Quote:
Originally Posted by Love Shine
Actually, you bring up a very good point. In Japan CD sales are something that are considered very important (from what I gather, not being from Japan and all), and having a #1 streak seems to be something that people take very seriously. I think, and this is really just my random thoughts, that maybe it is because it's all just a part of the culture of Japan. Not just in music, where rankings and polls are super popular (Oricon's weird polls, anyone?), but even in schools. From what I can see they put the rankings of every student on a board where every student can see each other's results and who got #1. I guess raking is just something that the Japanese find important?
|
Yup -- you actually posted exactly what I was thinking about earlier today, when this whole subject popped into my head again. It's about some kind of competition and coming out on top, I think? Such rivalries do exist, or did, in America between certain artists but it never seemed to take hold or it only really existed in the "imagination" of the media and some ... less than mature fans (like Britney VS Christina, now Britney VS Lady Gaga...). However, sales never really had *much* to do with it -- people always argued about something else, but sales never seemed to be the huge sticking point. Sales are something to brag about for the artist's individual success, but I do see people comparing record sales between artists as a way to show which one sucks and which don't. It's.. weird.
Even in schools here I don't see *too* much competition or status clashing -- people tend to grow in groups and stick with them. They all compete with their own individual selves to do better, to study harder, work more, etc. etc. They may use others as standards of what's best/good, but I also feel like it's more openly malicious in the West (lol Mean Girls, anyone?).
I do agree with you, though. Rank seems to designate a kind of status to which people can either strive to have for themselves or it sort of lets them know their own rank in comparison? >.o This is just speculation from me, so I really hope I don't sound offensive or stupid.
I think it's obvious that some of the Japanese public may be sick of her, or not really interested in her anymore -- and that's fine. No one HAS to love her completely, no one HAS to adore everything she does and put her up on a pedestal always and forever the end. I take no issue with that, because it's just a fact of life. I guess it just depends on what we base popularity on -- can it JUST be on sales alone? Or can it be on cultural impact? People can be over-exposed and thrown in our faces constantly but does that make them popular? The best? Hardly -- "reality" television "celebrities," for instance, get a LOT of screen-time during their initial celebrity status, but just because they're all over the news doesn't mean they are popular in the sense of being
well liked -- they're popular because, well, media outlets are forcing them on us.
I think that's the difference between Ayu's popularity
now and what it used to be -- in the past, I feel like she was eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeverywhere. She's still, y'know,
everywhere, but that "invasion" seems less pronounced or at least now more balanced between other artists (who are used in commercials/ads/promotions) or even whoever is the new, hot item (boy bands~). The fact that Ayu's sales are still strong, and her fanbase still as dedicated as it is, shows she's popular with people in a way that isn't solely based on rank and high sales. For me, what she has now is the best kind of popularity~
Quote:
|
Btw, "GUILTY" is more rock than "'Rock'n'Roll Circus" will ever be.
|
I'm sorry to say but I really don't see how someone can listen to RNRC and ... not... hear rock songs O_o The more I listen to that album the more I'm like, "Yes, this is rock the way Ayu wants to do it." I'm not entirely sure why you and others are saying things like this -- is it just not your style of rock music? Were you expecting something different?