Ayu's music: when did it start to go downhill for you?
 

Well, I hope this isn't seen as a thread meant to lambast or put down Ayu but rather I wanted to be honest as someone who has been listening to her music for over 10 years. Frankly, I find a lot of Ayu's recent releases to be very mediocre in comparison to what she was capable of putting out before, in terms of musical genres she was willing to cross, the raw emotions she was willing to expose, the risks she was willing to take. It's almost inconceivable to imagine her putting out something as fearless as Evolution, with the way she spits out lyrics as though she were in frenzied prayer, her voice keening and wailing like a wild animal's, chaos surrounding her voice as though she were on the edge of the birth of all creation. The song earns its title. I'm sorry to sound like someone stuck in nostalgia, but personally nothing she has done since compares to the progression from LOVEppears to Duty to I am... And I'm not talking about the kind of music that she produced during that era, which certain people seem to think is what I'm yearning for. What I miss about Ayu is that desire to experiment, to push things, to risk failure, to lose herself in her music.

Personally, I believe that her music started to take a sharp dive in quality around the time of Secret. For me, that album was her last good one, and (Miss)understood her last great one. I believe that this was when she began to appeal mostly to her core fanbase, when she began to rely on and cycle through formulas that proved to be successful (upbeat summer singles, melancholy winter songs, rockish album tracks), when she began to contour her music solely according to what was expected of her, when she began to surround herself by a near permanent creative team for her image, music, and performances. Don't get me wrong; she's still capable of magic every now and then, a few songs here and there, but there is this nagging sense that it seems like she's simply going through the motions, lacking in passion.

I miss the urgency, that spirit of wanting to reach new ground and break through what was expected of a typical J-pop idol, that hunger to be brave and new. Back then, Ayumi Hamasaki was this amorphous entity, volatile, prone to transformations. These days, Ayumi Hamasaki seems to have hardened and fossilized into Ayumi Hamasaki, that doll-like, wide-eyed, girlish idol with that same Bancho nail art, gyaru hair style and color, who seems trapped in time, almost seeming to want to arrest time, when it moves forward without her. It's time to grow up. I want to fall in love with you again.

Her last good album was NOTHING FROM NOTHING. It's her most creative work to date and nothing she has released will ever top the amazing vocal technique and creative cover art. Everything else has just gone downhill since then.

I agree with you. Ever since listening to such memorable and unique tracks such as paper doll, I can't immerse myself fully in her music without questioning her ability as an artist who is willing to take risks and be the girl she was meant to be. I wish she'd go back to that originality, this sort of uniqueness that can't be found anymore. Sigh.

Tbh. I don't think her music has gone downhill. She herself has changed however. Imo. She's a much stronger and brighter person than who she used to be. And the messages she gives in her current lyrics show that. Ayu still does do different things, NL album...and for recent times Lady Dynamite, SLT, DLB, Sunset, etc is not something often heard from her if ever at all.
She does try new things.

If you are expecting the same type of passion and lyrics for evolution then yes, you are stuck in time. Ayu has grown up and continues too as the years progress. She's really seemed to learn how to have more fun with her career and her fans after this time. She doesn't have to write songs about the pain from her father or betrayal and older themes if its not how she feels.
Didn't she once express something about hearing her older songs and being in a state of wonder how she wrote them.

Imo the way ayu is today, this year, is a powerful woman who continues to inspire. With lyrics like from Lady dynamite and SLT...I mean I can't say otherwise. With lyrics from Microphone and DLB she has the ability to still express herself in a cry to people. In a not so shrill voice. But in a voice that is and will continue to be ayu
What u say u miss in ayu. Experimenting, losing herself, pushing herself, and she's always risking failure
How can I say otherwise? Her music is always changing? So a complete genre change on NL is not doing anything new? Just same old same old?

The fact that she even continues to persist on even with a deaf ear, a dying voice, and fans like you implying she doesn't try anymore, she's stronger than ever before these past few yrs.
If u just watch her shows u can see this change. AT09 is the most fun ayus looked like she's had simply performing I've seen. Its the newfound power and joy she has now that radiates from her soul. And the pain along the way can still come back

I understand apparently everyone seems to expect ayu to make miracle music for all these 12 yrs of her career but imo the fact that a fan stopped liking her music by secret is not surprising nor bad. U have 8 great albums apparently. I'm sure ull be fine
Different eras of ayu bring me different things. I am has something rainbow doesn't have. Rainbow has something duty doesn't have. Guilty has something rainbow doesn't have :yes

In the meantime ill inform u if I really think her music is finally going downhill
:)
(Also what do u mean same style. It keeps changing XD as usual)

I wish Ayumi would fall back into a deep depression again, it was the only time when she put out good music! It seems that whenever she's happy with her life and is trying to make her fans feel the joy of her life, she starts releasing such mediocre bullcrap! (pardon my language)

For me, she started to go downhill around Secret / GUILTY, GUILTY was the first album by her that I was so turned off by that I hated listening to it. I at least loved the photoshoots for it though, but it didn't help that after that her single covers / album covers got so bad (S/S, R/S, NEXT LEVEL...)

But her downhill slide wasn't long, she redeemed herself with some good music and I'm loving her a lot again. It wasn't really downhill, it was more of a period where I got sick of her.

Fruit you! You're trying to be sadistic here hahaha...

Anyway, for me, Guilty was the one which made a slight change for me, and then things was recovered back again on Next Level.

I know right? It sickens me that she has such a positive outlook towards life now and releases summer songs with bright, cheery lyrics every year. Who does she think she is being happy during the summer time? Where is my summer A song for XX/POWDER SNOW?

NEVER EVER :P

@cutieismylife and identity: I'm not sure what to say to u two...I don't see your point in trying to make it appear as if he's done something wrong by not liking some of her music
I found things in his statements that I don't understand and think are quite false assumptions. But on the point that he doesn't like her current music. Its not something they should be bothered about as its all personal taste.
If you want to write like me, pointing out something else that u don't agree with, why is it so hard to do. It in such a non-sadistic (like spartayu said) way. :yes

No one is saying ayu should act like a depressed child. They clearly just prefer that music. I will not repeat the things said in my original post as that was enough for explaining my true views and agreements/disagreements with his views

everything after RAINBOW *sigh*

It hasn't gone downhill at all for me.

I kind of agree that she put out better music when she was depressed and whatnot, but...if it takes her being miserable again to put out that kind of music, then I don't need it.

I wouldn't necessarily say that she's gone "downhill," she has just changed her style of music to my disliking. For me, I was getting turned off with the release of Secret. I hate the album, I only enjoyed "kiss o' kill" out of every track. But, I loved the GUILTY album. After GUILTY is when I started noticing it's not the same Ayu from the I am... days. She's growing. She's not in her early 20s anymore and I would be more turned off is she acted like she was.

Though, I am still waiting for her to release another unforgettable track that I can call an Ayu classic.

StrawbariSnowAyumi, ero-kakkoii, Spartayu, captain-kawaii123, JackieRos, Pieces_of_SEVEN, Mintkisses, thank you for well thought-out and civil responses, even if you disagree with me. I guess sarcasm will always be the recourse of the narrow-minded. You try to put forward a reasonable argument and then you're greeted with a dismissive wave of the hand. Is it too much to ask for an intelligent and respectful discussion? Well, it is AHS, after all...

Mintkisses, I wouldn't want her to be frozen in the I am... days either. What I was saying in my original post was that she didn't manage to carry over the passion that I found so key to her musical progression from A Song for XX to miss(understood), and that is what I sorely miss in her recent music. There was artistic growth within that timeframe, but in my opinion she stopped evolving around the time of Secret. Everything since then has relied on safe, fan-friendly, and proven formulas.

StrawbariSnowAyumi, of course I'm not expecting the same kind of energy and lyrical themes of the I am... era. What disappoints me with her recent music is that she seems to lack the passion, the eagerness to take risks. And personally, that shows in her lyrics, much of which is beginning to sound repetitive to me at this point. Looking and stepping toward the future, the strength of women, a lot of her recent writing sounds like something she has already written before. But like I said, she is capable of wonderful things every now and then. I just don't think she is as consistent as she was, like a whole album-full.

I do think her image is stuck in a time warp. She needs a new stylist and makeup artist.

Probaably ASFXX.

But thankfully it picked up again with LOVEppears and has been steady going since. :yes

Well your welcome. I don't think its just AHS (as I'd hate to be classified that way because I'm active here). Its anywhere tbh. There's always someone with some comment. Ah well~
Don't mind it.

Were all ayu fans here at some point in time (at least I'd hope XD )

No matter when "her music went downhill" if it ever did

^StrawbariSnowAyumi, I edited my post above :)

Calico, yes, I agree she has always been steady. I never did say that her music post-Secret has been terrible or awful. Just that it has only been good enough. And I want more than that. I do think she might be past her artistic peak, and has settled into a comfortable place with regards to her music. Oh well, maybe she'll prove me wrong with an enka-inspired album. Or something with only Japanese instruments. Or just her and a piano.

By the way, I think Honey is one of the best songs I've ever heard, and it's probably her most life-affirming song. I don't know why people assume that I prefer Ayu when she is writing sad music? I think it's a fallacy to say that her past music is depressing overall. The only album that resulted out of a deep depression really is Guilty. She's always displayed a range of emotions. Independent, July 1st, Voyage, Angel's Song, Bold and Delicious, Replace, Moments, Greatful Days, Unite, Audience, Fly High, these are all joyous songs, I love them all, and I think she has yet to match any of them with her recent output.

yes exactly thank you

that's cruel but true XD

It never went downhill to me... She had some bad music on the begining, she has some bad music now and life goes on...

But i would like to ask when did her fanbase start going downhill...