# greatest hit albums **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 30, 2001, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hit-albums/90479 "2001-10-30T06:45:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_News_Baboon)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2001, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hit-albums/90479/1 "2001-10-30T06:45:02Z")
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! ---
**Author:** ![JustAskAnyone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b4bc9f/32.png) [@JustAskAnyone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustAskAnyone)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2001, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hit-albums/90479/2 "2001-10-30T06:51:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bad News Baboon \* > \*\*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!!! ---
**Author:** ![Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_News_Baboon)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2001, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hit-albums/90479/3 "2001-10-30T07:03:06Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2001, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hit-albums/90479/4 "2001-10-30T07:06:40Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![JustAskAnyone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b4bc9f/32.png) [@JustAskAnyone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustAskAnyone)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2001, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hit-albums/90479/5 "2001-10-30T07:19:24Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_News_Baboon)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2001, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hit-albums/90479/6 "2001-10-30T07:31:45Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Asylum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/53a042/32.png) [@Asylum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asylum)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2001, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hit-albums/90479/7 "2001-10-30T08:18:11Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Enuma\_Elish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5e9695/32.png) [@Enuma\_Elish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enuma_Elish)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2001, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hit-albums/90479/8 "2001-10-30T09:29:08Z")
Wow After reading this thread I am more impressed ``` With 'Best of Bread' ``` ---
**Author:** ![11811](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2001, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hit-albums/90479/9 "2001-10-30T12:47:06Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2001, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hit-albums/90479/10 "2001-10-30T13:00:29Z")
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? ---
**Author:** ![JustAskAnyone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b4bc9f/32.png) [@JustAskAnyone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustAskAnyone)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2001, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hit-albums/90479/11 "2001-10-30T19:07:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by PunditLisa \* > \*\*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. [Hijack] 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 ☹ [/Hijack] ---
**Author:** ![CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crankyasanoldman/32/11670_2.png) [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2001, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hit-albums/90479/12 "2001-10-30T19:13:24Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![pezpunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@pezpunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pezpunk)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2001, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hit-albums/90479/13 "2001-10-30T21:16:07Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2001, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hit-albums/90479/14 "2001-10-30T21:35:55Z")
actually falco had 2 hits… Rock me Amadeus and Vienna Calling ---
**Author:** ![botheredballs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@botheredballs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/botheredballs)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2001, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hit-albums/90479/15 "2001-10-30T21:38:19Z")
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/](http://www.london-sire.com/avalanches/) you can listen to some songs there. ---
**Author:** ![pezpunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@pezpunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pezpunk)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2001, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hit-albums/90479/16 "2001-10-30T21:49:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by BurnMeUp \* > \*\*actually falco had 2 hits… Rock me Amadeus and Vienna Calling \*\* 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! ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2001, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hit-albums/90479/17 "2001-10-30T21:50:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Asylum \* > \*\*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. \*\* FYI, Dexie’s Midnight Runner’s _DOES_ have a greatest hits CD out. [Check it out here](http://www.rockpalastarchiv.de/rn12.html) ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2001, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hit-albums/90479/18 "2001-10-30T21:54:52Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![pezpunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@pezpunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pezpunk)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2001, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hit-albums/90479/19 "2001-10-30T21:55:13Z")
**OMG!!!** :eek: [http://www.cdnow.com/cgi-bin/mserver/SID=1109849273/pagename=/RP/CDN/FIND/album.html/artistid=TACO/itemid=1159319](http://www.cdnow.com/cgi-bin/mserver/SID=1109849273/pagename=/RP/CDN/FIND/album.html/artistid=TACO/itemid=1159319) ---
**Author:** ![jk1245](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/49beb7/32.png) [@jk1245](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jk1245)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2001, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hit-albums/90479/20 "2001-10-30T22:16:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by pezpunk \* > \*\ ***OMG!!!** :eek: > > [http://www.cdnow.com/cgi-bin/mserver/SID=1109849273/pagename=/RP/CDN/FIND/album.html/artistid=TACO/itemid=1159319](http://www.cdnow.com/cgi-bin/mserver/SID=1109849273/pagename=/RP/CDN/FIND/album.html/artistid=TACO/itemid=1159319) \*\* I’ll see your one Taco (:eek: ), and I’ll raise you [One Vanilla Ice](http://www.cdnow.com/cgi-bin/mserver/SID=1902007320/pagename=/RP/CDN/FIND/album.html/ArtistID=VANILLA+ICE/ITEMID=1359567) Shouldn’t it be called Vanilla Ice’s Greatest Hit [Hijack] 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? [/hijack] [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hit-albums/90479.md?page=2)