I love the Who, but you can’t argue with Bob Dylan.
I first read this as “best compilation of an artist that only had one LP”, in which case Substance by Joy Division comes close because from my mobile device it doesn’t look like it includes anything from their last LP, which was released in the wake of Ian Curtis’ death anyway. At any rate it was a good value since it contains singles and LP stuff (which are my favorite tracks anyway: I just love the twisted count off/ Hess reference that kicks off Warsaw.
Had that on tape when I was younger. Loved it, and I ended up buying most of their records.
I have a copy of that, also a great introduction to the band.
My vote for greatest is Devo’s Greatest Hits , even though it lacks “Mongoloid”, it contains the best version of “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”, ever.
Same place, same time: “Singles Going Steady” by the Buzzcocks. Their best, and one of the best punk albums of all time.
Heck, he had the best Greatest Hits vol. 2 ever. A double album, though.
Essential Pogues Essential Pogues - Wikipedia
Made me a Pogues fan and is still the most listened to of their albums for me.
Thin LIzzy Dedicated
But I suspect it was a double album (one CD) originally. Too many rules, Man!
I’ve got a Ryko Disc King Crimson ‘Best Of’ that is awesome as well.
Not sure if live concert albums featuring previous hits would meet the OP’s criteria. If they do I’d pick the Talking Heads concert tour documentary Stop Making Sense as the soundtrack album to beat. Great band at the top of their form, great director of the filmed concerts [Jonathan Demme] at the top of his game [later to win an Oscar], hits done with enough fidelity to keep purists happy but adding depth and new form.
I very much enjoy Volume 3 as well.
mmm
Yes! But I just wish that it had “Down in a Hole” as well. If double albums were allowed I would also nominate “Strangers in the Night”, the live album by UFO, and “Live from Radio City Music Hall” by Heaven & Hell (the Dio-fronted Black Sabbath)
I was thinking of this one too, but wasn’t it a double album? I always only had it on a single CD, I think. Not sure why the OP specifies single albums only, seems a bit arbitrary of a restriction. But whatevs. I think the Beatles should get a pass on the Red and Blue albums because, Beatles.
Ooh, good call. I prefer every song version on SMS to the studio version. And the movie is a fantastic watch. It has a lot of great songs that didn’t get on the CD-- they could easily have made it a double album.
Because the time limitation of a single LP (or 45-minute CD) requires more expert scrutiny, selection and sequencing than a double album or box set. It’s almost an art form in and of itself. In fact, when I wrote the OP I specifically meant to exclude stuff like the Beatles’ Red and Blue albums. Are they great? Sure, but that’s not what I’m looking for.
mmm, Substance (New Order) or Substance (Joy Division)? The World Won’t Listen, or Hatful of Hollow (The Smiths)? Crackle (Bauhaus)? Once Upon a Time/The Singles(Siouxsie and the Banshees)?
No, it’ll have to be Standing on a Beach by The Cure. Rightly acclaimed “one of the finest albums of the '80s” in its own right.
Prime Prine: The Best of John Prine is a collection of great songs:
- Sam Stone
- Saddle in the Rain
- Please Don’t Bury Me
- The Great Compromise
- Grandpa was a Carpenter
- Donald and Lydia
- Illegal Smile
- Sweet Revenge
- Dear Abbey
- Souvenirs
- Come Back to Us, Barbara Lewis
- Hello in There
I’l also put in a word for “Eagles Greatest Hits”, which I think is still the biggest selling ‘best of’ record, and one of the biggest selling records of all time.
Makes sense, and of course, your OP, your rules.
Do live albums count, as @Banksiaman wondered? If so, I might nominate the Jimi Hendrix Experience album ‘Live at Winterland’. It was kind of a ‘lost’ recording released in the 80s only on CD. It’s a single CD, though I think it has an hour+ of music on it. It’s got some great live performances of some old favorites. After hearing the studio versions of his songs for years, Jimi’s half-improvised solos on LaW were really exciting to listen to.
I’d exclude live albums, since the “artistry” I’m looking for is more about the selection, sequencing and packaging of already-available material. (Some anthologies include live takes of one or two songs, and I’ll allow that. 
)
But “Live albums that give you a whole new outlook on the studio versions” would make a great thread!
Good idea! I would like to see that thread. Shall I start it, or would you like to do the honors?
Meanwhile, I will stop semi-hijacking this thread 
Go for it – I’m supposed to be working!
Yeah, me too, but I’m calling early lunch break 
Done!
I wondered whether “Legend” was a single or double before posting it. I’ve only had it on CD and it “felt” like a single album. It certainly was a single CD. I figured someone would come along and holler at me if it was a double.
The Beatles - I guess the best we can do for them is cite their singles compilation “One”. But then, I doubt that it came out on vinyl, but it is a single CD.
I also briefly considered the Beatles’ “Hey Jude” album. Per the OP’s criteria, it is a single LP collecting previously-issued music, but I don’t think we could call it an anthology.
mmm