Puneet Varma (Editor)

A Best 2

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Artist
  
Ayumi Hamasaki

Producer
  
Max Matsuura

Release date
  
28 February 2007

Label
  
Avex Trax

A Best 2 httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediaenaa0ABe

Released
  
28 February 2007 (2007-02-28)

Recorded
  
2001-2007 (Black) 2001-2005 (White)

Length
  
77:27 (Black) 74:56 (White)

Genres
  
J-pop, Pop music, Pop rock

Similar
  
Ayumi Hamasaki albums, J-pop albums

Ayumi hamasaki a best 2 cm


Best 2 is a series of greatest hits compilation albums recorded by Ayumi Hamasaki which were released simultaneously on 28 February 2007 (2007-02-28). The artwork on the cover uses the singer's symbol, a heavily modified A, to stand for the name "Ayu" or "Ayumi Hamasaki", as was used in Best in 2001.

Contents

A Best 2: Black debuted at #1 in Japan on its first day and took #2 in the weekly chart as well as in several countries throughout Asia. It was ranked #4 on CDJapan's Top 100 album of 2007. A Best 2: White debuted at #1 in Japan and several countries throughout Asia. A Best 2: White was ranked #3 on CDJapan's Top 100 album of 2007. A Best 2: Black includes "dark" songs with "painful/heartbroken" lyrics while A Best 2: White is the opposite, containing "light" songs with "bright/cheerful/upbeat" lyrics.

Both sets were released in 1CD+2DVD versions with limited version covers for each album's color. The first DVD for each version includes all music videos for the songs off the album. The second DVD from A Best 2: White includes her latest Best of Countdown Live 2006-2007 A; the second DVD from A Best 2: Black includes a documentary which chronicles her concert Best of Countdown Live 2006-2007 A. Both albums feature songs released between the singles "Evolution" and "Heaven". No songs off her album Secret are featured on either album.

A special website was opened in order to promote A Best 2.

The tracks on A Best 2 were remastered in Los Angeles by Brian "Big Bass" Gardner, however they were not resung like the previous A Best.

A Best 2: Black

A Best 2: Black includes a previously unreleased track, "Part of Me" (featured in a new Panasonic CM) and its accompanying music video. The song was certified gold for 100,000 legal downloads.

DVD track listing

1st DVD – Promotional Videos

  1. "Dearest"
  2. "Carols"
  3. "No Way to Say"
  4. "Walking Proud"
  5. "Free & Easy"
  6. "Endless Sorrow"
  7. "Because of You"
  8. "About You"
  9. "Game"
  10. "Is This Love?"
  11. "Hanabi: Episode II"
  12. "Never Ever" [promotional clip]
  13. "Heaven"
  14. "Part of Me"
  15. "H" [TV-CM]

2nd DVD – Best of CountDown Live 2006-2007

  1. Best of CountDown Live 2006-2007 (Behind the Scenes) (90 minutes)

Charts

Oricon Sales Chart (Japan)

  • Total Sales : 702,900 (Japan)
  • Total Sales : 750,000 (Avex)

    • A Best 2: White

    On 15 January 2007 (2007-01-15) this release was confirmed by her official website. On 16 January 2007 (2007-01-16), track listing for both CDs were officially released. The album covers and DVD track listings were released on 6 February 2007 (2007-02-06).

    DVD track listing

    1st DVD – Promotional Videos

    1. "Evolution"
    2. "Grateful Days"
    3. "Humming 7/4"
    4. "Unite!" [promotional clip]
    5. "Real me"
    6. "My Name's Women"
    7. "Ourselves"
    8. "Inspire"
    9. "Step you"
    10. "Fairyland"
    11. "Voyage"
    12. "Moments"
    13. "H" [TV-CM]

    2nd DVD – Best of CountDown Live 2006-2007

    1. "Not Yet"
    2. "Ourselves"
    3. "Fly High"
    4. "Beautiful Fighters"
    5. "Never Ever"
    6. "A Song for" ××
    7. "No Way to Say"
    8. "Free & Easy"
    9. "Evolution"
    10. "Flower Garden"
    11. "Until That Day..."
    12. "Audience"
    13. "Boys & Girls"

    -encore-

    1. "Trauma"
    2. "Independent"
    3. "Humming 7/4"
    4. "Blue Bird"

    Charts

    A Best 2: White – Oricon Sales Chart (Japan)

  • Total Sales : 721,850 (Japan)
  • Total Sales : 750,000 (Avex)

    • Japan

    After the first week sales of A Best 2: Black and White were announced, Hamasaki had already garnered sales of over 1 million copies. With the release of A Best 2, Hamasaki also broke many records.

    As of August 2007, A Best 2 has charted in the top 5 of 2007 Oricon Half-Yearly Album 2007 Chart. A Best: White charted as #3 and Black charted as #4; the nearest competitor was Kobukuro with "All Singles Best" with sales around 640,000 copies. However, factoring in consistent sales of Kobukuro's "All Singles Best", it is predicted that A Best 2 will fall down to #4 and #5, respectively. According to Avex, A Best 2 had sold over 2 million copies as of March 2007.

    Oricon Sales Chart (Japan)

  • Total Sales: 1,424,734 (Japan)
  • Total Sales: 2,000,000 (Avex)

    • Taiwan

    A Best 2 as a whole performed very well on the Taiwan Charts. A Best 2: White topped the Taiwan Charts for 8 weeks, while A Best 2: Black has been following behind at #2 consistently, achieving peak at #1 on the second week of being released.

    Total Single Sales: 9,909,689

    Live performances

  • 23 February 2007 (2007-02-23) – Music Station – "Evolution"
  • 24 February 2007 (2007-02-24) – Music Fair 21 – "Evolution", "Dearest", "Heaven"
  • 26 February 2007 (2007-02-26) – Hey! Hey! Hey! – "Dearest"
  • 26 February 2007 (2007-02-26) – SMAPxSMAP – "Voyage", "Unite!"
  • 2 March 2007 (2007-03-02) – Music Station – "Part of Me"
  • 2 March 2007 (2007-03-02) – Music Fighter – "Never Ever"
  • 2 March 2007 (2007-03-02) – PopJam – "Moments"
  • 4 March 2007 (2007-03-04) – Domoto Kyoudai – "Step You"
  • 16 March 2007 (2007-03-16) – Music Station – "Memorial Address"
  • 16 March 2007 (2007-03-16) – PopJam (final episode special) – "No Way to Say"

    • Songs

    Evolution
    Dearest
    Greatful Days*

    References

    A Best 2 Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA