "Startin". That makes up four tracks and two interludes. The rest were ballads and pop songs which are extremely popular in Japan.

Seriously have you ever followed her career? She's always changing genres. And people are still hyped. See the Asia Tour craze. She just can't reamin on top forever. Artists like Namie or Madonna couldn't either so quit dreaming that Ayu would die being a J-Pop queen forever. Japan market is targetted towards a young generation of artists so get over it.


Again that's not a fact but just your opinion. I still get hyped and many others do. See her sales.

Give it a break and wait for her next single. I'm sure it'll be upbeat. And the all freaking ballads thing is so untrue. In 2007 she only released one song so wait after a full year before whining about ballads. Otherwise just go and listen to Kumi or something.

AGAIN that's your opinion. Almost any artist who is popular has backup dancers - Kumi, BoA, Namie, Ai Otsuka. The "claim" that she's not putting her heart and soul is pretty fake since the lyrics of her recent music are just as good as her previous once. Honestly this thread has no direction and sounds like your complaining and bashing about how you think Ayu sucks.

i need she jsut needs more drama and anime tie ins to appeal to the new generation...this is just to get MORE popularity then she has

back to basics

i dunno but i kinda feel that Avex thinks she is too gd so she doesnt need all these tie-ins..(yes Startin'/BTB.., had gd tie-ins..thats wad i mean..but more)...

Avex has this talk about promotiing her...but i need it has to get across to all levels of the society...no just purely thru Panasonic and Shibuya posters

Hey hey, calm down everyone. But I agree with Demure here, Miss. Ayumi Hamasaki was never gone, so she doesn't need a comeback.

Her sales have slumped? Sure, she isn't making million sellers recently (which is the equivalent of DIAMOND status in the US) but she is still a MULTI-PLATINUM selling artist. She graces the cover of every girl magazine consistently and is one of the most requested artists for TV shows.

Sure, she doesn't NEED backup dancers, but she has always had them. She really glows on stage with her fans and dancers moving along with her. It's obvious she loves her job and she is willing to work at it. But she IS getting old (age wise) and the Japanese population always want a new face. Right not, her popularity is stable and its people that really like her rather than doing "whats in".

Ayu has taken many directions in her career. She hired Sweetbox to make an album. Bold & Delicious/Pride wasn't one of her best sellers but it was different. Some people LOVE it, some people HATE it. The Ayumi Hamasaki we know now makes music SHE likes, and if people like it, too, then all the better.

When I get back from Japan I'll give everyone a report of Miss. Ayumi Hamasaki and the Japanese public, lol.

Ayu's doing great! Woo!

Let's look at madonna for example: Ayu's often nicknamed "Japanese Madonna" right? Well even the American Madonna had Britney Spears/Christina Aguilera outselling her sometimes.

So, it's perfectly fine that some other artists are outselling Ayu. It would be scary if no one sold more than Ayu. People would think Ayu was a witch if that was the case. Witchcraft!

What makes everyone think that Ayu even cares about her sales and such? I bet you anything that she is perfectly happy.

And after all her excursions in Hong Kong :laugh I think she's just fine.

i don't want to be a bore, but did she ever left the scene? her tour are all sell out, everything she releases gets to #1 while the pop stars of the moment really can't do that (Koda is the new top dog and she only has 3 #1s singles *i think*)...Ayu will always be jpop queen-bee
if you're all crying about 500.000 debut sales you should never become fans of artists like madonna, or mariah, or rachel stevens, those REALLY have ups and downs...Ayu's career is a dream to any pop artist, she got into a position that she doens't live in the hype, she estabilish herself as a legend.

gosh..
what are we doin' here?
another "disappointment of ayu"'s thread?

ehmm..
get over it..
if u don't like ayu or sick of listening to her recent songs, just don't listen to her songs, listen to other artists' songs, it's just as simple as that.
and start to idolize other artists. it's easy.
ayu's not forcing you to listen or like her songs, everytime she releases a single or an album..

I agree. And wasen't there a thread like this not long ago? I think this should go to the trash.

I also think she probably doesn't care about sales. To me, it seems that her passion is writing lyrics and creating good music for people to enjoy. And don't forget about those amazing concerts she has every year!

Yes, everything is opinion based! its not in fact or in stone. This is not to bash Ayu! but find ways she can be better and challenge herself. Alot of Ayu Extremist took this post the wrong way totally!! Probally becase they are used to Ayu being attacked.

I was listening to both my A-BEST 2 albums and defantly could see the change in music. i think Ayu favors the black album alot more its exciting and it seems more like Ayu.

I hope A-BEST 2 was a conclusion this part of Ayumi's career. So that way after the SECRET Tour and ASIA tour she can come back out fresh if she doesn't announce she is retiring which almost every Ayu fan is afraid of but i don't see it coming. Madonna doesnt sell as much as she used to? did she even sell big? in the first place i didnt follow her career.

So most of you don't want Ayu to get a fresh start again?

I listen to so many different artists, now that I'm not "obssessed" with Ayu anymore, I don't think a big comeback is that important. She has her face on a bunch of magazine covers every month, she has the tabloids trashing her, she may not endorse a bunch of products still, but she has a steady career as of now, she's still getting a lot of attention- she doesn't need a comeback. She's still young, I don't think she has to be in a hurry to be the "most amazing" in the jpop industry. If she were to endorse a bunch of products again, and come out with new refreshing songs that everyone would like, and "make a comeback" ..how long until people would get tired of her and get annoyed at her music? ..then she'd have to struggle for another comeback, and constantly trying to keep people happy. There's only so much you can do, she's done it all. I think Ayu having to make a comeback would be just to please her fans, and maybe she just doesn't want to do that :shrug Maybe she just wants to do her own thing, even if it doesn't bring her the success that it used to.

Thanks for your point of view!!! i really appreciate it. That's why i made this thread! You been on the forum for a while!!! so i guess you seen it all lol

..member since jan. 2003 :cool haha

Sometimes as much as I would like to see Ayu the way she used to be, you know- when everyone was in love with her, and she had higher sales, etc., ..maybe she's happy this way you know? even if we all don't approve of it :shrug

I do miss the "old Ayu" though :(

i just dont understand this !
when ayu did something different , eg, B&D / PRIDE
or hiring new composers like Sweetbox
look at her sales ! It plummeted down !

IT IS OBVIOUS THAT PEOPLE IN JAPAN DO NOT LIKE THAT
AND THEY OBVIOUSLY LIKE PREVIOUS AYU'S WORKS

infact .. the result of her hiring a new composer or using that composer is the low sales she has now.

see how many dissed B&D !

btw she also tried RnB in nothing from nothing ! its so terrible !

if u are a really good ayu fan
just have faith in her !

Yeah, it was alot of fun back then when everything was fresh, different and new sounding. Ayu was like flawless back then. The "CM"S were awesome and the pvs were always different Ayu was ahead of her time. i loved her alot back then as i did love Kumi and Utada.

But you're right, she may not want to start over because she is relaxed and happy. She used to have alot of pressure on her now it isnt the case it falls onto Kumi i guess now.. I guess hoping for another DUTY or I AM is hopeless even though "SECRET" was closer than any other but still did bad in sales "Ayu standards" but i have a feeling the old ayu may come back after this Ayu tour.:P

i dont know how to use the multi -quote so forgive me. (MISS) Understood sold very well because it was different. In R&B i don't think "Nothing from Nothing" is a good example at all that was more hip hoppish early j hip hop. R&B is like Karnariya and Two Of Us those are the only R&B ones she has done

Ayu is great ~ I love her, yeah Part of me rememberd me at many old songs... but it is quite different.. and Ayu with black hairs... O_o Noo!
Besides that, Ayu does much promotion at the moment....

Literally, I don't think she needs to have a "comeback" since as mentioned, she never disappeared.

In sales, I think slowing down everything and bringing more CREA would stop a steep decline in sales. I agree with your #2 (bringing in new faces with the behind the scenes work) but I disagree with your #5. I think it will do more harm than good if she appears in more magazines and in more CM's.

Well by word of mouth + the 2 singles she promoted with it. I think it didn't sell well because people didn't like it.

According to teth @ JPM, the graph actually showed the breakdown of the people who were still deciding whether to release the BEST album or not.

Yeah there was. Honestly this thread seems to be pointless. Ayumi is popular but not as she used to be. However it doesn't seem to be bothering her because she's singing because she loves her career and not because she wants to sell 3 million copies or something. If you don't like her style, it's too bad for you but she still has a solid fanbase. However she's not decreasing in quality, she's just doing what she loves. End of the story. Plus it's been seven years. It's time to give the other artists with potential some spotlight too.

That was the best post I've read for a while.

And I also agree with demure.

Of course she's not going to be her I am... era anymore. Every artist have their rise and fall, and yes, she may not sell as much as she use to, but she doesn't need to. She can be comfortable where she is and make the music she loves. And if she's promoted even more, people might get sick of her faster because they might want a new face.

I don't get what's the comeback for, she's still the greatest Japanese singer and the highest earning. So what comeback.

Lets see what Koda is selling by her 8th studio album. Perhaps the same amount as Nothing from Nothing if she's lucky.

the fault is of Koda Kumi...she crashs Ayumi's life

Personally, I think people only think that she needs a comeback just because her sales have dipped a little. [which is dumb.]

But that is inevitable. Sales will not stay the same [this goes for Koda as well]. Fans will move on and the truly dedicated will keep on buying. People still go to her concerts, people still buy her CDs. Ayu's focus on her career is still going as strong as ever, so for her to "come back" would she have to focus even more than 100% on her life as a popstar?

Don't people only have "comebacks" when they truly flop? Ayu is still selling a lot more than the average "well-known" female artist [which sells around 100k a single or 300-400k an album..]

I thought about that she needs a hair cute!! she looks so cute with the short, brown hair :D

Oh please.

i was just thinking if Ayu could reinvent herself after A-BEST 2 and both the tours. I think she can grab back her old fans and be where she was i don't think the idea is too far fetched. Ayu is bigger than Madonna in Japan and has sold alot more than britney spears i think. But i don't think it was a bad idea for a sort of come back to her old fans i guess it was taken the wrong way.

I think the mmost revolutionary change she could make (image wise) is to NOT reinvent herself. =P

AHAHAHA.

Reinvent herself?

Since her debut [well, not really], well, more like since LOVEppears' singles, she's reinvented herself time and time again, single after single, album after album.

It's her "nature" to reinvent herself. Musically, she's definitely done it all. The only way for her to reinvent that aspect of herself is to surgically change her vocals and fire her current arrangement staff. LOL

lol...why am i not surprised at who started this thread?

anyways...I agree with criminal, demure_dusk, coelacanth, etc

Ayu never left...whats with the comeback....make a comeback or not I dont give a crap.

Its true Ayu is not selling as well as she used to but hey that doesnt mean shes not popular anymore or still the queen of jpop if she cares. Nobody will be on top forever and will have high sales forever. Ayus career is very successful already and alot more successful than many other artists. Her albums, singles still reaches the top of the oricon charts, online shop charts...her tours are getting bigger, better and sold out. She might not be as popular as she used to in Japan...but she is certainly gaining popularity outside of Japan. Take a look at the taiwan music charts...(m)u and secret topped the charts.

Its true I might not enjoy her 2006 music as much as her past works but to me she is slowly getting away from that (b&d, startin, born to be, blue bird, beautiful fighters pvs) I love her later 2006-07 music and pvs (jewel, momentum, 1 love, part of me) Im very happy with the direction she is taking...from the secret album tracks to part of me :) (Secret album is rockier than duty in my opinion)

Some ppl just take the whole queen of jpop, popularity and sales too seriously...if one album flops doesnt mean the career will be over. Im just glad ayu is still releasing music and doing concerts after all these years in the industry. I could careless if Im the only fan left in this world that would buy her album or whatever. Her lyrics still touches me, her songs are still good and that is all what matters to me.

I wouldn't say she's gaining popularity outside of Japan. The popularity outside of Japan was already there.

I believe she is gaining popularity on top of what she already has. My local radio station, japanese restaurants, japanese shops, cd shops are playing her songs back to back which it never happened before. I was very surprised. One time I was having dinner in a Japanese restaurant very recently and they were playing the whole memorial address and Secret albums. Ofcourse I dont mean she is gaining like a lot of popularity...just well known more. I think her asia tour will help too.

Well, if her popularity was already there in places like Taiwan and HK, then why were her albums not previously taking no.1 and stuff..?

I mean, that should be an indicator right? And with Secret, she sold what (m)u sold in its entire run in like, a month or two, right?

Are we talking about this...AGAIN?! *rollz eyes...* I should've just ignored this but once again I just can't stay silent on this issue.

Does anybody listen to Ayumi when she's talking? I don't think so...constantly the poor girl has been saying that money is NOT her motive. Popularity, sales and *peoples-perceptions* are all categorized with that. If Ayu's intentions were like that, do you think she could honestly still be in the game?

On the basis of her style...Ayumi has changed her style so many times that she's bound to run into blah-moments. If you were into her because of her clothes you need to idolize a fashion designer/supermodel and not a singer-songwriter.

On the basis of her staff...The staff of Ayumi is a reflection of herself. No boss is going to hire a slackard for the hell of it. If they do, they are fired as soon as possible. Ayumi's staff has done a wonderful job and has worked very hard for her to my knowledge and in my opinion. They have added a very good influence on our perception of Ayu by providing, assisting and by doing their jobs efficently. If they weren't doing their job, Ayu would look like **** on a stick.

On the basis of her music...No artist has ever been able to please everyone. The only one coming close to that was Michael Jackson and the Thriller album. But even after that, his sales failed to take on that success. So...if you listen to Ayu's music for it's good material, it's okay to NOT LIKE some things. It's not okay to say it's crap though because she (and any other artist in the world) put a lot of heart into it. As far as Ayu & rock...I love her rock songs but the SECRET album had a pretty good amount of it. More than usual anyway. If the occasional rock tune doesn't suit you, try OLIVIA or another J-rock chick.

On the basis of promotion...We don't need another Beyonce in the world. Overexposure is NOT a good thing. I think ABEST II's promotion is just a couple of points away from that.

I think Ayumi is just fine the way she is. Though she isn't selling as highly as she used to, these things happen over time. Gradually, sales drop and gradually they rise. Look as Koda for example, she was one of the worst-selling artists and ended up becoming a best-selling one. You can't always look at numbers as a way of saying, "this is good" or "this is bad"...you gotta listen to it and if you don't like it, that's fine. If you do that's great.

I love Ayu's music. She has helped me heal during downtimes and kept me high during uptimes. I may not like her songs from her 98-99 era but that doesn't make me feel like the rest of her material is designated as CRAP. Some fans may not like her new music, but that doesn't change their perception of her old music. The bottom line is, you either love her or you hate her...there is no mid-section. You either put up with Ayu's off moments or you leave her alone and try something new.

I think there are a lot of retro Ayu fans [from the "golden era" of 2000-2003] that are really hard on her newer stuff.. D:

I think alot of Ayu's music is starting to sound the same. It's too late for her to make a comeback.

Maybe to you.

And just wtf constitutes a comeback? Doesn't someone have to have "gone away" in order for that to happen?

i think options 1, 2, 3 will boost sales and make her popularity rise.

and maybe a change of record label will help, because avex s now too busy promoting koda kumi.

Ive been a fan of ayu since loveppears and I like her music more and more (except 2006 singles and b&d) Ayu cant please everybody...ok ppl want her to make songs like her old ones...ok she have momentum, etc but ppl complain its like a rip off from M...ppl say she should do something new....ok b&d, sweetbox songs...ppl complain theyre not good. Each of her albums have a different theme and feeling to it...shes been reinventing herself already all this time. Shes just done so many things already that its hard not to have some songs sound similiar...and ofcourse shes not the only one with similiar songs.

I really think it's hard to come up with new sounding stuff when you feel so close to your "team.."

I mean, Ayu always has the same people arranging because she loves using them [HAL, etc..] and she probably would rather use them than some other team..

Beautiful Fighters was definitely an innovation, and people shot that down like a seagull :<

She doesn't need a comeback imo. I love her <3

I agree. =D

*cough*

Anyway. o__o I don't think Ayu needs to make a comeback. Just because her sales have dropped a little... so what?

When did that Taiwan indicator thing start functioning? Well for HK, I don't think her popularity is increasing. Maybe it's different outside of HK then.

Probably for quite a while..

I mean, they usually do these ranking things from a certain point on.. and I wouldn't get why they'd do it this recently..

^Well I mean like for albums like RAINBOW earlier.

i would be happy for ayu to go back to her olden days and produce singles that are daily hits like evolution, UNITE!, Dearest etc. but i guess ayu cant stay at the top forever and i am happy of ayu as wat she is now. i will continue to ber her fan and support her music cos she has impressed me time and again that i cant bear to leave her....

She shouldn't do any more rockish songs, especially like the ones on Secret, I don't really like them

You are like, in the minority, I think, ayu'ssong. ._.

I read the first page of this thread and started laughing... people have been talking about this for a long long time- since around Memorial Address, I think.

Anyway, if Ayu THINKS she needs a comeback, she'll do what she thinks she has to do for it. Other than that... if she doesn't think it's necessary... then she won't. Simple as that.

I'm happy with the direction she's taking~ I personally don't want her to change.

I think Ayu's never given much thought to the strength of her career..
It's just been avex that might be telling her: "Doesn't this concern you?"

Unless she was totally shettin' us during the CNN interview :\

Ah, you have a point. At the same time, she just seems to just be content with riding out what she has.

Just recently I was listening to (miss)understood during a long 3 hour drive, and was just thinking of the pictures in the booklet and the PVs, etc. How she spent that time in Hawaii for what seemed like a while. And I guess I relate it to this in like...

"She's famous- she got to the top--- let the woman enjoy her life now. So what if she isn't as popular as before? Maybe she just wants to keep making music, but doesn't care about that sort of thing as much anymore. Let her enjoy herself."

I really don't think she's ever made music with the intent of making people like it and purchase it..

She got where she is due to promotion, yes. But she got there also due to the fact that she worked extremely hard and had some of the most touching lyrics at the time for someone who wouldn't even dream of being a singer as a teen.

ayu doesn't a COMEBACK coz she has never retired before...
she needs an evolution, she shouldn't be keep on singing like in her old days..
i can't imagine that she'll sing a type of song that sounds like "boys & girls"/"trauma" in her older age and with her squeeky voice..
she doesn't fit what that kind of song anymore..

she needs something more mature or more diva-ish kind of song, i guess..

i bet that with her new sound of music, she attracts lots of new fans.

I agree, and in my opinion she doesn't even need a "comeback" because for her, outside of the record company, she does not care about ranking and popularity. She's a "workaholic" who does what she's best at and enjoys what she does :yes

and agreeing with AyUmIXx she has always been superior.

I think we tend to think of Ayu as the person who strives to become the best singer in the world..

But in reality, she's just someone who stumbled upon this life and was VERY successful at it. As opposed to many who try to make this life happen to them..

Ah, comeback from what? Dipping sales? If you put it this way, THE WHOLE JAPAN INDUSTRY needs to make a comeback.

HAHAHA. i love you.

---

Honestly, I think it's a miracle that Ayumi is STILL selling like she is, considering the way the Japanese are with the music industry and pop idols. You know? Like, she should be totally washed up by now, but she still hits number 1...and even though I think everything she does is pretty brilliant, Japan usually would have moved on by now. And in a way they are, but overall, I think Ayu's doing a superb job. :love

Sorry guys! But i gotta say this.

Ayumi can never ever come back anymore in my opinion cause she disappointed me again and again. I mean Miss Understood and Secret album was brillant when it released, but after sometime, it loose its magic. You gotta admit that though. Unless you didn't listen to Ayumi for a long time. You'll be like Whoa!:luv2 Those times! when you heard it again.

For me, i think the best album Ayumi ever made was MY STORY. The old albums? Nah... I'm all over it. I grew up with it. So i'm pretty all over it already. :( But i'll still get Ayumi's new music! Hehe...

But i'm sad for ya'll here cause ya'll is always like Ayumi will be back again? Come on! Maybe it's time to take it easy and move on with your life.:o

Oh... Well... I do kinda hope that Ayumi will do something amazing again though. But i won't hope for it. She's getting old and tired and rusty already, maybe it's time for her to really go, i think. If not, i think she should work until she breaks her soul to find something new for us!

Ayumi is not that bad after all. Really. Just the music sound too similar sometime and suck at singing live!

IMO, it's not her fault necessarily.

It's her affection towards her staff that hinders her from new sounds..

^What do you mean her love towards her staff? I don't think her staff has much control over her music choices.

No no.

Her love for the "staff" she has now.

I.E: her band, background vocalists, arrangers, composers.. she tends to use them because she feels safe with them or w/e.

frankly said, i really get kinda boring about ayu nowadays..
its juz bcoz of the songs n her image..
i was hoping that she will change her image... >< no more long hair for awhile?..

& about her music.. too much ballad although all her songs are love songs..
i hope that she can make songs in another genre but still using the theme love..
im quite dissapointed with Secret.. i agree with theprojectzero saying that MY STORY was her best..

i was listening to some of secret and A BEST 2 songs, i got quite annoyed with it and i opened another artists songs to listen instead of ayu.. ><!!!!
and so my hope is that
-ayu changes her image.. (short hair is nice with some dyed colored hair)
-a good change in genre for music

--get more rest ayu! you're too tired!!! rest n get up again..! u'll be sooooo much more better than now!!~

arigatou!~

only few people actually got the point of this thread. You and Project Zero. Ayu has lost alot of fan base due to repetitive music and not experiencing different varieties of song. Someone made a poll based on somthing like this but my thread gets bashed.. its kind of hilarious LOL:yes
But if Ayu were to take a break and reinvent herself completely, i think we would have her again like we did in the early days. with good music....Based on my analysis it shows that most people didnt like "SECRET" because it was so rushed out there few songs sounded finish. "Until That Day" sounded kind of raw and so did others. It seems "IT WAS" was well mastered and her heart was in it just as "1LOVE" but if Ayu took a break and made a huge comeback she can win alot of her fans back.People keep being positive about Ayu saying she is still doing this and doing that.
I think a few need to go to Japan and see it for themselves that is all i am saying and see who has the most billboards it isnt anyone in Avex Trax!

I'm so confused.

:?

think outside the box lol. Ayu has lost fans. Some people tired of her music, look for somthing new. Fans think she needs to start doing somthing different. There is a thread on this at JPM,Boajjang,Ayu-nite, IGN.com, Japanfriend, MIXI.

so i made one here because i dont care what people say. I want input on how Ayu can improve as an artist and last longer because her music is leaving a stale taste in my mouth. She is not as popular as people think. That thing on oricon or whatever was for publicity of A-BEST 2!

Yeah seems his concept is so complicated that only a few people can get it :rolleyes aka.. the people who agree with him.

So your fine with Ayu as she is now, honestly? you don't want somthing new? or you have another favorite artist?

Isn't she great :yes

Yeah I am. Why not? I liked her album 'Secret' and though it was up to the level of "I Am..." and her recent song "part of Me" was beautiful and innovative. Lately her promotional videos have become more creative and exciting so I'm more than happy. I don't want something new because she's always coming up with something new. So I'm always satisfied with her releases. Though I have a ton of favourite artists, Ayu is the artist who will always be on top for me.

Also you should look outside of crazy fanbases and focus on quality instead. Many artists have a huge fanbase and yet have terrible music. Others are extremely talented but do not sell millions. Doesn't mean their music is bad.

Yes! Ayu was the only one who really got me into jpop after i heard "SEASONS" . I just wish she'd do somthing new now that will make fans look past what she did in the past and what she is doing now! because now could be a whole lot better. It's getting so when a new song comes out true fans can basically guess what it is going to sound like...... the answer to that is
everything else she put out

I don't want anything new because she's still got that "WOO SATISFACTION" factor for me..

And I've been a fan for like 4 years :|

I myst admit that part of me sounds a lot like many ayumi songs, both the arrangements, melody and everthing about it. But it's still a good song that would stand out even next to the recembling songs. However I think ayumi constantly renews part of her career, and this time music wasen't that part. (However PV was... )There's a lot of new stuff on Secret though that she hasen't really done before, at least arrangement/instrumentation wise.

There were also new faces in her "production team."

Yoji Noi and Naruya something.. LOL

take it easy everyone...
everybody have different views on ayu and how she manage her music life..
and so, some of us hope that ayu will atleast change sumthing that really really interest us ALOT MORE... while some are okay with how she is now...
but still i think that ayu shud rest more before her asia tour.. she looks really really exhausted..
im looking forward for her asia tour, as i think this is the chance where ayu will SHINE throughout asia... ><

Ayu has about 140 songs in her library..

While it is possible to make "new sounds" with what she has, I think it's more difficult than we think since she doesn't necessarily have new arrangers all the time and such..

Yeah and remember when she did something new? "Bold&Delicious"? Everyone was complaining. The only marketable genre she hasn't touched much is urban but I'm not so sure it does fit Ayu much.

I think instead of doing something new...(omg..b&d) she should go back to her very old arrangers and composers...I really want naoto suzuki back. (The one who arranged: seasons, to be, vogue, who..., dearest, etc or she should use more of the composers, arrangers who only did like 1 or 2 songs for her.

lol everyone keeps saying "BOLD & DELICIOUS" LOL was it really a disaster i was glad at least it was a different song! Ayu really surprised me with it and alot of fans and (MISS) Understood sold so well the songs were so different i loved the album! I hope the new single is going to be amazing!! its a damn shame A- BEST 2 isnt one million yet. But i think she is going to do somthing different on her tours! she always has a new single come out during touring!

yes bold and delicious was very surprising....but not in a good way....did u see the reaction ppl had with that song and pv? I believe if it wasnt for bold and delicious, (miss) understood would of sold better. Ayu should of kept it as a album track instead of making it into a single. The whole release was bad...so close to the album release, the pv was bad, song was bad, cover was bad...thats why the single sold so poorly compared to the rest of her 2005 singles. Ladies night was different...she should of released that instead if she had to release a 4th single that year.

well...something good that came out of that was her nice hairstyle and dress from the tv performances.

Derrickrocks: just one question for you...so after which ayu release did u feel ayu should do something new and different? It feels like u like the (miss)understood album right?

After (miss)understood we had startin, born to be, blue bird, beautiful fighters and then secret. In my opinion...those single tracks except for blue bird were different than her old stuff....and the only one I like is born to be. The secret tracks were a lot better than the single tracks and they are different than her old songs to me...until that day..., 1 love, it was, jewel, momentum, kiss o kill, secret. Out of all those songs, the only one I feel its similiar to her old songs is momentum.

I think some people's thoughts are totally different from what they're actually saying in here o___o~

Momentum!! was really good though!! it brought back the classic Ayu! and she sung the song so well!! it reminded me of so many songs but it was really good! the lyrics were so melty

And for your question :soon as i heard "Blue Bird" i knew that minute from the CM another generic copy of "Fairyland" but the "Ladies night" another night remix was freaking awesome!! what really gets me though is....
Ayu can do so much better right now! STARTIN was a alright single i liked it.

Ayu is not a bad artist at all, she is great! i am just wondering what in the world is going on! with the music as of late!! her heart is not in it!

I dont really get it...u like momentum (which I really like too!) but it reminds you of so many songs....but u want her to do something new and diffferent...momentum is one of her newer songs...what is wrong with her newer songs? which song do you feel is not good...like her heart is not in it as u say?

BLUE BIRD!!! that song is composed by evil lol. I am talking about "PART OF ME" it sounds like every freaking song! but Momentum is composed by HAL they worked magic for Ayu! i was shocked she worked with them again!

part of Me is unique, unless you're like, deaf. :|

Sure, it has similar music.. but to say it sounds the same? Leave that to BLUE BIRD and fairyland's mindrape of melodies..

huh? so its ok momentum sounds like many songs and its not ok for part of me which you also think it sounds like many songs....and so its only blue bird and part of me?

btw...momentum is composed by Tetsuya Yukumi and arranged by HAL...just like part of me...but both songs sound totally different to me.

Lol. "She needs to do something new" .. What else is there left to do? Enlighten me

she is doing the hong kong thing now and singapore... i think she is gonna change her style up a little bit!! i think Avex is forcing her to make msic again

Wtf? She's not even going to Singapore.. and what does "i think Avex is forcing her to make msic again" mean? ..