A BEST B/W: End of an era, beginning of...?

[Ayappe]

I think that she will continue on this way..!! I hope to see her playing the piano and composing more music as CREA!!! I hope she won't go on US Market.. Artist may change to be appreciated in USA.. (Example: Hikki.. I also love EXODUS.. XQ_)

[Thulanks]

You never know how international she can get... After all manga/anime's popularity has grown a lot in the past years and seems to go on expanding, plus a lot of people has started to study japanese (in my country there's a LOT of people studyin' japanese and generally latin america is years behind the US and EUROPE) So.... I just say "anything can happen" and "you never know" after all, there's no reason for Shakira to be so famous there are a lot of Latinamerican artists that are way better than her... (sorry if I offended someone but when you take singin lessons Shakira is always the "anti-example")

[Ayappe]

Originally Posted by Thulanks

You never know how international she can get... After all manga/anime's popularity has grown a lot in the past years and seems to go on expanding, plus a lot of people has started to study japanese (in my country there's a LOT of people studyin' japanese and generally latin america is years behind the US and EUROPE) So.... I just say "anything can happen" and "you never know" after all, there's no reason for Shakira to be so famous there are a lot of Latinamerican artists that are way better than her... (sorry if I offended someone but when you take singin lessons Shakira is always the "anti-example")

Yeah, I know.. I take singing classes and it's true.. XDDD Lol..
I'd like to buy ayu's cd here in Italy or see her here in Europe for a concert, but I'm afraid that she could change music direction!! ç__ç
You are right.. We never know.. but I have this sensation!!

[perfectodub]

one of the more important things for a music artist is the evolution...i know that we love all the ayumi's songs and albums...but ayu needs urgently a change...since MY STORY ayumi has repeated the same formula,
the same sound, the same format, the same producer...she needs a new evolution...something totally original...her own evolution


.
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[LacusClyne]

recently i just saw an article in Singapore. it was guessing that ayu is trying to move to Asia. Since her popularity in Japan is slipping.
the theme song for 'Confession of Pain' is a start, then comes the Asia tour.

they are predicting this because ayu had once said that she don't want to leave japan because her fans are there. so maybe, now that they are moving away from her, ayu decides to move out?

[explodingbird]

Originally Posted by perfectodub

one of the more important things for a music artist is the evolution...i know that we love all the ayumi's songs and albums...but ayu needs urgently a change...since MY STORY ayumi has repeated the same formula,
the same sound, the same format, the same producer...she needs a new evolution...something totally original...her own evolution


.
.

Like she didn't before that album? If it ain't broke, why fix it? Besides, although it's not her song technically, I'm pretty sure Bold & Delicious wouldn't be considered "same old, same old," along with half of (miss)understood. I'm not sure even STEP you could be compared to her older songs, or Secret, Born To Be..., or Beautiful Fighters.

[CHAS_AYU]

A BEST 2 -BLACK-
A BEST 2 -WHITE-

Definitely, it is a kind of promotion.
First, promoting ayumi hamasaki ASIA TOUR 2007 ～Tour of Secret～
Since Ayu is going to perform in some Asia cities, the BEST albums will be a tool for promoting the tour.

Second, 2008 is Ayu 10th Anniversary, I guess there will be great events such as DOME TOUR or STADIUM TOUR. And it's time to promote from 2007, otherwise it would be too late to promote in 2008.

Third, from A BEST to now, there are so many great songs, I think it's a good time for us to have A BEST 2.

In Japan, many famous artists also release their Best albums in 2005, I don't think that represents an end of an era, on the other hand, Best albums are confirmation of an artist success.

[*Petit*]

Originally Posted by LacusClyne

they are predicting this because ayu had once said that she don't want to leave japan because her fans are there. so maybe, now that they are moving away from her, ayu decides to move out?

She expressed somewhat the same thoughts in the CNN interview. Yeah, being number one in charts all over asia even without any personal precense should convince her.

[Daking]

Ayu is gonna start acting... or start her own clothing line or something, she's gonna start branching out of the music industry and expand her influence imo.

[Hatix]

Originally Posted by Daking

Ayu is gonna start acting... or start her own clothing line or something, she's gonna start branching out of the music industry and expand her influence imo.

Acting again would be cool, maybe she could play a bond girl

Her own clothing line... doesn't she already own(/design) the MTRLG line & shops?

Hehe, seeing her jamming with Yo-chan would be just so awesome ;p

But expanding outside Japan, first Asia, it's a small but first step. If she has already has good sales there, concerts & other promotion there, will surely raise her popularity. And so, it expands slowly, to other asian countries where she is just a little bit known.
But everybody seems to agree on the fact that the US is and will be a difficult and risky market.
In Europe will be difficult too I think, although there is more diversity. But the main popularity I sense in Europe is that they seem to like more songs in languages from Europe itself. Just rarely do we see a song a bit more foreign, like turkish. French, spanish or italian are much more common. So, the only way for ayu to make it in Europe is to make a very catchy & good song. But as I hear from others as well, most people like to understand what the artist sings.

We'll see what the future brings, but this change of the Best stuff (CDL,A Best 2 & Asia Tour) are definitely a step to expansion. Go Ayu!

[*Petit*]

So, the only way for ayu to make it in Europe is to make a very catchy & good song.

Yeah, in Europe it seems that catchy beats everything. =P Your post made me think of Tarkan and many summer hits that has been for the past years. I don't want ayu to be famous by such a hit though. =X

[Hatix]

Originally Posted by *Petit*

Yeah, in Europe it seems that catchy beats everything. =P Your post made me think of Tarkan and many summer hits that has been for the past years. I don't want ayu to be famous by such a hit though. =X

Exactly what I meant, there are rarely songs in other languages getting good sales outside their own country.
(Maybe she should try more trance for Europe (again just my wishful thinking))

But I guess the biggest barrier will always be the language barrier...

[Mirai Noah]

I think that Ayu will continue, well, being Ayu. If that makes any sense, LOL...

[Zeke.]

Originally Posted by s1012h

She'll become a TRANCE/ROCK GODDESS
I wish...

She already is one! But I see what you are saying - I hope she releases more ROCK and TRANCE materials!

[Moukyoumaru]

Originally Posted by norain

I like the title...it makes me think of this...

"A BEST B/W: End of an era, beginning of an end"

=)

actually that's pretty sad if it were true.

It's pretty sad, but I really think that this album may really indicate her retiring from either just the Japanese music scene or from avex entirely. I read somewhere that Ayu, in one of her interviews after creating A ~Best~, thought that best compilation albums were indicators that an artist was going to retire soon... T__T

[explodingbird]

Originally Posted by Moukyoumaru

It's pretty sad, but I really think that this album may really indicate her retiring from either just the Japanese music scene or from avex entirely. I read somewhere that Ayu, in one of her interviews after creating A ~Best~, thought that best compilation albums were indicators that an artist was going to retire soon... T__T

You do realize that

1. She didn't die out after the original A BEST? In fact, although sales have steadily declined, she sold quite strongly for quite a while after. Nor have other artists, in spite of declining sales, retired after their bests? Namie, Ku, Hikki, hitomi... they may have sold lower, true (well, Kuu seems to be selling well compared to her pre-BEST days), but they're still going. BoA put out best-ofs and she's still chugging on. Do As Infinity put out three albums after Do The Best.

2. Ayu herself said in the TalkAsia interview: If she couldn't sing or make music, it would feel like her life is incomplete or over. Well, really, more like "If I don't have music, it's like I die."

I don't see why people jump to these conclusions with little backing evidence and enough contradictory evidence. Do you all enjoy ignoring these things and focusing on the negative side or something? People here are so negative about everything regarding Ayu, that I've seen - the cover sucks, the singles suck, the sales suck, oh my god she's retiring, she's over, the albums might not both hit #1 (so freaking what?!) and so on... I mean, seriously, do you feed off negative energy or something, people?

[truehappiness]

I agree.

A lot of weird things happen during Ayu releases.

Either:
1) Everyone loves it
2) It's split between lovers and haters
or
3) Everyone hates it except for a select few who feel like they're 'wrong' in some respect

It's like when Ayu doesn't release anything for a long while, people complain that she's taking too long, and if she releases too much in a short amount of time, people say that she needs a break. I've come to the conclusion that as long as it sounds good to me, it really doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. :B

[explodingbird]

Seriously. I think all people want to do is ***** ***** *****, whine whine whine, and after awhile, god, it's obnoxious. It's like if they're happy or content or have nothing to complain about they die a little inside.

[JaysenRyan]

i really think ayu would do well in the US. She's got the image, the money, the class, the power, i mean she really could fare well here. Every last person i've introduced her to, has started to love her, and slowly grown into other JPOP artists as well. It always starts with ayu. I just got like 8 people at work liking her and I've only been working there for 2 weeks. Think what each of us could do if we really promoted her well.

[ayu_fan929]

Originally Posted by explodingbird

BoA put out best-ofs and she's still chugging on.

She's only released 1 best-of album.