Originally Posted by andrepaul (Post 1292747)

I have the numbers.
Kobu is very impressive.

Kobu: 455.000
Ayu: 432.000
http://www.sponichi.co.jp/entertainm.../01/08/02.html

Originally Posted by bluegie (Post 1292963)

to be honest, sakuranbo is kinda like a one hit wonder, as ai-chan has nothing to compared with it afterwards (even tho she is still popular afterwards). Of course technically speaking it should be called "the signature song of otsuka ai".

I just hope that something like STEP you will appear this year. Maybe STEP you wasn't a huge seller, but at least it was a still big hit for ayu. Well if she's making something that can be compared with Boys & Girls/A/SEASONS/M/evolution, that will be really wonderful :D.

Originally Posted by bluegie (Post 1292963)

to be honest, sakuranbo is kinda like a one hit wonder, as ai-chan has nothing to compared with it afterwards (even tho she is still popular afterwards). Of course technically speaking it should be called "the signature song of otsuka ai".

I just hope that something like STEP you will appear this year. Maybe STEP you wasn't a huge seller, but at least it was a still big hit for ayu. Well if she's making something that can be compared with Boys & Girls/A/SEASONS/M/evolution, that will be really wonderful :D.

Originally Posted by bluegie (Post 1292939)

I guess most of us have already get the fact digested a week ago. Remember, we have been discussing this for a week already.

I'm pretty disappointed that the no. 1 streak is gone finally. However, even if this album survives, I'm sure that ayu will not escape easily next time. Also, almost every artist will face this "not no. 1 anymore" one day, unless the artist chooses to retire during his/her shiniest era.

So I guess we, the fans, can go to another cycle now. We dun need to actually get worried about whether the no. 1 streak can be maintained. We just need to concern about whether the upcoming materials have better reputations or not. To ayu or us it's probably a relief :).

And last but not the least, GUILTY is doing much better than I thought. It's just 60K less than Secrets for two week sales. I guess this album will get over 500K eventually. The only sad thing is that ayu's 10th anniversary is not that perfect anymore.. :no.

BUT I have a feeling that ayu will produce better music this year... TBH my feeling towards "Secret to GUILTY" era is similar to "I am... to RAINBOW" era. I lost interest on ayu's music during the I am/RAINBOW era. At this moment I dun feel ayu's music is very interesting either, except that I did buy Secret, while I didn't buy I am... :P.

Originally Posted by njanjayrp (Post 1292969)

I am pretty sure that if STEP you was released back than it would be a 1 million seller :D

Originally Posted by namiie (Post 1292971)

It wasn't a one-hit wonder at all. A one-hit wonder is when an artist is famous for only one song, and then you never hear from them again. Sakuranbo may be Ai's most famous song, but people definitely heard from her again afterwards and she's gone on to be one of the most famous female artists today--look at Planetarium. Look at how well Ai Am Best did--one of the top albums of 2007! I think Ayu's signature songs are Boys & Girls, SEASONS, etc. Doesn't make her a one-hit wonder :P

Sadly, I think the reason those songs are only considered as epic and majestic as they are is because they were released when Ayu was in her prime---1999 to 2001 (and a little of 2002). They are still good songs, but face it, if they were released in, say, 2006 or 2007, many people would brush them off as "boring" like they did BLUE BIRD or fated. Boys & Girls would be just another "cutesy happy song" and "M" would be another "Oh, another rock song?". I think that if they were released recently, they'd elicit those kinds of responses.

This is IMO only of course, but lately I'd say it's become rather trendy to hate on Ayu's recent releases and glorify her beginning days. Of course, her earlier albums were fantastic as well ("A Song for XX" remains one of my fave songs to this day), but people fail to recognize how far she's come as a singer lately too. For example, I'd rather take "Will" over "TO BE" anyday. While it's true that she's simply been in the business for a while and that people's interest in her is decreasing, I believe there is considerable bias toward her older work that causes some people to almost automatically brush off her new work.

Originally Posted by bluegie (Post 1293032)

That's how I feel about STEP you. This is so far the only recent ayu songs that I would think it could be a million sellers if it was released back in her peak era.



Of course I know it's not a one hit wonder :P. But I kinda feel it's sorta like somehow. Yes SMILY/Planetarium were really popular as well, but it's not up to par with Sakuranbo in terms of longevity and sales (even tho I hate this song). And too bad it seems like Ai-chan cannot make another 500K seller (judging by her recent sales..). It's like, if you ask anyone which ai-chan song is the most popular, everyone will point towards Sakuranbo.

Ayu or hikki are different on the other hand. They have more than a few songs that hit million marks (ayu: B&G, A, SEASONS, M, or even evolution, which was about 960K sold) (hikki: Automatic, Addicted To You, W&S, CYKAS?).

About ayu's most popular songs being released in her prime theory.. Well I sorta disagree. As a fan going through LOVEppears to GUILTY era (well too bad I wasn't into JPop when she released A Song for XX), I still consider SEASONS, M, evolution, etc. are one of her best works. Those songs are more unique in their own ways, unlike recent her works. Honestly I cannot see the difference between fairyland/BLUE BIRD/glitter. They have the same formula.. similar melodies, similar tones, etc. It's like whenever she's releasing a new single, it just sounds like recycling her old materials. That was how I felt back in I am to RAINBOW era (e.g., Free & Easy sounds too similar to M). And thank god she released Memorial address, in which the materials sounded quite different compared to the works in I am and RAINBOW. And somehow I believe ayu's going through the cycle again, as I have faith that she'll be releasing some spectacular like Memorial address again this year.

Originally Posted by Luv ~Venus~ (Post 1292996)

Question: I'm still confused! They didn't count a week or did they?

Originally Posted by bluegie (Post 1293032)

That's how I feel about STEP you. This is so far the only recent ayu songs that I would think it could be a million sellers if it was released back in her peak era.



Of course I know it's not a one hit wonder :P. But I kinda feel it's sorta like somehow. Yes SMILY/Planetarium were really popular as well, but it's not up to par with Sakuranbo in terms of longevity and sales (even tho I hate this song). And too bad it seems like Ai-chan cannot make another 500K seller (judging by her recent sales..). It's like, if you ask anyone which ai-chan song is the most popular, everyone will point towards Sakuranbo.

Ayu or hikki are different on the other hand. They have more than a few songs that hit million marks (ayu: B&G, A, SEASONS, M, or even evolution, which was about 960K sold) (hikki: Automatic, Addicted To You, W&S, CYKAS?).

About ayu's most popular songs being released in her prime theory.. Well I sorta disagree. As a fan going through LOVEppears to GUILTY era (well too bad I wasn't into JPop when she released A Song for XX), I still consider SEASONS, M, evolution, etc. are one of her best works. Those songs are more unique in their own ways, unlike recent her works. Honestly I cannot see the difference between fairyland/BLUE BIRD/glitter. They have the same formula.. similar melodies, similar tones, etc. It's like whenever she's releasing a new single, it just sounds like recycling her old materials. That was how I felt back in I am to RAINBOW era (e.g., Free & Easy sounds too similar to M). And thank god she released Memorial address, in which the materials sounded quite different compared to the works in I am and RAINBOW. And somehow I believe ayu's going through the cycle again, as I have faith that she'll be releasing some spectacular like Memorial address again this year.

Originally Posted by namiie (Post 1293046)

I think we need to give Ai some more time. After all, Ayu and Hikki have been in the game for ten years. Ai's recently just celebrated her fourth year :) If you've been taking notice in her concerts, Ai's signature song is now branching out from Sakuranbo...."Happy Days" and "SMILY" are definitely becoming fast fan favorites and are performed at every concert.

And *I* honestly think you can throw in "July 1st" and "Greatful Days" in with the "fairyland/BLUE BIRD/glitter" mix. They are quintessential summer songs--happy lyrics, danceable melody, the works. However, people to tend to leave these summer songs out when comparing summer releases because they are more old school Ayu--the Ayu that everyone likes to glorify and leave recent Ayu in the dust.

I do agree on the awesomeness that is Memorial Address though. However, I think that Ayu hasn't stopped being unique. I was struck by how amazingly original "Ourselves" as a song is (albeit the PV was not up to par). I think "until that Day..." is pretty unique in itself too, and what about "kiss o' kill"? Chainsaws are definitely something Ayu--and many pop artists in general--usually don't throw into their songs. And hello, "Bold & Delicious"??? If that isn't unique for Ayu, I don't know what is.

I'm not trying to say that Ayu is 100% awesome 100% of the time (I gave "fated" a good 50 listens before declaring it absolutely boring, which it is), and she does have her share of "WHAT THE HELL IS THIS" when it comes to songs (see "Humming 7/4" XD), but I do believe that her new music is not bad at all. I'd rather take the vocal improvement present in something like B&D over the ~totally original~ but frankly quite horrible vocals of "Heartplace". It's all about acquired taste I think.