Why everybody only remebers of KANJANI8? Gorie also sold +100k and was in front Ayu on the dailies. Plus, he sold better in 2004 than Ayu... (his a comedian, btw... a weird comedian who dress like a teenage girl =\)

I don't think the fact she is tha last one on A-Nation means she's the priority. She being the last one is a tradition, it will be kind of humilliating the day they switch her with someone, because it's not only about popularity, it's also about how big she is, how much she has achieved for AVEX, etc. But Koda IS in fact bigger than her and it would be dumb to AVEX to have Ayu as priority when there are other artists who sell more than her. Like TRF, they aren't the biggest-seller but they're still the 2nd biggest concert in A-Nation. I'm sure Koda Kumi part in a-nation this year will be pretty big too...

She is still ONE of the priorities, no doubt. She achieved a lot for AVEX and she still is very popular (and that's very past her peak) with a big fanbase so AVEX gives her big budgets to PVs, tours and such, because even if she isn't the biggest selling artist, she's still one of the most popular and the one who sold the most in AVEX story. Also, being a close friend with the president (Max Matsuura) doesn't hurt ;D. She's the one with the best contract in AVEX...

But the a-nation thingie isn't about 'priority' at all!

Just look at the 2nd to last and 3rd to last acts O_o~

ELT and TRF... not exactly 'omg power sellers' right now but they did their share <3

For me, I only remember KANJANI cause the weeklies were so close [less than 10k!?1]

That's exactly what andre2907 was saying.

I agree with andre2907 100%. ayu has contributed a lot for avex and it's an honour that they still put her as the finale for the show and still a good amount of attention to her.

Ah. My eyes probably glazed over it. :>

Thanks for clearing it up though.

I'm surprised you forgot about how much closer Shuuji to Akira's 4th week was to B&D's 1st week. ~1,000 separating 1st and 2nd, and about another 1,000 separating 2nd and 3rd.

Well I then went on saying how she already performs a lot more songs than any other artists etc. She's still the largest revenue maker, as her concerts are huge money makers, which currently no-one can eclipse her. but w/e i'm over this part of the topic now.

If it weren't for daybreak, I'm sure Ayu would have released more singles cut from the album by now. I'd love Ladies Night to have its own single.

i think the only reason ayu or avex doesn't want to release an album cut is that the chances of it not getting no. 1 is pretty high.
I miss those album cuts tho.. they tend to make good remixes for the album cuts :D

I don't really think that Kumi is "BIGGER" than Ayu I mean al she did was release 12 singles and only about 25% of them were good I only liked Candy and D.D.D. and then she released to best albums and one of them weren't even really a best album. and then if she's "BIGGER" than AYu how come her new single didn't even got to number #1 I mean its a cute song and PV. And if they replaced Ayu with Kumi at the end of A-nation then I will think Avex is really retarted and now shes coming out with this 4 A-side single *blech* and they say Ayu's rushing her songs yeah right lets see how good this single will be

That's so cute :) I like Someday too.

That's so cute :) I like Someday too.

As several people have stated, yes Kumi is in fact bigger in Japan right now than Ayu is. Ayumi is of course the one that is more notorious because of her history, but right now it is indeed Koda that is everywhere you turn in Tokyo, that is on TV all the time, and that is winning lots of awards. And just because her latest single didn't debut at #1 doesn't really mean anything because it had GREAT first week sales - it beat Startin's first week sales. If it had been released another week, it probabaly would have gotten #1.

But no, I don't see Kumi replacing Ayu at A-Nation.

I see it sort of the other way, Ayu is bigger than Kumi (it's not like anyone could possibly become as huge as the Ayu phenomenon in a long time), but right now AVEX is trying to make Kumi big too by promoting her like crazy. It makes her seem "bigger" because she is everywhere but I don't think that's enough to define her as bigger, even if it's temporary.

I don't care how it is, I just love discussing things, and my view will most likely change ;).

I guess it depends on how you look at it.

On a grand scale, Ayu is indeed larger than the Koda.

But as of now, looking at it on a smaller scale, Koda is bigger. But she's had two BESTs and 12+ singles in what, 2 years? XD

^It's sort of obvious that they are milking her while they can, but it actually seems like she will last for quite some time, even if she, most likely, won't be able to take a place in history, like Ayu.

By saying place in history I don't mean her achievements, but that people will probably remember her by heart as the biggest.

Well, Avex did the same thing with Ayu too in 00/01. But yes, Ayumi is bigger in the larger scale of things, but Koda is definitely the IT girl right now - just like Ayu was in 00/01.

Okay, I have to trust you as I belive you have a lot of more insight than I have, but I belive that Ayus IT was a lot more definate than Koda's is right now, hehe.

Well, in my mind Ayu will always have more of an IT over all of the other "contenders to the throne" so to speak, because of the fact that she writes all of her lyrics and some of the music and her ability to draw in an artist with her live performances. That's why, if Avex were going to give a monstorous push to someone else at the label, I wish it had been Otsuka Ai, because at least she writes her own stuff.

I think Kumi has written some of her lyrics, but nothing hits me as being really deep.

I can see how other people are "contenders to the throne" right now, but Ayu is sort of holding on to it. Even when she is gone and a new "queen" is established I don't think anyone, in a very long time, will be able to reach a position such as the one that Ayu is (I won't say was, because to me she still is) in.

With position I mean in peoples hearts, there is no doubt she is unique, could you say, a legend, already?

I have a hard time putting down in words my feelings and thoughts about this, especially as English is not my first language, please take sort of lightly on what I say :).

Saying you liked only 25% of the songs doesn't mean Kumi isn't BIGGER than Ayu...

because avex isn't really THAT concerned about her getting #1 or not, at least not that concerned in comparison with Ayu. If Startin' was released on the wrong week, then it wouldn't have gone #1. Does that mean Ayu isn't big? No.


It's not like she hasn't released a 4A before. I think LOVE & HONEY (2004) was a 4A single, not sure though....