Ayu "versus" Koda Kumi

LacusClyne · #1 17th January 2006, 01:59 PM

i had to agree that ayu's popularity is indeed slipping a LOT in japan.it could be due to the influnce of amercian music,that's why kumi gets noticed when she just started. her music and pvs are not something you would expect from japan artists.
this might be able to explain why ayu let amercians to handle her album this time round. but somehow, it does not seem to be working out well, at least from what i had seen and heard.
people are crtizing those songs written by sweetbox, though there are some who love those songs. you gotta admit that although there are past ayu's songs that people don't like, the dislikes are nothing compare to this year's works. what had gone wrong?

jasjasss · #2 17th January 2006, 02:14 PM

hmm i think Koda n Ayu both have different styles so i can't really compare her. I love Ayu coz she is the elegant type whereas Koda she is like the fun type of singer. I just recently like Koda's Songs .. i think her songs are improving .. i dont really like her old songs ... "you" is a really really good song.

Not to be mean or anything i think Koda's popularity will nto last long .. i think its just seasonal ..
and also i think that Ayu's popularity has fallen. I just dont like her recent released single Bold & Delicious / PRIDE .. but her album (miss)understood is the bomb !!

Mad_Cactuar · #3 17th January 2006, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LacusClyne

...you gotta admit that although there are past ayu's songs that people don't like, the dislikes are nothing compare to this year's works. what had gone wrong?

Yeah, its because her work is more capable of dividing her audience since they're more powerful. For every good thing, there's always detractors.

I should add why I think Ai would do a lot better.

Albums
LOVE PUNCH (March 31, 2004) #3 over 665 000 copies sold (73~ weeks spend in chart)
LOVE JAM (November 17, 2004) #1 over 625 000 copies sold (40~ weeks spend in chart)
LOVE COOK (December 14, 2005) #1 over 669,451,copies sold (3 weeks spend in chart, still charting)

At 3 weeks, Love Cook outsold ALL its predecessors. Which is crazy. Imagine if it was running at 30 weeks. Surely it'll hit a million. Maybe even 2 but thats being very optimistic.

andre2907 · #4 17th January 2006, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MC Tatsujin

Yeah, its because her work is more capable of dividing her audience since they're more powerful. For every good thing, there's always detractors.

I should add why I think Ai would do a lot better.

Albums
LOVE PUNCH (March 31, 2004) #3 over 665 000 copies sold (73~ weeks spend in chart)
LOVE JAM (November 17, 2004) #1 over 625 000 copies sold (40~ weeks spend in chart)
LOVE COOK (December 14, 2005) #1 over 669,451,copies sold (3 weeks spend in chart, still charting)

At 3 weeks, Love Cook outsold ALL its predecessors. Which is crazy. Imagine if it was running at 30 weeks. Surely it'll hit a million. Maybe even 2 but thats being very optimistic.

It's impressive, but it's not that unusual. Duty first week sales were bigger than My Story total sales...

*Petit* · #5 17th January 2006, 10:50 PM

I never really saw how koda was RnB.She has released a couple of RnB like songs, but most of her stuff is more or less disco-pop with a bit of funkiness. Like, how many of her limited releases are truly Rnb?

One thing that isen't metioned is that her voice also sets her apart from the rest of japanese artists. She doesen't sing in the really high pitched idol voice that most pop-artists do in Japan. Her voice sounds more "earthy".

Compared to Ai Ootsuka who has a more or less "traditional" sound.

bondingo · #6 18th January 2006, 12:10 AM

I really don't know if I can see Koda taking Ayu's place. I know that (miss)understood's sales aren't anything spectacular but she's still selling much more than many other artists. And like it was said before, Koda's Best album sold much better than a regular album would because it is a best album and those always sell very well. Look at Ayu's A BEST. Sure, Ayu's peak may have been back during I am times, but I'm sure that she isn't going to just fade out. I do like Koda though. She has a great voice and her whole sexual image is entertaining (I never get tired of the Shake It PV), so maybe with Japan's ever-changing pop culture she may dominate the market. Only time will tell ^_^

LacusClyne · #7 18th January 2006, 02:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bondingo

And like it was said before, Koda's Best album sold much better than a regular album would because it is a best album and those always sell very well. Look at Ayu's A BEST. Sure, Ayu's peak may have been back during I am times, but I'm sure that she isn't going to just fade out.

maybe if ayu had another best-album, she could gain more popularity? best album can do wonders, since it's a compilation of the best songs, people who never like ayu before might just get intersted. like me, i start to be an ayu fan when A-best was out.

krishna · #8 18th January 2006, 04:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LacusClyne

maybe if ayu had another best-album, she could gain more popularity? best album can do wonders, since it's a compilation of the best songs, people who never like ayu before might just get intersted. like me, i start to be an ayu fan when A-best was out.

I'm not sure that releasing another best album will increase ayu's popularity.Look at Namie,her 2nd best album "Love Enhanced Single Collection" only sold 330k(if i'm not mistaken) and her popularity didn't increase when she released the album.also,look at B'z 2nd best album "The Best Pleasure II".Although it has sold more than 1 million,it doesn't increase B'z popularity and the sales are declining quite fast.