[Yumsushi]

Originally Posted by maikaru

Actually, people in Japan care much more about Ayu's age than Amuro Namie. And Amuro is just one year older than Ayu, so not much difference.

Remember, Amuro went through a period when her popularity was reduced drastically, because of her "re-invention" when she became the Queen of R&B, during a time when R&B in J-POP was a new and polarizing thing. But she battled through years of unpopularity, and she decided she didn't want to force herself to be seen by everyone, and that's when she started to regain the popularity.

I think Ayu is doing that now... no one really sees her anymore, just in ViVi, and now Softbank... but it's not like a saturation of Ayu as it once was. Maybe we will be seeing a boom in Ayu popularity soon. I think it will happen.

Arashi has an advantage because there are 5 members. You don't have to like all of them, but even if they only like one of them, they will buy. And because the personalities are kind of all different, it can appeal to a MUCH broader audience than say Ayu can with her gyaru-ish style.

Arashi has been getting better in singing. Whether they are lipsyncing on Mste or so, I don't know, I believe so, but I don't really know for sure. But anyways, because they sing, have likable personalities, they SEEM down to earth without any cocky personality like KAT-TUN or so, and like someone said before that they do not have online sales, the oricon charts will be of course in favour of Arashi since physical copies are literally the only way to listen to them.

Interesting that people only focus about age when they don't like the individual...double standard? Anyhow my point wasn't to negate Arashi's popularity. I don't like them or get their appeal but I can't deny that they are incredibly appealing in Japan and that is why they are so successful as is Namie.

My point was simply that Ayumi isn't old and that its all about appeal, exactly as you have said but thank you as always for your input ^_^