Eww let's not use AKB48 as a comparison, I mean it's just too convenient to justify their music solely on popularity and whatnot. Besides, one criticism about Mamore!!! was that it sounded like an SKE song. I agree though that the lack of the cute factor in the recent single songs is somewhat a head-scratching trend, they might have taken into account that the members are getting up there in age, but with 5th gen. members joining I think they should be able to execute any type of song, however I guess 5th gen. is not ready to take the center stage yet so maybe they'll do a cutesy single for the next single with 5th gen/younger members taking the center role, although I don't see it happening since the staff is totally in love with Maipuru and Umeko.
Although it's probably never going to happen, I think what needs to be changed is getting a new song writer. While I don't really have anything against the ones who have written songs for Idoling so far, I think their best work has already been provided, and one can only write a great song so many times, it may be a risky but one thing is for sure, and that is that it'll be a very new style of song.