| The Hit Parade II | |
| Type: | studio |
| Artist: | Tak Matsumoto |
| Cover: | The Hit Parade II (Take Matsumoto Album).jpg |
| Recorded: | 2024 |
| Genre: | Kayōkyoku |
| Label: | Vermillion |
| Producer: | Tak Matsumoto |
| Prev Title: | Bluesman |
| Prev Year: | 2020 |
The Hit Parade II is a covers album by Tak Matsumoto in conjunction with several guest artists. It was released on August 28, 2024, through Vermillion Records, more than 20 years after The Hit Parade.
In May 2024, the album announcement was made during his live tour Here Comes the Bluesman, with the official statement written few days later.[1]
The album features cover songs from the late Showa Period from artists such as Off Course, Hideki Saijo and Ann Lewis.[2] [3]
The album has been performed by young artists from Giza Studio such as Aoi Garnet, Z, Daishi Uehara from Wands, Leon Niihama and well-known by public artist such as Teru from Glay and LiSA. Koshi Inaba and Mai Kuraki were the only ones, who reprised their previous roles in the album.[2]
The album was released in three formats: the regular edition, first-press edition and special limited edition. The special edition includes a Blu-ray Disc with partial live footage of the concert "Here Comes the Bluesman" with the guest vocals of Kuraki and Niihama.[3]
The first promotional cover single was "Blue Light Yokohama", originally performed by Ayumi Ishida and covered by Mai Kuraki. The single was released on June 15, 2024. One week before, Matsumoto performed together with Kuraki on the music television program Music Fair.[4]
The second promotional single was "Kizudarake no Roller", originally performed by Hideki Saijo and covered by Leon Niihama. The single was released on July 13. The third promotional cover single was "Roppongi Shinju", originally performed by Ann Lewis, covered by LiSA. The single was released on July 25. All of the singles received a digital-only release.[3]
| Peak position | ||
| Japanese Digital Albums (Oricon)[5] | 7 | |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese Hot Albums (Billboard Japan)[6] | 6 |
| Date | Version | Format | Label | Catalog | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | August 28, 2024 | Standard edition | CD | Vermillion | BMCS-8016 | [7] |
| First-press edition (limited) | CD+BD | VBMCS-8015 | [8] | |||
| Limited edition | CD+BD+poster | BMCS-8014 | [9] | |||
| Various | Digital download | [10] |