A Best 2

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A Best 2 is a series of greatest hits compilation albums recorded by Ayumi Hamasaki which were released simultaneously on February 28, 2007 (2007-02-28). 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.^[1] 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.^[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.^[2][3]

A Best 2: Black

A Best 2: Black
CD-Only Cover
Greatest hits album by Ayumi Hamasaki
CD+DVD Cover

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
HMV	[4]

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.^[5]

Track listing

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

A Best 2: White
CD-Only Cover
Greatest hits album by Ayumi Hamasaki
CD+DVD Cover

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
HMV	[6]

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

Track listing

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)

Release history

Sales and accomplishments

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.^[7]

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.

Featured singles

Total Single Sales: 9,909,689

Live performances

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

External links

• Information about A BEST 2 in Ayumi Hamasaki's website^{[dead link]}
• HMV Hong Kong Asian Chart
• HMV Hong Kong Japanese Chart
• g-music charts
• Korea montly charts^{[dead link]}

References