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AKA · 08-17-2005, 09:22 PM

'Best Of' Albums Not So Great These Days

By Nekesa Mumbi Moody
The Associated Press

NEW YORK - A greatest-hits album once stood as a watershed — a milestone chronicling a collection of top-rated hits, culturally significant songs or the end of a stellar career.

But in recent years, a flood of "best of" titles from acts with only few years in the business — and performers with even fewer hits — have called into question how great a greatest-hits collection is.

Last fall, Britney Spears released Greatest Hits: My Prerogative, a retrospective of her chart-topping, multiplatinum recording career — all six years of it. The Backstreet Boys put out The Hits: Chapter One in 2001 — just four years after releasing their first album.

"I don't know what you'd put on a record if you've only been making records for five years. I don't know what those greatest hits would be," said veteran rocker John Mellencamp.

At least Spears and the Boys had a steady collection of hits — or can say they have more than just one.

Among the more questionable greatest-hits collections that have popped up in recent years: Toy Soldiers: The Best of Martika (with one hit from the 1980s); The Best of Mandy Moore, from an entertainer who had more success as an actress than she ever did as a singer; and The Best of O.D.B., from the late rapper who will best be remembered for his wild behavior and legal troubles than his chart-topping hits (or lack thereof).

And while teen queen Hilary Duff has sold millions of albums, she's only released two discs — the first one in 2003 — and neither spawned a top 10 hit. Her "best of" collection, Most Wanted, hit record stores Tuesday.

"I guess with music becoming so disposable, things just happen so much faster now," said Collective Soul singer Dean Roland, whose band put out a greatest-hits album of its own in 2001. "The short answer to the whole thing is it comes out to a money issue. The labels can put a greatest-hits album out and it's going to sell."

They can be wildly popular. The Eagles' Their Greatest Hits: 1971-1975 is the best-selling album in U.S. history, selling more than 28 million copies. They're also cheap to produce and promote.

Sheryl Crow, whose The Very Best of Sheryl Crow, was a multiplatinum hit in 2003, agrees that in some cases, thoughts of profits weigh heavily. "Part of that is record labels continually try to work their catalog so they always have money coming in," Crow said.

But Kevin Gore, executive vice president of sales and marketing at Rhino Entertainment, which puts out various greatest-hits packages, compilations and boxed sets, says a Best of Sugar Ray — which they recently released — is valid, even if some may sneer.

"At the end of the day, there's a larger audience that will buy a greatest-hits collection than might buy the individual albums just because they've chosen not to buy the original albums," Gore said.

"Let's say there's two hit songs on a record from five years ago, and then there's another two hit songs from a record that's three years ago," he said. "You have a greater opportunity to bring in a larger audience because you're putting all the hits in one place."

It's an idea the Backstreet Boys agree with — even though, initially, they balked at the idea of putting one out.

"For me as an artist, like, when I see somebody put out a greatest-hits record, they're either finished, or they need some time (off)," said Brian Littrell. "I kind of felt it was too soon to put those great songs on a CD. I think I wanted our fans to miss them a little bit."

However, Howie Dorough said in many ways, the greatest-hits album — which sold more than 1 million copies and contained a few new tunes — may have drawn the casual fan who had never brought a Backstreet Boys CD.

"We've had, knock on wood, over 12 singles," Dorough said. "But for somebody who's not a truly Backstreet fan, (who) wants to go out and buy five different records? ... To be able to go and buy their greatest hits, I'd do that in a heartbeat."

A more critical issue, record companies say, is the decreasing shelf space to carry an artist's catalog. With the advent of Wal-Mart and Target as major record stores, there are fewer outlets where you might find several different albums from one artist.

"If an artist has five or six or seven albums in his or her catalog, a lot of times many retailers are only carrying two or three. Perhaps songs that were included on albums one, three and five might no longer get the kind of visibility or shelf space that a hits record will provide those particular songs," said Jeff Jones, executive vice president of Sony BMG's catalog division Legacy Recordings (whose catalog releases this year range from Miles Davis to Bob Dylan to ... Martika).

Which brings us back to Martika's Best Of ... collection.

At the time, her "Toy Soldiers" was enjoying a resurgence after Eminem sampled it on his song, "Like Toy Soldiers." Fans searching for the original song may have been out of luck, Jones said.

Stores weren't carrying her records anymore, he said, adding: "So without creating a new hits collection, there's no visibility."

Besides, just because the average person can't name more than one Martika song doesn't mean there aren't fans out there.

"A hits collection doesn't necessarily always have to be 16 No. 1 songs," Jones said.

Not anymore.

Which is good news for the PM Dawns, Lisa Stansfields and Color Me Badds of the world — who all have greatest-hits albums.

Steve M. · 08-17-2005, 10:14 PM

In 1974, Atlantic, in the absence of fresh Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young product, relased So Far, a greatest-hits compilation featuring songs from the albums CSN did with and without Neil Young up to that point- both of them. It also included the CSNY single "Ohio" and its B-side, "Find the Cost of Freedom." Graham Nash was dumbfounded. He disavowed the record for being culled from only two albums. He thought it was a ripoff.

But it did have some nice artwork from Joni Mitchell on the cover.

Ireneparalegal · 08-17-2005, 10:33 PM

I love Lisa Stansfield. "You Can't Deny This" "Been around the world" "This is the right time" plus a Marvin Gaye cover. Man, that woman has a voice. Why she didn't end up bigger than she did, I will never know. Her other songs are awesome too.

Steve M. · 08-17-2005, 10:40 PM

In 1984, Kansas released a greatest-hits compliation, The Best of Kansas. Repsonded rock critic J.D. Considine, "Why did I expect this album to be blank on both sides?"

Ireneparalegal · 08-17-2005, 10:40 PM

ha ha ha. so funny. I actually remember two of their hits. I guess that's all they had.

Steve M. · 08-17-2005, 11:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

ha ha ha. so funny. I actually remember two of their hits. I guess that's all they had.

It wasn't that, it's that critics hated Kansas and didn't think they could come up with anything good enough for a "best" album. Just like the oxymoron in The Essential Kenny Loggins!

Hollow · 08-17-2005, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AKA

And while teen queen Hilary Duff has sold millions of albums, she's only released two discs — the first one in 2003 — and neither spawned a top 10 hit. Her "best of" collection, Most Wanted, hit record stores Tuesday.

Ireneparalegal · 08-18-2005, 12:36 AM

What I hate is when they come out too soon with a greatest hits CD and it has one new song on it as well. A stupid incentive to get you to buy the CD. By the way, didn't that skank JLO (or as I like to call her JHO) come out with a greatest hits? Or was it greatest REMIXES?

Dean Winchester · 08-18-2005, 02:00 AM

I don't understand why nowadays it's so shocking if an artist puts out a Greatest Hits album after 5 or 6 years. Back in the 60's and 70's, GH albums came a lot quicker than that. Hell, was Elvis even out two whole years when "Elvis' Golden Records" came out? and then another 2 years passed and he had a second Greatest Hits album. That's two Greatest Hits albums in less than five years and nobody thought those came preliminary, and then Britney putting one out 6 years after her debut is considered too quick.

ABBA also comes to mind, they released their first Greatest Hits in the summer of 1976, exactly two years after Waterloo became a hit, and then Greatest Hits Vol. 2 came out in late 1979, so they had two hits compilations less than 6 years after their first hit record (and then a third, career-spanning one came out in late 1982 to signal their breakup), Waterloo to "Greatest Hits Vol. 2" was less than the amount of time from Baby One More Time to "My Prerogrative".

However, I do agree about a Hilary GH, she's had enough hits for a GH cd? her first album had two modest hits but the second album didn't have anything that took off, and yet we're getting a GH?

Dean Winchester · 08-18-2005, 02:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

What I hate is when they come out too soon with a greatest hits CD and it has one new song on it as well. A stupid incentive to get you to buy the CD. By the way, didn't that skank JLO (or as I like to call her JHO) come out with a greatest hits? Or was it greatest REMIXES?

it was just a remix compilation, I think those usually differ from Greatest Hits albums because they appeal to a small niche instead of the mainstream market. "Sarah McLachlan Remixed" will never sell the numbers that a Greatest Hits album would do for her. J. Lo's was an anomoly because she was milking the hip hop remix trend and those songs weren't on albums and she promoted the remix album like a new studio album, whereas Mariah, Madonna, Sarah, Janet, etc... put theirs out as nice souvenirs for fans to hold them over till the next album.

Ireneparalegal · 08-18-2005, 02:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BuffySlayer79

it was just a remix compilation, I think those usually differ from Greatest Hits albums because they appeal to a small niche instead of the mainstream market. "Sarah McLachlan Remixed" will never sell the numbers that a Greatest Hits album would do for her. J. Lo's was an anomoly because she was milking the hip hop remix trend and those songs weren't on albums and she promoted the remix album like a new studio album, whereas Mariah, Madonna, Sarah, Janet, etc... put theirs out as nice souvenirs for fans to hold them over till the next album.

yeah, sounds like JHo, typical. She can't even sing. It's all studio stuff that makes her sound good.

Dean Winchester · 08-18-2005, 02:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

yeah, sounds like JHo, typical. She can't even sing. It's all studio stuff that makes her sound good.

USTVFan told me that she's working on a Broadway style album!!! I guess I'll give it a try tho, at least J. Lo is showing she wants to improve her singing voice, but I have a feeling this will be as big a misfire as when Yoko Ono tried to do top 40 pop music in the 1980's.

Ireneparalegal · 08-18-2005, 02:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BuffySlayer79

USTVFan told me that she's working on a Broadway style album!!! I guess I'll give it a try tho, at least J. Lo is showing she wants to improve her singing voice, but I have a feeling this will be as big a misfire as when Yoko Ono tried to do top 40 pop music in the 1980's.

JHo trying broadway style???? OMG.. this person tries anything doesn't she. First it's husbands, now it's music. SHE'LL TRY ANYTHING.

Dean Winchester · 08-18-2005, 02:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ireneparalegal

JHo trying broadway style???? OMG.. this person tries anything doesn't she. First it's husbands, now it's music. SHE'LL TRY ANYTHING.

well, she once compared herself as a Puerto Rican Barbra Streisand, and remember how big a hit "The Broadway Album" was for Babs, lol

Ireneparalegal · 08-18-2005, 02:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BuffySlayer79

well, she once compared herself as a Puerto Rican Barbra Streisand, and remember how big a hit "The Broadway Album" was for Babs, lol

You're killing me Buffyslayer!!!!! Oh man, I am going to have nightmares abt the B*. LOL Barbra Streisand, Pleeeeeeeze. Barbra can sing. JHO CAN'T. UGGHHHHHHHH!

08-17-2005, 09:22 PM	#1
AKA Member Forum Star Join Date: Dec 17, 2001 Posts: 15,746	'Best Of' Albums Not So Great These Days 'Best Of' Albums Not So Great These Days By Nekesa Mumbi Moody The Associated Press NEW YORK - A greatest-hits album once stood as a watershed — a milestone chronicling a collection of top-rated hits, culturally significant songs or the end of a stellar career. But in recent years, a flood of "best of" titles from acts with only few years in the business — and performers with even fewer hits — have called into question how great a greatest-hits collection is. Last fall, Britney Spears released Greatest Hits: My Prerogative, a retrospective of her chart-topping, multiplatinum recording career — all six years of it. The Backstreet Boys put out The Hits: Chapter One in 2001 — just four years after releasing their first album. "I don't know what you'd put on a record if you've only been making records for five years. I don't know what those greatest hits would be," said veteran rocker John Mellencamp. At least Spears and the Boys had a steady collection of hits — or can say they have more than just one. Among the more questionable greatest-hits collections that have popped up in recent years: Toy Soldiers: The Best of Martika (with one hit from the 1980s); The Best of Mandy Moore, from an entertainer who had more success as an actress than she ever did as a singer; and The Best of O.D.B., from the late rapper who will best be remembered for his wild behavior and legal troubles than his chart-topping hits (or lack thereof). And while teen queen Hilary Duff has sold millions of albums, she's only released two discs — the first one in 2003 — and neither spawned a top 10 hit. Her "best of" collection, Most Wanted, hit record stores Tuesday. "I guess with music becoming so disposable, things just happen so much faster now," said Collective Soul singer Dean Roland, whose band put out a greatest-hits album of its own in 2001. "The short answer to the whole thing is it comes out to a money issue. The labels can put a greatest-hits album out and it's going to sell." They can be wildly popular. The Eagles' Their Greatest Hits: 1971-1975 is the best-selling album in U.S. history, selling more than 28 million copies. They're also cheap to produce and promote. Sheryl Crow, whose The Very Best of Sheryl Crow, was a multiplatinum hit in 2003, agrees that in some cases, thoughts of profits weigh heavily. "Part of that is record labels continually try to work their catalog so they always have money coming in," Crow said. But Kevin Gore, executive vice president of sales and marketing at Rhino Entertainment, which puts out various greatest-hits packages, compilations and boxed sets, says a Best of Sugar Ray — which they recently released — is valid, even if some may sneer. "At the end of the day, there's a larger audience that will buy a greatest-hits collection than might buy the individual albums just because they've chosen not to buy the original albums," Gore said. "Let's say there's two hit songs on a record from five years ago, and then there's another two hit songs from a record that's three years ago," he said. "You have a greater opportunity to bring in a larger audience because you're putting all the hits in one place." It's an idea the Backstreet Boys agree with — even though, initially, they balked at the idea of putting one out. "For me as an artist, like, when I see somebody put out a greatest-hits record, they're either finished, or they need some time (off)," said Brian Littrell. "I kind of felt it was too soon to put those great songs on a CD. I think I wanted our fans to miss them a little bit." However, Howie Dorough said in many ways, the greatest-hits album — which sold more than 1 million copies and contained a few new tunes — may have drawn the casual fan who had never brought a Backstreet Boys CD. "We've had, knock on wood, over 12 singles," Dorough said. "But for somebody who's not a truly Backstreet fan, (who) wants to go out and buy five different records? ... To be able to go and buy their greatest hits, I'd do that in a heartbeat." A more critical issue, record companies say, is the decreasing shelf space to carry an artist's catalog. With the advent of Wal-Mart and Target as major record stores, there are fewer outlets where you might find several different albums from one artist. "If an artist has five or six or seven albums in his or her catalog, a lot of times many retailers are only carrying two or three. Perhaps songs that were included on albums one, three and five might no longer get the kind of visibility or shelf space that a hits record will provide those particular songs," said Jeff Jones, executive vice president of Sony BMG's catalog division Legacy Recordings (whose catalog releases this year range from Miles Davis to Bob Dylan to ... Martika). Which brings us back to Martika's Best Of ... collection. At the time, her "Toy Soldiers" was enjoying a resurgence after Eminem sampled it on his song, "Like Toy Soldiers." Fans searching for the original song may have been out of luck, Jones said. Stores weren't carrying her records anymore, he said, adding: "So without creating a new hits collection, there's no visibility." Besides, just because the average person can't name more than one Martika song doesn't mean there aren't fans out there. "A hits collection doesn't necessarily always have to be 16 No. 1 songs," Jones said. Not anymore. Which is good news for the PM Dawns, Lisa Stansfields and Color Me Badds of the world — who all have greatest-hits albums.

08-17-2005, 10:14 PM	#2
Steve M. Back on the road to reality Forum Superstar Join Date: Nov 07, 2003 Location: New Jersey Posts: 33,307	In 1974, Atlantic, in the absence of fresh Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young product, relased So Far, a greatest-hits compilation featuring songs from the albums CSN did with and without Neil Young up to that point- both of them. It also included the CSNY single "Ohio" and its B-side, "Find the Cost of Freedom." Graham Nash was dumbfounded. He disavowed the record for being culled from only two albums. He thought it was a ripoff. But it did have some nice artwork from Joni Mitchell on the cover.
	__________________ I don't really get out a lot. When I do go out, I couldn't be happier. I love being in a nice milieu. I'm as happy as a clam. Just as long as I'm not in some club playing hip-hop. You hear that sort of thing in a lot of places. That's not my milieu. Rock and roll is good-time music. I love rock. So did my parents.

08-17-2005, 10:33 PM	#3
Ireneparalegal LEGAL SPICE ;) Forum Legend Join Date: Jul 25, 2005 Location: OXNARD, CA - WHERE THE DALLAS COWBOYS TRAIN & PRACTICE Posts: 38,691	I love Lisa Stansfield. "You Can't Deny This" "Been around the world" "This is the right time" plus a Marvin Gaye cover. Man, that woman has a voice. Why she didn't end up bigger than she did, I will never know. Her other songs are awesome too.

08-17-2005, 10:40 PM	#4
Steve M. Back on the road to reality Forum Superstar Join Date: Nov 07, 2003 Location: New Jersey Posts: 33,307	In 1984, Kansas released a greatest-hits compliation, The Best of Kansas. Repsonded rock critic J.D. Considine, "Why did I expect this album to be blank on both sides?"

08-18-2005, 12:36 AM	#8
Ireneparalegal LEGAL SPICE ;) Forum Legend Join Date: Jul 25, 2005 Location: OXNARD, CA - WHERE THE DALLAS COWBOYS TRAIN & PRACTICE Posts: 38,691	What I hate is when they come out too soon with a greatest hits CD and it has one new song on it as well. A stupid incentive to get you to buy the CD. By the way, didn't that skank JLO (or as I like to call her JHO) come out with a greatest hits? Or was it greatest REMIXES?

08-18-2005, 02:00 AM	#9
Dean Winchester Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Sep 28, 2003 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 14,803	I don't understand why nowadays it's so shocking if an artist puts out a Greatest Hits album after 5 or 6 years. Back in the 60's and 70's, GH albums came a lot quicker than that. Hell, was Elvis even out two whole years when "Elvis' Golden Records" came out? and then another 2 years passed and he had a second Greatest Hits album. That's two Greatest Hits albums in less than five years and nobody thought those came preliminary, and then Britney putting one out 6 years after her debut is considered too quick. ABBA also comes to mind, they released their first Greatest Hits in the summer of 1976, exactly two years after Waterloo became a hit, and then Greatest Hits Vol. 2 came out in late 1979, so they had two hits compilations less than 6 years after their first hit record (and then a third, career-spanning one came out in late 1982 to signal their breakup), Waterloo to "Greatest Hits Vol. 2" was less than the amount of time from Baby One More Time to "My Prerogrative". However, I do agree about a Hilary GH, she's had enough hits for a GH cd? her first album had two modest hits but the second album didn't have anything that took off, and yet we're getting a GH?