A Best 2

Infobox Album |
Name = A Best 2
Type = Greatest
Artist = Ayumi Hamasaki


Cover size =
Released = flagicon|Japan February 28 2007
flagicon|Taiwan March 9 2007
flagicon|Hong Kong March 13, 2007
flagicon|Singapore March 14, 2007
flagicon|South Korea March 15, 2007
Genre = J-Pop
Length = 2h30 aprox.
Label = Avex Trax
Producer = Max Matsuura
Reviews =
Last album = "Secret"
(2006)
This album = "A Best 2 (-White-/-Black-)"
(2007)
Next album = "Guilty"
(2008)Extra album cover 2
Upper caption = CD Cover
Type = remix


Lower caption =

"A Best 2" is a series of Greatest Hits compilation albums recorded by Ayumi Hamasaki which were released simultaneously on 28 February, 2007. The series consists of:
*"A Best 2 -Black-"
*"A Best 2 -White-"

A special website was opened in order to promote "A Best 2" and can be found here. [http://www.abest2.com/english]

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. [ [http://www.ahsforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=56189&highlight=remastered New info about A Best 2 tracks mastered - Ayumi Hamasaki Sekai ] ] [ja icon [http://abest2.com/index.html ayumi hamasaki 「A BEST 2」SPECIAL SITE ] ]

ales 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. It is the 1st time in 36.5 years that a female artist has occupied #1 and #2 in the album charts and it is the 1st time in the United World Chart's history that a solo female artist topped the chart with 2 albums landing at #1 and #2 at the same time.

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. [ [http://www.avex.co.jp/e_site/press/2008/070518.pdf Avex Financial Results of the first quarter of 2007 Page 2] ]

Oricon Sales Chart (Japan)

* Total Sales: 1,424,734 (Japan)
* Total Sales: 2,000,000 (Avex)
* Total Sales: 4,000,000 (Asia)

Taiwan

"A Best 2" as a whole performed very well on the Taiwan Charts. "A Best 2 -White-" has topped the Taiwan Charts for 5 weeks, and is still charting at #1, 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: 9,318,208

Live Performances

*February 23, 2007 – Music Station - "evolution"
*February 24, 2007 – Music Fair 21 - "evolution", "Dearest", "Heaven"
*February 26, 2007 – Hey! Hey! Hey! - "Dearest"
*February 26, 2007 – SMAPxSMAP - "Voyage", "Unite!"
*March 2, 2007 – Music Station - "part of Me"
*March 2, 2007 – Music Fighter - "Never Ever"
*March 2, 2007 – PopJam - "Moments"
*March 4, 2007 – Domoto Kyoudai - "Step you"
*March 16, 2007 – Music Station - "Memorial address"
*March 16, 2007 – PopJam (final episode special) - "No way to say"

References