...Best II

...Best II is a compilation album by The Smiths. It was released in November, 1992 by the new owner of their back catalogue, WEA (Sire Records in the United States). Its highest British chart position was #29; it did not chart in the U.S.

About the album

WEA (now the Warner Music Group) had acquired the entire Smiths back catalogue in early 1992 (sister label Sire Records already had the North American rights). Along with the re-release of all original albums and compilations, they immediately set to work compiling a 'best of' collection in two volumes. It was the first time a regular best of compilation had ever been made of The Smiths' material and the first volume effortlessly reached the top of the British charts. This, the second volume, fared considerably worse. The British press continued to groan about sell-out and low track selection coherence.

The material is more or less picked and sequenced at random, and consists of both singles and album cuts. As with the first volume, in the UK a spin-off single was released: "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" (which had originally been earmarked as a single back in 1986 but was ultimately passed over in favour of "Bigmouth Strikes Again"). The single was released ahead of the compilation album and reached #25.

Best II

Best II may refer to:

See also

Best & USA

Best & USA is a 2009 album by South Korean pop singer BoA. A Japanese issue coinciding with the release of the singer's American debut album, BoA, it contains the American album (USA) as well as a compilation of Japanese singles (Best). It was released on 18 March 2009.

Best & USA was better received in Japan than BoA had been in the U.S., reaching #2 on the Oricon weekly album charts. It sold over 100,000 copies and was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of Japan. The Japanese songs were also released separately as Best II on 15 April 2009.

History

In 2008, after successfully breaking into the Japanese market, BoA and her label S.M. Entertainment set out to record new material to crack the lucrative U.S. pop market. The label founded a new American branch, S.M. Entertainment USA, and BoA recorded a new album of English material to be promoted in the United States, ultimately titled BoA and released on March 17, 2009.

Coinciding with the American release, BoA also released Best & USA in Japan, including both the new album and a compilation of her Japanese singles. The album was released in several formats mixing the Japanese singles with the new material. BoA promoted Best & USA with appearances in Japan amid her promotions in the United States.