Best and worst greatest hits albums?

[WChrisMullen]

I consider greatest hits albums to be something of a necessary evil, usually good as an introduction or crash course to a band, but they often leave off under-appreciated tracks. Sometimes the track listing of a Greatest Hits album can distill a band's career into the most absolutely indispensable, but sometimes it feels slapdash.

For a best and worst in my opinion, "Love" by the Beatles is one of the best compilations I have heard. It's more properly a remix album, but it hits all the major notes of their career, and the remixes make the old songs sound new again, so even people who already had all of their albums would want to get it.

In the "worst" column, I found "The Best of Both Worlds" by Van Halen to be a confusing mess. It was supposed to have Disc 1 cover the David Lee Roth era, and Disc 2 cover the Sammy Hagar era, but infighting ultimately produced a confusing mess of a track list. "Eruption" opens the album, but "You Really Got Me" isn't until track 7. Hearing those songs separated by several Van Hagar songs just sounds wrong, especially when they flowed so seamlessly into each other on the original album. The new songs recorded for the compilation are also far inferior to those recorded for their other greatest hits album back in the 90's, and the inclusion of songs from the aggressively mediocre "Live: Right Here Right Now" just leaves a bad taste in your mouth.

What are your picks for best and worst compilation albums?

[thezepguy]

I've always disliked compilation albums, mainly as a rule of thumb, though if I want to get into a less album-oriented band, I will get a compilation to test the water..but as soon as I've decided, I drop it like a hot potato and get the artist's studio albums..

As for worst, I really dislike any sort of "Greatest Hits Live" albums..the main reason being, that most bands don't sound that great live. Would it have killed them to just put the studio recordings?

Any compilation album that is released after the artists commercial prime, but still neglects their true best and instead opts for the most well-known songs, pisses me off. Take The Rolling Stone's newest compilation "Grrr" for example, 50 tracks and still only grazing the surface - with the most well-known tracks, as opposed to some of the very best that are buried in each album. "Moonlight Mile" from Sticky Fingers could have been a great closer, but of course, since it wasn't a single, and it's not played on Classic Rock radio then I can't be on the album! Same with any of the Beach Boy's compilations..they continually perpetuate the public notion that the Beach Boys were nothing but mindless Surf singers..and they never ever feature the deeper tracks from Pet Sounds, or any from SMiLE...though I guess Pet Sounds needs to be listened to as a complete whole to be understood. Maybe they should just re-release Pet Sounds under the title The Best Of The Beach Boys.

I know, I know, compilation albums are all about catching the new/average listener, but c'mon, do album-oriented bands like Pink Floyd really need them?

Enough bitchin'..for best, I would nominate The Rolling Stone's "Rolled Gold"..it's a shallow, but exellent look into their ABKCO era...oh wait, that's not even their best...I would have to say "Jump Back" is! That's the compilation that really got me into the Stones, even though it is their later stuff. The tag team of both "Rolled Gold" and "Jump Back" are enough to get anyone into the stones.

Edited November 20, 2012 by thezepguy

[Xtazy]

I think it depends on how big a fan you are of a certain band. If you are really crazy about an artist, no compilation will satisfy you. You'll always feel there should have been more, because you probably like all of the material.

That being said, I really enjoy Elton John's "Greatest Hits 1972-2002", The Beatles' "1" and Hendrix's "Experience Hendrix: The Best of Jimi Hendrix".

I usually try the "Best of" albums just to check an artist out that I've never listened to before. If it's good enough, I'll look closer into it .

[Beckenbauer 6]

The Scorpions have had plenty of "Best of" albums. Now the band is retiring, I expect they'll have a few more

They are so cheesy and 80s, and so typically German, I can't help but like them!

Edited November 20, 2012 by Beckenbauer 6

[kaiser]

The best are the Beatles "Red" & "Blue" greatest hits compilations with a honorable mention to the Rolling Stones "Hot Rocks" & "More Hot Rocks". The worst both of The Eagles "Greatest Hits" albums with a dishonorable mention to Steve Millers "Greatest Hits". I just never want to hear any of those songs from either ever again.

[thezepguy]

The best are the Beatles "Red" & "Blue" greatest hits compilations with a honorable mention to the Rolling Stones "Hot Rocks" & "More Hot Rocks". The worst both of The Eagles "Greatest Hits" albums with a dishonorable mention to Steve Millers "Greatest Hits". I just never want to hear any of those songs from either ever again.

Is it a dislike of the artists themselves, or the songs featured on the compilations?

I second the Beatles "Red" and "Blue", they are the ones that sucked me into an ill-fated love of the Beatles while in high school.

[reswati]

Just read the raving reviews for this record to realize there is only one best of the best of albums

http://www.amazon.com/Looking-For-Best-David-Hasselhoff/dp/B0000070S1

"I plan on playing this album on repeat for my upcoming vasectomy. A Buddhist I met said it helps heal scarred tissue."

"There is little doubt now that David Husselshaft is a major force in the music business these days. I've already been a fan for many years, but an amazing thing happened recently which I have to share. The doctor said my dog Cherish had only days to live. Desperate for any sign of recovery, I played this CD in the garage for him 24/7, and not only did my dog die, but so did 2 cats and all of my plants. My neighbor came down with a rare form of stomach virus, the one causes massive cramping and explosive diarrhea. Boy did I prove that doctor wrong!"

[Led Dirigible]

Just read the raving reviews for this record to realize there is only one best of the best of albums

http://www.amazon.com/Looking-For-Best-David-Hasselhoff/dp/B0000070S1

"I plan on playing this album on repeat for my upcoming vasectomy. A Buddhist I met said it helps heal scarred tissue."

"There is little doubt now that David Husselshaft is a major force in the music business these days. I've already been a fan for many years, but an amazing thing happened recently which I have to share. The doctor said my dog Cherish had only days to live. Desperate for any sign of recovery, I played this CD in the garage for him 24/7, and not only did my dog die, but so did 2 cats and all of my plants. My neighbor came down with a rare form of stomach virus, the one causes massive cramping and explosive diarrhea. Boy did I prove that doctor wrong!"

Ha! Many of the reviews on that page are fake. I wonder if it's all the same person, especially with the repeating of the phrase "The song "Hot Shot City" is particularly good."

[reswati]

Ha! Many of the reviews on that page are fake. I wonder if it's all the same person, especially with the repeating of the phrase "The song "Hot Shot City" is particularly good."

Lol, I posted it BECAUSE of it's obvious bullshitness.

[Led Dirigible]

Lol, I posted it BECAUSE of it's obvious bullshitness.

Oh, I know you did. I just mean that there are A LOT of reviews on that page that are fake. I should have worded it differently.