What do you think Ayu can do to boost sales?

[Mad_Cactuar]

I agree, no need to get worked up by our opinions.

Ayu should stop with the BLUE BIRD and Beautiful Fighters crap and start making more Until That Day's.

[yamogi]

I don't want ayu to retire like those former utahime-s. In the history of J-pop, there're no top female singers(utahime) can stay there for more than 10 years, they just disappear RIGHT after their prime. I don't ayu be one of them, she is the only one who can change the 'fate' of utahime-s in Japan.

Really hope that she can be the "next B'z ".

[truehappiness]

I don't think Ayu wants to release songs like until that Day.. / kiss o' kill as singles simply because of the fact that they're not exactly "woaaahh mainstream love~."

The tastes of Japan seem to veer towards ballads / poppy pop for Ayu, and Ayu's harder songs seem to get placed in the background [alterna etc] and many of her OS fans love them but they don't get the attention that we believe they should get. But I think it's best that she doesn't go out of that "main" poppy pop / ballad genre, since I think those are the best songs for commercial purposes [CMs and such]..

[DerrickRocks]

Originally Posted by DavidG

She should take a break and think about the crap shes making recently. I only got Secret because i respect her, not for her music. Ayumi needs inspiration, and not release stuff like she usally does. Summer single, winter ballad etc. She should sing other peoples songs instead of singing her own if she needs to.

im there with you!! Ayu needs to stop right now this minute after SECRET is done being promoted. Stay out the public eye and come out with an total image change! no more blonde but her hair short and black like the "I AM" days with a killer triple A-side single and new photobook and maybe a documentary and a secret live she needs to reinvent herself and not worry about the others if she is really as good as people say she is she wouldn't have to worry about losing her spot!

[truehappiness]

Actually, her hair was like, long and blonde-brown during I am.. :\

She doesn't worry about the others. She doesn't worry about losing her spot. She's already won everything and done everything that a popstar can do..

[DerrickRocks]

i forgot when she had her hair short i thought it was around the era M came out. But yeah its time for her break to get married and do whatever then come back with a kick ass single and new image!

[truehappiness]

Yeah, M was the first single in the I am.. era, but I think eventually her hair grew and etc..

[DerrickRocks]

lol yeah i just wish she reinvent herself thats what kept madonna going she is famous for that!

[perfectdeath]

a best of album! works for everyone else...

[no_way_to_say]

but i reckon Ayu's sales of SECRET is pretty gd... when u look at the sales of the ORANGE RANGE album...u will have a fair idea of how the Japanese market is going
People just don't buy cds anymore
the orange range album's 1st wk sales should be enough proof for that.
Since Ayu is doing better than Orange Range which also used to sell millions...then I think her sales are pretty gd
i think u guys should really compare her current sales to what is happening to the sales with other popular singers lately (as in, in the past month or two or so), and not compare it with her sales in the past. It will obviously give u a better idea of her actual popularity in Japan.

[freedreamer]

WHY NOT COME BACK WITH B-SIDES and SECRET TRACKS...these are reminiscent of the past Ayu...if thats what people like

Actually, being someone who doesnt like to see Ayu stop, kinda hope she disappears...then really SMASH BACK with something big..i think tat is gd to attract a new generation

[Dustie]

Originally Posted by perfectdeath

a best of album! works for everyone else..

Lol, so simple, so true...

Except that a best album usually indicates some kind of a end, either of the career or just some peroid, or just a break... I think she could find it a bit troublesome to get through again after a best album...

As for Koda: I agree, she already had her peek. The new album might be selling good becouse of the wave of popularity she gained through the best albums, but after that boost fades out... what will she do?

As for taking breaks: you're wrong saying that's bad. There's plenty of performers out there who do well, working in the -original single-album-recut single-break... system. I know it's not really popular in Japan, but still, she could take a few months break and then come up with something maxi. Breaks are definately better than overlong overexposure.

[Kodayumi]

Originally Posted by perfectdeath

a best of album! works for everyone else...

Very agreed. the -A- Best album was a great hit.

[darkswordz]

^but what about the era after the best album? A further drp of sales? Just look at BoA after BoS, Hikki after SCV1 and namie after 181920. I would rather ayu continue to see ayu release more studio album. A best of album is only a temporary solution to the problem but do not solve them completely. =P

[oro77]

I have just got a great idea.
Not yor Ayu, but I will train my Ayu rock songs (from Secret) karaoke. Then I will show my friends, Ayu have done a great album, so they will be buy it lol

Seriously, I think it will be very hard to boost sales, I don't really care about sales but I wonder what Ayu thinks about it, will she get depressed for it and makes no more good songs? Or will she try to create original songs?
I think Ayu don't really care and will continue to sing until she is fed up singing 　But who knows what Ayu really thinks.

[Ayumiko]

arent her classic songs are the ones with depressing lyrics? well..not that I want ayu to be depressed.

[explodingbird]

Originally Posted by darkswordz

^but what about the era after the best album? A further drp of sales? Just look at BoA after BoS, Hikki after SCV1 and namie after 181920. I would rather ayu continue to see ayu release more studio album. A best of album is only a temporary solution to the problem but do not solve them completely. =P

Call me crazy, but although I am... didn't outsell Duty, I don't think the sales drop was that insanely drastic...

[DerrickRocks]

I think if Ayumi releases a Best Album it could work maybe... or it could sell extremly low right now is not the time

[Kikaru]

Originally Posted by Mad_Cactuar

Instead of trying to validate her sales drop as something normal, I think she should indeed take a few steps.

Crazy bonus goodies like Koda Kumi. Koda's marketing tactis holds me in awe. Now with the slot machine scheme, I can bet Black Cherry will sell a lot. And the single + photobook thingy too must be done, like with Maroc. More unique photoshoots. And dramas, instead of just making a tie-in, STAR IN ONE, DAMNIT. Main movie songs, like HEAVEN is vital. She hasn't done a proper big name tie-in since HEAVEN.

No stripping or boob-baring, that'll just lower sales. Janet and Courtney Love = Living Proof.

And plus I don't think Ayumi has much boobage to begin with...so...

I think this album had really good tracks such as 1love, secret, and kiss o' kill, and I don't mind it not selling millions.

I've noticed, When she was releasing summer songs people were like "omg she should release rock/ballads". When she's singing ballads people are like "omg she should stop singing ballads". When she do rock that is the opposite of the light, poppy stuff people goes "omg it sound like what she's releasing this year (although if you can find what's so similar between BF and 1LOVE I will give you a cookie)".

I'm sorry if I sound a bit snarky and snappish. If I offended someone, I'm sorry, but as someone observing from the sides, it seems like nothing Ayu does nowadays can satisfy people. They ask her to take a break, which she did between BB and Secret, and then I see people going "I wish she had news and releases more stuff". When she did release, people goes "I wish she goes on a break".

[s1012h]

Originally Posted by Mad_Cactuar

Ayu should stop with the BLUE BIRD and Beautiful Fighters crap and start making more Until That Day's.

props to you
i am completely with you on that one
sure maybe the general audience won't like the stronger rock-influenced songs, but it's something refreshing, and most of us love it
i wouldn't want ayu to just start making generic music because it'll boost her sales
i want her to make good different music because she likes it
it's all that matters in the end