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Ayumi Hamasaki: The Rate - Part I [Greatful days]


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Posted

Well, M already got its flowers in other rates, so it's only fair.

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  • Kyle-x

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  • Graves

    452

  • Suilen

    341

  • Curaga

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Posted

And then there was one...

 

 

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17th Single
Track #7 on Duty

 

HIGH SCORE: 10 x 13 (Graves, Kyle-x, SA*KURA, Invisibility, UrMom, Curaga, Meloetta Carey, blueberries, Maresia, Fevesy, sanzo, AvadaKedavra, confide in me)

LOW SCORE: 4 x 1 (Katamari)

HOST SCORE: 10

 

What a stunning piece of music.

 

I can't say I'm surprised at this result. SURREAL has always been a fan favorite, as well as a signature hit. It sort of has it all, doesn't it? An amazing and memorable track, a great and memorable music video, iconic performances, incredible imagery. There's just nothing to fault it on. This is pop music firing on all cylinders. The dreaded term "pop perfection" comes to mind, but it's earned here. There was something in the water on that island in the music video, Ayu drank from it and found that was so no longer capable of not serving.

 

This song is like a dream. I've always looked at the piano intro and outro as representing dozing off and waking back up, respectively. Leaving the song as little more than a passing daydream. Ugh, I don't even know if I can count the things I love about this song. How about the way that it picks up in intensity with each cumulative verse? How about the utter cacophony of instruments clashing together that somehow still works? Like, we have piano riffs interspersed with guitar solos and even a drum machine that sounds right out of a drum-n-bass tune. Or perhaps the best part is the sheer elation of the final choruses, Ayu belting for her life before the dream ends and we come back to reality. I LOVE this song.

 

What an exciting day it must've been, this launching at the same time as Duty itself, and Ayu still managing to score a chart double with both album and single entering at number one. SURREAL sold over 400,000 copies and became a mainstay in Ayu's setlists from now until the end of time. And yes, while we do yearn for the day that we can hear this song and evolution separately, I suppose there are worse bedfellows to share a setlist spot with. The music video is another serve. Ayu models the iconic Duty catsuit as she gets lost on a desert island and comes across a second version of herself. The whole thing is brimming with iconography. Was this the first appearance of the iconic leopard print? The layers...

 

 

Suilen: a bit of a classic.

Kyle-x: A contender for my 11. Instantly iconic upon first listen. That intro whew, chills. evolution's older sister in some ways. The PV is incredible as well, that outfit was putting in overtime. The "CLUB 69 RADIO", "Marc et Claude remix", "nicely nice electron '00 remix", "Sample MadnesS remix", and "Thunderpuss RADIO" all EAT. I need to go back in time and pop my ***** in a club to these with Curaga.

Invisibility: The most iconic piano melody alongside JEWEL I fear. She really makes me feel like I'm immersed into the magic realism daydream fantasy of it all. It birthed one of her most iconic looks and even when she performs the evolution medley until the heat death of the universe I'll keep on stanning.

Curaga: Such an easy 10, like wtfffff. I always flip between this and AUDIENCE as my fav from Duty. It's like whichever one is currently playing is my fav lol.

Bad Decisions: the structure of this song is fantastic. Literally 3-4 different songs in one.

AMIT: takes a minute to really get going, but yeah an incredible song overall, also one of her best MVs of course.

Fevesy: I went through my first breakup and listened to this like 900 times in 1 week... anyways I haven't kept up with Ayumi in a few years but if she's still performing SURREAL + evolution together like always then I hope her hearing gets worse tbh.

 

 

dutyCD.png

 

1/13

:1stplace:

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Posted

oh she LASHED I am :bibliahh:

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Posted

Omg M the buildup to the chorus of the song is so powerful. Thats ** genius :gaycat4: the asian like a prayer definitely
When gospel pop song are well done theyre just amazing. The video is so pretty too.
Wanna go to a church and play this one day 

El poder de Los Angeles y M (Maria) se siente en esta cancion :gaycat3:  que se salgan todos los demonios

Posted
4 minutes ago, Kyle-x said:

When M is the only mega-classic that Curaga didn't sabotage sajdlka

:ahh: 

  • Haha 1
Posted

duty-summary.png

 

 

HIGHEST SCORERS
1. Kyle-x - 10
2. blueberries - 9.538
3. AMIT - 9
4. confide in me - 8.808
5. UrMom - 8.692

 

LOWEST SCORERS
1. Curaga - 5.715
2. Katamari - 5.833
3. Invisibility - 6
4. Bad Decisions - 6.115
5. Fevesy - 6.75

 

 

Average

7.819


Adjusted average (no b-sides, no interludes)

7.919

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Posted

SURREAL is an amazing winner. Well deserved. :clap3:

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Posted

A great winner, I'm glad me underscoring it a bit didn't rob it of the victory.

Posted

FINAL LEADERBOARD

 

107. + - 5.079

106. Interlude - 5.294

105. For My Dear... - 5.529

104. taskinlude - 5.588

103. A Song is born - 5.629

102. WONDERLAND - 5.853

101. FRIEND - 5.859

100. Wishing - 5.888

99. Prologue - 5.912

98. Humming 7/4 - 6.134

97. Present - 6.197

96. FRIEND II - 6.332

95. starting over - 6.405

94. opening Run - 6.406

93. girlish - 6.435

92. taskinillusion - 6.441

91. Kaleidoscope - 6.547

90. from your letter - 6.582

89. Replace - 6.624

88. flower garden - 6.7

87. neverending dream - 6.718

86. everlasting dream - 6.741

85. Introduction - 6.75
84. teddy bear - 6.829
83. Close to you - 6.972
82. forgiveness - 7.014
81. As if... - 7.062
80. winding road - 7.106
79. SIGNAL - 7.115
78. P.S II - 7.194
77. Catcher In The Light - 7.24
76. UNITE! - 7.253
75. no more words - 7.271
74. Key ~eternal tie ver.~ - 7.282
73. theme of a-nation'03 - 7.312
72. YOU -7.318
71. everywhere nowhere - 7.371

70. Two of us - 7.384
69. independent - 7.435
68. POWDER SNOW - 7.456
67. Hana - 7.5
66. poker face - 7.503
65. HOPE or PAIN - 7.511
64. AUDIENCE - 7.529
63. Liar - 7.535
62. HAPPY ENDING - 7.549
61. Dolls - 7.589

60. 卒業写真 - 7.591
59. SEASONS - 7.735
58. SCAR - 7.8
57. Over - 7.821
56. Free & Easy - 7.841
55. still alone - 7.871
54. LOVE ~destiny~ - 7.882
53. HONEY - 7.888
52. Heartplace - 7.893
51. kanariya - 7.91

50. ANGEL'S SONG - 7.921
49. WE WISH - 7.947
48. ever free - 7.971
47. Trust - 7.976
46. HANABI ~episode II~ - 7.994
45. walking proud - 7.995
44. I am... - 8.065
43. End of the World - 8.071
42. Voyage - 8.076
41. Daybreak - 8.082

40. Memorial address - 8.094
39. Greatful days - 8.156
38. CAROLS - 8.177
37. WHATEVER - 8.206
36. July 1st - 8.318
35. my name's WOMEN - 8.35
34. Dearest - 8.353
33. Far away - 8.379
32. Boys & Girls - 8.432
31. HANABI - 8.435

30. End roll - 8.441

29. too late - 8.495
28. About You - 8.499
27. NEVER EVER - 8.518
26. TO BE - 8.559
25. Naturally - 8.606
24. Who... - 8.615
23. No way to say - 8.665
22. GAME - 8.707
21. And Then - 8.712
20. Endless sorrow - 8.776
19. Real me - 8.782
18. Duty - 8.788
17. Trauma - 8.819
16. vogue - 8.845
15. monochrome - 8.865
14. immature - 8.873
13. INSPIRE - 8.891
12. evolution - 8.924
11. Moments - 9.006
10. ourselves - 9.026
9. Fly high - 9.053
8. Because of You - 9.094
7. Depend on you - 9.147
6. Connected - 9.171
5. appears - 9.176
4. A Song for XX - 9.353
3. RAINBOW - 9.4
2. M - 9.406
1. SURREAL - 9.412

 

 

 

ALBUM RANKINGS

 

1. LOVEppears - 8.193
2. Memorial address - 8.142
3. Duty - 7.819
4. I am... - 7.789
5. MY STORY - 7.624
6. RAINBOW - 7.466
7. A Song for xx - 7.065

  • Thanks 4
Posted

Love pears being the highest album, fork found in the kitchen.

Posted

And of course the iconic A MUSEUM performance with the long ass veil

 

 

Posted

her best single.. the 1:30 part is epic

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Posted

SURREAL!!!!! What a song omg. I love your love for the song coming through so much in the write-up :heart: That was a stone cold CLASSIC :clap3:

 

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Posted

and now I exhale. :chick2:

 

Rates are so fun but so much work lmao, I'm looking forward to having free weekends again.

 

Just a quick thank you to anybody who voted, posted or even viewed the thread. The amount of life this thing had for a relatively niche J-pop rate surprised me. It made it so much more fun to host.

 

Will drop the bonus Curaga-less results in a hot second, just let me grab a sandwich first. :heart:

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Posted
1 minute ago, Kyle-x said:

Have to highlight this pretty subdued acoustic performance of M

 

https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1Js411s7Vo/

Amazing performance. Oh ayutney hamaston the vocalist that you are :heart:

 

 

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Posted
7 minutes ago, Graves said:

What an exciting day it must've been, this launching at the same time as Duty itself, and Ayu still managing to score a chart double with both album and single entering at number one.

The way she actually scored a chart triple because concert tour 2000 vol. 2 was released that day too and went #1 on the video chart :jonny: 

  • Thanks 1
Posted

Oh congratz to surreal

That piano intro is definitely one of the most captivating things i ever heard in pop music :gaycat4: it grabs your attention instantly
i remember the first time i listened to this in 2008
I knew ayu was someone special and i needed to discover more about her
Ayu music is definitely surreal. Her videos too. 
The guitar is so deranged. Beautiful. I love this song live. I think it shines there



Thank u graves. U rock. It was so much fun to rank the first half of ayu discography. Thanks for all your time
Excited about the next part :jonnykin: all the albums post my story are my favorite ones from her. Its gonna be tough.
Sending love to everyone here too 

oOTbL4h.png

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Posted

SURREAL is too damn good and a deserved winner :clap3: Duty you had one spot in the top 15, but ***** you made it COUNT

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Posted

Thank you so much @Graves for hosting this!! Everything was absolutely amazing! Really enjoyed watching the results and so glad to see all the girls come together for a rate.  :heart2:

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Posted

@Graves, this rate was beyooooond amazing; the amount of effort in these write-ups blows my mind :jonny5: and the graphics!!! I cannot imagine the number of hours put into this masterwork... You ate this UP!!!!! Your talent for writing and humor made it so so so enjoyable. I can't thank you enough for organizing this!

Absolute LEGEND :jonny5::clap3:

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Posted

The original deadline for the rate was Sept 27th (before being pushed back) and the winning song was also released on that date, kind of fitting :eli: 

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Posted

Thank you so much for hosting this rate, you icon :clap3: the write-ups were lovely to read and the graphics were lovely to see. I loved celebrating this legendary woman and her many accomplishments and masterpieces with you all!

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Posted
Just now, Curaga said:

@Graves, this rate was beyooooond amazing; the amount of effort in these write-ups blows my mind :jonny5: and the graphics!!! I cannot imagine the number of hours put into this masterwork... You ate this UP!!!!! Your talent for writing and humor made it so so so enjoyable. I can't thank you enough for organizing this!

Absolute LEGEND :jonny5::clap3:

Oh yes, the write-ups!! Every single one was done so well. :jonny5:

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Posted

wait i gave this song a 4 :rip: i don't remember panning it that much :deadbanana4:

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