By the very definition of the title, a "greatest hits" album is a collection of bonafied chart hits by a single artist. More times than not, such compilations are released by the artist's label, either as a holiday cash-in or contractual obligation. One thing is for sure, though...not every "greatest hits" album is a winner. Here is our list of the top five albums who give the term "greatest hits" a bad name.
Goo Goo Dolls "Greatest Hits, Volume II"
When the band released "Greatest Hits, Volume One" in 2007, we thought the inclusion of the words "Volume One", we honestly thought the Goo Goos were just yanking our chain, especially since "Vol. 1" was padded with songs that weren't exactly hits. Thus, it was a real eye-roller when the band released "Greatest Hits Volume II" a year later. For one thing, the audio portion of the album contained no actual chart hits save for a demo of "Iris". It does, however, contain a bunch of oddball covers, songs the band obviously felt should have been hits, and a DVD of videos of songs that were on "Greatest Hits, Volume One". The band could have easily included this DVD with "Volume One". Lame.
Pavarotti's Greatest Hits
Now, we fully acknowledge Pavarotti's vocal talents. But, fuck dude, that is one fucked-up outfit, dude. Whoever came up with the idea to dress one of the greatest tenors of all time in a combination sailor/clown outfit should be pushed out of a moving car.
Steve Perry "Greatest Hits"
The fact that Perry himself is hiding his face on the cover to this completely unnecessary 2006 "hits" collection seems to say it all. Perry, who released only two solo albums, and had only two solo chart hits, could have released one hell of a two-track "greatest hits" cassingle, but an 18-song greatest hits package? Not on your life.
Sublime "Greatest Hits"
Never have I seen a label so ruthlessly cash-in on a musician's death as MCA Records did upon the passing of Brad Nowell. Granted, they did the right thing by not just scrapping the album altogether, as there was no longer a band to promote it, but we have since been treated to no less than eight posthumous compilations. For a band who packed their debut album with no less than twenty songs, and put another 17 on their self-titled major label debut, this ten-song "Greatest Hits" collection is both lazy and sacrilegious.
INXS "Greatest Hits"
Okay, it isn't so much what is included on this hits compilation as what isn't that got our goat. The band found it in their hearts to include total filler like "The Strangest Party (These Are The Times)", but could not find the room to include "Don't Change" - a song that single-handedly put them on the map here in the US. Unbelievable.
Goo Goo Dolls "Greatest Hits, Volume II"
When the band released "Greatest Hits, Volume One" in 2007, we thought the inclusion of the words "Volume One", we honestly thought the Goo Goos were just yanking our chain, especially since "Vol. 1" was padded with songs that weren't exactly hits. Thus, it was a real eye-roller when the band released "Greatest Hits Volume II" a year later. For one thing, the audio portion of the album contained no actual chart hits save for a demo of "Iris". It does, however, contain a bunch of oddball covers, songs the band obviously felt should have been hits, and a DVD of videos of songs that were on "Greatest Hits, Volume One". The band could have easily included this DVD with "Volume One". Lame.
Pavarotti's Greatest Hits
Now, we fully acknowledge Pavarotti's vocal talents. But, fuck dude, that is one fucked-up outfit, dude. Whoever came up with the idea to dress one of the greatest tenors of all time in a combination sailor/clown outfit should be pushed out of a moving car.
Steve Perry "Greatest Hits"
The fact that Perry himself is hiding his face on the cover to this completely unnecessary 2006 "hits" collection seems to say it all. Perry, who released only two solo albums, and had only two solo chart hits, could have released one hell of a two-track "greatest hits" cassingle, but an 18-song greatest hits package? Not on your life.
Sublime "Greatest Hits"
Never have I seen a label so ruthlessly cash-in on a musician's death as MCA Records did upon the passing of Brad Nowell. Granted, they did the right thing by not just scrapping the album altogether, as there was no longer a band to promote it, but we have since been treated to no less than eight posthumous compilations. For a band who packed their debut album with no less than twenty songs, and put another 17 on their self-titled major label debut, this ten-song "Greatest Hits" collection is both lazy and sacrilegious.
INXS "Greatest Hits"
Okay, it isn't so much what is included on this hits compilation as what isn't that got our goat. The band found it in their hearts to include total filler like "The Strangest Party (These Are The Times)", but could not find the room to include "Don't Change" - a song that single-handedly put them on the map here in the US. Unbelievable.