[1999]
A Song for xx /
First Love /
LOVEppears
[2000]
Duty
[2001]
A BEST /
Distance
[2002]
I am... /
DEEP RIVER /
RAINBOW
[2003]
A BALLADS /
Memorial address
[2004]
Utada Hikaru: Single Collection Vol. 1 /
Exodus /
MY STORY
[2005]
[2006]
(miss)understood /
ULTRA BLUE /
Secret
[2007]
A BEST 2 -Black- /
A BEST 2 -White-
[2008]
GUILTY /
HEART STATION /
A COMPLETE -All Singles-
[2009]
This Is The One /
NEXT LEVEL
[2010]
Rock'n'Roll Circus /
Utada Hikaru: Single Collection Vol. 2 /
Love songs
[2011]
FIVE
[2012]
Party Queen /
A SUMMER BEST /
Love /
again
[2013]
Love again
[2014]
First Love -15th Anniversary Edition- /
Colours /
Utada Hikaru: Single Collection Vol. 1+2
[2015]
A ONE /
sixxxxxx
[2016]
M(A)DE IN JAPAN /
Fantτme
Ayu: 28 Hikki: 12
I think the difference in the public perception of them really is just because of how oversaturated Ayu has been over the years compared to Hikki. The personal lives of celebrities tend to be scrutinized more when they are actually in the spotlight, promoting something. As the list above shows, Ayu has over double the amount of "main" releases as Hikki does-- therefore her personal life has probably been over two times as scrutinized as Hikki's has.
I love both of them and I have for over 10 years! I don't think that will ever change... But I must say I really agree with those who are saying Ayu would definitely benefit from a hiatus. I honestly haven't enjoyed an Ayu album since "Party Queen." I found "Love again" so underwhelming that I didn't even listen to Colours and A ONE until earlier this year when M(A)DE came out. Aside from "Movin' on," I didn't find any of the songs on those three albums special either.
In my opinion, Ayu's best albums are definitely "MY STORY," (m)u, and "GUILTY." She took her longest time after "MY STORY" to release (m)u and I really feel that it shows because she followed up one of her best with another great one. Again, the break after "Secret" to spend the year promoting "A BEST 2" gave way to another really good album-- "GUILTY."
She hasn't really taken one of these breaks since "GUILTY" and this is when I found my enjoyment of her new music declining. Hikki would most likely have the very same problems if she released as much as Ayu has. There's no way to know for sure though.
I will always cherish Ayu's music pre-2010 and into the future I will continue to root for her to make a come back. I just think it would be a hell of a lot easier if she took a vacation and forgot about touring and making a new album for one year. In the words of Hikki, ditch the "artist experiences" for the "human experiences!"
-----
GAHH. I still really want to know when we're gonna get this new MV and which song it will be for!!!
