I was having a conversation with a friend while he was looking through my CD collection. He saw Pink Floyd's Echoes and The Beatles "One". He asked me why I decided to go with the greatest hits albums instead of buying indivual releases. I said it was because I wasn't the biggest fan of either band and didn't have the cash flow to buy 8 albums.

He went on to tell me how he dislikes greatest hits albums because they take away from the production of the original releases. I thought it was a pretty interesting view on something as harmless as a GH album, but at the same time thought he made quite a bit of sense.

Anyone else feel the same way?

The way I see it, if you're not a HUGE fan then greatest hits albums are fine. It just depends on your preference.

If you're a HUGE fan, you'll have the original releases and, possibly, have a handy greatest hits for those quick trips in the car or when you just want a quick fix and not sure if you want to get into the whole album.

I agree TomOpus.

I'll add that I think Greatest Hits are great if you release one every 15 to 20 years apart. But groups like KISS shit one out every other year and that's just lazy.

I hate it when I buy a greatest hits album, find out I really like the band, then go out and buy all their full-length albums.

I do like creating customized greatest hits albums with my computer. I find those much more enjoyable.

Greatest hits are also good for bands where their albums are expensive imports -- for me that's the Pogues and Iron Maiden. Two of my favorite bands, but I'm too cheap to go buy their original albums.

like already mentioned, it depends on the artist and if you are a big fan or not. A good example, I find a George Thorogood greatest hits satisfies my listening needs from time to time. I have no need for a dozen albums when I just want to hear the hits. Or Sammy Hagar's solo stuff. He had some fun tunes, but I don't feel the need to track down every cd he put out.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, for some bands it would be impossible to compile a complete greatest hits. Like Pearl Jam and Metallica, it would never work. Some that tried and failed: Led Zeppelin & Van Halen. These four bands have so many great songs on every album it is impossible to fit a career into 80 minutes. For bands like those, it is just an insult.

Plus, the record labels have a lot of say on G.H.'s cd's. During Princes' battler with Warner Bros., he agreed to the release of the three versions of G.H. cd's (G.H. 3-cd, and G.H. 1 & 2) as long as Warner counted them as individual releases that went to his requirements to release him of his contract.

And we recently had members of G-n-R fight Geffen on their G.H. collection. So it isn't always the artist.

Personally, I enjoy the G.H. cd's.

what annoys me are the UK 'best of' albums that throw on new/rare songs on the Greatest Hits albums to lure fans into buying something they could easily.. well, you know.. I fall for it all the time.

aaaaaaaaaargh!! A pet hate of mine.
They do this obviously to sucker the long-time fan into shelling out more money on existing product.

I have nothing against Greatest Hits, but when it comes to new material on a GHA i would rather have the artist spend time recording a new album and not necessarily a few new songs.

most of the time a greatest hits album of a band you really like is going to be missing songs that you think should be on there. then again if you really like the band then you probably have their albums anyway so it doesn't matter. but then the band puts a new song or two on the gh album so you end up buying it anyway.

agreed. although recently I'm counting on iTunes to get those songs.

Generally I'd say it depends on the artist. Sometimes, if only a band's singles are relevant (hope I don't offend anyone if I say "for example: ABBA"), I think they're fine.

I love 'em. I got tired of buying an album based on a single I heard on the radio and the rest of the songs are crap. With "Greatest Hits" albums I know exactly what I'm getting since I've heard most of the songs.

Bought the 311 - Hits package yesterday and I'm loving every minute of it. Would I ever buy one of their albums. Nope. GHs are for the casual fan only.

I'm not "against" them; I just don't buy many. I really don't have a problem with more options being available to different levels of the consumer. As long as the songs are complete (i.e. not missing 30% of their content), it's fine by me. Just make sure the albums themselves are available, and don't pull any "2 new songs" crap.

das

I'm against them when the band or group only released two albums prior to that. Two that come to mind that I saw in the store (and laughed) were the Fine Young Cannibals and Wilson Phillips.

it depends on the band really. IMO pink floyd and the beatles are stupid to have as greatest hits. but bands like incubus, madonna, whatever...that have great singles but crappy albums...then i buy greatest hits.

Excellent point.

I'm not at all. There are several bands who have alot of songs I like, but I dont' care for their non-singles. 311 is a great example for me of this. Also, I drive alot, so it's a great package to take along on a road trip. I know the words better You've all seen Jerry McGuire.

Also, GH packages are a good way for casual fans to pick up CDs.

The problem is when Kiss releases a ton of them. The funny thing is most of their GH albums suck!!!

It all depends on the artist.

Immaculate Collection- Madonna. Pretty good.

Echoes - Pink Floyd. Bad. Very, very, very bad. The very idea of this one is an insult.

Also, The Beatles One is a lousy representation of the band, not to mention misleading since some of the songs on it were never actually #1.

...when you could get them. I couldn't even track down a copy of the James greatest hits with the 2nd live disc. Damnit.

RS

If they have less than 5 albums in their discography, yes.

No problem with them. They're great for bands you just kind of like (i.e. don't like enough to by albums). Especially for those bands that seem to just have a good song or two per album.

Most bands, if they're any good, their "hits" are their worst songs!

A band like the Wildhearts or Hellacopters has better b-sides than anything off their albums!

"Greatest Hits" packages make the obsessive music collector in the baby grunty weep huge wracking sobs.

There.

Now are you all proud of yourselves?