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| Survey Shock: Teens Skip Ayumi Hamasaki at Karaoke While Namie Amuro Still Tops Playlists |
Japanese pop royalty still rule the hearts of older fans, but fresh surveys have thrown up a generational reality check for Ayumi Hamasaki and Namie Amuro.
Ayumi Hamasaki’s Karaoke Decline
A poll of 14–19 year-old girls revealed that a hefty 85.3% don’t sing Ayumi Hamasaki’s songs at karaoke.
Even more surprising, over a third admitted they don’t really know who she is at all.
For those who do, M remains her standout hit — often thanks to mums passing down the playlist.
Other classics like Boys & Girls and Blue Bird still pop up, but mainly through family influence rather than organic discovery.
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| Ayumi Hamasaki Karaoke Decline: Why Teens Still Choose Namie Amuro |
This news landed just a day after Ayu’s 47th birthday, while she’s in the middle of an Asia tour.
She’s still a huge live act — headlining a-nation 2025 and even taking on a coveted drama theme tune earlier this year.
But for Gen Z, her golden era in the 2000s is ancient history, and without karaoke rotation, her back catalogue risks fading from the youth radar.
Namie Amuro’s Music Still Hits
Meanwhile, 55.9% of high schoolers said they actively listen to Namie Amuro’s music — despite her having retired in 2018.
The top pick? HERO, immortalised as NHK’s Olympic theme in 2016, followed closely by Hope and the timeless ballad CAN YOU CELEBRATE?.
Namie Amuro’s catalogue seems to have kept its glow thanks to sports tie-ins, anime themes, and a steady online presence, making her tunes easier for young listeners to stumble upon.
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| Namie Amuro Music Still Resonates With Japanese Youth |
For women now in their 30s and 40s, Ayumi Hamasaki was a cultural blueprint — her lyrics, fashion and lifestyle defined an era. Countless karaoke nights revolved around her tracks.
But the latest survey shows that today’s teens not only skip her songs, many don’t even recognise her name.
Namie Amuro, on the other hand, appears to have cracked inter-generational replay value, with her music bridging both nostalgia for older fans and fresh relevance for high school playlists.
The numbers don’t erase Ayumi Hamasaki’s legacy — she’s still reinventing herself and packing venues.
But in the current climate, it’s Namie Amuro’s songs that teenagers are humming, while Ayu is quietly becoming more of a heritage act.