Best of Ballade: Empathy
{{Infobox album
| name = Best of Ballade: Empathy
| type = compilation
| artist = Shizuka Kudo
| cover = Best of Ballade Empathy.png
| alt =
| released = {{Start date|1992|11|20}}
| recorded = 1988–92
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = {{hlist|Pop}}
| length = {{Duration|m=53|s=22}}
| label = Pony Canyon
| producer =
| prev_title = Trinity
| prev_year = 1992
| next_title = Rise Me
| next_year = 1993
}}
Best of Ballade: Empathy is the fifth compilation album by Japanese singer Shizuka Kudo. It was released on November 20, 1992, through Pony Canyon. It is Kudo's first ballad collection, followed by Best of Ballade: Current in 1998. Half of the album is made up of ballads from previously released studio albums while the other half features new songs recorded for the album as well as unreleased ballads co-written by Kudo, under the pseudonym Aeri.
Commercial performance
Best of Ballade: Empathy debuted at number six on the Oricon Albums Chart, with 92,000 units sold. It dropped three positions to number nine on its second week, selling 37,000 copies.{{cite web|title=オリコン アルバム 1992.12.7|url=http://www.geocities.jp/object_ori/921207a.html|accessdate=January 8, 2018}} The album charted in the top 100 for eight consecutive weeks, selling a reported total of 180,000 copies during its chart run.{{cite web|title=工藤静香アルバム アイドル・ポップ・データベース|url=http://www.idolpopdatabase.com/custom812.html|accessdate=January 8, 2018}}{{cite web|title=オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」|trans-title=Oricon Ranking Information Service 'You Taiju'|url=http://ranking.oricon.co.jp|work=Oricon|url-access=subscription |accessdate=January 8, 2018}}
Track listing
{{Track listing
| headline =
| extra_column = Arranger(s)
| title1 = Koe o Kikasete
| writer1 = {{hlist|Gorō Matsui|Tsugutoshi Gotō}}
| extra1 = {{hlist|Gotō|Satoshi Kadokura}}
| length1 = 6:35
| title2 = Kanojo Kara...
| note2 = {{Nihongo2|彼女から…}}, "From Her..."
| writer2 = {{hlist|Aeri}}
| extra2 = {{hlist|Gotō}}
| length2 = 4:51
| title3 = Mirai no Takara
| note3 = {{Nihongo2|未来の宝}}, "Future Treasure"
| writer3 = {{hlist|Aeri|Gotō}}
| extra3 = {{hlist|Gotō}}
| length3 = 4:57
| title4 = Garasu no Sanctuary
| note4 = {{Nihongo2|硝子のサンクチュアリ}}, Garasu no Sankuchuari, "Glass Sanctuary"
| writer4 = {{hlist|Shintarō Hirai|Gotō}}
| extra4 = {{hlist|Gotō}}
| length4 = 3:53
| title5 = Kizuna
| note5 = {{Nihongo2|絆}}, "Bond"
| writer5 = {{hlist|Aeri|Gotō}}
| extra5 = {{hlist|Gotō}}
| length5 = 5:43
| title6 = Ki no Nai Lullaby
| note6 = {{Nihongo2|気のないララバイ}}, Ki no Nai Rarabai, "Halfhearted Lullaby"
| writer6 = {{hlist|Aeri|Gotō}}
| extra6 = {{hlist|Gotō}}
| length6 = 4:52
| title7 = Gunshū
| note7 = {{Nihongo2|群衆}}, "Crowd"
| writer7 = {{hlist|Miyuki Nakajima|Gotō}}
| extra7 = {{hlist|Gotō}}
| length7 = 4:29
| title8 = Mizuumi
| note8 = {{Nihongo2|みずうみ}}, "Lake"
| writer8 = {{hlist|Kumiko Yoshizawa|Gotō}}
| extra8 = {{hlist|Gotō|Kadokura|Hiroaki Sugawara}}
| length8 = 4:13
| title9 = Forever
| writer9 = {{hlist|Aeri|Gotō}}
| extra9 = {{hlist|Gotō}}
| length9 = 4:21
| title10 = Mechakucha ni Naite Shimaitai
| writer10 = {{hlist|Matsui|Gotō}}
| extra10 = {{hlist|Gotō|Kadokura}}
| length10 = 5:00
| title11 = X'mas Night
| writer11 = {{hlist|Aeri}}
| extra11 = {{hlist|Nobuo Kurata}}
| length11 = 4:28
| total_length = {{Duration|m=53|s=22}}
}}
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| scope="col"| Chart (1992)
!scope="col"| Peak |
|---|
| scope="row"| Japan Weekly Albums (Oricon){{cite web|title=Best of Ballade Empathy 工藤静香|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/206047/products/173098/1/|work=Oricon|accessdate=January 8, 2018}}
| style="text-align:center;"|6 |
Certification
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Japan|award=Gold|type=album|relyear=1992|certyear=1992|certmonth=11|artist=工藤 静香|title=Best of Ballade Empathy|domestic=true|access-date=January 27, 2021}}
{{Certification Table Bottom | nosales=true }}
Release history
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |
| scope="col"| Region
! scope="col"| Date ! scope="col"| Format(s) ! scope="col"| Label ! scope="col"|{{Abbr|Ref.|References}} |
|---|
| scope="row" | Japan
| {{Start date|1992|11|20}} | rowspan="2" | Pony Canyon | {{cite web|title=Release group "Best of Ballade "Empathy"" by 工藤静香|url=https://musicbrainz.org/release-group/161591d1-4cba-4d37-8f89-dcbfbc6400e0|publisher=MusicBrainz|accessdate=January 10, 2018}} |
| scope="row" | Various
| {{Start date|2016|3|9}} | {{hlist|Digital download}} | {{cite web|title=Best of Ballade Empathy／工藤静香|url=http://mora.jp/package/43000004/PCCA-00406/|publisher=Mora|location=JP|accessdate=January 10, 2018}} |