"The Best of" Albums: A Totally Irrelevant Post
Author: Bobby Valentine | Filed under: Bobby's World, Culture, MusicThe Best of “The Best of” Albums: A Totally Irrelevant Post
A mere two days ago Yahoo Music blogger Rob O’Connor gave his opinion of the 25 greatest “Best Of” collections of various artists. You can find his original list here. How would you arrange your list? Who would be the best of the best of?
Now we know that O’Connor is not inspired or anything like that but it is interesting who is not on his list or who is not at the top. I looked in vain for John Denver but Elvis did make the cut. I was surprised to see Nirvana in such elite company. Johnny Cash is glaringly absent but Phil Spector made it!? Guns-N-Roses was dissed but he sort of made up for himself by including Bob Dylan. No Rush either! But he did get one thing absolutely correct … he has the Beatles at number 1. I am going to post my top 5 best of the best of:
5) The Best of Both Worlds … Van Halen
4) Vault … Def Leppard’s Greatest Hits 1980-1995
3) The Best of 1990-2000 … U2
2) Forty Licks … Rolling Stones
1) 1 … The Beatles
Others deserving honorable mention include
Chronicles … Rush
Greatest Hits … Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
The Cream of Clapton … Eric Clapton
Greatest Hits of Guns-N-Roses
The Best of Bachman-Turner-Overdrive
And though I will be ridiculed for this I have to throw it out there anyway …
Greatest Hits volume 1-2 … Madonna. I can hear it now, 😉
Some of best bands do not have a “best of” yet or I am unaware of them.
What is on your list?
Seeking Shalom,
Bobby Valentine
May 9th, 2008 at 11:38 pm
I will list the ones that I own.
Neil Diamond
Midnight Oil
REM
INXS
Hall and Oates
Darin
May 11th, 2008 at 2:39 am
Well, the most entries into my ipod are:
Neil Young, various groups and solo
Bob Dylan, for 40 plus years body of work….
Bruce Springsteen for a great, continuing set of music
The Beatles, with various later solo acts….
Jimmy Buffett for his Caribbean soul, with some Texas hidden in his heart.
Willie Nelson, what more can I say….
Lyle Lovett, Eric Clapton, and Rush are up there.
But number one, not in volumne, but in my heart is:
Mountain – Nantuckett Sleighride, the best album and track in my humble opinion.
John Randy Royse
May 11th, 2008 at 12:49 pm
I’m not big on compilation albums. After each song, I know which one is supposed to come next, and that’s never what you get on those “best of” collections.
However, I second your nomination of John Denver’s Greatest Hits, or whatever it was called. Also, “The Best of Bread” . . . was that a compilation? The title would make it seem so. That’s a fine album. I would put near the top “The Very Best of Herb Alpert.” And isn’t there a “Elton John’s Greatest Hits”? Billy Joel’s got at least two albums like that, and they’re great too.
Since we’re on the subject, have you come across the album “Hayseed Dixie”? It’s a collection of bluegrass versions of AC/DC songs. On the back cover, the faces of the artists are blocked out. Guess they didn’t want other folks in Nashville to know. But they’re VERY good. Must have been some top-flight studio people. Anyway, that’s a fun album. Good for a laugh.
May 11th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
Ah, but Frank, Bobby wasn’t nominating John Denver’s Greatest Hits. He was just affirming its absence.
May 11th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
Hall and Oates!? Oh my!!
REM … I can see that
Jimmy Buffett and Springsteen I can get my head around that
John Denver … Jeanne is right … that was for my beloved Shepherd, 😉
I have heard the bluegrass version of AC/DC songs and it is almost freaky, 🙂 But it is a good conversation piece.
How insightful you are Jeanne, 😉
Bobby V
May 11th, 2008 at 7:04 pm
I don’t know in what order I would place these artist but my list would include:
The Beatles (the group that started it all)
Black Sabbath (organic heavy metal)
Jimmi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughn, & Eric Clapton (have you heard those dudes play guitar?)
Aerosmith (great band, even better live)
Led Zepplin (no need for justification)
Cinderella (best 80’s hair band)
Metallica/Megadeth (music to bang your head too)
Motley Crue, Iron Maiden, Ratt, Def Leppard, Van Halen, The Cult, & Guns-n-Roses (other 80’s bands too good to leave out).
And my oddball group is none the other but…
ABBA (if I was a rock-n-roller I would love to do a hard-rock rendition of ‘Waterloo’).
Rex
May 12th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
I would have to put Ozzy’s tribute to Randy Rhodes on there as well…
May 12th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
The Beatles started it all!???
I weep for the younger generation.
Here’s a short list of greats:
Buddy Holly: From the Original Master Tapes
Chuck Berry: The Great Twenty-Eight
BB King: His Definitive Greatest Hits
Mississippi John Hurt: The Complete Studio Recordings
May 12th, 2008 at 5:48 pm
Who’s John Denver? 😉
I’ll also pass on the Beatles…
I like:
1. Beastie Boys: Licensed to Ill
2. Metallica: The Black Album
3. Weezer: The Blue Album (Who have a song called “Buddy Holly”, but I don’t think that’s what Nick meant above.)
4. Matchbox Twenty: Yourself or Someone Like You
5. Hootie & the Blowfish: Cracked Rearview
May 13th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
1.George Strait, 50 #1s
2.Johnny Cash, Man in Black: Greatest Hits
3.Queen, Greatest Hits
4.Billy Joel, GH Vol.3
5.Willie Nelson, 16 Biggest Hits
Also: Beatles, Eagles, Gordon Lightfoot, Hank Williams, & Journey.
May 13th, 2008 at 10:59 pm
First – there’s no way I can narrow it down to 5 or even put these in rank order.
Also, I have to add some “color” into this discussion.
Here’s some great stuff and some favorites of mine (all greatest hits collections):
Funkadelic: Music for your mother
Parliament: Give Up the Funk
John Lee Hooker – Ultimate collection
Curtis Mayfield – Very best of
Bill Withers: Best of…Lean on Me
Frank Zappa – Strictly Commercial.
Essential Jason and the Schorchers Vo. 1.
Black Crowes – Greatest Hits 1990 – 1999.
Proud Mary – best of Ike and Tina Turner.
Run DMC Greatest Hits
Blown to Smithereens – best of the Smithereens.
Jerry Lee Lewis – 18 Original Sun greatest hits.
Loverboy – Classics.
Best O’ Boingo (Oingo Boingo)
Heart – Greatest hits
Devo – greatest Hits
Alice Cooper – Best of – Mascara & monsters
Ray – original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Ray charles).
Eurythmics – Greatest Hits
May 14th, 2008 at 12:49 am
Doug you have made some excellent suggestions. I have a hard time listing five myself … and actually I usually like “ordinary” albums better than “best of” because what is the “greatest hits” just may not be the “best of” in my opinion.
Jethro Tull is one that needs to make the cut. CCR is another. I like the suggestion of Run DMC too. I will pass on Devo but I can see Loverboy.
I so glad to see you commenting … welcome back.
Bobby V
May 14th, 2008 at 5:57 pm
You know, I wasn’t a big fan of Devo (or New Wave) at the time – but the older I get, when I go back and listen to it, I have a much greater appreciation.
(I have this idea of a cover band called “Motley Springfield” that takes songs from the 80’s and either covers them as in Motley Crue style (i.e. Rick Springfield songs) or Rick springfield style (if they are harder Rock songs).
The one “Greatest Hits” that’s on my list every time I go into a used CD store is:
Triumph: Anthology (2 CD import)
I know at the time they were labeled as “a poor man’s Rush” – but I loved that other Canadian Hard Rock trio.
Take care,
May 17th, 2008 at 4:49 am
I like the Best of The Outfield and The Police. I will also admit to loving Journey’s Greatest Hits. You put it on, you drive around, and you sing at the top of your lungs!
May 18th, 2008 at 4:00 am
I like many of the Greatest Hits albums that have been listed.
One that I love that has not been mentioned is the Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers Greatest Hits album. It covers the first half of the Heartbreakers and it is a great compilation plus it includes “Last Dance with Mary Jane” which is a brilliant tune.
June 1st, 2008 at 4:03 pm
Since I am a drummer, I used to listen to all Metal and only Metal with screaming vocals, loud double bass and distorted guitars. Favorites like Pantera, Tool and Slipknot.
Recently, I’ve started listening to more Christian influenced music. There are some great artists out there! To name a few:
Chris Tomlin
Passion Worship Band
Matthew West
Matt Redman
Rush of Fools
Switchfoot
and
Dave Matthews Band (of course)!
thecancrushers.com