excuse me, but am I the only one here who thinks a band needs to have more than one hit to qualify for the de riguer “greatest hits” album?
and what exactly is the point in a greatest hit/s album if the band only has 3 or less albums out?
ah yes, comercialism rocks!
I belive someone just saw that Backstreet boys Greatest Hits: Chapter One commercial, didn’t they? 
Don’t forget, if you order now, you also get the REMIXES album!!!
ba ha ha ha!
in fact, I did.
but other bands come to mind, including some of my favs:
naked eyes, greatest hits. they had TWO albums. they had ONE hit (1.5 almost) the greatest hits cd is 2 songs shy of being BOTH albums.
My favorite album title is Procol Harum’s Greatest Hits.
The work features 12 tracks. One No. 1, one No. 6, one No. 22, one No. 44 and 8 tracks which didn’t chart at all.
My favorite band, Toad the Wet Sprocket, released a “greatest hits” of sorts due to contractual obligations. When they broke up, they still owed Columbia 2 albums. So they put together a pseudo greatest hits , titled P.S.: a Toad Retrospective. 16 tracks with 2 new songs made Columbia happy. They were under no illusion that they warrented a greatest hits, hence the title and idea of more of a collection of their best work. Though they did have 7 Top Forty hits…
Has anyone seen my point? I seem to have lost it.
oh, that burns me up even more though:
when a band tosses in one or two unreleased songs on a greates hits cd.
They know full well that it’s the only way to get one of the real fans to buy it.
and yes, I don’t blame the bands entirely. I know a lot has to do with the record execs.
This was a few years ago but a local radio station (97.9, WIYY) did a spoof on this. They had a fake commercial for a Dexie’s Midnight Runners greatest hits album. “Featuring: Track One, ‘Come on Ilene’! Track Two, ‘Come on Ilene’! Track Three…” etc. I’d say that sums up my feelings on the situation.
Wow
After reading this thread
I am more impressed
With
'Best of Bread'Could be a contractual obligation.
Bands used to use best of, greatest hits, or live albums to fulfill the final album of a record contract.
It amuses me when they pad the ‘greatest hits’ albums with “PLUS 4 previously unreleased tracks.”
Uh huh. Couldn’t fill up a whole c.d., could ya?
Ah, well, that depends.
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In Toad’s case, there were “3” unreleased tracks. The first, and title track, “P.S.”, is actually 15 years old. They recorded it for every album, but it never seem to fit. So when the split came along, it seemed appropriate. The second unreleased track, “Silo Lullabye”, is on Coil as a hidden multimedia track. “Eyes Open Wide” is the only really new song on there, they recorded it after they broke up. In Light Syrup is their cd with all the b-sides and such on it. I have a large number of unreleased toad songs that are still unreleased thanks to bootlegs. Hopefully the studio versions of these songs will someday be released 
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I think the “Best of” title is the way to get around the fact that some songs may never have hit the charts. Hits, maybe they weren’t, but the band can pretend to think those tunes are their “best work” for the purpose of the album.
Need I remind you of the artistic force known as FALCO? First there was Rock Me Amadeus, then Rock Me Amadeus, followed by Rock Me Amadeus, and oh yeah… Rock Me Amadeus.
actually falco had 2 hits… Rock me Amadeus and Vienna Calling
The Best of the Smiths, album one is a classic. “How soon is now” is one of my all time fav songs.
Will someone do me a favor and let me know what they think of this? They’re called the Avalanches:
http://www.london-sire.com/avalanches/ you can listen to some songs there.
Actually 3. Who could forget “Der Kommissar”? Who? Apparently me! Still hardly enough to warrant a greatest hits album…
Now Taco, HE deserved a greatest hits!
FYI, Dexie’s Midnight Runner’s DOES have a greatest hits CD out. Check it out here
Another vote for The Smiths’ greatest hits. I’m also a big fan of Legend by Bob Marley & The Wailers, The Charlatans’ greatest hits and even Gold by Abba.
PS Botheredballs – The Avalanches are very good.
OMG!!! :eek:
I’ll see your one Taco (:eek: ), and I’ll raise you One Vanilla Ice
Shouldn’t it be called Vanilla Ice’s Greatest Hit
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Regarding the “contractual obligations” as the reason these bands put out these ridiculous albums. Does anyone know how you can force a defunct band to put out another album (or 2)? Isn’t the contract void when the band breaks up?
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