I know Ayu has constantly expressed that without music, she wouldn't be alive...but I agree with you on the thought of her being bored of making music now. She's been doing this for 15 years straight.

Singles, minialbums, albums: they're all different ways to sell music, but without promotions, they're all pretty useless for me.
Don't know what they'll decide to do, but I'm just praying they make an effort to promote it, 'cause people will have to know about something before deciding it's worth buying or not.

She lost her streak so

ayu shouldn't care about her streak of consecutive number one singles as it will be broken by akb in 1.5 year (they have 18 now and they need 7 more and as they release 5 singles per year, I guess it will take about 1.5 year)

Her album streak is gone, its time for her single streak, too. Avex needs to get over it. Ayu isn't at her peak anymore. No more "mini-albums" and "Summer Bests". You can't dodge the bullet forever, Avex. Plus, you're run out of tricks. There is nothing left you can do.

Agreed :(

And AKB48 is really more concerning to Ayu fans more and more... I just don't know when AKB will lose steam, but it might not be before the consecutive streak could be broken by the end of 2014, unless Ayu releases another physical single within the next year or so... :(

(And I did not even know about the single streak count until just today)

the only way to compete is to start releasing again. why can't avex do they best and find the most secure dates for her? they always did it, why not do it again?

but yeah, everything must be very complicated nowadays. it's like she's reached her expiry date.... :( and nobody's willing to work with her again.

I've always wondered if it was because Avex was worried that fans only bought the singles to help her streak. Her singles were never really worth buying, as all the content almost always ended up on an album. Plus, by not releasing they can still have the opportunity to continue the streak, and by holding out if and when they do release a single it will sell because fans would be "starved". I don't know if that's the case, just a thought. Even if they tried for "safe" dates, competition could come along unexpectedly. They can't always push releases back, or plan for unexpected hits.

Well, not all decisions are up to Ayu. She's also said that herself. Unless she feels strongly about releasing a single, I doubt she would go against Avex. Also, it could be Ayu who doesn't want to release the single, I won't rule that out. I guess fans just think that Ayu is "so over" the streak thing, and that its Avex who would be the most concerned with preserving it, for whatever reason.

:love

Sorry, but it wasn't avex decisions, but Ayu resolution not to make "singles format" again, why releasing two minialbums which are so clearly in a single format? Why don't just release an album like she did for Party Queen, and maybe a couple of digital songs? I think this is SO avex, that mess doesn't sound at all like ayu to me.

she's so fixated about the no# streak I highly doubt it

I just see this as ayu taking a little break while still working. Shes still doing what she love but not being chained to public appearences and avex so much. Ayus no longer a hot topic but thats because something new will always take the publics eye, but she still has her stand in the music world

Yeah, exactly. It's pretty obvious LOVE and again were released as "mini albums" just so that they wouldn't ruin her streak.

That would mean ayu has such a lack of confidence in herself that she thinks she won't sell well and such pride that she refuses to lose her streak. I refuse to believe that, I really do. If that is ever proven as fact, I will lose a lot of respect for her.

^Well, nowadays believing the single won't sell good isn't lack of self confidence, is being unbiased :P

^Whats "unsiaded?" Sorry for my bad vocab xD

^ Ooops! That was a typo, sorry for that xD

And tha's EXACTLY why I CAN'T believe it's her fixation, but I'm strongly lend to believe it's Avex's. Her last marketing decisions wouldn't make sense, for the person Ayu is, so for me it's pretty obvious her label took them.
I mean, on one side we have Ayu, who says sales don't matter for her anymore and hint that she doesn't really want to release singles anymore, and on the other side we have three releases which are made for MONEY (let's be realistic) and two of which have clearly the single format.
I think it's understandable why people tend to bash Avex and believe it's not really Ayu decision.

She needs to release it!! I want to see her do more promotions too.

I agree with you. It's more possible it's avex's decision. But one comment here said "SHE is so fixated on her streak." It makes her sound pathetic.