What is considered Ayu's magnum opus?

shinji1698 · #1 25th November 2011, 07:57 PM

I gotta say it's I Am...

Epic album, every song is single material (and pretty much was). Plus it's when ayu started to compose as CREA.

Her past albums all led up to this. Loveappears was subpar to duty as duty is a little lacking.

The album still holds up after all this time too. Rainbow is starting to sound a little dated since tht record is way overproduced (see We Wish & Real Me).

So what do you think? I think her later albums can't hold up to it. This is her Like A Prayer IMHO.

Deep snow · #2 25th November 2011, 08:07 PM

Wow it's so hard when there's a universe of stuff to love.

I suppose I am... is unarguably one of her best works. As for her more recent ones, I must say Rock 'n' Roll Circus. And then Memorial address for me is near-perfect for a mini-album, and then of course there's the tres-personal MY STORY - which in many ways IMO is equally as awesome as I am... As is also (miss)understood...

Crap I'm confused.

Sales-wise it has to be Duty, though.

Matthew · #3 25th November 2011, 08:12 PM

Personally, Memorial address. It's the perfect length, and there isn't one "filler" song on there. No interludes either.

Oh, and forgiveness is my favourite Ayu song by a looong way

shinji1698 · #4 25th November 2011, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deep snow

Wow it's so hard when there's a universe of stuff to love.

Sales-wise it has to be Duty, though.

Duty suffers a bit from songs sounding the same like scar/end of the world. It does have one of the best closers though with girlish...she's never done anything like that again (except with a song for...)

isthisLOL? · #5 25th November 2011, 08:18 PM

Every song in I Am... was hit or miss cause Ayumi is a hit or miss composer. There's some of her best songs on that album...and some of her absolute worst and most boring ballads for me.
Her best album as a whole? Love Songs. It's her only album that really flows perfectly and even though I am really no fan of Sweet Season, the other 70 minutes of the album make up for it.
Best song? Probably forgiveness. Maybe BRILLANTE. Free & Easy, Mirrorcle World and M are up high, too.

Tom Punks · #6 25th November 2011, 08:30 PM

I guess I am... would be her magnum opus considering it's by far the fan favorite and generally considered the most amazing thing ever. I don't personally think it's all that great since most of the songs sound just alike and the ballads are boring.

I personally consider her best work to be Memorial address. I think that album is perfect in every single way, even though it's not my favorite.

As for best song... maybe RAINBOW? c: It's not my favorite either, but I can't think of a song I would say is better all around.

jbrat2219 · #7 25th November 2011, 10:11 PM

FIVE!

Andrenekoi · #8 25th November 2011, 10:30 PM

Her best album is considered to be either Duty or I am...

Her best song is considered to be either Seasons, M or evolution

And her best concert is considered to be either Dome Tour, A Museum or AT03-04

Those are the works where you can find her most iconic releases, and the most recognazible by the public...

IMO, her best work to date it Love Songs, her best concerts are both AT10 and AT11 and her best songs are either Love song, STEP you, Mirrorcle World or endless sorrow

***koumori*** · #9 25th November 2011, 10:55 PM

My favourite albums are LOVEppears and RAINBOW. Her most iconic album is definitely I am... though, hands down. I do love that album too, but it's third/fourth on my favourites

~

stepYOU1234 · #10 25th November 2011, 11:34 PM

I think LOVEppears and Duty serve as great predecessors to I am... which I suppose encompasses all that Ayu is in the strength of the songs, the emotion she shows and lyrics etc and I certaintly agree that it is her most iconic album.

I do think Love Songs (and RnRC beforehand) will be looked back on as a 'good Ayu era'.

Tour has got to be AT05 for the concepts and change up to her tours and AT07 for some great performances. And definitely AT10!

I can't narrow it down to a song. I suppose for sheer longevity and resonnating with the public it might have to be evolution. I know it gets a lot of hate for always being at concerts but it is there for a reason. How disappointed would you be if you went to a Madonna concert and there was no Vogue?

Aditmi Krisnasaki ~II~ · #11 26th November 2011, 02:41 AM

I am... pure perfection, many diverse genres are perfectly mixed in that album..

rusuke · #12 26th November 2011, 05:47 AM

Although the album "I am" may sounds so familiar with most of its songs, I think it's her most iconic album as most of the people here agreed. It may be lacking to others but I think this is the most "ayu-ish" sounding album of hers.

A Song for XX, RAINBOW, Memorial address and Duty's atmosphere was there.

yamadashun · #13 26th November 2011, 06:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrenekoi

Her best album is considered to be either Duty or I am...

Her best song is considered to be either Seasons, M or evolution

And her best concert is considered to be either Dome Tour, A Museum or AT03-04

Those are the works where you can find her most iconic releases, and the most recognazible by the public...

IMO, her best work to date it Love Songs, her best concerts are both AT10 and AT11 and her best songs are either Love song, STEP you, Mirrorcle World or endless sorrow

In my opinion:

Prime era
Best album: Duty
Best song: M
Best concert: A Museum

Post-ayu era
Best album: Love songs
Best song: Microphone / Love song
Best concert: CDL 10-11 / RnRC

alternarist · #14 26th November 2011, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yamadashun

In my opinion:

Post-ayu era
Best album: Love songs

lol what is post-ayu era? ayu is still around..

in my opinion, M. its the first song that she composed herself so she must hv put in her heart n soul into it. and it's a CLASSIC!! So definitely its M.

relmy · #15 26th November 2011, 04:26 PM

I'd say M, she composed it, it's grand, it's everything a magnum opus should be. I'd say I am... for the album too, it's got all the elements (like people said): everything up until I am... was building up to I am..., it's like a progression from all the themes of her early work.

And even if it's not your favourite song, I think it's pretty much agreed that M can be seen as the "iconic" song of that era, right? It encompasses all the themes of I am...

It's a respected album in and out of the Ayu fandom, SEASONS and Duty come a very close second, but I imagine Duty is more popular in Japan, and I am... in non-Japanese fandom? Like how people who aren't even Ayu fans know evolution or M.

ComatoseBunnySnatcher · #16 26th November 2011, 06:13 PM

Song-wise, I'd say SEASONS/M is considered her magnum opus by her fanbase, though from those two I would choose M over SEASONS because it was also composed by Ayu. Can't actually name a song for myself since there's a lot, but I would choose forgiveness, Dearest, JEWEL, Mirror, progress... One of those.

Album-wise people are choosing I am..., though I do feel Duty should take the title from the first 5 albums. I am... Suffers from very similar songs lumped together at the end. Duty is varied, has the trilogy and SURREAl, ect. Personally, I would say Memorial Address is her best album hands down. Every song is well produced and doesn't feel like filler. The next ontender would be (miss) understood. I just like its variety of sounds.

Andrenekoi · #17 26th November 2011, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by relmy

I'd say M, she composed it, it's grand, it's everything a magnum opus should be. I'd say I am... for the album too, it's got all the elements (like people said): everything up until I am... was building up to I am..., it's like a progression from all the themes of her early work.

And even if it's not your favourite song, I think it's pretty much agreed that M can be seen as the "iconic" song of that era, right? It encompasses all the themes of I am...

It's a respected album in and out of the Ayu fandom, SEASONS and Duty come a very close second, but I imagine Duty is more popular in Japan, and I am... in non-Japanese fandom? Like how people who aren't even Ayu fans know evolution or M.

Well... even if Duty sold better than I am... it's hard to know if it was the first step on Ayu's peak ending, or just the music market progression with everyone selling less... Duty sold more, but still, I am... spammed more of her classic singles

relmy · #18 26th November 2011, 08:13 PM

^ Duty in Japan in the sense that it always seems SEASONS is more popular than M in fan polls and stuff.

Then again... Voyage and Dearest always score really high too.

But popularity doesn't have to equal magnum opus.

RayJason · #19 26th November 2011, 08:56 PM

Out of the singles: M
Out of albums: I am... / NEXT LEVEL

letter · #20 28th November 2011, 12:36 AM

Her 10th Anniversary activities combined into one.

That includes GUILTY, lyrically and musically, an album containing a large variety of music; Mirrorcle World and Days/GREEN, the re-recorded versions of her older music; Countdown Live 2007-08 and Asia tour 2008, both amazing concerts; her voice at the time; the PVs and TV appearances. Overall, a good era.

This year gives me a similar impression. Love Songs, progress and BRILLANTE, 2010-11 CTL, POWER of MUSIC, remix albums, it'd be a great package.

I am... is what Ayu grew into, what her previous albums led to. It feels like this progression has been broken up, and so it retains its position as a classic Ayu album, perhaps more memorable than the likes of GUILTY, but I can only hope Ayu's able to put out something as good as GUILTY when it is as old as I am... is right now.