Originally Posted by DA1SUK1DAY01691 (Post 865203)

But to be honest, I agree with JesA. Koda is probably never gonna be able to have a conservative image like Ayumi or Ai can and actually pull it off. She might later, but we're talking 3/4 ayumi status, where at least 4/5 of the country recognizes her. With her clothes on.

Ai, she'll become big soon, we just need to give her time to grow a little more. For someone who released 11 singles and 3 albums post 2002, she's going steady and getting stronger every release. Unlike koda, her charm points are her cute and strong ballads, and her occasional poppy tune. she'll be something soon though, just watch her.

Ayumi will always be JPOP queen. Just like Amuro Namie, Matsuda Seiko, Matsutoya Yumi, she'll create that legacy that no one will or can forget. You can ask anyone form the late 90s, late 80s/early 90s, 70s/early 80s (respectively) and they'll mention their artist as the top female. (Utada really doesn't have an era like these artists. She boomed, then flew under the radar of other artists, yet still sold REALLY well.) Ayumi will be mentioned by our generation as being the top; Koda and Ai will either just be limelight acts that faded, or will have their own time later. Even though it'll take her a little longer to reach Yuming in her releasing pattern (40+ albums?! Crazy!), she can pull off an old Amuro and sell out her concerts in less than an hour (Amuro was once able to sell out concerts in 15 minutes) Ayumi will also be known for her ever changing image, unlike the other three artists, which in itself is a legacy unable to be forgotten. She's created many legacies so far, such as one of the best top 10 percentages for singles, and #1 position for original studio albums. She also topped THREE charts at one time, instead of having three singles on the SAME chart at one time (koda). She also won the Nihon Record Taisho for three years, and probably would have won a fourth.

Koda and Ai have A LOT to live up to if they want to replace her. Not only do they have to fill in her HUGE shoes, but they need to be able to leave a HUGE legacy like Ayumi. Ayumi was, and will still be, the JPOP queen. She not only evolved in front of us, but she is one of the most open artists you see, and shares her feelings through her songs. It's like to be the next Ayumi, there's TOO many paramountal achievements blocking your way.

Originally Posted by Demure_Dusk (Post 866437)

Excellent post, DA1SUK1DAY01691. Personally for me Ayumi is the diva who has managed to outshine the rest of the industry for her style and music. She has proved that promotion and all that shiny material that many artists are getting lately to get to the top isn't everything for an artist. Those things do not last in the long term and are only exciting in their era.

If Ayumi was simply promotion she would have lasted a couple of years before fading into being a regular artist but this was not the case. Kumi might get all the attention by avex and sell so well because of all the goodies her releases get and all the promotion avex is pumping into her but in the end I feel she's just an extremely charismatic artist trying to replace Ayumi, which for me is impossible. Sure she got a lot of awards and commercial tie-ins, like Ayu - but her music will never leave an impact as Ayu did. It's just the mainstream music of the moment, where avex has pumped all their money into flashy pvs and beautiful artwork to design their top sexy artist - but it doesn't make it eternal and symbolic in the way Ayumi's is. Kumi is just the ideal gorgeous and sexy babe that every woman wants to be - she can get any man by being sexy - but in the end, one cannot help but wonder - is she real? Ayumi is more human and philosophical, she speaks about many human feelings and emotions and thus touches people at a deeper level than most artists do.

Ayumi is a classic, symbolic image and a beautiful role-model which will take a long time to be forgotten.