# 25th the Best – Alive

25th the Best – Alive is the fifth greatest hits album by Japanese-American singer-songwriter Ai. Originally released digitally on February 19, 2025, via EMI Records, the album was later released physically on February 26, 2025. It contains material from Ai's second to thirteenth studio albums alongside three non-album singles.

## Background

Ai released her thirteenth studio album Respect All on August 23, 2023. After completing her tour of the same name, she released the promotional single "Whatever". In 2024, Ai was featured on a series of albums, including Ringo Sheena's Carnival and Mori Calliope's Phantomime. In July, she released "Untitled" featuring Pushim and Dabo, a mashup of Ai's song "Whatever" and the remix version of Pushim's "I Wanna Know You" featuring Dabo. In November, Ai made a series of posts regarding her 25th anniversary of her debut on social media.

## Release and promotion

On November 2, 2024, Universal Music Japan launched a website for Ai's 25th anniversary with the message "We are Alive!!!". On November 29, the website was updated, unveiling the Alive Tour, which will begin in May 2025. Alongside the tour announcement, Ai shared on social media she would be releasing a greatest hits album, 25th the Best – Alive. Universal Japan announced limited copies of "Story" and "Happiness" on 7-inch single vinyls, which will be released the same day as 25th the Best – Alive.
Various editions of the album were announced with limited first press goods. The standard edition features 18 tracks while the deluxe version includes 34 tracks split on two discs. A limited three disc version of the album includes live footage from Ai's Respect All Tour alongside tracks from the deluxe version.
On January 31, "Nakama", the ending theme song for Dragon Ball Daima, was added as a bonus track on the album. On February 19, 25th the Best – Alive was surprise released digitally. The digital release features the deluxe edition track listing as well as the cover art used on the physical limited edition version.

## Commercial performance

Upon its digital release, 25th the Best – Alive debuted at number 17 on the Oricon Digital Albums chart. The album also debuted at number 15 on the Billboard Japan Download Albums chart.
Since its physical release, 25th the Best – Alive debuted at number nine on the Oricon Daily Albums chart. It later fell the next day to number 11. The album later debuted at number 13 on the weekly Oricon Albums Chart as well as debuting at number 15 on the Combines Albums Chart. On the Billboard Japan charts, 25th the Best – Alive failed to enter the Hot Albums chart, however it peaked at number seven on the Download Albums chart, becoming Ai's first top-ten album on the chart.

## Track listing

Notes
* The album's limited edition CD+DVD release consists of three discs.
* "Respect All" interpolates Bob James' 1982 instrumental song "Shamboozie" written by James.

## Release history

Release history and formats for 25th the Best – Alive :
| Region | Date | Format(s) | Version | Label |
| Various | February 19, 2025 | Digital downloadstreaming | Standard | EMI |
| Japan | February 26, 2025 | CD | Standard | EMIDef Jam |
| Japan | February 26, 2025 | CD | Deluxe | EMIDef Jam |
| Japan | February 26, 2025 | CDDVD | Limited | EMIDef Jam |
| Japan | February 26, 2025 | CDBlu-ray | Limited | EMIDef Jam |
| Japan | February 26, 2025 | CD (Amazon exclusive) | Standard | EMIDef Jam |
| Japan | February 26, 2025 | CD (Amazon exclusive) | Deluxe | EMIDef Jam |
| Japan | February 26, 2025 | CD (Amazon exclusive)DVD (Amazon exclusive) | Limited | EMIDef Jam |
| Japan | February 26, 2025 | CD (Amazon exclusive)Blu-ray (Amazon exclusive) | Limited | EMIDef Jam |
| Japan | February 26, 2025 | CD (Universal Japan exclusive) | Standard | Universal Japan |
| Japan | February 26, 2025 | CD (Universal Japan exclusive) | Deluxe | Universal Japan |
| Japan | February 26, 2025 | CD (Universal Japan exclusive)DVD (Universal Japan exclusive) | Limited | Universal Japan |
| Japan | February 26, 2025 | CD (Universal Japan exclusive)Blu-ray (Universal Japan exclusive) | Limited | Universal Japan |

## Best of digital compilations

On March 12, 2025, Universal Music Enterprises released a digital compilation album, Best of Collabo Vol. 1. On social media, Ai shared four additional digital compilations would be released. Describing the releases as "playlists", Ai revealed majority of the tracks featured are "songs that didn't make the cut for the 25th best album".