Ayu's social networks - Discussion #43

[EndOfTheWorld]

Don't even mention Miley Cyrus.
It will be old news in a few days anyways, it probably already is.
It's interesting that they care so much since Gackt and Ayu are supposed to be irrelevant nowadays.

[Katsuyuki012]

Originally Posted by EndOfTheWorld

...It's interesting that they care so much since Gackt and Ayu are supposed to be irrelevant nowadays.

Thought the same! But who knows maybe in a few days there will be an article like this: "Ayumi Hamasaki's songs got 50 million illegal downloads! Singer is now the most successful artist Japan's with more than 103 million copies "sold"* and the first artist in Japan, to break the 100 million mark!" okay, no... But who knows...

Who knows...

*I know illegal download aren't "sold"

[koumori]

With Ayu, it's probably due to her age. When she was younger she was setting new trends and challenging social norms and people liked her for that. It was refreshing to see a popular young artist use nudity as part of their work without it being the explicit selling point.

Now Ayu's recent media highlights include her divorce, her separation, and the drama around dating one of her dancers. Most articles cycle around her personal life rather than her professional achievements. Flashing of skin is no longer seen as a young person being body confident but of an older woman doing it for attention. Even though Ayu hasn't changed, the way people perceive her actions will; it's where that 'grow old gracefully' saying comes from after all.

I'm not saying I agree with it but it's why I think we'll see more negative comments as Ayu grows older.

[Cahz-]

Originally Posted by Tio/Tayumi

Thought the same! But who knows maybe in a few days there will be an article like this: "Ayumi Hamasaki's songs got 50 million illegal downloads! Singer is now the most successful artist Japan's with more than 103 million copies "sold"* and the first artist in Japan, to break the 100 million mark!" okay, no... But who knows...

Who knows...

*I know illegal download aren't "sold"

To be honest.... now we can claim Ayu has sold over 80 million records in her career, as Recochoku has revealed Ayu has sold 30 million downloads in the chart's 15 years story.

[mizuki-7]

^ yeah it's impressive tbh

[njanjayrp]

Originally Posted by Cahz-

To be honest.... now we can claim Ayu has sold over 80 million records in her career, as Recochoku has revealed Ayu has sold 30 million downloads in the chart's 15 years story.

I didn't see that?

[Cahz-]

Originally Posted by njanjayrp

I didn't see that?

Yeah, it didn't have its own thread

http://www.ahsforum.com/forum/showpo...&postcount=377

http://recochoku.jp/special/100529/?...ate=4299010125

[melissalove]

Originally Posted by Koumori

With Ayu, it's probably due to her age. When she was younger she was setting new trends and challenging social norms and people liked her for that. It was refreshing to see a popular young artist use nudity as part of their work without it being the explicit selling point.

Now Ayu's recent media highlights include her divorce, her separation, and the drama around dating one of her dancers. Most articles cycle around her personal life rather than her professional achievements. Flashing of skin is no longer seen as a young person being body confident but of an older woman doing it for attention. Even though Ayu hasn't changed, the way people perceive her actions will; it's where that 'grow old gracefully' saying comes from after all.

I'm not saying I agree with it but it's why I think we'll see more negative comments as Ayu grows older.

That and her current popularity. I bet you, if ayu would've been super popular this wouldn't be happening

[ayuinh.k?]

I wonder what her popularity would be like if she didn't use social media and kept her personal life completely to herself and unknown to her fans/public (marriage, divorce, maro drama)

[koumori]

Originally Posted by melissalove

That and her current popularity. I bet you, if ayu would've been super popular this wouldn't be happening

I agree. Namie also wears some risque outfits but I don't see as many comments about that. It just comes down to a combination of things, and right now it is easy to label Ayu as attention-seeking due to the transparency of certain personal decisions alongside her aforementioned oversaturated decline. I don't think there's much she could have done other than carefully scheduled breaks to allow people to miss her, and changed her public behaviour for a different image outside of her work.

Originally Posted by ayuinh.k?

I wonder what her popularity would be like if she didn't use social media and kept her personal life completely to herself and unknown to her fans/public (marriage, divorce, maro drama)

Obviously we'll never know... I don't think she would have had an Amuro-style comeback, but her detractors would certainly have less to throw at her. I don't think it would have made a huge difference to sales, just to her general public image.

[njanjayrp]

Originally Posted by Cahz-

Yeah, it didn't have its own thread

http://www.ahsforum.com/forum/showpo...&postcount=377

http://recochoku.jp/special/100529/?...ate=4299010125

Thanks. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I can't see any actual numbers, just the ranking.

[Cahz-]

Originally Posted by njanjayrp

Thanks. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I can't see any actual numbers, just the ranking.

Yes, here are the numbers:

「アーティストランキング」１位はEXILE。 「着うた（R）」「着うたフル（R）」「着うたフルプラス（R)」を合算したランキングで、最もダウンロー ドされたアーティストとなりました。
レコチョク創立と同じ2001年にデビュー、数多くのミリオンヒットを連発し、長くランキングに入るロング ヒット作品も多く、総ダウンロード数が47,453,103と、アーティストランキングで唯一4,000万ダウンロードを超えています。「Lovers Again」「ただ・・・逢いたくて」「Ti Amo」「ふたつの唇」など、着うた（R）週間ランキングでの１位獲得数も最も多いアーティストです 。

なお、累計ダウンロード数は、2位と3位は3,000万ダウンロード以上、4位から7位までの楽曲は2,000万以上ダウンロードされています。

Basically it says the exact numbers for EXILE, second and third spot (Kumi and Ayu) are around 30 million downloads, and 4 - 7 spots are around 20 million downloads.

http://www.oricon.co.jp/pressrelease/98448/

[a❤martian]

Originally Posted by ayuinh.k?

I wonder what her popularity would be like if she didn't use social media and kept her personal life completely to herself and unknown to her fans/public (marriage, divorce, maro drama)

It's odd though, because prior to Mannie she was pretty low key about her private life. Her relationship with Nagase, I think his name was, was relatively hush hush. I wonder what changed?

[EndOfTheWorld]

For a while, I never even knew what Nagase even looked like.
I also feel like during that time he was kept very separate from Ayu's career.

[Aderianu]

Going out with Papico

[kotora]

Originally Posted by Aderianu

Going out with Papico

More likely packing Papico and shipping it to somewhere

[tokyoxjapanxfan]

What is I can't even what?

[Andrenekoi]

Originally Posted by EndOfTheWorld

For a while, I never even knew what Nagase even looked like.
I also feel like during that time he was kept very separate from Ayu's career.

Nagase is a member from Johnny's. The low key part is probably due to him and not really to her. But it's not like it's hard to find out how he looks like, he is pretty famous himself

Ayu's private life was never all that public either, if it wasn't for that photo she posted by accident on instagram these days for example, it would be easy to assume she doesn't have non-famous friends.

[AyuGAME]

30 million download...that's really nice!

and wow that's cute...the bag for Papico..

[tokyoxjapanxfan]

If Ayu wasn't as big as she was, that relationship probably would've been squashed either from their management or by angry fans interfering. But they were actually a very well accepted couple.