Ayu ~Anything Goes: A Thread for XX~

[tokyoxjapanxfan]

^ yeah I think that's why it did so well--I just prefer fresher scents

[Zeke.]

I rarely listen to Free & Easy. I used to really like it a lot, because it was somewhat unexpected and very Hamasaki Ayumi, but it's a bit too noisy for me these days. I usually allow the nitro to play and then when the chorus hits I change it.

[ExodusUK]

Reinvented Jpop with this song tbh

[Amalgam]

Originally Posted by ExodusUK

Reinvented Jpop with this song tbh

This song is so timeless and one of her best works ever.
Since we're posting her greatest songs, I'll drop this here:

[jiarongisme]

Originally Posted by Luniverse

This song is so timeless and one of her best works ever.
Since we're posting her greatest songs, I'll drop this here:

Fixed

[EndOfTheWorld]

I also would love Free & Easy more if it was remastered to be less loud and increase the dynamic range.
Sadly the most memorable thing for the video is the crushed grapes.
The first things that come to mind are the grapes and all the clean whiteness of the setting. I don't know.
I didn't like when Ayu had that hair so much either.
As the years go by this song seems to fade farther and farther into the back of Ayu's song collection. She doesn't do much with this song.
Still a beautiful song to me though. I love it's darkness and epic sound.

[primavera♥]

Originally Posted by ExodusUK

Reinvented Jpop with this song tbh

Will probably always be in my top ten. Lyrically and musically phenomenal. When I was first getting into J-pop, it just amazed me that this is a top single that a best selling artist could release. I fell more in love with ayu, because it's not something I would have expected from artists I'm usually familiar with in the states as a single release.

It's just such an awesome song. It's one of the more unique ones in her discography as well

[voltron]

Originally Posted by ExodusUK

Reinvented Jpop with this song tbh

I love Free & Easy, but, to be honest, it is structurally nearly identical to M. M is my favorite, so of course I like Free & Easy.

[ExodusUK]

I just remembered I subbed this ages after someone translated a transcript of it for me. Please watch and check for part 2! It's essential Ayu viewing.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1q...2-part-1_music
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1q...2-part-2_music


tbh I prefer this documentary to the one from 2004 where Ayu just rambles between the first and third person crying.

[truehappiness]

That was the 'first part' and then the one four years later was another edition done by the same network.

Personally I miss when she was a 'tryhard' as far as her image and music goes since it felt like she was more than just a normal pop star. I hope that she tries to continue to push the boundaries at some point in the near future. I miss that sort of Ayu even if she wasn't a fan of it. Kind of selfish to say but I think it was easier to take her seriously as an artist when she was doing that. Nowadays it feels like the lyrics and soul are still there but the way it's packaged and delivered to fans seems lacking due to the grandeur of the past.

[tokyoxjapanxfan]

Free & easy feels like an eternity ago...

I was thinking about how sad I am about Ayu's current output in terms of music and videos and image--but then I recently rewatched Waking up in Vegas by Katy Perry, and then Teenage Dream, and realized that she too has greatly decreased in quality and maturity. Granted Katy Perry still has top notch production, something Ayu definitely doesn't have now.

But basically it made me remember that Ayu's not the only one--but I'm still sad about it lol.

[xLuna&1LOVE]

^ I disagree. I don't see any problems with the Ayu from now. Sure, also I wish she would put a little more effort in her videos, but I think the quality of her recent music is good enough. I also think her production is not as bad as some of you say it is. Her style is different now, and maybe not so innovative like back in 2003, but I am glad she stays true to herself and sings about what is on her mind now. To me that is the sound of 'maturity.'

And about Katy Perry... well, the singles Chained to the Rhytmn, Bon Appetit and Swish Swish (haven't listened to the full album yet, but some songs have already grabbed my attention) are in my opinion much better than whatever she has pulled before... except for her debut album, that one stays gold.

So, well too bad you don't see it that way, but I think that complaining about Ayu's decrease in music quality is a bit over the top. She does fine.

[truehappiness]

Originally Posted by xLuna&1LOVE

So, well too bad you don't see it that way, but I think that complaining about Ayu's decrease in music quality is a bit over the top. She does fine.

I think there used to be more of a luxe quality to Ayu's arrangements that got lost at some point in the early 2010s. Maybe after Love songs... probably around the time of Party Queen?

[EndOfTheWorld]

Katy Perry isn't even relevant to Ayu. I mean yeah they are both popular female singers but that's it.
Ayu is far above her. Katy Perry is a performer/entertainer. A product of Hollywood. Ayu is a creative artist who earned her success through hard work and a drive and passion for music.
I think the main difference from the older Ayu music to now is that her music is less adventurous. I mean Free & Easy is a very unique song. It is far from conventional. It can barely be placed in a genre. But really, ever since My Story her music has become more genre specific. Creating straightforward rock songs like About you, 1 LOVE, talkin 2 myself, Rule, as an example. It began once CREA became less involved and it shows with My Story. Then with missunderstood, it was still a little varied because of the unique Sweetbox songs but after that the music is still great but isn't as avant garde as perhaps 2000-2005 approximately. I think the quality is mostly the same but because there is less creative experimentation now, when you compare it to back then it seems like it is lacking or doesn't have the special quality.

[melissalove]

Originally Posted by EndOfTheWorld

Katy Perry isn't even relevant to Ayu. I mean yeah they are both popular female singers but that's it.
Ayu is far above her. Katy Perry is a performer/entertainer. A product of Hollywood. Ayu is a creative artist who earned her success through hard work and a drive and passion for music.
I think the main difference from the older Ayu music to now is that her music is less adventurous. I mean Free & Easy is a very unique song. It is far from conventional. It can barely be placed in a genre. But really, ever since My Story her music has become more genre specific. Creating straightforward rock songs like About you, 1 LOVE, talkin 2 myself, Rule, as an example. It began once CREA became less involved and it shows with My Story. Then with missunderstood, it was still a little varied because of the unique Sweetbox songs but after that the music is still great but isn't as avant garde as perhaps 2000-2005 approximately. I think the quality is mostly the same but because there is less creative experimentation now, when you compare it to back then it seems like it is lacking or doesn't have the special quality.

I love ayu but..... i mean in sales and popularity Katy is wayyyy above ayu. They're both musicians/entertainers and at some point products exploit to sell. Ayu as well as Katy earned their popularity through their pasion in music. Some might say, creatively ayu's above katy but that's personal preference.

[Andrenekoi]

^That comparation doesn't make any sense. Katy sings in a language that sells worldwide, Ayu doesn't, also Katy is 9 years into her career, Ayu is 19, Katy's peak is more recent so she obviously has a stronger media presence, but I don't think Katy will be touring arenas 10 years in the future.

Ayu is a living legend in the jpop scene, Katy most likely will never get to legend status.

[EndOfTheWorld]

Perhaps Katy Perry is above Ayu as far as global popularity and sales. But that would make sense since she is an American music star and America has the largest music industry in the world. You need to sell 500,000 just to reach Gold status. Plus Katy sings in English, as was mentioned.
The comparison I was making was that Katy Perry is an entertainer, Ayu a deeper artist. Ayu had/has such a personal hand in her artistry.
Let's not elevate every female Hollywood product to the same league as artists who really left their mark on music with their creativity. True musical artists.
I mean I have enjoyed most of her work quite a bit. I own multiple Katy Perry albums. But her music is created for commercial success, it's entertainment.

[melissalove]

@andrenekoi. You make no sense, how do you know Katy won't reach legend status one day, or that she won't tour arenas in the far future. Don't you think it's a bit presumptuous of you to say. Unless we make a Chart stating ayu's accomplishments in the first 9 years of her career compared to Katy. That would be a better indicator instead of all these assumptions. But, I don't have that kind of time.

@endoftheworld when it comes to creativy, lyrics and just overall music quality, I could agree that ayu has the upper hand. But again its just personal preference.

[Andrenekoi]

^She may prove me wrong, I don't thin she will though... Most likely will be somewhat like Cyndi Lauper who was big during the 80's and after that had a niche musician career.

She is in a part of her career she must mature to go on, as her fandom isn't getting younger, and if anything, the reception Wittness received shows she is struggling with it.

Now, comparing archiviements, 9 years into her career Ayu:

- Was the best selling solo act in the Oricon chart story.
- Was a renoumed live performer that still had to reach her peak in concert attendance.
- Was on the road for breaking the record for the most consecutive #1 singles in her market.
- Had won pretty much every big award the industry had to offer, and don't received any after some time because she stopped accepting them.
- Reached cultural icon status.
- Was among the best album sellers in Japan every year even releasing way more freqently.

19 years into her career, Ayu:
- Still selling more concert tickets than your average female star in jpop.
- Still break some random record here and there.
- Still sells enough digital music, even if mostly from her back catalogue, to be counted in lists.

Those information, from the top of my mind.

Katy's run isn't as impressive, nor is it as impressive as Madonna's, Janet's, Mariah's, Rihanna's, Beyonce's, Britney's... But she has some big hits on her belt and sold a lot of records... Will probably be remembered as a big artist from the 2010's, and that's good enough for her.

[Amalgam]

I know I'm not alone in this, but sometimes I feel like I'm just listening to Ayu out of routine because I've already followed her so long. Part of me gets thinking that it's because of Ayu's intellect and her independent personality instead of her music AND THEN she releases a super strong song like FLOWER and I see a glimmer of the rebellion Ayu had in her music and I'm back in love xD