B'z The Best "ULTRA Pleasure"
| B'z The Best "ULTRA Pleasure" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Compilation album by B'z | ||||
| Released | June 18th, 2008 | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 2:13:18 Disc 1 - 1:10:32 Disc 2 - 1:02:46 | |||
| Label | Vermillion Records | |||
| Producer | Tak Matsumoto | |||
| B'z chronology | ||||
| ||||
B'z The Best "ULTRA Pleasure" is a compilation album released by B'z on June 18, 2008. Released to coincide with their 20th anniversary debut, this is their first official best of album to include 2 discs, if not taking into account the unofficial status of "Flash Back -B'z Early Special Titles-". Rare footage from their previous lives have been included on a Premium Live DVD as part of the "2CD+DVD" edition, in addition to the standard 2CD edition. Two popular non-Single tracks from their catalogue have been re-recorded especially for this release: "BAD COMMUNICATION -ULTRA Pleasure Style-" and "Pleasure 2008 ~Jinsei no Kairaku~". Fan favorite "Itsuka no Merry Christmas" is also included as the only other non-Single track in this compilation. All tracks on this best of album have been remastered.
Unlike other B'z compilations, this best of album includes tracks from their past 20 years and as a result, many tracks available on B'z The Best "ULTRA Pleasure" overlap with songs found on previous compilations such as B'z The Best "Pleasure" and B'z The Best "Pleasure II". Disc 1 (known as The First RUN) collects songs from 1989 to 1998, while Disc 2 (The Second RUN) collects songs from 1998 to 2007. Notably, their latest single at the time of release, "BURN -Fumetsu no Face-" was missing, but later selected by fans to be included on B'z The Best "ULTRA Treasure".
Initially, there were plans to include the bonus DVD on limited editions only. However, this plan was scrapped and as a result, both editions could be bought year-round. In commemoration of the album's release, street boards, flags and signboards were displayed for a limited time in Shibuya, Tokyo.
When B'z The Best "ULTRA Pleasure was released, B'z were still touring nationwide for B'z LIVE-GYM 2008 "ACTION". Similar to the release of their single "BURN -Fumetsu no Face-" earlier in April, other than commercials promoting their new release, B'z were unable to make television appearances due to their busy schedule.
Upon release, B'z The Best "ULTRA Pleasure" premiered in the top spot on the weekly Oricon albums chart, making it the top selling album for the month of June. The Recording Industry Association of Japan has certified the album as a Million seller. It is also currently the last best of album by B'z to top one million in sales. In December 9, 2008, Christmas themed cover editions, limited to 100,000 copies, for both this album and B'z The Best "ULTRA Treasure" were re-released. In December 22, 2008, the album reached the 15th position of the Oricon albums chart. In total, the compilation has appeared on the Oricon albums chart 56 times and is ranked as the seventh best selling album of 2008.
Track listing
All music and guitar by Tak Matsumoto. All lyrics and lead vocals by Koshi Inaba.
Disc 1 - The First RUN
- BAD COMMUNICATION -ULTRA Pleasure Style-
- Re-recorded version of the titular song found on their first mini album "BAD COMMUNICATION". With a length of 6:20, it is approximately one minute shorter than the original. This version is similar to live renditions performed by B'z in recent years.
- BE THERE
- 4th single. The oldest recording on this album.
- Easy Come, Easy Go!
- 6th single.
- LADY NAVIGATION
- 8th single.
- ALONE
- 9th single.
- ZERO
- 11th single.
- Itsuka no Merry Christmas — A Merry Christmas Once Upon A Time, いつかのメリークリスマス
- From mini-album FRIENDS.
- Ai no Mama ni Wagamama ni Boku wa Kimi Dake wo Kizutsukenai — Even Though Love is Selfish, You're the Only One I Won't Hurt, 愛のままにわがままに
- 12th single.
- Hadashi no Megami — Barefoot Goddess, 裸足の女神
- 13th single.
- Negai — Wish, ねがい
- 16th single.
- love me, I love you
- 17th single.
- LOVE PHANTOM
- 18th single.
- Mienai Chikara ~INVISIBLE ONE~ — ミエナイチカラ, Invisible Power
- 1st beat from 19th single "Mienai Chikara ~INVISIBLE ONE~/MOVE".
- Calling
- 22nd single.
- Samayoeru Aoi Dangan — Wandering Sapphire Bullet, さまよえる蒼い弾丸
- 24th single.
Disc 2 - The Second RUN
- HOME
- 25th single.
- girigiri chop — on the edge chop, ギリギリchop
- 26th single.
- Konya Tsuki no Mieru Oka ni — On the Hilltop Where We Can See the Moon Tonight, 今夜月の見える丘に
- 27th single.
- juice
- 29th single.
- ultra soul
- 31st single.
- Atsuki Kodou no Hate — The Result of this Hot Heartbeat, 熱き鼓動の果て
- 33rd single.
- IT'S SHOWTIME!!
- 34th single.
- BANZAI
- 36th single.
- Ai no Bakudan — Love Bomb, 愛のバクダン
- 38th single.
- OCEAN
- 39th single.
- Shoudou — Impulse, 衝動
- 40th single. Single version collected for the first time on an album.
- SPLASH!
- 42nd single.
- Eien no Tsubasa — Eternal Wings, 永遠の翼
- 43rd single.
- SUPER LOVE SONG
- 44th single.
- Pleasure 2008 ~Jinsei no Kairaku~ — The Pleasure of Life, 人生の快楽
- The original version, Pleasure'91 ~Jinsei no Kairaku~, was released as a B-side on the 8th single "LADY NAVIGATION" in 1991. This is the third version of the song recorded on an album (Pleasure'98 ~Jinsei no Kairaku~ is available on B'z The Best "Treasure"). As is custom with the Pleasure series, for this re-recording, parts of the lyrics and composition have been changed.