# 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:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Venkman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ec9cab/32.png) [@Venkman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Venkman)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2001, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hit-albums/90479/21 "2001-10-30T22:39:06Z")
I always admired Jimmy Buffet for putting out an album titled “Jimmy Buffet’s Greatest Hit(s)”. I like a lot of his songs, but at least he was honest enough to admit that outside of a rather dedicated fan base most people haven’t heard a thing he’s done since Margaritaville. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2001, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hit-albums/90479/22 "2001-10-30T23:16:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Venkman \* > \*\*I always admired Jimmy Buffet for putting out an album titled “Jimmy Buffet’s Greatest Hit(s)”. I like a lot of his songs, but at least he was honest enough to admit that outside of a rather dedicated fan base most people haven’t heard a thing he’s done since Margaritaville. \*\* and rightfully so! ---
**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, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hit-albums/90479/23 "2001-10-30T23:19:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Crusoe \* > \*\*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. \*\* I am with you except for Abba, I guess I heard it once too many times in college. Thanks for the feedback, I think The Avalanches are very interesting. ---
**Author:** ![goonhead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ebca7d/32.png) [@goonhead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/goonhead)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hit-albums/90479/24 "2001-10-31T09:12:31Z")
On the subject of people whose track record of hits is less than stellar, Debby Boone actually put out a greatest hits album with the subtitle (painted onto the cover, not a sticker on the shrink wrap) Includes the Hit Single You Light Up My Life. Talk about a one-hit wonder. Truth be known, though, sometimes a two or three album group’s best stuff can be condensed into one album (probably saving the record company some dough by not having to re-release all the albums). And while not all the songs were hit singles, necessarily, they may have been cuts that got a decent amount of radio airplay (remember Album Oriented Rock stations?) ---
**Author:** ![Philosophocles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@Philosophocles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philosophocles)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hit-albums/90479/25 "2001-10-31T09:21:42Z")
Wang Chung has a greatest hits album. ---
**Author:** ![Rue\_DeDay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/41988e/32.png) [@Rue\_DeDay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rue_DeDay)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hit-albums/90479/26 "2001-10-31T12:54:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gatopescado \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Venkman \* > > \*\*…he was honest enough to admit that… most people haven’t heard a thing he’s done since Margaritaville. \*\* > > and rightfully so! \*\* (inarticulate sputtering) You… you… you bikwitus! You big poopyhead! (more inarticulate sputtering) -Rue. (a Parrothead from way-back) ---
**Author:** ![Knighted\_Vorpal\_Sword](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ac91a4/32.png) [@Knighted\_Vorpal\_Sword](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knighted_Vorpal_Sword)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hit-albums/90479/27 "2001-10-31T13:26:35Z")
The Beatles’ _Red_ and _Blue_ albums were released just after they broke up. I believe John said in an interview that they did it because bootleg “greatest hits” albums were coming out, and the Beatles were losing money. ---
**Author:** ![Why\_A\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/13edae/32.png) [@Why\_A\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Why_A_Duck)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hit-albums/90479/28 "2001-10-31T13:48:12Z")
Try this on for size sports fans, **Limahl** has a [greatest hits](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00000IBGZ/qid=1004535635/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_3_1/104-2061836-0992710) disc. That’s right, Limahl. Ex- **Kajagoogoo** , who have their own [greatest hits](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000071AF/ref=bxgy_cc_text_b/104-2061836-0992710) disc. Granted they did do “Too Shy”, but is that enough to warrant a “best of” compilation for the group AND for the singer after he left the group? After saying all that though, I tend to be a fan of some types of greatest hits releases. I don’t like the **Eagles** enough to go out and buy one of their regular albums, but I did buy their greatest hits to satisfy any cheesy California dino-rock cravings I may have. ---
**Author:** ![Tansu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/67e7ee/32.png) [@Tansu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tansu)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hit-albums/90479/29 "2001-10-31T13:51:06Z")
Both the Smiths greatest hits albums are very good, as is the best of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. Isn’t the Eagles greatest hits album one of the best selling albums of the last 20 or so years? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hit-albums/90479/30 "2001-10-31T14:20:03Z")
Actually, the real champions of greatest hits albums are the Bonzo Dog Band. Here are a list of their compilation albums: 1970 The Best of the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band 1974 History of the Bonzos 1984 Very Best of Bonzo Dog Band 1989 The Bestiality of the Bonzo Dog Band 1991 The Best of the Bonzo Dog Band 1992 The Bonzo Dog Band 1998 Cornology 1999 Anthropology 2000 Vol. 2: The Outro 2000 Vol. 3: Dog Ends 2001 New Tricks There are also two live albums. Pretty good for a group that only put out four albums to begin with (plus a reunion album) and broke up in 1969. Of course, I’m delighted that they continue to release music by one of the greatest bands ever. ---
**Author:** ![Venkman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ec9cab/32.png) [@Venkman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Venkman)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hit-albums/90479/31 "2001-10-31T17:53:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tansu \* > \*\*Isn’t the Eagles greatest hits album one of the best selling albums of the last 20 or so years? \*\* Yup. In fact if trends continue it’s on track to become the single best-selling album of all time. “Thriller” currently holds that distinction, but the Eagles are gaining ground. ---
**Author:** ![gtzaskar00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e9c0ed/32.png) [@gtzaskar00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gtzaskar00)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2001, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hit-albums/90479/32 "2001-10-31T19:19:38Z")
Nothing beats the greatest hits of Vanilla Ice and MC Hammer… on the same cd… I bought it for $3.99 at Circuit City. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-hit-albums/90479.md?page=1)