I wouldn't have my first Japanese CD :D GUILTY was the first album I really wanted to buy of a Japanese artist. I'd be richer too!!! lol

I have a new one too!

I'll never appreciate a song with a genuine and meaningful lyrics comes from of a true artist.

One thing I'm sure if I don't know Ayu, I won't be here now lol

Without Ayu, JPop world would be more 'empty' for me - I don't think there would be another one who give a deep impact as big as her in Japanese pop music, she got many best songs, she always being one of young people's trendsetter, she has many wonderful performaces, etc.

I don't have too many life-changing experiences related to Ayu's lyrics since I don't understand Japanese and sometimes I'm too lazy to googling for translation :p
It's easier for me to be moved by English songs which I understand what the meanings are. But when I feel tired, unhappy, or need more power I do play her songs, listen to the beat, even I didn't know what she was saying, it gave me spirits and cheer me up :)

I wouldn't know what to listen to. I wouldn't be on a forum community to participate in lively discussion. But seriously, mine isn't too deep but there's a lack of good western music and Ayu opened up an entire other country for me, with great sounding songs and meaningful lyrics. Ie, I was sick of hearing about Fergie's humps and the pussycat dolls beeping where they might as well be cussing. Ayu was a refreshing change.

I think Ayu's music helped me reconcile with my past and finally forgive myself.

I feel like I can relate to Ayu's lyrics in such a way. That's why they're very special to me. Especially songs like Who..., TO BE, and RAINBOW.

I think I would DIE... :thud

I wouldnt be different as a person; before I was hooked on Ayu my music taste was VERY different. I was into hip-hop, R&B, and a lot of "Ghetto" stuff :P
uhh...yeah. not sure how i made the transition from "b-baller" (:P) to Hamasaki fan. But shes the only Japanese music I listen to and I lovelovelove her. So I'm very happy that I found her, even if it was by accident :D
Seriously though, I havnt listened to an english song on my iPod in 3 months and I've been an active fan of Ayu for 2 years and I would LOVE to go to Japan and see her in concert. But no one I know in person knows I like her :P Closet Ayu Fanatic Right hereee~ hahah

Also to the poster above me, I agree 100000% every point that you stated applies to me as well. I hadnt touched my piano for like 3 years and when I started getting into Ayu's music I started back up again, now I play almost all her songs by ear ^___^

SAMESAMESAME.

Ayu hasn't changed my whole life, just my point of view.
Now I enjoy more music than before, so without Ayu I would listen to crap just because everybody listen to it or because the singer looks cool :| thank you Ayu without your wonderful music and touching lyrics I would be a dumb right now.

Yes I would be richer : D And.. I have been listening ayus music over than 3 years, and i have noticed, that i just dont want to listen anything else.. I dont want to listen for example english music anymore.. well i listen something, but i get bored of them so fast, and if i have some other artists CD on my CD-player, I maybe listen it for 15 minutes, and then i switch it to Ayus CD.. my all other fave bands are not so important to me anymore. Ayu's just my numer 1 artist!
She have so much different kind of songs and i just never get bored of them.. thank u Ayu! : )

I have absolutley no idea where i would be if i had no Ayu....Shes the whole reason i learned about asian music which is now a MAJOR part of my life. On top of that she and her songs help me through everything, i have gone through some tough times and ayu was always there, her music is/was the one thing i can count on. I dont even want to think about how i would be if it werent for her. I simply would not be me if it were not for Ayu.

Without Hamasaki Ayumi, I would have been lost for longer than I ended up being. My life would have taken a much different path. In my estimation, her influence on my life is very real but kind of embarrassing... It seems so immature (?) to be so influenced by music by an artist who was at the time just another "idol." I've been listening to her music since around her debut~second album (1999 or so for me). I wouldn't have learned Japanese to the extent I have if not for the interest I have in her lyrics and her Worldview. If not for the Japanese proficiency I've cultivated over the years, I wouldn't be in the field of study and work I am currently in, nor would I be in the company of all my dear friends. Ayu changed my life by giving me an impetus to study Japanese (study very hard), which eventually led me to opening doors on friendships, my career, my personal affairs, and so on. She also changed the way I relate to myself. Her music has constantly been the voice and the words I couldn't find until I first listened to "A Song for XX."

浜崎さんに出逢わなければ、今の私なんて居ませんでした。私を救ってくれたあゆ。確かに流行歌手に、まして アイドルに、それほどインスパイアされることは多少照れますが、今の私が居るのは正に浜崎さんのおかげに他 なりません。それまで見つからなかった言葉や「内なる声」を、あゆが届けてくれた。

Actually i love her so much but i don't think i'd die if there were no Ayu ,besides that ,i'd have more money , her discography makes me sick to collect all of them ~~!

I would still be too stuck up to believe that pop music can have substance.

I wouldn't have met one of the greatest people to ever exist. Simple as and I'm not even talking Ayu. LOL

oh, i could not imagine how i would be if i hadn't met ayu...
i won't be able to write my articles and music works as inspiringly as for now, maybe...

The same. Ayu's lyrics, the one's I mostly listen to, are about sadness and loneliness. Yeah, that sure helped my depression. :rolleyes

I wouldn't listening to asian music. And it's just like I'd be totally different persoon than now. Ayu was my first asian artist and my first music obsession overall. I'm thankful to her for everything she has done.
That obsession started my another obsession. I want to live in Japan or Korea so badly.

well Ayus songs cheered me up, when my family was in a big crisis (we had no money and meaning we had very little to eat, because my father didn't want to look for a job and was to proud to go to the job office to say he is jobless).

Ayu songs cheered me up, and the sad songs, I really cried and said, that I hate this situation, but going extreme would bring to nothing. Therefore songs I love and give me the strenght to continue would be Real Me, Free & Easy and ofcourse A Song for XX

I would never have discovered love for music, singing. I wouldn't have known at this point, what it feels like to anticipate new music this much, and I wouldn't have begun writing lyrics and/or poetry.

I would have been very very empty.