Which greatest hits/compilation albums do you consider proper albums in their own right?

Submitted by my_one_and_lonely t3_117xtfw in Music

The best albums, in my opinion, aren’t just collections of songs, but cohesive works of art in and of themselves. Most people don’t consider greatest hits albums worthy of this designation, since they are by design just throwing the best/most popular songs together in an easy package rather than trying to create something unique. However, there are a couple of greatest hits albums that feel like their own thing to me, illuminating something new. Which compilation albums do you feel are at this level?

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xxxjcrisis t1_j9eaozp wrote

Meaty, Beaty, Big and Bouncy by The Who. It was a collection of their early hit singles from really bad albums.

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MoneySike3000 t1_j9ecg00 wrote

Bob Segar-Greatest Hits. You can put Bobs songs in any order and the album will still sound right. I will Give Tom Pettys Greatest Hits a nod also. One more nod to Steve Miller

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Primal_Dead t1_j9edlyd wrote

Eagles Greatest Hits Elton John Greatest Hits Steve Miller Greatest Hits Frampton Comes Alive

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Peony519 t1_j9ejv9y wrote

James Taylor Greatest Hits

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pepmeister18 t1_j9emk6z wrote

Abba Greatest Hits was actually their breakthrough LP in the UK. It was the biggest selling album of 1976 despite the fact that, Waterloo and the recent late-1975 smash Mamma Mia excepted, most of the tracks were either completely unknown, obscure or forgotten. 1976 UK number one Fernando was added to the 1976 reissue to get even more sold.

In a slightly different way, the Beatles Red and Blue albums were the ‘way in’ to the group for Gen X folk who grew up to form Britpop bands and get ‘1’ for Xmas from their kids, making the album the biggest selling LP of the 2000s. This is the only context in which you can correctly say the sentence ‘Good job, Allen Klein.’

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Hutch_travis t1_j9eohes wrote

My understanding is that factory records, home of New Order and Joy division, would release singles that wouldn’t appear on albums. That is why the compilations “substance” were released. Each band has a “substance” album worth checking out.

Jimmy buffet’s “songs you know by heart” fits what you’re looking for as well.

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the_pretender_nz t1_j9eqlsb wrote

Movie soundtrack albums for me. Not all of them, but Spawn, The Matrix and Judgement Night

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Nizamark t1_j9erk95 wrote

squeeze - singles 45s and under

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LadyPresidentRomana t1_j9evbvp wrote

Queen’s Greatest Hits (technically volume 1 of 3), the biggest-selling album of all time in the UK and a gateway to the group for so many people. A comprehensive guide to the early part of their career.

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KODO5555 t1_j9f7na1 wrote

Bob Marley’s legend is probably the best example of this (although when I saw it listed in some compilation of greatest Albums of all time I cringed as if us not an album per as).

However, any fan of legend should use i in t as a spring board to his true catalog which is absolutely amazing and the deep cuts are as powerful as the hits.

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Slight_Purpose_9092 t1_j9fbg1g wrote

I feel like the Beatles 1962-1966 and 1967-1970 fits this well, for a couple of reasons. First, the Beatles grew in such a cohesive way, and the albums have such a clear divide on these two albums. You hear something happening at the end of the first one, but you put on the second and hear Strawberry Fields Forever and it's like a different band. Second, both albums have several important non-album singles. So there's a little added that you don't get just by listing to their albums.

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Angelexodus t1_j9fpip6 wrote

Queen -Greatest hits

Eminem - Curtain call

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Peter_Easter t1_j9g935n wrote

The major label debut by Mushroomhead "XX" is a compilation that plays like an album.

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mcarterphoto t1_j9goo2f wrote

The English Beat's "What is Beat?". I didn't even know it was a greatest hits album, but it really works as an "album". Fantastic start to finish.

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I_Am_No_One_123 t1_j9h0iwr wrote

Simon & Garfunkel: Greatest Hits

Rolling Stones: Hot Rocks 1964-1971

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Rockntheworld t1_j9hblxp wrote

For The Record-The Bee Gees! Very comprehensive and complete. It even sheds new light on them as songwriters for other artists.

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agentOfShed t1_j9hoyir wrote

Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd would be a great contender cause they produced it in a way that each track fades into the next so it’s got that concept album feel that they were known for in the 1970s

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jackalope42069 t1_j9hsivl wrote

International Superhits from Greenday. Masterpiece.

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Jam-18 t1_j9hu87w wrote

I know it’s a live album but…… Alive! by KISS is a great gateway to their first 3 albums. It was also their breakthrough record. 5/5 stars

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MinerLaurence t1_j9i9npq wrote

Replying to Codykville (#1,911,919)

Know the story well.

Don't forget, he shot the wife too, "so quick they had no time to warn her, and she never heard anyone say, Don't cross him, don't boss him ..."

I know live albums are not the criteria for this thread, but I just like to pay props to all things Willie. Happy 90, frikin legend.

Willie, Dylan and Prine are magical, prolific writers to me. Saw Dylan and Willie together at a ball park near Southbend IN, 2009. Had my wife and kids with me. 4th of July. So proud to be pretty well versed in their works.

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stealy91 t1_j9iatl5 wrote

John mellencamp - the best that I could do, AND the B52’s - Time Capsul. Both awesome albums!!

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TalboGold t1_j9ii01z wrote

The Cure - Mixed Up. Some remixes I like better than originals

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take5b t1_j9ii8kd wrote

Sly & the Family Stone’s Greatest Hits

Singles Going Steady by the Buzzcocks

Both of these bands are legends and absolutely deserve to be, but their albums are full of filler. These compilations are perfect and every track is a banger.

Sure the album after Sly’s greatest hits “There’s a Riot Going On” is a critical darling but I personally don’t care for it as it marks the beginning of the band’s down turn. But if you like that record, the Greatest Hits still encompasses everything most folks need up to that point, so it is valuable to every kind of music fan.

Singles Going Steady was always amazing and the expanded tracklist on CD is a worthy addition to anyone’s collection

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Tea_and_the_cat t1_j9ikxyp wrote

Depeche Mode - Catching Up With DM

Joy Division - Substance

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