10 Favourite Best-Of/Greatest Hits Collections?

I'm not a big fan of Greatest hits, they usually fail to catch the essence of the band by covering completely different phases of an artists career, often with little flow or link between tracks.

I would generally much prefer to buy an artists best album rather than a greatest hits.

Two greatest hits selections I think do work quite well are the beatles Red and Blue selections, this could be because they both cover a fairly narrow time period (around 3-4 years each).

Moderate the previous post PLEASE

One of my favourite Best Of type thing is The Runrig Collection.

Howard

1. The Fall -'Totally Wired'
2. Swell Maps - 'Collision Time Revisited'

I just read a review of Laura Nyro in Audiophile Voice. she has a new live album from Fillmore East 1974 and a 2 CD set best of Stoned Soul Picnic. Just thought I'd bring a bit of estrogen into this testosterone laden list. I'm also looking for something good for my nieces this Christmas and I think these two are it. also what about Joni Mitchell's Hits and Misses? Great stuff there too.

Life is analogue

I maintain that one of the worst things about the CD age (and the 80 min. storage capacity of same) is the advent of mediocre to downright awful compilations of many artists. Just how many Elton John Greatest Hits collections does the world need? Still, when the GH collections hit the shops, it's always a cue that Christmas isn't far off...

Cynically yours, Steve.

It's a grand old team to play for...

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Originally posted by Steve Bull:
I maintain that one of the worst things about the CD age (and the 80 min. storage capacity of same) is the advent of mediocre to downright awful compilations of many artists. Just how many Elton John Greatest Hits collections does the world need? Still, when the GH collections hit the shops, it's always a cue that Christmas isn't far off...

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Touche', Steve. I am certainly big enough to admit my vulnerability as a middlebrow; and, I certainly agree with you about Elton John compilations (c'est merde!*). Nevertheless, I must insist on the validity of my premise; in which, implicitly, rests the notion that there are some artists which one can cover quite sufficiently with a compilation, negating the necessity ot obtaining several individual albums by said artist(s).

Pedantically Yours,
Bruce

*Apologies for my execrable French.

By the nature of being a hifi forum - we of course here are all musical snobs. However, if the "not-so-serious-about-music" general public are given the opportunity to buy CD's at Asda for £3.75 or whatever for a compilation of mainstream stuff, then that should be welcomed. Better to have people buy music than not at all.
(I'll still sneer at it though! )

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Originally posted by Rasher:
By the nature of being a hifi forum - we of course here are all musical snobs.

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Are we really? I love a lot of mainstream stuff; the "guilty pleasures" thread got a lot of responses; in fact, having "best of" comps is a great way of minimising the shelf space occupied by same, so that when your hip friends visit, your street credibility sustains minimal damage!

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Originally posted by bhazen:
Are we really?

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Yup.
Why do you think that thread is called "Guilty Pleasures"?

Good compilation albums predate the digital age by a very long time.

The Beatles 1962-66 and 1967-70 (the Red & Blue Albums) spring to mind and they were issued in about 1973. Another one is The Beach Boys Endless Summer which came out at around the same time.

For one of the very best, though, you have to go back to an even earlier era. The Stones' Big Hits (High Tide & Green Grass) was issued in 1966 and contains such marvellous songs as Satisfaction, Last Time, Lady Jane & Paint it Black.

Paul

Ok, to answer the question less cynically this time

As Paul G says, Beatles red and blue and the Stones' Big Hit (HT&GG) are classics.
Other good ones...

REM: In Time. GReat song after great song. One or two I'd love to have seen on there (Electrolite for startes) but nothing bad on it. Their erlier GH album (IRS years) is pretty good too.

Ian Dury: New Boots and Panties. What can I say, poetry to music with an Essex accent. Lyrically, our answer to Chuck Berry?

Manics: Forever Delayed. Fantastic, non-stop excellence. Shame about the bonus re-mixes disc that came with it - not delayed enough imho.

And that's about it really, I've not been one for having GH albums, I'd rather find a few whole albums by the artist and go from there. My earlier cynicism was prompted by the sheer number of GH Albums from oldies in need of a pension fund; cynical marketing; more re-packaging for the "B&O brigade" and GHs from boy- girl- and paedo-pop bands who've only produced two albums in the first place.

Hmmm, I'm degenerating again. Off before the nurse brings the purple tablets for me.

Steve.

It's a grand old team to play for...

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Ian Dury: New Boots and Panties. What can I say, poetry to music with an Essex accent. Lyrically, our answer to Chuck Berry?

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Now this is a brilliant album, but I didn't think it was a greatest hits, I know it contains a couple of singles but I thought it was a legit album.

Yeah - doesn't count. Mind you, there were bands in the 80's that just released every track off an album until it became a greatest hits album. I can't think of an example though.

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there were bands in the 80's that just released every track off an album until it became a greatest hits album. I can't think of an example though.

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What about...

Thriller - Michael Jackson

I'd love to say I'm not a GH person but the truth is that there are some people where I just don't want to explore further.

I can't agree with the Beatles '1'. It isn't what it says on the tin for starters and the red/blue albums stack up far better even now, however, what CD had done is brought out great remasters like 40 Licks.

May I cast a vote for the Crowded House compilation, which is excellent and, of course, the Beautiful South (every home has one, admit it).

Mike

Forgot the Dexys compilation currently on regular play. Absolutely superb. All three albums are great but the compilation actually adds something. A rare treat.

Mike

Ah, I kinda like some best of's. I would never buy regular albums of some artists, but best of's are great for shouting along, for example Duran Duran and Spandau Ballet. How low can you go hey...

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Originally posted by Nick Lees:
I generally don't have much time for these things, but I have a seriously soft spot for my first Beach Boys album - The Best Of...

nick.lees at btinternet.com

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Agree wholeheartedly Nick. You need a Beach Boys compilation in there somewhere. A catalogue of music right up there with the Beatles (and above them in places).

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Originally posted by TomK:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Nick Lees:
I generally don't have much time for these things, but I have a seriously soft spot for my first Beach Boys album - The Best Of...

Agree wholeheartedly Nick. You need a Beach Boys compilation in there somewhere. A catalogue of music right up there with the Beatles (and above them in places).

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Here in Bushville, we have the excellent Sounds of Summer: The Very Best of the Beach Boys, on Capitol. I could very happily live with this as my sole 'Boys compo. Although I can't wait to hear the new Smile.

"The problem with 40 licks is it sounds crap."

Hmm, I'd check out that system set up if I were you. 40 Licks is probably the only decent remaster of Stones material there has ever been IMHO. Indeed, whilst I am aware of plenty of shambolic reissues, I understood the current sets of digipaks and 40 Licks to be the first remasters of The Stones. I stand to be corrected but I've never heard them bettered.

That's not to say they're perfect (Bob Ludwig! 'Nuff said!!!) but what exactly is better?

Mike