Ayumi is going downhill...

[julian]

Originally Posted by pyro2787

That was the most unoriginal PV I’ve ever seen. I thought I was watching a Britney Spears video, and I hate Britney. I like Ayumi because she didn’t turn ****ty after rising into fame. This PV was dumb, what’s with the butterfly mask? It made her face look like a frog! Motorcycle scene looked like Kill Bill and Britney’s Toxic fused together.

Britney Spears has actually come up with some really good videos , just because there's no substance in half of the video clips it doesn't mean the other half is also trash.

Toxic, okay so she may have been raunchy in it. But it was creative, it was fun, and it was goofy. I'm Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman had awesome scenery in it, and Britney looked really pretty in it. Oops! I Did it Again, Stronger, and Everytime are also really good videos and songs.. but oh no, because she doesn't wear a granny dress in all of her songs instantly makes everything bad about her right?

Originally Posted by PickleCookies

I am... is a completely overrated album. Duty, LOVEppears, A Song for XX and Memorial address are way better than I am...

I thought that Duty was the best, but that I am.. was her second best. I can't believe anyone would think it's overrated though...

And in my opinion, the best of the best of her tracks were recorded on this album. evolution, M, UNITE! and Naturally are all on it!

[immel]

Heh, some people here need to become a bit more constructive in their posts.

Well, obviously we all have our opinions, but slapping them in the face of others without backing it up with reasons can get tiring after a while.

Yet again, those kinds of first posts tend to start interesting discussions, I'm happy the people making them exist some times .

Originally Posted by PickleCookies

I am... is a completely overrated album. Duty, LOVEppears, A Song for XX and Memorial address are way better than I am...

If you say so .

Originally Posted by alternarist

i disagree with most of the things you said. its not that ayu is going downhill. its jus that you cannot accept what ayu is doing. ayu has to move on. she cant stick to singing evolution, UNITE! and SURREAL all the time.

agreed.

den what do you like about ayu? her nails?

They're kinda cool, no?

[Ani_C]

meh I liked around half the songs in (miss)understood and the My Story album is pretty good too, but even so you can see that she's going downhill now.These new songs that she's coming out with are a lil bleh to me (i would say gross but thats too harsh) in my opinion:

Startin': I didn't like anytin about it lol PV or song.The song reminded me of a previous song, maybe Inspire just that Inspire is better xD

Born to Be: Gawsh same as Startin' just worst I felt really bored when I heard it on the PV too.

Teens: I liked this one.

BLUE BIRD: like many people have said its Fairyland-ish.Even though it is like that i prefer Fairyland...I didn't like Fairyland that much either o_o.

and BFighters: I loved this song at first but now...just another Ayu song thats catchy but loses its appeal after a while.

*ahem* It's just opinion right xD maybe she'll have a few good songs soon XPP

Oooh and to the ppl above there talking bout albums!! DON'T FORGET RAINBOW D: I WUB RAINBOW!!! XD

[Raleigh]

Originally Posted by nick

my unqualified opinion: Ayu is great because one never knows what to expect next - she has probably tried nearly all music styles by now. Obviously people have some preferences and what one likes - another one dislikes. As you can see throughout this thread - some people agree, some do not. At least we are not treated to the same 'sugary pop', 'hard rock', 'classical fusion' etc all the time. One can get pretty bored with this. Let's say, if Ayu would've kept her style from 2000-2001 (that's my personal favourite) - how many of us would've been here talking about it? Not too many, I think...
cheers
nick

Good point

[truehappiness]

Originally Posted by PickleCookies

When in any of my post did I say that she did? I said that I like artists who are. Read what I wrote, then reply.

>> I know that.

I was just saying that if you now like artists that make 'real music' or w/e, then you can't really expect Ayu to do the same. (even though she already does, but w/e that's your opinion x3)

[elepop]

Originally Posted by Kikaru

I'm sorry, but I'm just drawn by curiosity. Assuming you have the power to decide Ayu's releases, what would you want that is "high" quality?

Music with real instruments = High quality!

[alternarist]

thanks immel for agreeing with my points. haha

ayu's sales dropped because avex did not focused much on her anymore? (as in you can see the drastic change from I am... to RAINBOW) She isnt producing as much hits singles as compared to before. perhaps that is why she is going downhill?

and i dont like when pple say ayu copied Britney's video for Startin'. i mean.. would any artiste do that? its jus similar. and its something that ayu never done before. so why not just remove britney spears off your minds and look it with a more "AYU" perspective? i think the PV fits the song very well. and Startin' is full of energy. if pple dislike Startin' AND Bold & Delicious AND Born To Be... AND Pride AND etc... i think its alright to continue listening to evolution and UNITE!. i mean its alright to do so.

[truehappiness]

Originally Posted by asongforXX

Music with real instruments = High quality!

Well, not necessarily. Imagine if the arrangement for B&D was like orchestral, and that was the single release. I don't think people'd think that was 'high quality.'

Music with real instruments is nice and all, but it doesn't always mean 'omg goodness' since it can be used in bad ways :] It's a bit like saying.. if Ayu composed it, it's automatically awesome. Because that's really not the case for a lot of people [i.e winding road / humming 7/4] :x

[immel]

Originally Posted by alternarist

ayu's sales dropped because avex did not focused much on her anymore? (as in you can see the drastic change from I am... to RAINBOW) She isnt producing as much hits singles as compared to before. perhaps that is why she is going downhill?

I think her light downhill trend in sales is a combination of:
-Lower CD sales in general world-wide (not only for Ayu).
-Not always as much promotion as for some of her earlier work.
-She has been going for 8 years, people look for new music instead of staying obsessed for all of their life.
-She's releasing a bit too fast.
-More competition (From both similar artists, Koda, Ai, and other bands).
-Some of her recent work, B&D, has been too different for many of her fans.
-Covers (miss)understood.
-More reasons I can't remember right now.

However, I wouldn't say she is going downhill for real untill she starts dropping in the ORICON charts.

[truehappiness]

Her fans've grown older, and the dedicated ones from the 1999-early2000s era have stayed, whereas the others have moved on.

Hopefully, she gains fans from the newer generation :]


And honestly, does it really mean 'omg downhill!' if you have bad sales/bad ranking? :/ Hitomi Shimatani doesn't do too well and she's awesome. Same with the poppy poppy hitomi. She's never sold too well, but she's awesome nonetheless. :/

[evolution7931]

ya... I don't think she's going downhill.. She's in the prairies for me.. jumping a few streams here and there and such.. picking some lovely veggies out of her garden ^_____^..

[immel]

True, saying "downhill" is the wrong word for it.

[SunshineSlayer]

Originally Posted by immel

However, I wouldn't say she is going downhill for real untill she starts dropping in the ORICON charts.

But once again, the only reason she hasn't dropped in the oricon charts is because Avex has very strategically picked her release dates. You will see at the end of the year, when Oricon does it's top 100 singles list that Ayu has indeed dropped a lot in the Oricon charts as compared to last year.

[My Rainbow]

SHE'S bETTER!!! SHE'S THE BEST!!! SHE'S THE QUEEN!!

OH MY GOD...SHE'S A GODDESS!!!!!!!!!

[emi♡]

Can we all just please come at an agreement that some people agree and some don't.

Again, Ayu has all her styles of music. Some people may not like the Rock-ish songs, some people may prefer the gospel, or pop, or whatever. Whenever she decides to release things that are of styles that some people don't like, she's going downhill.

The fact that she is or isn't going downhill is an idea that is completely subjective and it's going to change with everyone's views. It's absolutely useless to argue this. And it's not getting us anywhere, we keep making the same arguements.

[immel]

Originally Posted by SunshineSlayer

But once again, the only reason she hasn't dropped in the oricon charts is because Avex has very strategically picked her release dates. You will see at the end of the year, when Oricon does it's top 100 singles list that Ayu has indeed dropped a lot in the Oricon charts as compared to last year.

When you say it, that's quite obvious, hehe. Thanks for pointing it out.

[norain]

She's at least still sexy...

let me hope for a good ballad..

[Xianghua]

I think ayu hasn't been coming out with as good songs as in the past, but I wouldn't say she's going downhill.

But, every artist isn't going to be able to stay as their past forever. Music is always changing, and that's what makes it interesting.

[Dreamland]

Originally Posted by emikotogawa

Can we all just please come at an agreement that some people agree and some don't.

Again, Ayu has all her styles of music. Some people may not like the Rock-ish songs, some people may prefer the gospel, or pop, or whatever. Whenever she decides to release things that are of styles that some people don't like, she's going downhill.

The fact that she is or isn't going downhill is an idea that is completely subjective and it's going to change with everyone's views. It's absolutely useless to argue this. And it's not getting us anywhere, we keep making the same arguements.

but if only it were that easy

[cybermoomba]

Chuck I completely agree with you. I am... is very overrated.

She's going downhill for 1 reason and that is because the music she's putting out these days, is crap. It’s very bland, recycled, call it whatever. It’s just not as good as it used to be.