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Well.... Namie Amuro may have been very popular before Ayu's era, but she is NOWHERE near Ayu's stage.. Utada Hikaru also is not a queen. She is a musician. If you'd ask people in Japan: "who is ayumi hamasaki?" they would say "A superstar / the queen of jpop", but if you'd ask "who is utada hikaru?" they would say "An amazing singer". And that's exactly what Utada is. An amazing singer, NOT some overproduced jpop idol pushed to the top to reign over Japan...
The only person that can be compared with Ayu's state is Yuming. Not many people know her anymore, though she is still highly respected in Japan. The respect that she has is amazing. Yuming too had many different faces like Ayu. But she also was a great singer rather than a hot babe. Anyway, Yuming left a great impact on Japan. Many and MANY artists still cover her songs that are just worth gold. Think of Sotsugyou Shashin, think of Haru yo, Koi.... Those are all Yuming.
But that was long ago. Now it's Ayu. Ayu is much more powerful than any other artist ever in Japan. She has a way better image, she is produced way better and more modern than Yuming. She has way better looks, way more money into her songs. But Ayu does not yet have the enormous respect that Yuming has. But, just like Max Matsuura said, in 10 years Ayu's first hits will be seen as golden oldies, an she will be another Yuming. But first of course her stardom is fading. She was EVERYWHERE in Japan. On every corner, every billboard. She is a product. And that now is fading; the rest will come later.
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