Well I just barely got my Secret CD in the mail O_O;;
so I was warming up to both Secret and Black Cherry. As much as I love Kuu, I think this wasn't up there. My favorite album is still "secret" which had stronger tracks than "Black Cherry"

took the words right out of my mouth.

Then you can look at the initial reviews of Secret in the older threads, it's a lot of postive and hardly any negative, compared to Kumi's CD.

Even in Koda-focused areas, the album is disliked. So, your argument kind of fails there.

And there are Anti-Ayu people here too. :\

Actually, OUTGROW had 9 songs that were released as singles/digital single before the album came out. I think (m)u had 8 released and 6 new songs? (not including interludes)

My Jesus. That's what you get from roaming on JPM too much.
http://honeyflash.cloudwalking.net/v...d.php?tid=2151

Mad C. love your sig LOL!!!!!!!

I CHOSE SECRET, because i really like this Ayu's album, and because black cherry is really bad, just have some nice songs ... too much crap along the album . won't be long is just horrible. and the ballads sound all the same to me. i didn't expect nothing more, either LOL

Of course, that's a Koda forum. Looking elsewhere is the best method. Ayu's album was really received well in a whole lot of big forums, even Utada's and Mika's. I bet JPM and T-N also like Secret.

http://honeyflash.cloudwalking.net/v...tid=13&page=17
The people there love Secret too.

Black Cherry however garnered a whole lot of negative reviews no matter where you go too. Only her fans loved it. It's really pointless arguing about the album, a majority of people who aren't her fans didn't like it, it's going to sell well regardless in Japan anyway, the end. Even if it wasn't very bad, the hype among music-lovers outside Japan just killed it.

And thanks!

That one was directed to th. I was trying to prove that in a koda thread/forum/whatever, the album is still liked.




I didn't mention anyone hating Secret.

Exactly. Only her fans loved it. I agree with you on this.

^ Well, I'm a Kuu fan but not a "Black Cherry" fan. =S

I agree with those points. It's true that the album just released. "BC" needs time for some to grow on them. Like me. And yes. It's an Ayu forum, so it's pretty much expected. I'm sure some Ayu fans that don't even listen to Koda voted anyway. This poll is almost pointless.

But Anthony brought a good point. And that is the fact that the album isn't very well-loved either. Well, at least not as much as I expected people to be. While some newer fans love it, I think most people from the "secret" time prefer that style, like me. Though, some older fans still love "BC".

Still haven't heard "Secret"...

Well, we'll about to see how is Japan react with this album.
127,022 copies in ONE day. W00T.

http://www.oricon.co.jp/music/special/061221_04.html

^ actually that's not it... lol...

Yeah, I'm not too sure that's the first day sale either. I think those are for overall top sellers.

Overall? Hmm...not sure. Hopefully someone can correct me. :laugh

Neither did I. I was comparing initial reactions towards Secret and Black Cherry.

Yeah, I'm starting to doubt that it's the overall sales. XD Because there's no way Ayu beat KAT-TUN.

:roflmao If what you said is true, Keishi, then Ayu would have sold 69,000 copies of Secret on the first day of it's 4th week.

I hope you realize that you posted those figures in the Year End Oricon Charts thread. They're the total monetary value in yen per artist.

Well, I think I did put "yen" next to the cash amount. :P

I have a feeling that BC won't get to a million, but it'll get close.
After all, this isn't a best.

I think BC will sell 877,000 or less

YAY! Finally bought and listened to "Secret" and I must say it's a wonderful album. So yeah, I voted for "Secret"!

*feigns shock*

Joking, but in a good way. :D

Black Cherry will reach a million, I am sure :D

I also think black cherry will sell over 1 million or even more like ss...I dont know...a lot of unexpected things happened recently like the sales of Secret and The End..I didnt think The End would sell that low...I remembered there was a thread about which of the 3 albums would sell the most...I think I had mika and ayu tied after kumi. Also kumi is having big promotions where she was actually in person somewhere in public (I saw the pic somewhere) just like ft and ss. (her with a bunch of kumi look alikes) I think if I was there and saw her in person, I might really buy the album...even though I heard the album and didnt like it.

Ah you mean the Cherry X'mas? Where she got girls dressing up like her Black Cherry CD+2DVD Cover? Yeah, I saw that too.


I think this one will hit a million. Coz well. It's Japan and their love for Mainstream Pop songs. Take a look how everyone predict 1 million for the rock album Secret and how it doesn't materialize. Perhaps Japan has different views for these two albums?
We love Secret, Japan hates, didn't really like this omfgreat album = no 1 Million yet.
We hate Black Cherry, Japan loves it = 1 Million is ensured, or at least

Secret isn't a rock album, it's pop.

BC may have a chance at reaching 1 mill but there is no chance in hell of it coming close to ss and absolutely no chance of it outselling ss... that would be as crazy as I am... having outsold A BEST. Kuu's already peaked in 05-06

I agree with you. :yes That's true.

I have to say Secret.

I SWEAR I tried my best to listen to black cherry and find something I Liked but I didn.t find that something (I only kept Juicy). I found Bc like it was trying too hard! most of the sons are really long... or at least they feel never ending, mainly beacuase they are repetitve and is a complete mess.

as for Secret it.s different from what she has released before... I find that is not realy a complex album as My Story (My story fans could agree with me) it.s really pop almost like RAINBOW but below it in complexity. The beats and "cool sounds" are the main atracttion on Secret, it could sound rrushed (as some ppl say but I still don.t understand what they mean by it) but if you notice even the art work on the booklet speaks for the album... "simplicity but cool"

I.m glad she got out of her system the "bold and delicious" feel that has Secret, now she can move on to a more grown and complex sound and keep on growing.

So they hated ULTRA BLUE too?
:no

You have really bad examples.

Why do people post links if they can't even read it?

I think comparing the two is silly, because they both have very different voices and styles, so ultimately it's near-impossible to vote for one or the other, because everyone's tastes are so varied.

People group whoever they can together, and it seems Ayu is the 'dominant' one of pairings..

Ayu vs. Hikki
Ayu vs. BoA
and now, Ayu vs. Koda.

I wonder if an Ayu vs. JYONGRI is possible..

I think it's because Ayu is the biggest singer out there so when a passing fad with a quick burst of fame comes along, they instantly want to compare that singer to the greatest of them all, the Queen of J-pop Ayumi Hamasaki.

I'm not talking about ULTRA BLUE. Stay on topic, already.

I agree, once again.

You got it right there! People always want something better, and even if Ayu is now the bestest, the search is on for the next hot starlet. Human nature, tsk tsk.

You contradict yourself.

I picked Ayu's Secret without any doubt.
At the first time I listened to BC.I though, oh my god,Ayu'll lose....*sniff*
After then..... hoho Ayu has won again.
I dun really think Kuu are that talented and she dun have a perfect voice like Ayu, although she tried her best, the result is just based on promotion factors. The music should be flow itself not by using selling tricks like her recent 12 singles in 12 weeks and the 2 Best with many tracks and PVs that are limited in the 12 singles, and now the drama Cherry girl.
I now feel more sure that sales dun say anythings , the only thing that make music fantastic is your ears and the artist's talent.
So many times I update and del songs in my computer and iPod, the only person I couldn't do so is just Ayu. She's got the talent and my ears love her, the more I listen to her, even those songs that you said it is horib, the more I like her and her songs, her work. If Kuu had the talent, she would have sales milions like Ayu from the very first album.
And like I said,BC is promotional work.The only track that is luckily tucked in my head is Get up& move,I barely care about the lyrics(so as ayu) so just the rymth and the voice and Kuu has got nothing in BC.Tough luck, not as my expected.
Sorry Kuu fans for using so many "i'm kicking ye *ss" speech and I'm not an Kuu-hater or anti-Kuu

I forgot, hadn't voted.

Secret.

You need to read posts better. Srsly.

Seems kinda strange to limit the view to just those two albums, one would assume it applies to all recent entries in the female pop spectrum.

^ (to keishi) Not everyone hates or likes a certain thing so you cannot particularly blame it on that. I think the reason Secret was so popular was that her vocals were amazing and the music was something we've wished we'd see for a very long time. Black Cherry was loved by a lot of people, but people only saw the album for it's album tracks and said it was crap. I know so many who have said that Black Cherry is their favourite Kuu album.. so don't generalise >_>

How do you know a one million is ensured? Lets wait and see for the sales and then it will suffice.

Well, it's merely a prediction. Like you guys and those threads about Secret sales prediction.
Good news for you guys. I'm done. Say what you guys want. I'm tired. -_-

That doesn't mean every good pop album hit 1 million copies regardless. Your post was generally about sales. So Anthony's point about ULTRA BLUE is still valid. PSYCHEDELICOdust's post points this out.

FYI, you can go to the Secret Sales Prediction thread and consider how true your statement was.

Arguing about this is rather pointless. The poll speaks for itself.

It's not really a prediction if you say Japan hated the album.
Think before you say things so you don't end up being wrong in the end.

I see Black Cherry doing slightly better than secret, but nowhere as good as the bests before it..

But you seem to predict millions as well.

MC was right, your posts are very contradictory of yourself.

I still stand by my prediction of 800 000, lol.

Well, my prediction was based on the BC singles sales and the fact that she's the 'in' thing in Japan.

Every Ayu single sold more than Koda's singles in 2005, not counting the triple A-side, and yet (miss)understood still sold approximately 900,000 copies to date.

2005? I thought we're talking about Secret & Black Cherry. :laugh


and what triple A-sides?
Koda's has no 3Aside single for 2005-2006, neither does Ayu.

Well, he meant to compare the 'prediction' based on singles..

Simply put, the (m)u single sales on average, were a little higher than the "Black Cherry" singles.

Well, we'll need to see BC sales first before going to that part.

My mistake, I meant 4 Hot Wave.
I wonder if you even realize what you post.
You predicted sales on Black Cherry based on the sales of it's singles. My post was meant to point out the fact that (miss)understood's singles sold a lot more than Koda Kumi's singles, and yet, (miss)understood sold less than a million, which you predicted for Black Cherry. Don't forget that (miss)understood, Secret, and Black Cherry are all released in 2006.

By stating 2005 in my earlier post, it means her singles for that album were released during 2005.

I also like comparing Cherrygirl/unmei to B&D/Pride, both released just before the album plus Ayu's one was a weird style.

Like in the other thread i've been comparing the single sales of M(U) to the single sales of BC. which is why I think BC will sell less than M(U). But cause of the Kuu hype, it could be close to 1 mill.

Me too, if the situation this year was the same with last year, then Black Cherry could suffer a big hit from Cherry Girl, although that's nigh possible.

I'm sure that Black Cherry will sell a total of close to a million or even more, who knows, but it's going to be a one-time thing only. Afterwards, she'll drop to her stable level which might be approximately 400,000 like Ayu and her stable 700,000. We'll see.

Well, Ayu's popularity has dropped no matter how many tie-ins she got for that album. But Kuu's has just starting.
If Ayu can reach the 600k++ numbers, Kuu in her peak (which is right now) could get one million.

Kuu's already peaked it's not just starting, it's a steady decline, from now onwards. Just like how Ayu has been in decline for almost 5 years.

I always feel like i'm repeating myself.

Well, let's just say Kuu's peak is ongoing right now. :P

ok this has turned into a
negativity battle. every
other word for kuu is
'dissapointment'. i actually
loved Black Cherry. but i
dont think that the two
albums are comparable.
not to me :]

I love both albums almost equally. While Secret is strong at album tracks, Black Cherry kicks ass with singles.
I vote for Secret, because the only song I don't like there is BF while Black Cherry has about 4 tracks I can't stand.

I'm sure Kuu won't reach one million.

damn you
anime fanatic21
haha why must
you go there
:D

I personally think 2006 for Kuu is like the 2001 of Ayu. She's releasing Endless Singles... I think this will slow down in the next year with my predictions.

OMG, you freakin' read my mind.

Ah yeah. I think I remember how I was shocked to see how many releases she got for 2001 (considering I was a fan during STEP you/is this LOVE? period)
I think 2001 was....from evolution -> a song is born
WOW so many singles I don't even want to count. XD

But remember, she was the hot stuff, with her dome tour and stuff.

It's not like Koda's been widely known for much anyway like Ayu was [enough to get that British asian documentary in English on her..]

If this year for kumi equal 2001 of ayu....kumi doesnt have those excellent songs that should match her peak like how ayu was in 2001. Both had really high sales of albums, many releases, many ads, commercials, different tie-ins, being trendsettling, awards, etc but with all the similarities, theres one thing I noticed different...and that is the song qualities...Im not saying kumi doesnt have excellent songs...she does but almost all those excellent songs are pre-best albums...ayu on the other hand, had excellent songs too before her best album, but plus after too...I am...etc like she was able to maintain the quality of her songs if not higher for a while...kumis songs this year went lower quality compare to the songs from her best albums. I think everything kumi is doing, the promotions she is getting, is leading her to the queen status (some might say she is already the new queen) but if she doesnt do anything about her songs, she might not reach there or for others, not stay up there long...like if she doesnt have good songs, what else can she do to capture her fans after the hype is gone? This is like for ayu this year...shes not at her peak like she was...she released b&d, and then those 2006 singles afterwards...ppl saw what she released and ofcourse she not up to her standards, maybe many decided not to purchase Secret as they think the rest will be like those...(by only performing JEWEL doesnt help) which you can see on the sales...Im really hoping both of them will release something good in 2007...atleast with kumi, if she does release something good that alot of ppl love, that would shut alot of haters and negative comments out there.

Exactly. I'm still waiting for a day that truehappiness will say "omg I love this koda new song <3 <3 <3 <3"

:laugh

But that's your personal opinion... I found all the singles of this year to be amazing.

yes I forgot to write its my personal opinion. :P I was comparing to her old work during her peak how she released songs like crazy but was still able to maintain the quality and this year where she slowed down alot but the songs arent that great (except the secret album tracks...they are great) but compared to her old ones, in my opinion, the old ones are better for me.

I'm willing to bet alot of money that will never happen.

and that will happen when pigs fly, lol.

Well you never know kingofpop... I used to really dislike Jolin but now she's one of my regulars on my playlist.

I used to really dislike Jolin too, but she did a real 180 with Dancing Diva and I fell in love. I don't think Koda will be doing a 180.

kumi kinda did in my opinion...like the style of songs she released in the past and the ones she released this year...

Me neither... Oh well.

After listening to these albums more, I'm glad I picked Secret. The Single tracks on Black Cherry are really the only ones that practically stand out except for Puppy (I honestly dislike Get Up and Move, now that I realised she said that 'h' word.. I honestly can't believe it x.x) Secret is amazing. The Title track owns, and the single tracks seem so much better with the other album tracks. 1 LOVE, momentum, JEWEL, It Was, are all memorable songs to me, and I always find myself singing them.

I honestly don't get it why does that "h-word" affect your whole view on the song. May I know why?

Because 'artists' aren't supposed to say horny? :O

That's disgraceful to be saying that... well to me it is. You don't go around telling the whole world you're 'that word in question'

Might I ask, are you a Hikki fan?

I liked one song, Passion, and that was about it.

LOL! I'm so slow XD
You're easy breezy and I'm pretty pony~pretty pony~pretty pony~-and-easy...
and there's also Hotel Lobby.



And yeah. 'H' isn't really a dirty word to me. :laugh

Aha. Never mind then.

And that wasn't the point I was making Chris, but it works well enough although those are misconstrued lyrics.

So which point are you referring? :?

If the first week sales are 500k+, then we'll probably know that she's 'up where Ayu was'~

If any lower.. then they can only go lower and lower each year.

but what if she has a massive drop in the second week and onwards. Did'nt Utada sell that much in the first week with Ultra Blue? and it's only just below 900 000.

^Well we would probably never know since BC's 2nd and 3rd week sales will be combined to form 1 week on the Oricon charts.

But considering how her album sales have been pretty stable in the past (secret sold like 186k 1st week and ended with over 500k; ~first things~ debuted with 558k and is at 1.852 million; ~second session~ debuted with 983k and is now at 1.77 million)

come on kuu i am rooting for you i will root for Ami Suzuki next year lol

mg.. this thread should just close..

agreed

The posts here are all off-topic. -____-

I THINK SECRET'S A MUCH BETTER ALBUM THAN BLACK CHERRY MOSTLY DUE TO THE FACT THAT SECRET'S MUCH MORE COHESIVE IN IT'S ALBUM TONE AND BC IS ALL OVER THE PLACE FROM SINGLES I'VE HEARD AD NAUSEUM.

There.

Ooh, very good point there.

Maybe she'll be like Ai Otsuka... Her album sales keep rising each year

Doubt it!:rolleyes

I strongly doubt it. Otsuka never had a "peak" and her sales are not influenced by a bunch of extras or anything tacked on her releases. People buy her solely for the music. Even her albums hardly have any music videos on their DVDs.

Very true either way you look at it Otsuka is very talented. Girl got skills.

Yes and no. LOVE COOK had 3 different versions tied to it, 2 were limited versions (1 was a photo book and the other I think was a drawing book. The 3rd was the normal CD+DVD).

I don't know what avex will be doing with her in 2007, but if nothing spectacular happens I guess 2005 could be considered her "peak".

If there's a BEST for her in 2007, that'll be her peak. I feel it coming. That and I don't want to have her singles this year setting the tone for a new original album D:

^True. I think I'd rather have her release a BEST now, then in late 2007/2008. imo, this year's Ai singles is just lacking something compared to 2005.

^ Same here, her singles of 2006 are quite different from the 2005 ones. Her music has been less dramatic, less memorable (still very memorable though) from the earlier singles, Yumekui excepted. But the simplicity works for me in songs like Ren'ai Shashin.

well, I was really looking foward to Black Cherry.. I have been in a Koda phase lately... well during her second session... and Juicy... but the last singles have just been okay... and the album is certainly not something I'd buy unfortunately... I do like a few songs on there... but the majority is iPOD skippage material. I know I have been a major Ayumi fan forever but I really do feel that Secret is way better. It has a nice rock sond but variety... Black Cherry is covered with ballads and although some of her ballads are quite lovely... some are just stale.

Koda may sell more than Ayumi because the sexy style is really in right now... but as far as quality... Ayumi's got that one in my book.

secret all the way for me lol...black cherry's covers r awesome and beautiful...but the album songs rn't tat great...and i never really liked WON'T BE LONG and it had 2 version in the album lol

secret however, i thought had really good album songs and the flow was really good :D

Secret

Kumi needs to learn how to make fresh original music, you can sing almost every other song on the intrumental of another one, i used to love her, but shes so repetitive, and i think ayu went there but she came with this amazing album

Kiss O' Kill probably kills anything Koda ever recorded aside from D.D.D (it's her only tune i think it's really original but its sounds a LOT like Lady Marmalade)