Best of collections

Posted over 2 years ago

Artist:
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NOFX
Album:
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- QUEUE
Pump Up the Valuum
Track:
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- QUEUE
Bottles to the Ground

I read a post this morning by Sekout regarding greatest hits compilations. You can read it here http://mog.com/sekout/blog_post. I own quite a few greatest hits cd's, some by bands where it’s the only thing I own by them and others where I own everything they put out. While getting a bands greatest hits is an easy way to get into their music, do people who have been long time fans ever buy them just to have the record? With technology the way it is today, you can easily upload what ever songs you want by an artist and have your own greatest hits package to listen to whenever you would like. A lot of times like Sekout said, you get a greatest hits cd and wonder who it was that picked out the songs. Songs you thought were classics are missing out, and you curse the entire way through the listening of the album. The last greatest hits package I picked up was NOFX's "The Greatest Songs Ever Written (By Us)". While I have every song on it in my collection, I bought it anyways just to have in my collection. Am I alone in this fascination, or are there others who buy greatest hits cd's just to say they own it.

Comments (11)

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Anna says I think that such albums are mostly suitable for people who don't know a band much and this is a nice way to sum it up for them. That aside, I'd only buy a band's I fancy best of if it had previously unreleased tracks or something of the sort. I can't complain about the best ofs I already have; their playlists are colllections of the band's singles and mostly well-known songs.

Permalink posted 03/28/2007
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Rawkkiddoh says In this case Anna, there was one new song on the album. I agree with you, new material is always good, or if they have a collection of music that was only released on 7 inches is even better.

Permalink posted 03/28/2007
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Lester Jonze says _"you get a greatest hits cd and wonder who it was that picked out the songs. Songs you thought were classics are missing out, and you curse the entire way through the listening of the album."_ That's the reason I have very few greatest hits cd's. I'm more of a whole catalog kind of guy myself. For compilations, I usually go the box set route. I've got a crapload of those.

Permalink posted 03/28/2007
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Dale says Every compilation I have ever purchased has either served as an introduction to a new band, or has filled gaps in a band's collection for me. Some favorite additions from compilations: The B-sides on the cassette version of The Cure's Standing on a Beach "True Faith" on New Order's Substance "Some Candy Talking" on the Jesus and Mary Chain's 21 Songs

Permalink posted 03/28/2007
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Rawkkiddoh says Box sets are are great route to go Lester, even better when they are put together nicely

Permalink posted 03/28/2007
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Rawkkiddoh says Dale three great albums, I have each of those. Substance is a good example to me of a cd that could have contained completely different songs and I would have loved it as much

Permalink posted 03/28/2007
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milkshake says I used to buy best ofs from my favourite artists just to have them all, but not anymore. I'll buy a best of it has a few (3 at the least) new tracks or remixes/rearrangements/new vocals. If it's an artist I'm just getting into I might buy their best of too. I wish more best ofs would include more new tracks, remixes etc. I really wanted to get Ayumi's A Best 2, but couldn't justify it. The only best of I have from someone whose other albums I don't own is Girls Aloud.

Permalink posted 03/28/2007
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River Lethe says I think more often than not, Best of's are used to help fulfill contractual obligations. I think Alice in Chains has as many Greatest Hits as they do actual albums now. An exception to the rule is Al Green's Greatest; that one's full of creamy goodness.

Permalink posted 03/28/2007
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etcvisitor says im more of a fan of "greatest misses" albums that feature b-sides and rareties from soundtracks and limited edition 7"s. i do have a few greatest hits albums but if you asked me why i wouldnt be able to tell you.

Permalink posted 03/28/2007
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Augusts1 says I have to say I more often than not I don't buy a greatest hits of a band that I have all their cds. After saying that I have to say that NO's "Substance" I had to have because of all the dance remixes on it which often can be very different from their originals. I didn't p/u Blur's best of even though the 2nd disc is a live hits disc & there were two new songs on it. Finally heard it for the first time last year & glad I didn't buy it for the new songs since they weren't all that.

Permalink posted 03/28/2007
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1234chainsaw says I prefer greatest misses and box sets as well. But sometimes a best-of is a brilliant listen. I'm thinking of the Buzzcocks singles collection Singles Going Steady, which has a really great flow and consistency. So does the Saints collection Know Your Product. These are great things to put on a digital player when you're on the go. I listen to them on a regular basis even though I have all of the same material scattered over albums and box sets. And sometimes a best-of is all that's in print. All Sad Lovers & Giants albums are out of print, or not even ever released on CD, so the best-of it is. Likewise with some other older bands that never made it big. Others have one or two albums in print, but a best-of is the only way to get a glimpse of the rest of their output (Red Lorry Yellow Lorry and Newtown Neurotics come to mind). And especially many older punk bands mainly put out singles and perhaps one album, so that a belated best-of is actually also an "all-of" that gives you the whole recorded output.

Permalink posted 03/28/2007