I'm not sure if I'm really disappointed. Of course I miss those times when she released singles and performed on TV but I feel that I've gotten so used to it that I don't even care anymore.

No, actually I kind of like the way she does things now. When she's really active, I can't even listen all those new things through but when she goes on tour and everything just calms down a bit, I can concentrate on listening her new releases in peace and take time to do it. :D

Of course, right now I'm too obsessed with K-Pop that I can listen LOVE again tho. :')

generally of cos i am disappointed, with the lack of tv performances and sometimes, the marketing strategies of releases..

but generally, ayu has been consistent yearly with her work. a yearly tour, a yearly album, one or 2 singles (or now-called "mini albums"), whatever she is doing now is enough for me to keep me interested in her.

so i am not complaining :)

as for her personal life, i dont really care. my general feeling is i dont understand what the hell is she doing with her love life.

At this point I don't care if she doesn't promote. However, I do care when she does things that make her look ridiculous like these perfectly timed relationship announcements or the absolutely lame frolicking around the beach like a teenager and getting abused PVs and most especially the 15th anniversary slap in the face to fans. Personally, I would rather she not even promote if its going to be pathetic and half a**ed. She needs to take a long hard look at what she has done to her image and legacy. Right now I'm happy for her to just release good music.

I'm happy with her output, I always really like or can at least appreciate her music.

It's sad to see her sales continue to decline though. At this rate if they ever release A BEST 3 they’ll have to retitle it A FLOP.

Slowly loosing interests in her to be honest.

Actually I'm just waiting for another trance album. Her best ballads/songs in general have been released a long time ago. Her vocals these days are way too deep. But I am still keeping up with her music, just to make sure I won't miss anything.

I wouldn't say I'm disappointed with Ayu as I have only been a fan since 2008. I'm so used to the release schedule of Western artists that Ayu's release schedule is ok with me. Yes it would be nice for Ayu to be everywhere again but I'm ok with her career right now.

yup, disappointed because of the marketing that they have chosen to do (if any). Her album is still strong, if she promoted songs like Song 4 u, Wake me up, SAKURA well, I don't see why there wouldn't be more interest and sales (though frankly I don't really care about sales because it's been already evident since a long time that her sales were dipping).

and yes J-pop is already loosing interest all over the world. Fans to begin with are simply following perhaps their FAVOURITE artist only. And sometimes, we can't all blame it to Ayu. I think Ayu has kept to a certain style. But there are just some more interesting music that appealed to us over the years. It's normal.

still my favourite artiste :)

i stop following ayu since about 2 years now. i have many other jpop artist to listen to so i will wait for when she back with really good music.

I wish someone could make a poll about this ^^, curious how many % feel disappointed.

I also feel like J-pop in general is at a really low point. Just the overall trends of what is popular has dictated an overall lack of quality in the actual music I feel. So few artists these days have strong melodies in their songs; beats are given priority over melody. Or if there is a melody, so many of the arrangements these days sound so messy and just have too much going on. That is one thing that I will say Ayu still has going for her - her songs still rely primarily on melody.

So many things have changed the last few years in the Japanese music industry - for one, where did all the rock music go? Where did all the variety go, period? I know all this stuff is still out there, but it is not popular anymore - you really have to go searching for it. imo, one of the things that drew me to Japanese music in the first place was the variety on the charts and now that is non existent. I also remember a time when it was really rare to lip synch on a Japanese tv program - now it is common place.(I mainly blame AKB and the Kpop invasion for this)

As for Ayu - it's unfortunate, but honestly people just aren't into her. Period. I don't think people fully realize that until they have been in Japan for an extended period of time. I've been here for 3 years now and outside of her concerts, the Ayu fans I have met I could probably count on one hand. Most people are indifferent about her, very few people have been like "Yeah, I like her too!" On the other hand, I have probably met more people who were actually disgusted by her. Why exactly I don't know because no one can really ever give me a definitive answer - they just have a general feeling of dislike. So, at this point I really don't know how or if she can even turn things around. People always say, well, she needs a better tie in, she needs to promote more etc etc., well the reason she isn't is because of what I just posted above, not because she is being choosy or too busy or whatever. So, honestly she is between a rock and a hard place right now.

im not annoyed/disheartned by ayu's career, but her fan base at this point.

Very much so yes.

After 2009 her career went to the drain. There are only about 5 songs that I liked after that.

As much as I like LOVE again, there are things that she's doing that bother me.

But as a singer, I enjoy her music still.

I don't really care about her popularity right now. I also don't think she'll ever be popular again. Amuro was never really "disliked" or "hated" to the extent Ayu is right now. Amuro just kind of switched gears and direction, and Ayu kind of took over as the person in the spotlight. Amuro had -years- to kind of find her niche without tons of eyes on her. Ayu has constantly had all eyes on her. Which was a blessing and a curse haha.

And as Sunshine said, Jpop in general right now is very bland. I mean, I watched CDTV for the first time in about a year and it was just so sad. It was the same groups and sub groups of those groups over and over again, along with anime songs (songs sung by anime seiyuu and such) and vocaloids. Bands were few and far between, and solo singers even more.

They did a flashback to the same week back in 2005 and it was so varied. Orange Range to Ayaka to Matsuura Aya.

Not really... I mean... her previous years work was AMAZING!!! I would always find a piece of myself in her lyric but not at the moment lol. Maybe it's because I'm not in a lovey dovey mood XD LOVE again was a blah for me. I had a high expectation for it =.=" but it's ok ^^ I hope she'll continue to release NEW songs soon ^^

I am slightly. She's gotten slightly too generic and lost her personal touch she had with her lyrics. I would love to hear CREA make an appearance again.

I remember when Party Queen leaked, I expected to hate it, but I liked it very much. The exact opposite of Love Again, I expected to love it, but it was a major disappointment now that I think of it. None of it is memorable except for the mini album songs, sadly.

Oh Emi I think you've taken these words from my mind..the latest boring and repeatitive releases combined with her attitude,the decreased propensity for sharing with her fans..this has produced a PLATEAU in my mind.
I cannot even listen to the old favourite songs, because it went all absolutely boring.
I don't know if it's just me or her music, but YES I feel disheartened and annoyed

I'm sad about the current state of her career. I've been an Ayu-fan for more than nine years already. I fell in love with Ayu's music (and later also her personality), when I randomly downloaded the song "Endless sorrow" from a JPop-website. I had NO idea who "Hamasaki Ayumi" was, how she looked like or anything, but the title of the song spoke to me immediately.
Oh boy, I remember NOT listening to any other songs for days. :yes I researched her on the web after a few days and was so happy to find out that she was actually pretty big in Japan and went to get more stuff. I also started reading her lyrics and watching her PVs and I went WOW! :love :heart :smitten. They were deep, artistic and inspiring...

...and that's the main reason why I'm not so happy about the Ayu "now". I've been sooooo disappointed with "FIVE" and "how is the album call that came after, I pushed it out of my memory". :irked I liked "LOVE again", but only liked. So far I LOVED all Ayu-albums!! I went crazy over every release and even pre-ordered them (sometimes even the LE-versions!). I haven't bought any stuff (albums, DVDs, merchandise,...) since "Rock'n'Roll Circus". MAYBE I'll buy "Love again", but only the "CD only"-version. I always bought the "CD+DVD"-versions, but her latest PVs aren't worth it.

I hate to split artists careers into "old" and "new", but I just don't feel "new Ayu" at the moment. I miss her deep and powerful lyrics. I hate how repetitive her new lyrics all sound. Some are also pretty similar to lyrics of older songs. :yfrown And don't even get me started on the PVs! I WANT PVs with a FREAKING storyline again (and I'm NOT talking about "abusive boyfriends throwing girlfriends out of cars" :shakehead). I was SUPER excited for the "Song4u"-PV, because the preview looked SO promising, but in the end it was boring. They could have made so much out of it, but yeah...!

Also her photoshootings are not to my liking since a longer time. I know it's the "LOVE again"-era and blahblahblah, but do we really need the same concept for three different magazine shootings AND the covers AND the booklet? She also doesn't even look like herself in some of the shootings (but I don't blame her for that, but the people, who just use too much Photoshop on her! :grumpy).
Also no promotions or TV appearances don't make me happy at all!


Ayu and her music saved my life (and are still saving it), when I was/am in a VERY ****** place, mentally and physically. I'm so grateful to her; I can't even put it into words HOW much and because of that I'll always stay beside her and support her until the end of her career...but I wish I could get my "old Ayu" back. The one I fell in love with. It's totally fine when her career takes different turns and when she tries out new things. Ayu had such a huge variety of music since the beginning, but I just can't bring myself to listen to her new stuff much or watch her new PVs,... :(

I still listen to her older songs and watch her older PVs/tours on a daily basis (!!!) and that will also NOT change! "LOVE again" was good too. I just think that at the moment Ayu and her team are half-assing stuff and that makes me sad, because I - WE ALL - KNOW that our Goddess can do much better!!! :yes

No. I wish she would promote on TV and release singles again, but that doesn't really make me annoyed/disheartned with her carreer, it just would make me happier...

I just don't know why Music Station really has no respect for Ayu. No wonder why popularity has plunged... I don't know what's in MSta's mind or in Ayu's mind, but this is one reason why I'm really annoyed/disheartened at Ayu's career... And it's all because of the 2011 NY trip that had the eventual photoshoot for PQ, and then coming late all because she could not find a flight in time...