Losing the "Ayu" feeling...

[silverstar]

I get what ur saying....I was in looove with Alice Nine's music and slowly my love began to die....maybe it was due to the fact that I listened to them non-stop. Every once in a while I will go back to the songs I used to hear and enjoy just to see if I can get that feeling back but it hasn't happened yet. I'm sure I it will but not any time soon especially since I am so much into Ayu at the moment. Now that I think of it, Ayu was the reason I stopped listening to Alice Nine. Hmm....oh well, nice trade-off!

[SolarAngel]

^There was a time i discovered gackt and x japan on youtube and i just totally brushed ayu to the side for months. X japan especially has this special aura that seems to dwarf ayu but after awhile, i realized the songs i held true to my heart the most were still ayu's.

[v3lun420]

^ My love for x japan were wiped off by AYu too^^

[lfe.]

Originally Posted by Delirium-Zer0

I haven't had the ayu feeling since about.... I'd say late 2002. It's like a drug though, I keep giving myself more & more ayu, waiting for the feeling to come back because I need it so badly.

Like I said, it's kinda like a drug. I remember the feeling when I first got into Ayu, and I keep listening to Ayu & watching her videos & watching her news, hoping that feeling will come back. It doesn't, but I can't stop. Just in case. I keep thinking, maybe THIS album will be the one that excites me like "Duty" and "I am..." did. Maybe THIS single will be the one with the awesome song & awesome remixes, like "vogue" and "NEVER EVER" were. Maybe THIS video will be the one with the thought-provoking story and great art direction like "Endless sorrow" was.

I keep saying that to myself and it doesn't happen.


Ugh, sorry for such a long post, lol But basically yeah, I know how you feel.... but it's much MUCH worse for me, I think.

I wanted to quote the entire post but its really long

If your love for ayu's music is truly like a drug (and I would believe it, it is like a drug for me too), you will never get that initial feeling back. This applies to any other artists that you feel strongly about, or any other strong desire that you have in your life.

Have you tried not listening to Ayu for a year or longer? Cuz if you take an extended break, you can recapture some of that feeling. It won't be to the extent that it was in the beginning, but you would feel excited again atleast for a little while. No listening in on her songs, whether they are old songs or new releases. No watching concerts, PVs, or TV performances. In fact, you could even alienate yourself from posting on these forums, or atleast all the Ayu forums.

I mean, you don't have to, but you seem to have a done a lot more than the typical Ayu fan and the only way to resolve such an addiction is to severe all connections. I think you also do some of the news translations from her blog right? Or something, I just see you in the News section on the forum a lot.

[bluegie]

Originally Posted by lfebaggins

If your love for ayu's music is truly like a drug (and I would believe it, it is like a drug for me too), you will never get that initial feeling back. This applies to any other artists that you feel strongly about, or any other strong desire that you have in your life.

I agree. Actually it's good to see that I'm not the only person sharing the same feeling. I have been ayu's fan since 1999 (when LOVEppears released), and then I left her for awhile. It is not that I didn't listen to her music, instead I didn't really care if she got lower than no. 1 (well, back then she didn't always get no. 1 anywayz). Then I got back to her again after a yr probly. I think this cycle starts again. Recently I don't really listen to her music that much EXCEPT the really old ones. Like Delirium has said,

She's starting to work with the same people over & over. Her singles have fewer remixes (and the ones left aren't very good). Remix albums went away. Her videos are less visionary & story based and now more... shallow. Her style (the haute couture "pretty princess dresses" thing) has barely changed at all over the last few years. Her lyrics follow the same themes over & over again.

This is what I find why ayu is less attractive than she used to be. I understand some newer fans have a different opinion than us (well go to the news section and try saying something above, and they think you're kinda bashing ayu). They love the current ayu... not that I dun like ayu, but she has been staying in the SAME position for too long (in terms of her style, her lyrics, the songs, the videos). So you can't really blame me for getting away from her sometimes. Her unique style attracted me in the first place and now she's just like a diva in the music industry for 10 yrs.

That's kinda how I feel about hikki as well.. BUT only to her clothing style/appearance. She is only around 25, but sometimes she dresses up like she's in the mid 30s. Luckily her music revolution is still great and I don't really get bored from her music (well occasionally yes, but only when I listen to her music like 24/7 for 2 to 3 months).

So I hope ayu will bring us new style of music, fashion, and pvs.. I don't mean she has to go back to her LOVEppears/Duty/I am style, but at least she shouldn't work with the same people over and over again..

Originally Posted by Delirium-Zer0

Between spring 2000 and early 2002 was the best time to be an ayu fan. 2001 had about a gazillion releases. At the same time, ayu's web presence (espeically in english) was minimal. There was still some mystery & allure to her. But her releases were fairly easy to get a hold of; yesasia/asiacd was there for us, oshima mp3 was uploading the newest albums & singles. Some rare & old stuff was hard to find still, but that just made it more fun & special to find those items or songs.

It's pretty funny but actually that was the time when I wasn't obsessed with ayu as I used to be. Yes, she got gazillion releases except during evolution --> Voyage, but do you remember that back then lots of fans have already started complaining about recycling music? I was one of those people. I got really tired by the similar tune in evolution vs. Naturally, almost similar tune and arrangement style in M vs. Free & Easy. And also, I felt like she just rushed out her releases. As a result I didn't buy I am... (now I'm kinda regret) cuz I didn't really feel much about her music. And then RAINBOW came out... Ridiculously I bought this album because I loved the cover, but not the contents within. It's such a joy that she released Ma cuz that was a brilliant album. All eight songs in the album was unique and great. If she didn't release Ma back then, probly I would have been already gone from ayu's kingdom forever.

But I must say, her fashion was really spectacular between LOVEppears --> RAINBOW... esp during evolution --> H era.

[Kobayashiwoof]

My music taste has completely changed over the years and when I look back and listen to some Ayumi songs, I think back and ask myself "...and I liked this...WHY? :| "

I still think I am.. was a great album.

[lfe.]

Well I regulate my addiction so I don't lose the "Ayu feeling". I mean its not rocket science. You spend too much time with something and eventually you get tired of it no matter how much you loved it.

What bothers me is that it sounds like the blame is on Ayu when its not really her fault. She may be taking a long time with releases and she may be working with the same people over and over, but she never asked you to spend so much time with her & her music.

She may take a long time with new releases, but has anyone herd previews of GREEN? It may only be me, but this is the most anticipated single for me. This is the kind of single I have been waiting for nearly 2 years, and she took her sweet time with making this one. Some of you may think thats a bad thing, but others would prefer she take a long time instead of constantly churning out singles on a schedule (like really, she doesn't HAVE to release a summer single every year) that are lackluster quality.

And she has the same style of music for 10 straight years? Haven't we already had plenty of threads establishing the fact that she has changed her style of music over the years? I love the inconsistency of people's opinions.

And remixes? Umm, okay... not...rocket science.... Most remixes aren't done by her or Avex, they are mostly trance mixes done by Western DJs. Again, not her fault.

You never truly appreciate something until its gone.

[waterballoon]

Well, I don't exactly see how remixes will contribute to how great a single is. Maybe it's just me, cos I don't really like remixes but yah... I would appreciate orchestra versions and all that though.

Also, I'm your typical new Ayu fan; I started loving her in late 2006 (first song heard was ourselves)... so I don't exactly have much negative thoughts towards her newer music; yet I adore her older music as well.

I guess it's a matter of like how you're so used to the X-factor of her older songs, that her newer songs, perhaps having like a X to the power of -1 factor, seem mundane to you. I don't see how newer songs, for example, Together When..., Mirrorcle World, GREEN, Marionette, JEWEL, until that Day... are any "mundane" or yeah, negative.

I'm not thinking that you guys are bashing Ayu, but it's just that I think her newer songs are pretty good too. I have heard all her albums, so I'm not that kind of person who has only heard the newer songs and what have you.

I wonder if it's because she has been known for slewing out releases every 1-2 months in 2001, that her retarding single release is bothering people. I mean back in 2001, she was at her peak. Who cares if she released a new single every 1-2 months. And to me, that was like some abnormal release pattern... like whoa man, that's SO MANY singles in a year.

Dec 00 - M
Jan 01 - evolution
Mar 01 - NEVER EVER
May 01 - Endless sorrow
Jul 01 - UNITE!
Sep 01 - Dearest

But now, she herself knows that she's not as popular, so her releases are now normal, like 2-3 singles per year. I think that's okay. The longer the waiting time between each single, the better. You have seen it for yourselves; GREEN was released a holy 8 months after Mirrorcle World, and its anticipation is over the top!

Finally, I think her "settling down" with the usual composers just kind of show that she's the most comfortable with these people. Back in 2001 when she used different composers, perhaps she's trying to experiment (and it wouldn't hurt if the new songs back then sucked, cos she was at her peak). Remember that D.A.I was her main composer for her first few albums or so. Her experimenting came in from I am... to MY STORY? After that, she kind of settled down with the usual gang, lol. I mean, you can tell that she uses Peco & Princess even though they SUCK at harmonizing with her that she doesn't care if people complain that she's using the same people, as long as she likes it, she'll do it.

And now, she's doing different things, but in the aspect of music. I mean we're already reassured that her vocals would be different due to the ear thingy. But besides that, she's changing in terms of her market, moving towards Asia!

P.S: I don't think her fashion was the best from evolution to the H era... like eew I detest the gross bob cut in evolution. And ironically to the fact that there were complains (on other threads and reviews) that RAINBOW had English so it's bad, I would say Ayu's fashion in 2002 was super westernized, what with the platinum blond hair and highlights.

[Spartayu]

I bet everyone of her loyal fans do experience the same thing like how we once felt.

For me, basically her songs have been rewinding all over and over again without myself knowing, all I know that this voice was by Hamasaki Ayumi. One day, I discovered her and I decided to download a song to my computer. Immediately, I felt so delighted that I kept thinking of the song even though I was outside. Things got worser in a nice way. I was starting to become crazy. I told people around me about her everyday, and people around me knows that I am "Ayu-Maniac". The feeling was as well as falling in deep love with a beautiful princess. I like to day dream about her, and my thirst and hunger for more of her voice was uncontrollable and I got distracted by her voice, I had my daily life filled with her voice, as if she's controlling my life.

Day after day, my life was getting even more happier and lively and I started to have my own decisions and get to know more things from the outside world, I don't know how, but all I knew that these should be the effects of being an Ayu-fan.

I believe that she had made many differences through many different people's lives, and I'm among one of them.

Same thing happened, a year later, this year. I lost all those feelings. All the craze.. Things like that. But I still have this principle to keep her going inside my mind; "I must listen to her song everyday, otherwise I won't be able to survive longer."

The word is ADDICTION, we're all addicted to her voice, her song. It's as simple as telling you to eat something you like everyday, eventually you'll start getting a little bit tired of your food. But such reactions are very normal, you can't blame anyone.

[keikeiaznqueen]

Ahh I get what you mean by the Ayu feeling.

I used to listen to "Who..." every night when I first truly started to listen to her, and I found that I could relate so much to that song and it always made me cry.

However, I don't listen to Who... as much as because I find that I don't need the song to support me anymore because I've become happier. Who... will always be a special song to me even though I don't listen to it so much now.

Sometimes I do feel the need to listen to someone else. So I just do, whenever I feel like it. It's better than forcing myself to listen to Ayu when I don't feel like it. Surely you'll want to go back to Ayu soon enough. XD

[rusuke]

yeah, i'm experiencing that sometimes but still there's the excitement whenever is see her in the computer.. But not as much when ayu's music is so fresh in my ears especially her earlier works.

Definitely, we may lose the "ayu feeling" if every minute we listen to her songs all over again and that's kind of tiring in my case...

Now, I listen to other artists and when I play my ayu cd It's different..

[Emperatriz Ayumi]

Originally Posted by darkcarousel

It's been almost a year since I discovered Ayumi Hamasaki...

She has changed my life dramatically. I now lead a happier life. I'm more confident.

There's one problem.

I used to get this "feeling" whenever I used to listen to her music, but now I feel nothing. It's been making me so sad.

I remember when I listened to rainy day, fairyland, or INSPIRE and thought, "Hell yeah, this is Ayumi Hamasaki." My heart would fill up with jubilance.

Now, when I listen to her music, I hear only music.

Am I making any sense? What should I do? I'm too obsessed, aren't I?

Have any of you experienced the same?

Yeah, you´re right but you have to listen to another singers and bands and when you return to Ayu, THAT feeling will also return... I´m gay and I used to feel kinda strange because of dicrimination and those horrible things some people love doing, but once I was translating into spanish "Satrtin´" and the lyrics blew my mind, I never thought Ayu wrote such a wonderful song, from that moment on I started to translate her songs and their meaning really changed my point of view of MANY things... that´s why I REALLY LOVE AYUMI HAMASAKI... so try to listen to other bands and singers and then come back to Ayu... you won´t regret it

[branv]

well when i getting bored with some ayu songs
i try to listen her other album.
by doing this somehow i prefer her old songs and somehow i prefer GUILTY album
i only have ayu songs on my MP3 and laptop.
no other band.

except some western songs and indo songs.
^_^

[bondingo]

That happens to me with any artist after listening to them too much. I go through these specific artist obsession periods every few months, so usually I give it a rest and come back to them later. I usually get back into Ayu and feel something from her music when a new album comes out.

[SURREAL__RAINBOW]

^truee
I'm getting bored of ayu because I used to listen to her music toooooooooo much

so I'm in taking "free time" of her music xDD


getting to know other artists, like namie, lady gaga (yea i love her *-*), and others

^^

[Far Away]

Yeah.. I used to listen to Ayu nonstop. I stopped kind of, but I've never stopped liking her. I think that Ayu is just an artist who is so freaking awesome, that you want to listen to her all the time, and then you just kind of get used to them after you play them for the hundredth time. Haha.. but, trust me, you'll get the feeling back. Just trying listening to someone else for a little bit and then come back. It'll be there.

[rusuke]

Yeah.. the feeling that I felt when I just knew her was gone.. And I don't like that.. Indeed the "ayumi hamasaki" material back in 2002 downward is really different from today..

Just like the GUILTY album which is my 1st authentic Ayumi Hamasaki cd. When my aunt told me that her fiance bought me "GUILTY", I was "OMG, is this really true? is this really happening???". My heart throbs as if it wants to jump. When it arrived and landed on my two bare hands I really can't believe it but as days passed I just played the cd maybe 10times and the DVD just for about less than 10 times..
I put it on my desk, just stare the cd and I realized that I don't feel the "ayu feeling" on it. Maybe unless if I receive A Song for XX, LOVEppears, Duty, I am... or RAINBOW.

I used to have goosebumps when I listen to ayu's songs like M, Free & Easy, Dearest, Trust(A BEST), End roll, (Songs from the albums I indicated above), when I watch her videos like Endless sorrow, M, Free & Easy.
But now, I hardly feel it... Maybe because I got tired of ayu but this doesn't mean I don't like her anymore.
Ayu will always be my ultimate favorite artist..
But maybe we should all take a break from her.

[darkcarousel]

I just wanted to say that the "Ayu" feeling has come back.

[noidea]

Great that it came back!

I haven't listened Ayus songs to death yet, but I erxperienced the same thing with high and mighty color, I listened to their songs, and almost only their songs for a whole year, I even became number 4 top-listener in last.fm o.0 and more and more the special feeling vanished, then, i started listening to ayu, and about a month i only listened to about 10 high and mighty color songs and when i put a high and mighty color cd in my system the next time i was like: WOW! Were they really that amazing? How could I have forgotten?

[koumori]

I've been listening to Ayu for about...four years? I was introduced to her music through a friend of mine, who I'm not in contact with anymore. One of my first songs I heard was Moments, and one of my brightest memories from the last few years is sitting on my bedroom floor with my then-best-friend, desperately trying to sing and be able to pronounce the Japanese words as she did so perfectly despite only knowing about her for about a year. I remember feeling envious but respectful of her at the same time...

The 'Ayumi magic' didn't really get me until I stopped being in contact with that friend. I was so sad for a while that I turned to my favourite artist to help me. I guess that's why I love her music so much because I have so much memory connatations with each of her songs.

Also, I guess along the way I became a really big fan ^^' I do listen to a lot of other artists, but I have to say that Ayumi is my firm favourite. I don't listen to her music always; but unfortunately I have to admit that she takes up about a fifth of my iPod or more, and I always automatically choose one of her songs first.

Listening to her live always makes me cry as well... that sounds really sad, haha... one of my biggest hopes is to see her live before she decides to stop singing...

Ohhh, I've ranted... I know the original starter of this topic has re-claimed their 'magic', which is good ^o^'' I guess I still wanted to reply....haha...sorry.

I guess I've never got bored with Ayu yet, but maybe that's due to the fact I listen to a lot of other artists.... I really hope I never do either..

Sorry for the big post ^__^''