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

[My Rainbow]

Originally Posted by JesA

But yeah, my Japanese fans make fun of me all the time for still listening to Ayu and Namie :p Just like my American fans make fun of me for listening to Madonna.

People with no music culture or knowledge. Just listen to new music because it's new.

Quality is quality. It doesn't matter if the singer is younger or older. Specially singers such as Ayu, Namie and Madonna. They don't have such long careers or had the amount of impact they had and still have because of nothing. I hate these kind of people who disrespect artists for their age.

-Oh! You listen to Ayumi? Why? She's old!!

-Well stupid bitch, I listen to ayu couse I have better taste in music than you. Now get lost uni-neuronal entity.

[perfectodub]

Originally Posted by My Rainbow

People with no music culture or knowledge. Just listen to new music because it's new.

Quality is quality. It doesn't matter if the singer is younger or older. Specially singers such as Ayu, Namie and Madonna. They don't have such long careers or had the amount of impact they had and still have because of nothing. I hate these kind of people who disrespect artists for their age.

-Oh! You listen to Ayumi? Why? She's old!!

-Well stupid bitch, I listen to ayu couse I have better taste in music than you. Now get lost uni-neuronal entity.

I think is a young people issue.

kids don't know to appreciate quality, they just get impressed by the outer beauty, or the catchy lyrics, or for what their school mates listen.

so if something is not on fashion, tv, magazines is not "cool". Is what i call brainless people, the same people that in the pass liked ayu just because all that shallow ellements.

when you grow up, you learn to appreciate the quality, coffee and wine

[Pieces_of_SEVEN]

Originally Posted by My Rainbow

People with no music culture or knowledge. Just listen to new music because it's new.

Quality is quality. It doesn't matter if the singer is younger or older. Specially singers such as Ayu, Namie and Madonna. They don't have such long careers or had the amount of impact they had and still have because of nothing. I hate these kind of people who disrespect artists for their age.

-Oh! You listen to Ayumi? Why? She's old!!

-Well stupid bitch, I listen to ayu couse I have better taste in music than you. Now get lost uni-neuronal entity.

this is everything

[terra]

Yeah, I agree so much with My Rainbow and perfectodub said

[ayu-michan]

Originally Posted by perfectodub

I think is a young people issue.

kids don't know to appreciate quality, they just get impressed by the outer beauty, or the catchy lyrics, or for what their school mates listen.

so if something is not on fashion, tv, magazines is not "cool". Is what i call brainless people, the same people that in the pass liked ayu just because all that shallow ellements.

when you grow up, you learn to appreciate the quality, coffee and wine

Thus all the starts of trendy music and teenagers judging if you're cool or not. I agree with you on this so much.

[ame-na-otoko]

Records are meant to be broken. Well done to AKB.

[Trinu]

Originally Posted by My Rainbow

People with no music culture or knowledge. Just listen to new music because it's new.

Sorry, but where did JesA say that people make fun of her listening to Madonna... because Madonna is old? Cause I read nothing of that.

Britney is younger and I think it's more of a reason to make fun of someone to listens to her simply because her music is crappier with every album she releases (I still love her, but that's that lol).

I don't thin it's just young people. Younge people will, obviously, focus on the new artists that come during their age and that can relate more to them.
How many of us got hit by the Spice Girls phenomenom when we were 9 or 10? I know I did, but my sisters, just 5 years older than me, couldn't care less about them.

Music is tailored to attract a certain group of people. Ayumi is already away from that. She attracts her fans and that's it.

[perfectodub]

Originally Posted by Trinu

....
....
Music is tailored to attract a certain group of people. Ayumi is already away from that. She attracts her fans and that's it.

so Jazz is tailored to attract oldies only :/

I don't think so...music is not like shoes for different ages, or like cartoons for girl or boys..music is about artists, music contribution and their way to the excellence

i have a lot of friend (40 yo) that are enchanted by the way that ayumi music combines orchestral instruments with rock ellements, classic music and electro sounds.

good music is for all ages...maybe you don't like that artist but you can't say that it bad...but when you are talking about one "artist" focused on a segregated group is when you can doubt about it quality.

[emi♡]

Some music is inherently easier to listen to than others though.

Jazz is known for it's improvisation, it's weird time signatures, beat rhythms, more eclectic instruments, etc.

Pop music is known for it's catchy melodies, usually easy to dance to beats, and relateability.


I definitely think sometimes music can be tailored to specific ages, but I think that mostly happens through lyrics. However, sometimes, some music just takes a little more life experience to understand for the majority of people. If you grow up listening and liking one thing...it can be hard to adjust to something different.

[My Rainbow]

Originally Posted by Trinu

Sorry, but where did JesA say that people make fun of her listening to Madonna... because Madonna is old? Cause I read nothing of that.

Britney is younger and I think it's more of a reason to make fun of someone to listens to her simply because her music is crappier with every album she releases (I still love her, but that's that lol).

I don't thin it's just young people. Younge people will, obviously, focus on the new artists that come during their age and that can relate more to them.
How many of us got hit by the Spice Girls phenomenom when we were 9 or 10? I know I did, but my sisters, just 5 years older than me, couldn't care less about them.

Music is tailored to attract a certain group of people. Ayumi is already away from that. She attracts her fans and that's it.

Last summer I was in Paris and I met a japanese girl. I told her that I love japanese culture, manga and music. I told her I adore ayumi and she reacted like "really? why? she's old!"

And in many forums you can fins assholes making fun of Madonna because of her age. That's probably that's the only thing they can say since the QUEEN slays all their faves half her age.

It's true and sad that many people only care about the "relevancy" of being young and new. Nothing bad with being young and new of course. But it ins't a bad thing to be older, specially with artists with careers such as Madonna, Ayumi, Namie...

[Sandy]

Ayu is one person who made the record. AKB48 is half of Spain and broke the record.

In my books, Ayu still has the record!!!

[JEWEL]

I know I shouldn't be mad about it per say, but it just feels wrong? I have plenty of friends who love AKB48 but I could never get into them because well... their music kind of sucks, (Forgive me any AKB48 fans.) I feel like AKB48 is a passing fad and will die out eventually but this still kind of sucks! Oh well.

[Mirrorcle Monster]

The whole AKB48 will fade is so funny. I mean, they will obviously lose their popularity, but since 2010 they have had the #1 Oricon single of the year (and the first five spots have been theirs since 2011). This year, on the mid-year charts, the 3 singles they released occupy the first three positions. Ayu id my fave, but AKB48 is deffinitely more succesful than she ever was, both chart-wise and culturally

[Shirlaay]

Ayu is a solo artist, AKB48 is such a large group. It's not really fair to compare her with them.

[Zahara]

Originally Posted by My Rainbow

Last summer I was in Paris and I met a japanese girl. I told her that I love japanese culture, manga and music. I told her I adore ayumi and she reacted like "really? why? she's old!"

And in many forums you can fins assholes making fun of Madonna because of her age. That's probably that's the only thing they can say since the QUEEN slays all their faves half her age.

It's true and sad that many people only care about the "relevancy" of being young and new. Nothing bad with being young and new of course. But it ins't a bad thing to be older, specially with artists with careers such as Madonna, Ayumi, Namie...

Keep in mind, the culture she comes from values youth even more so than in the West, but I agree, I really hate the "why do you listen to so and so? They're old!" Everyone ages, if they are able to retain what makes them special and stand out, then I don't see a problem in Ayumi continuing to make music.

I've gotten into conversations with my peers who are getting closer to 30 and I feel ancient talking to someone who is 17. Not only that, their music choices are usually crap

[Sandy]

Originally Posted by Mirrorcle Monster

The whole AKB48 will fade is so funny. I mean, they will obviously lose their popularity, but since 2010 they have had the #1 Oricon single of the year (and the first five spots have been theirs since 2011). This year, on the mid-year charts, the 3 singles they released occupy the first three positions. Ayu id my fave, but AKB48 is deffinitely more succesful than she ever was, both chart-wise and culturally

^I agree, but imo, they (AKB48) will never make a big impact. Ayu was big in a new, exciting way. AKB48 will fade, there might be a new group called HalfOfJapansPopulation900000 or something, but they will never make the same difference in the music industry like Ayu did.

[SolarAngel]

I don't think AKB48 will fade soon either. It's like they found the perfect formula for fan engagement, live performances and media presence. Not to mention there are girls for every type (shy, cute, beautiful, brave, determined, ditzy, bookish, whatever other fetish).

What makes me feel odd about this record is that there is no artiste to relate the record to. Same problem with exile. At least for JE groups, the records are actually associated with identifiable people. For AKB the stable of people keep rotating and changing. To me it's like saying for example: phantom of the opera has highest cd sales of the year. Just feels strange, like it doesn't really apply. But of course oricon doesn't care.

[Andrenekoi]

Momusu was basically the same thing and they faded...

[Luck16]

The thing is: not a single one of these girls can hold a candle next to Ayu (as a solo artist)
They can't even be compared to Kana Nishino, who was the last solo female artist to be really popular in Japan

[SolarAngel]

Originally Posted by Andrenekoi

Momusu was basically the same thing and they faded...

But for them to be so monstrously successful for about 4 years now and still going strong by the looks of it.. They must be hitting all the sweet spots in providing entertainment for their fans.