Due to the impact the song had after 2011, I guess it's very much possible.

And I wouldn't be surprised if they put "a song is born" MY STORY CLASSICAL version on it for the same reason.

this is one of those songs that she would find lyrically meaningful and is technically a ballad, so I think it's possible. (definitely not a favourite of mine by any stretch so I would not be excited for this in the track list.)

Do we know who else is releasing on March 12?

Maybe no one. It's Friday, regular release day is Wednesday

the de facto release date of A BALLADS 2 will be on the Wednesday of that week (10 March) though, right? she's just putting 12 March as the official release date for commemorative reason because that's the release date of the first A BALLADS.

Or maybe they are adopting Friday as release day because of the streaming services.

It doesn't matter if it's not the first day of the week for Oricon. A BEST ~15th Anniversary~ was released on 03.28, a Monday, so it's not even a new thing for her to release outside Wednesday.

"Fly get" is usually 1 day prior to the release date, so I think it'll be available on Thursday? Or is there some other piece of info I haven't seen?

They're releasing it on March 12 because the first one came out on March 12 I believe. The release date doesn't really matter for the streaming services. A lot of Western acts release on Fridays because that's when the tracking for U.S. Billboard charts starts

I see. I'm not familiar with how soon flying-gets usually are so you're probably correct; my assumption was solely based on my understanding of Wednesdays as the customary release days.

I read this twice and you and you brought an argument at the end that basically nullified what you said. If any, A BEST 2 was a boring, typical best-of album.
I started to listen to Ayumi after STEP you and had a hard time getting into anything prior. That aside, I think both A BEST (as it captured a special feeling in its complete package, circumstances, etc.) and A BALLADS are her strongest compilation albums. A BALLADS is no best of album, its a collection and they made sure it has a remarkable flow and feeling in how they put the songs and rearrangements. Again, the full package (cover, RAINBOW, etc.) made it complete.

You are right tho, it was her starting to go down in sales, but the songs included were all know and loved by the public. I highly disagree with it being a "milking"-release, cause a lot of thought and work went into it (which songs go on it, which songs a remade and even two new songs on it - A song for XX even feels like a new song here too).

I personally like these kind of releases - especially when they offer something new. If they don't, there is no need for a physical release at all in tis digital age.

I know for Wednesdays the flying get is on tuesday, I'm not 100% sure if albums that are released on other days also go on sale one day early though

I pre-ordered the box with 2 BR hoping that one of them is an unrealeased concert like, for example, POWER OF MUSIC 2018 ?

Fingers crossed...

I wonder if the aesthetic of this release, such as the cover and booklet, will have the same color scheme as the release banner thing used when announcing this release. The soft, golden champagne color with black font is very elegant and yet has a nostalgic feeling.

The first one had golds, champagne, and white instead of the black font but it is similar, even ever so slightly.

...I'm feeling very eager to know what the tracklist will be!!

Yes, some of the outer boxes of her releases have been bland (ie AT 2016, CDL 2020) but I think the design on the Best Live Box was a step up design-wise.

I'm hoping for a callback to the colours and themes of the original A BALLADS for the covers and outer boxes though, maybe 2 Ayu's again.

yeah A BEST 2 could be boring cause there was almost no new material, but they are a must-have in a collection they contain all the big songs. As greatest hits, I find both A BEST 2 quite solid. After 15 years, I think the 2 Ayu CD that I put the most often in my CD player are A Best 2 Black and Summer Best... I feel pretty confident that Ballads 2 will be on that list.

***That is said, I understand I can be in the minority of people who still use CD player :p

I really hope fated makes it on a disc. It's such an understated ballad in Ayu's discography and has always given me those ethereal A BALLADS vibes. :heart

Let's just be happy that A BALLADS 2 is not going to be 5 CDs, considering how many songs she produced since the last A BALLADS

I can't stop speculating wildly about this album's tracklist (and I may very well end up disappointed, no surprises) because I really can't pin down her definition of "ballad". A BALLADS has slow- and mid-tempo songs throughout, but it also has a rearrangement of A Song for ×× that I consider to be firmly "rock". I'm guessing the lyrics play a role into this consideration?

that said, I wonder if she considers the likes of is this LOVE?, Because of You, or decision part of her "ballad" demographic. GAME turns out as a fantastic full-orchestra song in MY STORY Classical, so we know rearrangements into "softer" songs work well.

I think that version of A song for XX is considered a rock-ballad. I don't think is this LOVE? or Because of You are in the ballad basket (my personal opinion), but I do see Memorial address, Last Minute or Sorrows there. I think it's about the message of the lyrics, but I did notice that her ballads tend to have a straightforward message most of the times.

At this point I stopped speculating, the only thing I still hope for is a majestic orchestra version for Marionette...

The amount of ballads released since 2003 is so massive that we don’t have a clue how the track list will look like. The only one I’m sure it’ll be included is Heaven. If promoted correctly, this can assure Avex great sales, so I hope they just don’t make a playlist on a CD and instead put some effort on it, like new arrangements and such. It would be even cheaper and nice to have Ayu recording new vocals, but we know that ain’t happening.