I mean artists that you like, maybe even really like, but you are content to own a greatest hits/best of/anthology rather than collecting albums? Not necessarily confined to hip hop - name anybody.

For me there are few of them in hip hop, but Busta Rhymes is one. I like his best tracks enough to want to own them, but I've never heard one album by him that I thought, "I really need to have this." A solid collection has been sufficient.

I have more of these in the realm of classic rock and pop acts. Led Zeppelin - I like them but I've heard everything by them a lot, and I just need to occasionally spin some classics by them to augment what I hear all over the place anyway. The two-disc "Remasters" is fine for me. Same with Tom Petty, who I REALLY like, but most of his albums are hit and miss, and the two disc anthology covers most of the hits. The only Petty album I currently own is "Wildflowers," which came out after the anthology was done (so no overlapping tracks), and is one of his best 2 or 3 albums as well.

Also of interest, maybe: artists you USED to be OK with their greatest hits, and eventually got sucked in enough to replace that with albums. I went through that with David Bowie (now own 8 or 9 albums by him), Jimi Hendrix (now own almost everything), and some others.

>Also of interest, maybe: artists you USED to be OK with their
>greatest hits, and eventually got sucked in enough to replace
>that with albums.

slowly doing that with depeche mode and the cure, having had multiple volumes of their "greatest hits" since the '90s

for some reason their later albums are harder to find than the earlier ones.

Hopefully that's a good sign.

Loves me some Cure man.

>slowly doing that with depeche mode and the cure, having had
>multiple volumes of their "greatest hits" since the '90s


"Violator" and "Songs of Faith and Devotion" are both amazing albums, but I could listen to a DM greatest hits, and be ok.



The Cure? Hmmmmmm. They had a lot of good album cuts, so I *might* have to hear the whole album...

I love4 several of their 80's singles but most of their albums are so fucking dull I can barely believe my ears...

. . . of all time.

Let's take a look. . .

Three Imaginary Boys: no singles, really
I guess the singles affiliated with this album are 'Boys Don't Cry' and 'Killing An Arab' — I guess pretty representative of the proper album, but way more catchy than anything on the album (except maybe 'Fire in Cairo').

Seventeen Seconds: Jumping Someone Else's Train, A Forest
Ok, this is one case where the singles represented the album pretty well. Sparse, jangly minor chords and whatnot.

Faith: Primary, Charlotte Sometimes
If all someone knows of this era are these two songs, they are in for a very slow, very melancholy shock when they actually listen to the album.

Pornography: The Hanging Garden
Sure, it's dark and poundy, but it's actually very tuneful in comparison to the rest of the album. I've always thought 'A Strange Day' would've been a much better single.

—in the interim: The Walk, The Lovecats, Let's Go to Bed—
Bob goes pop. Representative of Japanese Whispers, sure, but that's a compilation anyway.

The Top: The Caterpillar
Nothing is representative of this album. Least of all, that song. If I had to pick a more representative single, I'd pick 'Birdmad Girl.'

The Head on the Door: Inbetween Days, Close to Me, A Night Like This
Funny that the most representative single from the album ('Night Like This') was also probably the least popular. Besides the two big songs, the rest of the album is a little more dark — sure, in a mid-80's 'goth pop' big production sort of way, but still.

Kiss Me: Catch, Just Like Heaven, Hot Hot Hot, Why Can't I Be You?
The catchiest songs on the album, point blank. The title track started the album and that should be a good clue-in. Other fan favorites on this album that weren't singles: 'How Beautiful You Are', 'If Only Tonight We Could Sleep' and 'Lime Cockatoos' — catchy stuff, sure, but not really radio hits.

Disintegration: Lovesong, Fascination Street, Lullaby, Pictures of You
In the case of three of the singles from this album, they were the shortest songs on the album. Literally —besides 'Lovesong' 'Fascination' and 'Lullaby'— everything else on the album was six minutes or longer. So, yeah.

Wish: Friday I'm in Love, High, A Letter to Elise
The album started off with 'Open' and went on to have other shoegaze/Madchester experiments like 'From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea', 'Cut' and 'End.' The singles were easily the most pop things on the album — the rest is very dark. Except for the aborted fourth single 'Doing the Unstuck' (shame, that — it should've been the lead single in my mind).

Wild Mood Swings: The 13th, Gone, Mint Car, Strange Attraction
Another album where no single would have been representative. In a perfect world, 'Jupiter Crash' would've been the single and, furthermore, it would have been a hit.

Bloodflowers: Maybe Someday
Another Disintegration case, where all of the songs are too long to really be singles. I will concede that this is actually a pretty representative song for the rest of the album.

The Cure: The End of the World, Taking Off (in Europe), alt.end (in America)
They actually were a little more honest to the Americans with this one, as 'alt.end' feels a little more representative of the darker, more 'tough guy' rock sound that this album attempted. But still, they fucked up again as 'Before Three' was clearly the best —and most representative— song on the album.

4.13 Dream: The Only One, Freakshow, Sleep When I'm Dead, The Perfect Boy
Ok, actually a pretty representative batch of songs for a mixed bag of an album.

So, yeah. There's my analysis.

~Austin

>Three Imaginary Boys: no singles, really
>I guess the singles affiliated with this album are 'Boys Don't
>Cry' and 'Killing An Arab'

i have 'staring at the sea,' so i'm very familiar with these 2 songs, singles or not (i also have 'galore')


>Faith: Primary, Charlotte Sometimes
>If all someone knows of this era are these two songs, they are
>in for a very slow, very melancholy shock when they actually
>listen to the album.

the title track is one of the nonsingles i've checked out over the years, and it's pretty dark, slow, and gloomy... this is on my list to get, as is

>Pornography


>—in the interim: The Walk, The Lovecats, Let's Go to Bed—
>Bob goes pop.

some of the songs that made me interested in the cure in the first place, especially "the lovecats," which my station played all the time


>Disintegration: Lovesong, Fascination Street, Lullaby,
>Pictures of You
>In the case of three of the singles from this album, they were
>the shortest songs on the album. Literally —besides
>'Lovesong' 'Fascination' and 'Lullaby'— everything else on the
>album was six minutes or longer. So, yeah.

this same station also used to run "fascination street," and i thought it was one of the most amazing songs ever and seemed so unlike anything else, at least in structure, on that already eclectic station. i used to love how there was 3 minutes *before singing*!


>Bloodflowers
>The Cure
>4.13 Dream

the first 3 studio albums i heard

Duran Duran is on my list as well.

2Pac's Greatest Hits album is really the only album of his I feel compelled to every listen to and would be fine if the tracks on that album were the only Pac tracks I'd ever get to here again.

*ducks*

I kinda agree with you though, even though I own some Pac albums (three, I think?). I never feel compelled to listen to the Pac discography. I like him as a rapper but all of his albums are very up and down for me, except maybe Makaveli because it gets in, does its thing, and gets out. "All Eyez" would have made a good single album (of course, when it that not true of doubles?). "Strictly" was my favorite in college but about half of it hasn't held up well for me.

so I would agree only because his Greatest Hits album is more like an anthology spanning a very small frame of time.

I still like All Eyez On Me though, even at 2 discs long.

Return To Forever.

Nina Simone(Mainly because I've been exposed to her music before, given that my mother is a huge fan. The few compilations I own are enough).

David Bowie.

Queen

Barry White

Almost ALL of Motown's artists except Marvin & Stevie.

Ike & Tina(The Ike & Tina story boxet is already the peach & cream for me as it is).

Etta James

On the other hand, I only have two compilations by Johnny Guitar Watson(his 70s-90s stuff and his 50s stuff on another) and I'm def think about branching out on his discog.

I made that mistake once and got a cheap cassette copy fo the Greatest Of.

It's got a few good songs, but it's got some really bad ones too

The Best of, on the other hand, most of the songs are great.

The fact that the Greatest Of has a bunch of duds leads me to believe their albums cuts may just not be that deep. I can't really say though as I have never once heard any Guess Who song that was not on one of these two compilations (except Shakin' All Over).

I have never listened to the albums....I just got all the radio hits lol...

you NEED that.

"Rapture" is one of the most 'skip-free' albums I've EVER heard.


and the ONLY skippable track is "Watch Your Step", which is the LAST joint on the album, so usually I'll just skip over that piece and go BACK to track one, and start over.

what's fuckin' with that ? (C) Havoc

And it's only the 60's stuff I like so the "meaty, beaty, big&Bouncy"-comp is really all you need as far as I'm concerned.

The only album I like by them is "the Who sell out" and while it's cool, I wouldn't call it great either.

Yardbirds is another band like that but I already mentioned that in their thread.

LOTS of other 60's bands as well (Troggs, Them, Animals, the Seeds, Standells, Chocolate Watchband, Strawberry Alarm Clock, Peanutbutter Conspiracy etc.)-the albums are often very iffy I think.

Actually, for the Rolling Stones pre-68 work, a comp will do just fine as well even if there are a FEW cool cuts you will miss out on...

>And it's only the 60's stuff I like so the "meaty, beaty,
>big&Bouncy"-comp is really all you need as far as I'm
>concerned.
>
>The only album I like by them is "the Who sell out" and while
>it's cool, I wouldn't call it great either.

I'm kinda surprised you don't like Live at Leeds much.4

And I actually really like 'Sings My Generation' too, but much of it isn't exactly essential. Missing out on Circles, though...

>LOTS of other 60's bands as well (Troggs, Them, Animals, the
>Seeds, Standells, Chocolate Watchband, Strawberry Alarm Clock,
>Peanutbutter Conspiracy etc.)-the albums are often very iffy I
>think.

Count Five!

But I don't. I don't know why, maybe it was just too late-Daltrey already sounds like shit-or something else. It's good though and I must admit I forgot it since it's a live album. Still, it's not exactly "kick out the jams" or even "get yer ya-ya's out"...

>And I actually really like 'Sings My Generation' too, but much
>of it isn't exactly essential. Missing out on Circles,
>though...
>

Actually, I like a lot of album tracks/non-hits on their first three albums ("So sad about us"!!!) but they are scattered across the records amongst a bunch of filler.

>
>Count Five!

LOL, I'm not even sure they need a greatest hits *album*-a one-sided single is enough!!! That was a bit mean but that's a textbook one-hit wonder. NUMEROUS garage-rock bands were like that except that in many cases the killer song wasn't even a hit. Still, they had one killer song-that's more than U2!!!

that too 'arena rock' or whatever for your taste but the only songs that fit that are the three biggest hits on it that have been a bit bludgeoned in recent years by commercials/TV show themes/etc.

Like SO much. I bought it and sold it like three times and I even had to delete my downloaded copy because I just couldn't stand owning it. I will never even try with that record again...

>Like SO much. I bought it and sold it like three times and I
>even had to delete my downloaded copy because I just couldn't
>stand owning it. I will never even try with that record
>again...

If your tastes grows and changes, it's perfectly possible that you can like something you previously hated...

I like "Who Sell Out" but personally overrated by most 60's rock fans. The Who definitely wrote their share of filler (Some I still appreciate) but Tommy, & Who's Next are essential rock albums imo

- David Bowie is another one.

-> The Ramones, Bob Marley Songs of Freedom

oh yeah

Rolling Stones and The Kinks too.

>-> , Bob Marley Songs of Freedom


NO collection is complete without "Rastaman Vibration", "Exodus" and "Catch a Fire".

His album cuts are superior to a LOT of the Hits.

"Rat Race", "Kinky Reggae ( Talkin' Blues version)", "Natural Mystic", "Small Axe","Crazy Baldhead", and "War" are MUST haves, that might not be on a GH package.

mood I'm throwing on a live bootleg.

But I can't imagine still being stuck on 'Legend' material for Bob Marley or even limit it to that Songs Of Freedom box from 15 years ago because that collection has its own flaws.

now that I bought all of his actual albums.

It's pretty thorough to the point where
I wasn't curious anymore. I think you
listed only two or three songs that
weren't on there.

http://tinyurl.com/3w6raa4

to be honest, this post is making me think MOSTLY of Rock Bands.

I'd settle for a GH from Soundgarden, Nirvana, and Oasis.

>I'd settle for a GH from Soundgarden

that's another band i could've said above if i thought of it. i've had 'a-sides' since 1997. i know i should at least get 'superunknown,' but i just haven't yet.


>Nirvana, and Oasis.

i like nirvana but rarely ever listen to their albums. i wouldn't say their singles are the only essential songs from them, but i hear them so often that it's as much nirvana as i can take. i got their last 2 studio albums for $2.50 a piece used long ago, so they were worth that. i kept waiting to find oasis' albums for the same price but never did. i love their radio songs from the first 2 albums but never wanted a greatest hits album, just 'morning glory.' last year i found their album of b-sides from that era, 'the masterplan,' brand new for under $5, so i got it, and i've been listening to it a lot. it's great to hear peak oasis songs that are new to me, and it's a very strong album even without being a "real" album. so now i have to get more from them.

> i kept waiting to find
>oasis' albums for the same price but never did.

You probably won't either. I've never really seen a lot of used Oasis stuff in the racks. Everything I've ever bought by them was new.

i love their
>radio songs from the first 2 albums but never wanted a
>greatest hits album, just 'morning glory.' last year i found
>their album of b-sides from that era, 'the masterplan,' brand
>new for under $5, so i got it, and i've been listening to it a
>lot.

They had a 2 CD set called "Stop The Clocks" with B-sides, Alternate takes, and other unreleased stuff. I picked it up for about 13 bucks. It's pretty good.

it's great to hear peak oasis songs that are new to me,
>and it's a very strong album even without being a "real"
>album. so now i have to get more from them.

Check for "What's The Story" and "Be Here Now". After that it gets a little repetitive. I'm interested in checking out Liam's new band though. ( it's pretty much Oasis without Noel, actually)

>They had a 2 CD set called "Stop The Clocks" with B-sides,
>Alternate takes, and other unreleased stuff. I picked it up
>for about 13 bucks. It's pretty good.

cool


>Check for "What's The Story" and "Be Here Now".

no love for 'definitely maybe'? i think i'd pick that up before 'be here now,' but maybe that's just because i remember getting clowned for liking "d'ya know what i mean?" or whatever it was called from that album as it received a critical backlash


>After that it
>gets a little repetitive.

yeah, very little i've heard from the later albums has grabbed me like the early singles. one exception is one of my favorite remixes ever, an over 20-minute epic psychedelic reworking of their song "falling down" by the future sound of london, which brings me to...


>I'm interested in checking out
>Liam's new band though. ( it's pretty much Oasis without Noel,
>actually)

yeah, i knew they put something out, but i'm actually more interested in noel's solo album since FSOL are helping him produce it after he personally commissioned them to remix that oasis single after hearing their psychedelic mix(tap)es. given how amazing the remix turned out and the fact that noel was always the main songwriter, it could be great.

There are lots of great album-tracks on that one though. Several cool songs on "Superunknown" too but the singles left me cold except maybe "Spoonman" which was such a shameless cock-rock sounding song that I couldn't help but like it.

True story: We were playing "Superunknown" at my work some years ago and this total extreme metal-dude walked by when "Spoonman" was playing and said:"Is this 70's Aerosmith?". Hilarious that they got tagged "alternative"...

I'm straight as long as "Do it Roger", "Computer Love", "More Bounce" and "So Ruff, So Tuff" is on there...

Just... no

You need those albums.

Psychedelic Furs.

And furthermore, All of this and Nothing — not the best of that came out in late 90's.

~Austin

>Psychedelic Furs.

i actually got the '90s greatest hits cd you mentioned for free and quickly sold it just to get rid of it after hearing it. the only 2 songs i remember liking on it were the ones i knew already, "love my way" and "pretty in pink." i would probably be more receptive to it now than i was in 1998, but i thought there would be more songs like those 2.

I have that same CD, if it looks like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Psychedelic-Furs-Greatest-Hits/dp/B000056VJ6

First album and Talk Talk Talk stuff mostly.

And that's the bulk of All of This and Nothing.

~Austin

Sister Europe was the only song i really liked on that greatest hits cd

I had forgot they even existed. They used to hype them alot for a couple of months in the british music press and they played them alot for a while on "120 minutes" on MTV europe. I can't remember a single song to save my life, I do remember the way they looked though. Maybe I'm missing out...

Because generally, that was my way to get into certain acts, before the Internet.

I will say that perhaps in the "JT" era of Kool & The Gang, I'm cool with that second volume of their Greatest Hits (the other is in the "pre-JT" years)

.

Lenny Kravitz

a lot of lite 80's ie Foreigner, Journey, Christopher Cross

Elton John and Billy Joel

Bowie I used to agree but now with internet I started getting into the albums more

if I ever get the urge to listen to him, it's going to be something on that GH album.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greatest_Hits_%28Lenny_Kravitz_album%29#Original_edition

There has to be something said for GH albums that are well compiled too, and when they add one more "new" song to the package, it is actually worthy.

that's a GREAT album. So if you had to chose one full length from him, that'd be the one.

But yeah, you could probably get by with Leonard's Greatest Hits.

I got a few....

Madonna, Barry White, Billy Joel (OK, the Stranger is kinda sick as a complete work), Luther Vandross, DJ Quik, the Ramones and The Cars (Although the "Candy-O" title track is a must have) just to name a few...

--
Outta line like titties in the open. The system of industry is kitty-litter ocean. - CH

twitter dot com slash onejdunn

One Way feat Al Hudson
So Afraid It's Over
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lmuq2ttuxpw

because I own a good number of their albums
the ones most worth owning (IMO) are X-Static, Along The Red Ledge, maybe Beauty on a Back Street (but there's one song by them I really dislike on there), and the joint Todd Rundgren produced. Maybe Abandoned Lunchonette?

they are very much best served by their greatest hits. Because the albums with their biggest hits don't have a lot of music that sounds close to those hits.

i'm cool with just knowing the good shit
i don't really have much interest in digging deeper
only 'cause its just so much to deal with regarding the 3 genres i REALLY like
so i don't really have time to give yt a chance :(

*i swear to god if one of yall ask me what white people music is like you don't know i'm gonna e-bodyslam you.

~Austin

do you listen to congolese music? should i be sad that you don't? that you maybe you have things that you can relate to more to listen to
rather than try to force yourself to care about some shit you don't?
what's so sad about that? no one's going to have the time to try and
like everything and it would definitely take trying. its not enough time
in the day.

>do you listen to congolese music?
No, I don't. But I would like to.

>should i be sad that you
>don't?
No, if you have the knowledge, you should share. Because I'm interested.

>that you maybe you have things that you can relate to
>more to listen to
>rather than try to force yourself to care about some shit you
>don't?
It's not about that. It's about listening to unfamiliar things.

>no one's going to have the time to
>try and
>like everything and it would definitely take trying.
Time is an issue, sure. But I try not to let it stop me from trying.

I guess I'm just of the opinion that I shouldn't write things off that I don't know about.

~Austin

the post so you're a damn lie!! lol at the end of the day though no one would fault you for not caring about that. most people on the planet
listen to what they know, music wise and most times it's music from their culture. MOST white music i hear (even the good shit) doesn't rock
with my overall being meaning i don't feel any enjoyment from bumping it
and singing along. i know A LOT of 'white' music, who the greats are
etc but that doesn't mean i HAVE to listen. that's foolishness that
you're only saying this because it has to do with 'whites' if i would
have said 'i know the reggae hits, that's all i need' you wouldnt
come behind me with this nonsense. this whole post is filled with people
stating all they need are the greatest hits from GREAT artists, why
are you not sad for them?

>do you listen to congolese music? should i be sad that you
>don't? that you maybe you have things that you can relate to
>more to listen to
>rather than try to force yourself to care about some shit you
>don't?
>what's so sad about that? no one's going to have the time to
>try and
>like everything and it would definitely take trying. its not
>enough time
>in the day.

Call me OCD, but i want e v e r y song.
Every detail to the story.