[Translation] [2013] ayu loses sales record to AKB48 (Article)

[pimenta]

Originally Posted by truehappiness

I guess I was thinking more in terms of numbers. She's up there with those other soloists though IMO. I still find it fascinating that she pretty much had no experience with singing professionally before this.

I agree, it's so amazing how Ayu, with no great experience, did so amazingly well. She even composed what is possibly the one song of hers that the public love the most (M), and that was her first composition ever and she had no technical knowledge for composing whatsoever! That's really fascinating if you stop to think about it.

[BlackSilence]

what makes me think she's amazing is the fact that with years she grew: from a simple singer she became a full-time producer and mind bechind all of her works, she became involved in everything that got "ayumi hamasaki" attached to it, simply because she realized how much responsability falls on her name and her even tho it's the work of other people in her team. You can also see the improvement of her vocals and the fact that she got involved into actually composing things and becoming lyricist.

[DonkeyKongRemix]

I find the high contrast between AKB48 and Ayumi Hamasaki very jarring (couldn't come up with a better word). It just goes to show how time can change what's trendy.

One of the things that has always defined Ayumi Hamasaki for me is that she is mysterious and edgy. Her lyrics for my name is WOMAN best describe it for me. She is this cute, one-man/woman army, with a whole lot of awesome packed in. (technically not a one woman army though, considering her staff....>.>)

I think when a huge group of people have been looking to Ayu as their #1 singer, it makes total sense why AKB48 doesn't exactly blend well.

la la la

I could honestly say that I just don't get AKB48, but I guess there are some who do.

I have such mixed views on the music industry, though. >.< Sometimes (especially here in the US), I think the music industry is just total BS. It's all about image. Shock factor, and what not....(I'll stop before getting extremely off topic...>.<)

[Trinu]

Originally Posted by truehappiness

These comparisons are a bit ridiculous.

I don't think Ayu has die hard fans as crazy as AKB48's who buy 1000s of copies of each single so that they have tickets to vote for them. I think Ayu will forever be known as the biggest solo female pop artist in Japan with no real Western equivalent except maybe Madonna. To say that she's more of a "Christina Aguilera" doesn't really make sense since Christina never really made all that big of an impact to begin with.

I didn't mean the impact, but how she does music-wise.
Christina Aguilera has been trying to get back on the game since Stripped/Back to Basics and... well, Bionic and Lotus didn't do as well as she expected.

Same in Ayu's case.
Also, Ayu doesn't have die hard fans? Have you read the previous pages?

Originally Posted by Andrenekoi

And I just love how a lot of funs enjoy talking about how Ayu loves or "disloves" her work like they were having tea with her weekly.

Well, she used to surprise once in a while before. I could sit through a DVD of hers like it was Star Wars and enjoy all of it. Since 2007 and the Asia tour it looks like she settled and every tour is the same as the previous one but with different songs. I don't see her trying to top herself, so I assume she's stopped caring.

4 songs from singles + 3/4 instrumentals + 4 new songs is an album for her nowadays.
And I won't even get into the LOVE + again SUPPOSEDLY minialbums treachery.

She might be the biggest Jpop act, but she can't live up to that. If she had retired, maybe. But she just can't hold her success up there if every album she releases sells less than the last one, IMO.

Originally Posted by artcika

You can also see the improvement of her vocals and the fact that she got involved into actually composing things and becoming lyricist.

You can see how bad she got too (and don't bring up the ear thing).

Some AKB girls write lyrics too, but mainly they're work of Aki-P, who brought one of the best songs Japan has given to the world (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1flpwnO7K0). The main song in the singles they release might be about going to the beach and whatnot, cause that's mainstream music 101, but in more than 800 songs you think they don't cover other issues?
This song (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtjXOUi7LRs) is one example of that:

It was told so many times on the TV news
One single bullet took justice away
What did that brave person who fell
Inside the group of demostrators calling out for peace believe in?

Yep, prettuy silly stuff.

Again, don't take me for an anti lol
I wish Ayu made a comeback ala Namie that left Japan shaking, but I truly don't see that happening until she gets rid of Jimmy or whatever he's called and stops the whole "no bitches please" attitude. It really doesn't suit her.

[primavera♥]

^edit: I didn't notice this post when I posted before. Just because you view ayu's tours a certain way doesn't mean she stopped trying. Though it's natural for a tour to seem similar after there are so many and previous ones contained so much. There's much less to shock with. And I would imagine her budget has gotten smaller, but who knows. I still find her tours to be different every year, distinct in my mind. And I'm pretty sure ayu's more dedicated fans are different from akb. And ayu's likely to not make a comeback. She's been around so long and had a lot of years of success, still doing okay. But she's not very uhh 'hip'. Her music isn't the most mainstream oftentimes and she doesn't have that type of image as much either, it's just her image, whatever that is lol. She could be like that new a ex girl group and try and fail at that image and sound though lol, because it wouldn't work.

I can't believe what that person, trinu, literally said about what ayu did after the earthquakes in comparison with akb. Like wtf? What a ridiculous argument besides the fact that ayu did more than that anyway.

But whateva~

[Trinu]

I know she donated tons of money and whatnot, but who DID NOT? I'm not saying she's a cold-hearted b*tch, just that others did more.

I know it's virtually impossible for Ayu to go to the striken areas and do what AKB did, but that's one of the reasons why "so many members one cannot remember them all" comes in handy.

[BlackSilence]

Originally Posted by Trinu

Again, don't take me for an anti lol
I wish Ayu made a comeback ala Namie that left Japan shaking, but I truly don't see that happening until she gets rid of Jimmy or whatever he's called and stops the whole "no bitches please" attitude. It really doesn't suit her.

don't care to read the rest cuz i don't care for AKB so i only reply to this.
Ayu has found herself, she doesn't need to prove anyone anything anymore, she's an artists that stands her ground, she does what she does for herself in the first place so basicly you want her to lose whatever the confidence she has and leave everything for her team to decide cuz this is the only thing that will bring her back to the spotlight. Losing who she actualy is and becoming what sells.

[amorphose]

I'm not even really a fan of Ayu anymore but... really? Seriously? They only began in 2005 and they have over half the amount of singles she has? & to think I always thought that SHE released fast! Do they even write their own music and/or lyrics or are they just a gimmick? Seems like Oricon has a loose definition of artist and the Japanese will buy anything just like the Americans..

Also, wtf, why is this AK47 or whoever they are even qualified to break this record as a group? Shouldn't that be a separate category?

[Andrenekoi]

Originally Posted by Trinu

Well, she used to surprise once in a while before. I could sit through a DVD of hers like it was Star Wars and enjoy all of it. Since 2007 and the Asia tour it looks like she settled and every tour is the same as the previous one but with different songs. I don't see her trying to top herself, so I assume she's stopped caring.

The amount of effort she puts on her releases is not direct linked to how much you like them. Ayu's tours with the biggest attendance and most dates were ALL after 2007, and she still is getting more dates than every other female soloist but Namie (who, sincerely, does the same tour every year).

God! I hate My Story tour and I don't keep going around saying how much it was a fail considering how popular it is and even if albums like Next Level or Party Queen are at the bottom of the preference list of a lot of fans, they are also at the top of others... Love songs is generally considered to be among her best. a lot of people may really like something you see no value in.

Once Ayumi releases are generally disliked or safe and unmemorable (what would mean generic EDM right now), I will say she stoped trying... But what I see is someone getting less and less safe, and performing better and better every year.

[kinix]

To Trinu : Whatever it is, you can't deny the fact that there is indeed a huge group of people buying multiple CDs of their because of the gimmicks the company did. This is different from releasing the CDs with different versions as only collectors would collect all versions while others would only buy 1 or maybe 2 versions of the release.
Though still, I'm kinda happy to see a user who joined in 2007 and made 2 post just only till now bcos of this thread! Hope to see you post more =)

[tinka69]

Congrats...I guess?

[kiseki89]

Nah not bothered by this at all... AKB or whatever -kb groups. To me they don't belong in my little definition called singers. Though i can say their PR manager is damn good.

[rikku1994]

tbh, AKB48 will always be hype for me, they'll never be an artist (as a group at least)

But honestly, Miley Cyrus has more rhythm than AKB48 so IDK why they sell that well.

[gogirlanime]

gross, that's all I have to say

[SolarAngel]

It's like musicianship has died in Japan. There used to be solo acts like Yui and Ayaka coming up. Now where are the musically talented girls? Joining akb or their sister groups is probably a surer recipe for success these past few years.

Hane no nai tenshi ga afureteiru jidai de...

[DonkeyKongRemix]

Originally Posted by SolarAngel

It's like musicianship has died in Japan. There used to be solo acts like Yui and Ayaka coming up. Now where are the musically talented girls? Joining akb or their sister groups is probably a surer recipe for success these past few years.

Hane no nai tenshi ga afureteiru jidai de...

I totally understand what you mean. I can't handle musicians who rely more on their image than their actual sound.

I really love visual kei bands because many of them can have strong images and actual musical talent, as they actually play instruments, write lyrics, and perform well. (though not all VK bands are like this... Some are untalented... XD)

But, different people look for different things in their music. I look for soul, honestly. As long as the musician is performing with a WHOLE LOTTA soul and manage to do so without breaking my ear drums, I'm pretty happy.

[g~sus~]

Hah..but still it takes a whole bunch of em to break her record

[monochrome99]

Originally Posted by amorphose

I'm not even really a fan of Ayu anymore but... really? Seriously? They only began in 2005 and they have over half the amount of singles she has? & to think I always thought that SHE released fast! Do they even write their own music and/or lyrics or are they just a gimmick? Seems like Oricon has a loose definition of artist and the Japanese will buy anything just like the Americans..

Also, wtf, why is this AK47 or whoever they are even qualified to break this record as a group? Shouldn't that be a separate category?

ok calm down. No they don't write their own music but they're an idol group, they don't have to write. They're a gimmick, which is exactly why no one should really be taking all of this seriously.

also just thought I should inform you that AK47 and AKB48 are 2 different artist

[Uemarasan]

I'm more bothered by the use of the word "artiste" instead of "artist".

[truehappiness]

It's a translation choice.