Utada the Best

Utada the Best
Greatest hits album by
ReleasedNovember 24, 2010 (2010-11-24)
Recorded2004–2009
Genre
Length68:39
LabelUniversal Music Japan
CompilerUniversal Music Japan
Hikaru Utada chronology
This Is the One
(2009)
Utada the Best
(2010)
Fantôme
(2016)

Utada the Best is Japanese pop/R&B singer-songwriter Hikaru Utada's first English language compilation album, released on November 24, 2010, the same day as Utada Hikaru Single Collection Vol. 2. The album is a "best of" album featuring her more prominent and popular songs from her English career as Utada.

Background

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The album was announced via her Japanese Utada site (www.Utada.jp),[1] without much in way of promoting or officially announcing it. It has also been included in various other sources.[2][3][4][5][6][7] The album is available for sale in Japan only. Utada the Best features both songs from her 2004 album Exodus, and her 2009 album This Is the One, as well as previously-released maxi-CD remixes by various artists. The album features both singles and non-singles from both albums.

The cover of Utada the Best is the same picture for that of her "Exodus '04" single cover.

Utada herself stated that the release of the compilation album is "entirely against [her] will". She also said "I understand that if it doesn't sell I'm the one who will take the hit, but to be honest, I don't want my fans putting down money for something that my heart isn't in."[8] She posted on her official Twitter account: "The release of "Utada the best" is entirely against my will. I wish that my fans won't have to buy it. There's no new material in it."[9][non-primary source needed]

Commercial performance

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The album sold a total of 20,278 copies, peaking at No. 12 on Oricon charts. This is Utada's overall lowest selling album released in Japan, and is her only album (other than Precious) that did not reach No. 1 on any chart in Japan.[citation needed]

Track listing

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No.TitleProducer(s)Length
1."Come Back to Me" (from This Is the One)Utada, M.S. Eriksen, T.E. Hermansen3:58
2."Easy Breezy" (from Exodus)Utada4:03
3."Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence – FYI" (from This Is the One)Utada, M.S. Eriksen, T.E. Hermansen, Ryuichi Sakamoto3:49
4."You Make Me Want to Be a Man" (from Exodus)Utada4:37
5."This One (Crying Like a Child)" (from This Is the One)Utada, M.S. Eriksen, T.E. Hermansen4:30
6."Exodus '04" (from Exodus)Utada, Timbaland4:32
7."Apple and Cinnamon" (from This Is the One)Utada, M.S. Eriksen, T.E. Hermansen4:39
8."Automatic Part II" (from This Is the One)Utada, C. "Tricky" Stewart, S. Hall3:01
9."Devil Inside" (from Exodus)Utada3:58
10."Kremlin Dusk" (from Exodus)Utada5:14
11."Sanctuary (Opening)" (from This Is the One [Bonus Track])Utada4:25
12."Sanctuary (Ending)" (from This Is the One [Bonus Track])Utada5:58
13."Exodus '04 (JJ Flores Double J Radio Mix)" (from Exodus '04 [Single])Utada, JJ Flores3:44
14."Devil Inside (RJD2 Remix)" (from Devil Inside [Single])Utada, RJD24:07
15."Come Back to Me (Tony Moran & Warren Rigg Radio Edit)" (from Come Back to Me [Single])Utada, M.S. Eriksen, T.E. Hermansen4:33
16."Dirty Desire (Mike Rizzo Radio Edit)" (from Dirty Desire [Single])Utada, Stewart3:34

Release history

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Region Date Format
Japan November 24, 2010 (2010-11-24)[3] CD, digital download
November 26, 2010 (2010-11-26)[10] Rental CD

References

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  1. ^ [1] Archived October 24, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ "Utada/utada the best – TOWER RECORDS ONLINE". Tower.jp. February 27, 2012. Retrieved March 13, 2012.
  3. ^ a b "[CD] Utada The Best / Utada". Neowing. Retrieved March 13, 2012.
  4. ^ "English Language Best Album 'Utada The Best' being released on 11/24? » U.Blog / The Utada News Blog". Blog.utada2.net. October 20, 2010. Archived from the original on July 24, 2011. Retrieved March 13, 2012.
  5. ^ "Utada The Best Utada [CD]". Cdjapan.co.jp. Retrieved March 13, 2012.
  6. ^ "Utada The Best (Japan Version) CD – Utada, Utada Hikaru, Universal International – Western / World Music – Free Shipping". Yesasia. November 24, 2010. Retrieved March 13, 2012.
  7. ^ "Utada The Best(グレイテストヒッツ)【CD】-Utada 発売国:日本|ポップス|ジャパニーズポップス|音楽|HMV ONLINE CD、DVDの通販-ゲーム、書籍、 タレントの写真集も". Hmv.co.jp. Retrieved March 13, 2012.
  8. ^ "Utada: "The release of 'Utada The Best' is entirely against my will" » U.Blog / The Utada News Blog". Blog.utada2.net. October 24, 2010. Archived from the original on October 30, 2010. Retrieved March 13, 2012.
  9. ^ "Twitter / 宇多田ヒカル: The release of "Utada the". Twitter. October 24, 2010. Retrieved March 13, 2012.
  10. ^ "Utada The Best/Utada". Tsutaya. Retrieved November 19, 2010.