Go back a page; someone posted up videos of the song previews.

I feel like there are gonna be a few hits (FINAL DISTANCE, movin on without you, for you, automatic, hikari) and a few misses (sakura drops, letters, sanctuary) on the album.

Movin on without you sounds SPECTACULAR.

I'm pleasantly surprised that ayu did a decent job on Movin' on without you. Somehow it sounds a bit similar to hikki's version (maybe because the original version has a hint of dance music as well?)

I guess I like weird arrangement more this time (SAKURA drops, letters), more than those normal ones. I hope I like AI's FD, but I'm kinda disappointed that her version kills off the original meaning behind the song (tribute to the death of the girl). Hikki's version has a more desperate feeling and I feel like she really wanna be with "someone" so faraway (like... death). AI's vocal has soul, but to me it sounds like she's singing to someone (a friend?) that is not living in the same city anymore.

I sincerely hate ayu's version, hopefully the full song doesn't sound too bad.

It's not that bad, just there's not much wow factor in her version, especially when others like ringo and Yosui Inoue have twisted the songs into another dimension. Probly it's a good thing, at least she doesn't ruin the song, and it's pleasant to listen to.

Here's to hoping two things:
1) Hikki participates in a future tribute album to Ayu.
2) Ayu performs Movin' on without you live at her CDL. xD

I don't really mind that it's not totally like Shiina Ringo level different. It reminds me of like 2001 or something Ayu. And that's just pure love.


this album so great <3

Ughhh...the surprising thing is that between Ringo's she-bat supersonic shrieks and Ai's manly trashing of FINAL DISTANCE (R.I.P) Ayu's cover is actually the only listenable track so far..and no, that's not really a compliment. I like her arrangement and voice in this but it's so edited to death that they could have picked any one of the 6000 AKB girls to do the same cover.

Letters is just awsome

Yes, both of these would be spectacular!

Oh God I can't even image a tribute album for ayu...maybe they will do that for her 20th anniversary.

Exactly this, I love you Shiina but :no

^it sound sso much like her own song. Letters is just awsome. I can't belive people don't like it, especially when they are Shiina fans.

I need a CD rip of salsa drops like yesterday :(
(whoever coined that, ily :heart)

I decided to buy the album. I've loved all the previews so far. Every one. So why not right? I'm sure the songs and artists were chosen for a reason. Doesn't Utada have control over everything that gets released? I remember when Utada The Best came out and she condemned it because they released it without her knowledge and she didn't have any say over it. Quote from wiki: "I don’t want my fans putting down money for something that my heart isn’t in" So I know this isn't just a random cover album.

So even if some of the choices seem weird or wrong, utada must feel otherwise. Because I have a feeling she's the one who chose who would sing the songs, or at least suggested who got the honor.

I need this to leak already...

that's not how japanese market works ;)

It's not really like that. People who think this is just "some cover album" don't really understand.

Tribute albums aren't super common, but they're done, and they're supposed to be special, honoring a person or group, in this case Hikki, who has contributed to the music industry in significant ways. The labels probably talk together to choose different people to be on the album, although it's not like an actual collaboration between them. The people represented on the album are also usually culturally important, popular, or prestigious.


So while some people think songs are being butchered, or they're being sung by weird people.....the other side of it is that important people are very much honoring hikki by taking her song and making it their own.

^That's all your own speculation

lulz sure it is :rolleyes

The point was that, it's not like hikki just sat around and said, "ok....I think I'll have AI do Final Distance....and I think Ayu will do this........and they'll all cover songs about ME."

Her involvement probably isn't totally minimal, but it's not like it's all HER release.


You can look at other tribute albums, like the one for hide, or the more recent one for Judy and Mary. They are like celebration albums. Lots of hype around them.

Hikki said that she picked all the contributing artists..so yeah, gotcha. There is thought behind it.