Artists who have WAY too many compilations - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

AKA · 08-16-2003, 09:34 PM

"'Greatest Hits' albums are for housewives and little girls." -- Bruce McCullough, The Kids In The Hall

It's getting pretty sad. Every time I go to the record store, I see many artists who have more "best-ofs" in their catalog than actual albums. It's almost as though the record companies think that people would rather buy five or six compilations with the same songs than just buy the actual albums.

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not against compilations altogether. In fact, I like them. They give one the ability to determine whether or not they want to delve further into an act's back catalog. But why do some bands have two or three compilations on the shelf with mostly the same material? It's ridiculous. Let me give you an example:

The Doors. They recorded six studio albums prior to Jim Morrison's death in 1971. At a record store near you, you can currently choose from the following compilations. Don't worry; in case you're wondering, they all include "Light My Fire."

The Best Of The Doors (1985)
The Doors: Original Soundtrack Recording (1991)
Greatest Hits (1996)
The Best Of The Doors (2000; different from 1985 version)
Greatest Hits (2000; different from 1996 version)
The Very Best Of The Doors (2001)
Legacy: The Absolute Best Of The Doors (2003)

And those are just the ones that are still in print. There have been many Doors best-ofs that have been deleted over the years, mostly ones that came out prior to the CD age.

The Beach Boys don't exactly keep their compilations to a minimum, either. Look below. Once again, these are only the ones that are in-print.

Endless Summer (1974)
California (And Other) Girls (1987)
Do It Again (1992)
Greatest Hits 1961-1963 (1994)
The Best Of The Beach Boys (1995)
Greatest Surfing Songs! (1997)
The Greatest Hits Volume 1 (1999)
The Greatest Hits Volume 2 (1999)
The Greatest Hits Volume 3: Best Of The Brother Years (2000)
Beach Boys Classics Selected By Brian Wilson (2002)
Sounds Of Summer (2003)
And, coming this fall, 40 Top 40s (2003)

But it gets even more ridiculous. Sublime, an act that only recorded three studio albums before the tragic death of leader Bradley Nowell in 1996, has two compilations(!) available.

Greatest Hits (1999)
20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Sublime (2002)

I know the concept of compilation albums has three goals. One is to appeal to those who just want the hits and can't stand to listen to anything that's not played on the radio. The second is to lure in people who are curious about a particular act, but don't wish to dive right away into an album. Finally, record companies know that "the completist" will buy anything released by their favorite band, even if it doesn't contain anything new. That equals bucks.

But this causes oversaturation, not to mention redundancy. The Beatles had a problem with this in the '70s. Following their breakup, Capitol Records kept releasing compilation after compilation without the band's permission. In the '80s, Paul, George, Ringo, and Yoko gained control of the catalog via a court decision, which is why in 2003, there are "only" three Beatles "greatest hits" compilations available (1973's 1962-1966 and 1967-1970 sets and 2000's phenomenon The Beatles 1).

Doesn't oversaturatoin hurt the industry in the end? Could this be one of the reasons the RIAA is complaining about declining sales? Perhaps.

But my take on the whole "greatest hits" album situation is that this might be what's causing the music industry to become so bland. Nobody wants to take any chances with anything except what's released as a single.

Instead of advertising this "Absolute Best Of The Doors" on TV, Elektra, why don't you instead tell me about the remastered Doors studio albums during my commercial break? There are six of 'em, and they don't include all the same songs. Instead of trying to coax people into rebuying songs they've heard a zillion times, why don't you rely on the strengths of the many lesser-known, but equally great, tracks to get new fans?

ABlairican Pie · 08-17-2003, 01:33 AM

I hate "Greatest Hits" albums. It doesn't tell enough about the artist. I'd rather buy the entire albums with different songs.

I think there is another purpose for "Best Of" albums: contractural obligations, maybe? I'm wondering, twenty years after the breakup of ABBA, there were tons of compilations by them. That's one artist I've seen that happen with.

AKA · 08-17-2003, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Captain ABlairica
I'd rather buy the entire albums with different songs.

Exactly!

The Obsolete Man · 08-17-2003, 01:18 PM

Kiss has about a dozen greatest hits compilations...

Alive
Alive 2
Double Platinum
Killers
Smashes, Thrashes, and Hits
Alive 3
Greatest Kiss
The Box Set
You Wanted The Best, You Got The Best
Kiss' Greatest Hits
Millennium Collection: Best of Kiss
Symphony: Alive IV

...I'm probably missing one or two. And most of these only cover the make-up years, with nothing from the 80s or 90s.

Penny Lane · 08-18-2003, 07:41 PM

There's no way a Beatles Greatest Hits could be done!Every one of their songs is a "greatest hit"!

AKA · 08-18-2003, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Penny Lane
There's no way a Beatles Greatest Hits could be done!Every one of their songs is a "greatest hit"!

I agree, but...

Hey Jude (1970)
1962-1966 (1973)
1967-1970 (1973)
Rock & Roll Music (1976)
Love Songs (1977)
Rarities (1980)
20 Greatest Hits (1982)
The Beatles 1 (2000)

TJL · 08-18-2003, 09:21 PM

That's a funny article. It does bring up some good points.

It seem like nowadays if an artist gets three albums under hisor her belt, then it's okay to crank out a greatest hit package.

How many Greatest Hits/compilation albums does Garth Brooks have?
What about Mariah?

Hollow · 08-18-2003, 09:28 PM

Theres a stupid infomercial about the best song of the 70's and it says "you could spend hundreds of dollars buying all these song but for each one you have to buy the whole album but these are all in one CD" or whatever, who cares if you have to buy the whole album, what if you like it? worst excuse ever.

AKA · 07-01-2004, 10:45 PM

Here I am, bumping up an old thread, so I can link you to this very funny piece.

Dean Winchester · 07-02-2004, 12:12 AM

Donna Summer has released 4 studio albums (not counting her Xmas cd) in the last 20 years... yet look at all the compilations

On The Radio... 1979
Walk Away... 1980
The Summer Collection... 1985
The Dance Collection... 1987 (a decent GH and different from the norm as it is a collection of her 12" mixes)
This Time I Know It's For Real... 1991 import only (containing only 1980-1989)
The Donna Summer Anthology... 1993
Endless Summer... 1994
Greatest Hits... 1998
The Millennium Collection... 2002
The Journey... 2003
The Ultimate Collection... 2003 import only

that's 11 right there

vashti1999 · 07-02-2004, 12:18 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by BuffySlayer79
Donna Summer has released 4 studio albums (not counting her Xmas cd) in the last 20 years... yet look at all the compilations

You beat me to it, I was gonna say the same thing. But I can stand one more Donna compilation: it should be an either 3 or 4 cd collection, including the full length versions of all singles and essential tracks. None of the current Donna compilations are perfect because there's always something left off each one.

vashti1999 · 07-02-2004, 12:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by AKA
Here I am, bumping up an old thread, so I can link you to this very funny piece.

Funny article AKA, I like that end paragraph:

what is the ******* difference between "the best of the Doors" and "the absolute best"? In releasing "the absolute best" are you admitting that you ****** the last one up?

Nighthawk76 · 07-02-2004, 01:19 AM

The reason there are so many Doors "best of's" is to fill Ray Manzarek's pockets with as much cash as possible. That guy has been in it for the money for years, not out of any respect for Jim and the music.

Dean Winchester · 07-02-2004, 01:22 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by vashti1999
Funny article AKA, I like that end paragraph:

what is the ******* difference between "the best of the Doors" and "the absolute best"? In releasing "the absolute best" are you admitting that you ****** the last one up?

I bet "Even Better: Nothing Is Better Than This Best Of The Doors" will be around the corner

AKA · 07-02-2004, 01:39 AM

Here are a few more offenders. Again, I'm only listing compilations that are in-print.

The Rolling Stones:
Big Hits (High Tide And Green Grass) (1966)
Through The Past, Darkly (Big Hits Vol. 2) (1969)
Hot Rocks 1964-1971 (1971)
More Hot Rocks (Big Hits And Fazed Cookies (1972)
Rewind: 1971-1984 (1984)
Singles Collection: The London Years (1989)
Jump Back: The Best Of The Rolling Stones (1993)
Forty Licks (2002)
Singles 1963-1965 (2004)
Singles 1965-1967 (2004)

The Who:
Meaty Beaty Big And Bouncy (1971)
Thirty Years Of Maximum R&B (1994)
My Generation: The Very Best Of The Who (1996)
20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection (1999)
The Ultimate Collection (2002)
Then And Now: Maximum Who (1964-2004) (2004)

08-16-2003, 09:34 PM	#1
AKA Member Forum Star Join Date: Dec 17, 2001 Posts: 15,746	Artists who have WAY too many compilations "'Greatest Hits' albums are for housewives and little girls." -- Bruce McCullough, The Kids In The Hall It's getting pretty sad. Every time I go to the record store, I see many artists who have more "best-ofs" in their catalog than actual albums. It's almost as though the record companies think that people would rather buy five or six compilations with the same songs than just buy the actual albums. Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not against compilations altogether. In fact, I like them. They give one the ability to determine whether or not they want to delve further into an act's back catalog. But why do some bands have two or three compilations on the shelf with mostly the same material? It's ridiculous. Let me give you an example: The Doors. They recorded six studio albums prior to Jim Morrison's death in 1971. At a record store near you, you can currently choose from the following compilations. Don't worry; in case you're wondering, they all include "Light My Fire." The Best Of The Doors (1985) The Doors: Original Soundtrack Recording (1991) Greatest Hits (1996) The Best Of The Doors (2000; different from 1985 version) Greatest Hits (2000; different from 1996 version) The Very Best Of The Doors (2001) Legacy: The Absolute Best Of The Doors (2003) And those are just the ones that are still in print. There have been many Doors best-ofs that have been deleted over the years, mostly ones that came out prior to the CD age. The Beach Boys don't exactly keep their compilations to a minimum, either. Look below. Once again, these are only the ones that are in-print. Endless Summer (1974) California (And Other) Girls (1987) Do It Again (1992) Greatest Hits 1961-1963 (1994) The Best Of The Beach Boys (1995) Greatest Surfing Songs! (1997) The Greatest Hits Volume 1 (1999) The Greatest Hits Volume 2 (1999) The Greatest Hits Volume 3: Best Of The Brother Years (2000) Beach Boys Classics Selected By Brian Wilson (2002) Sounds Of Summer (2003) And, coming this fall, 40 Top 40s (2003) But it gets even more ridiculous. Sublime, an act that only recorded three studio albums before the tragic death of leader Bradley Nowell in 1996, has two compilations(!) available. Greatest Hits (1999) 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Sublime (2002) I know the concept of compilation albums has three goals. One is to appeal to those who just want the hits and can't stand to listen to anything that's not played on the radio. The second is to lure in people who are curious about a particular act, but don't wish to dive right away into an album. Finally, record companies know that "the completist" will buy anything released by their favorite band, even if it doesn't contain anything new. That equals bucks. But this causes oversaturation, not to mention redundancy. The Beatles had a problem with this in the '70s. Following their breakup, Capitol Records kept releasing compilation after compilation without the band's permission. In the '80s, Paul, George, Ringo, and Yoko gained control of the catalog via a court decision, which is why in 2003, there are "only" three Beatles "greatest hits" compilations available (1973's 1962-1966 and 1967-1970 sets and 2000's phenomenon The Beatles 1). Doesn't oversaturatoin hurt the industry in the end? Could this be one of the reasons the RIAA is complaining about declining sales? Perhaps. But my take on the whole "greatest hits" album situation is that this might be what's causing the music industry to become so bland. Nobody wants to take any chances with anything except what's released as a single. Instead of advertising this "Absolute Best Of The Doors" on TV, Elektra, why don't you instead tell me about the remastered Doors studio albums during my commercial break? There are six of 'em, and they don't include all the same songs. Instead of trying to coax people into rebuying songs they've heard a zillion times, why don't you rely on the strengths of the many lesser-known, but equally great, tracks to get new fans?

08-17-2003, 01:33 AM	#2
ABlairican Pie Member Forum Superstar Join Date: Dec 12, 2001 Location: Living where cats reign more Supreme than a pizza. Posts: 31,620	Greatest Hits I hate "Greatest Hits" albums. It doesn't tell enough about the artist. I'd rather buy the entire albums with different songs. I think there is another purpose for "Best Of" albums: contractural obligations, maybe? I'm wondering, twenty years after the breakup of ABBA, there were tons of compilations by them. That's one artist I've seen that happen with.
	__________________ Release the kitties. --Nathan Explosion

08-17-2003, 01:18 PM	#4
The Obsolete Man Member Forum Regular Join Date: Nov 18, 2000 Location: Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, Earth Prime Posts: 567	Kiss has about a dozen greatest hits compilations... Alive Alive 2 Double Platinum Killers Smashes, Thrashes, and Hits Alive 3 Greatest Kiss The Box Set You Wanted The Best, You Got The Best Kiss' Greatest Hits Millennium Collection: Best of Kiss Symphony: Alive IV ...I'm probably missing one or two. And most of these only cover the make-up years, with nothing from the 80s or 90s.
	__________________ Nothing to see here. Move along.

08-18-2003, 07:41 PM	#5
Penny Lane Butter Pie Forum Icon Join Date: Jul 03, 2001 Location: Beneath the blue suburban skies Posts: 51,260	There's no way a Beatles Greatest Hits could be done!Every one of their songs is a "greatest hit"! Attached Images
	__________________ Vulgarity is no substitute for wit- Lady Violet Crawley

08-18-2003, 09:21 PM	#7
TJL Suburbanite Extrordinaire Forum Star Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: New Jersey - the cradle of civilization Posts: 16,588	That's a funny article. It does bring up some good points. It seem like nowadays if an artist gets three albums under hisor her belt, then it's okay to crank out a greatest hit package. How many Greatest Hits/compilation albums does Garth Brooks have? What about Mariah?
	__________________ "I think I'll stroll up to the front to see how the shooting's going..." - Capt. Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce Read my blogs! http://centralparkamisguide.com/ http://dvdcriticscorner.com Visit me on Facebook!http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=641138880 Hey, I do the tweet thing too! http://twitter.com/TomLevier My shop of handmade items! http://www.etsy.com/shop/ColdGarageCreations

08-18-2003, 09:28 PM	#8
Hollow Member Forum Superstar Join Date: Dec 16, 2001 Posts: 30,406	Theres a stupid infomercial about the best song of the 70's and it says "you could spend hundreds of dollars buying all these song but for each one you have to buy the whole album but these are all in one CD" or whatever, who cares if you have to buy the whole album, what if you like it? worst excuse ever.

07-01-2004, 10:45 PM	#9
AKA Member Forum Star Join Date: Dec 17, 2001 Posts: 15,746	Here I am, bumping up an old thread, so I can link you to this very funny piece.

07-02-2004, 12:12 AM	#10
Dean Winchester Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Sep 28, 2003 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 14,803	Donna Summer has released 4 studio albums (not counting her Xmas cd) in the last 20 years... yet look at all the compilations On The Radio... 1979 Walk Away... 1980 The Summer Collection... 1985 The Dance Collection... 1987 (a decent GH and different from the norm as it is a collection of her 12" mixes) This Time I Know It's For Real... 1991 import only (containing only 1980-1989) The Donna Summer Anthology... 1993 Endless Summer... 1994 Greatest Hits... 1998 The Millennium Collection... 2002 The Journey... 2003 The Ultimate Collection... 2003 import only that's 11 right there
	Last edited by Dean Winchester; 07-02-2004 at 01:08 AM.

07-02-2004, 01:19 AM	#13
Nighthawk76 Rachel Berry Forum Celebrity Join Date: Feb 28, 2003 Location: Illinois Posts: 23,254	The reason there are so many Doors "best of's" is to fill Ray Manzarek's pockets with as much cash as possible. That guy has been in it for the money for years, not out of any respect for Jim and the music.

07-02-2004, 01:39 AM	#15
AKA Member Forum Star Join Date: Dec 17, 2001 Posts: 15,746	Here are a few more offenders. Again, I'm only listing compilations that are in-print. The Rolling Stones: Big Hits (High Tide And Green Grass) (1966) Through The Past, Darkly (Big Hits Vol. 2) (1969) Hot Rocks 1964-1971 (1971) More Hot Rocks (Big Hits And Fazed Cookies (1972) Rewind: 1971-1984 (1984) Singles Collection: The London Years (1989) Jump Back: The Best Of The Rolling Stones (1993) Forty Licks (2002) Singles 1963-1965 (2004) Singles 1965-1967 (2004) The Who: Meaty Beaty Big And Bouncy (1971) Thirty Years Of Maximum R&B (1994) My Generation: The Very Best Of The Who (1996) 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection (1999) The Ultimate Collection (2002) Then And Now: Maximum Who (1964-2004) (2004)