Career low point?

[Keiichi_JPU]

I can't judge, since I've only been a fan since SECRET. But I can say I personally didn't like the couple of months after NEXT LEVEL. More specifically after Rule/Sparkle, which I still loved. But then I didn't really like the album tracks and PV's on NEXT LEVEL. I also didn't love the singles leading up to Rock'n'Roll Circus, so I guess you could call that a "low point" for me.

But she completely and fully made up for it with Microphone and Don't Look Back, and I'm loving her 48th~49th~50th Single Anniversary thing so far, so I'm good now

[Mirrorcle Monster]

I'm convinced she is not going to be million seller anymore, but this is the life. New artists come, and they replace olds. Still, Ayu is a very famous and respected artist in Japan.

[noisy_harmony]

2006, after (miss)understood. Weak singles, weak album. Fortunately concert tour was really impressive, but it still counts to (m)u. So, saying generally, Secret era.
And 2009 too, after NL release... I haven't felt her image and appearance, if I can express it in that way.

I'm seeing some good points about GUILTY, unlike majority.

RAINBOW is my 2nd/3rd favorite album, I'm sad it doesn't get love as it deserves to.

[adantatu2]

Carrer low point = GUILTY
I love RAINBOW so much

[*Petit*]

It's not a "low point", but in terms of sales, they rapidly changed for the worse and much less stable after and including the release of bold and delicious, albums and singles included. Looking at pure sales statistics, B&D + (m)u really did something the loyalty of her fans for some reason.

[Possessionless]

Rock'n'Roll Circus.

[Diego-kun]

From my point of view, her low point would be GUILTY. It's my least favorite album because I think it's a bit of a mess... too many interludes, only 4 new songs and a very dark concept (mixed with glitter and MY ALL ) which doesn't fit Ayu.

[YuiBeXie]

RAINBOW is one of my favourite albums of hers! I think her low point was GUILTY, sorry, I bought the album when it came out and my initial thought was "...wth is this?" I love Ayu and everything but...I really really dislike that album, I don't think there's one song on it that I do like =/ Thats just my opinion though..

[Ranma Matsuri]

RAINBOW and MA were career low points? Both of them were during her peak coming off the heels of Duty and I am... two of her best selling albums and Free&Easy was the single that started her current #1 streak, I'd say they were hardly low-points lol. But if you're just speaking of the music, well I'll still have to disagree. Both are in my Top 3.

The lowest point in her career would be pre-Avex when she was virtually a unknown model with a mini album. Personal-wise, it'd be GUILTY and music-wise (imo of course), Rock n Roll Circus.

[JackieRos]

Yes like right now.

Wait no I take that back I would say like RnR cos these singles now are perfection!

[GREENdays]

Her low point for me was RnR Circus. It's just a very crappy album which I had high hopes for. It's one of the few albums I skip almost every track. Microphone, count down and Don't look back are the only redeeming factors.

[HilaryDuffFanboy]

Lowpoint is Namie Amuro getting up the duff and then coming back to release subpar albums which sold not so well and then have her mother killed by a psychotic maniac. Ayu has nothing that can compare.

[HELVENEUE]

What do you mean by low-point? Like, when ayu's music was least successful, or when ayu felt she was at a low point? Because ayu has said before—numerous times in fact—that A BEST was a low point for her, even tho we know it was when she was most commercially successful.

[sanzo2011]

Her low point has started from Next Level ! i hardly enjoy anything from her until now except for Sunrise and don't look back !~~!

[AyUmIXx]

for me, it's (miss)understood~

[xLuna&1LOVE]

Well, I say now, after Rock 'n' Roll circus. The singles are just okay, not awesome.

[jbrat2219]

Her low point is now! Boring ballad after boring ballad, boring covers that don't match the theme of the singles (NO MOONS, BLOSSOMS OR CROSSROADS OR L'S WTF???), the covers have NO backgrounds, her facial expressions are HORRIBLE. WHAT is with those lips? They're too plump and big I can't stand it! You might as well put fungus on her face

Don't even get me started on the fact that she's SO lazy she's not even in her own PV for blossom! I mean she makes us wait and wait and then she's not even in the damn thing! All the information came out so late because she's rushing again! If only she'd take her time she could put out some DECENT music for once! Like the stuff on NOTHING FROM NOTHING. Music's been **** ever since! I don't even know why I'm still a fan GOD!

[emi♡]

Originally Posted by jbrat2219

Her low point is now! Boring ballad after boring ballad, boring covers that don't match the theme of the singles (NO MOONS, BLOSSOMS OR CROSSROADS OR L'S WTF???), the covers have NO backgrounds, her facial expressions are HORRIBLE. WHAT is with those lips? They're too plump and big I can't stand it! You might as well put fungus on her face

Don't even get me started on the fact that she's SO lazy she's not even in her own PV for blossom! I mean she makes us wait and wait and then she's not even in the damn thing! All the information came out so late because she's rushing again! If only she'd take her time she could put out some DECENT music for once! Like the stuff on NOTHING FROM NOTHING. Music's been **** ever since! I don't even know why I'm still a fan GOD!

I know you're joking...but uh this is kinda how I feel

I'm not mad about it though. I don't know what's going to make her start making epic music again...maybe it's completely impossible in this day and age, where there is hardly such thing as a unique sound anymore.

I think some new people forget that sometimes...when Ayu's older music came out...it was EPIC. Epic album after epic album. Blew everyone away. The sound she had was just amazing. And all the songs built up into something that was so intense by the end of the song...you were left breathless. That's hardly happened since then :/ But like I said...maybe it isn't possible anymore.

At least she's still doing better than other female solos though. The face of jpop would be so boring without ayu.

[jbrat2219]

Originally Posted by emiko

I know you're joking...but uh this is kinda how I feel

I'm not mad about it though. I don't know what's going to make her start making epic music again...maybe it's completely impossible in this day and age, where there is hardly such thing as a unique sound anymore.

I think some new people forget that sometimes...when Ayu's older music came out...it was EPIC. Epic album after epic album. Blew everyone away. The sound she had was just amazing. And all the songs built up into something that was so intense by the end of the song...you were left breathless. That's hardly happened since then :/ But like I said...maybe it isn't possible anymore.

At least she's still doing better than other female solos though. The face of jpop would be so boring without ayu.

You're right, it isn't really possible. I think once an artist builds up as extensive of a discography as Ayu (especially in such a short time) fans are going to compare no matter what. Ayu could make the next I am... and it will still never be as good as the first. She can't please everyone and she most certain can't "wow" them every time. She just can't win. Make the same "epic" music and be labelled boring, uncreative, scared to move forward. Make different music, fans complain it isn't as good as the old. But she's not some washed up has been who doesn't make good music anymore, she's one of the top selling artists in Japan of all time. And most certainly the top selling female. So she's got to be doing something right. I'm not saying all fans should like everything she puts out but I think to better look forward to the future, we gotta let go of the past a little bit.

[love in music]

Originally Posted by jbrat2219

Her low point is now! Boring ballad after boring ballad, boring covers that don't match the theme of the singles (NO MOONS, BLOSSOMS OR CROSSROADS OR L'S WTF???), the covers have NO backgrounds, her facial expressions are HORRIBLE. WHAT is with those lips? They're too plump and big I can't stand it! You might as well put fungus on her face

Don't even get me started on the fact that she's SO lazy she's not even in her own PV for blossom! I mean she makes us wait and wait and then she's not even in the damn thing! All the information came out so late because she's rushing again! If only she'd take her time she could put out some DECENT music for once! Like the stuff on NOTHING FROM NOTHING. Music's been **** ever since! I don't even know why I'm still a fan GOD!

i actually thought you were serious until i read the NOTHING FROM NOTHING part i guess it's because there are just so many posts that are like this in this forum.

Originally Posted by jbrat2219

Ayu's albums are usually very versatile, the singles don't always accurately represent how the albums are going to go! I just know one thing, better not be any ballad album tracks!

they really are. i usually feel her album tracks are much better and more unique than the single ones.