Greatest-hits packages make excellent gifts for music lovers who want an introduction to a legendary band. Compilations can vary - some feature just the hits, while others include lesser-known songs to give a fuller portrait of the band's sound. These 10 best-of collections, listed alphabetically by band, nail the essence of their respective groups - and will hopefully open the door to further exploration of these bands.
Foo Fighters - 'Greatest Hits'
Photo courtesy RCA.
Foo Fighters bring together their biggest hits for this best-of package. Be warned that it doesn't follow the band's career chronologically, but Greatest Hits demonstrates what a fearsome force they've been on the radio for the last 15 years. For longtime fans, the collection also includes two new tracks and an acoustic version of their popular ballad "Everlong."
Green Day - 'International Superhits!'
Photo courtesy Reprise.
The only quibble you could make about Green Day's greatest-hits record is that it came out before the release of American Idiot, which contained its fair share of hit songs as well. Still, International Superhits! ably compiles their '90s highlights, offering a more consistent collection than any of their standalone albums could hope to achieve. Their path from bratty punk-rockers to mature songwriters (who were still pretty bratty) can be chronicled here.
Guns N' Roses - 'Greatest Hits'
Photo courtesy Geffen Records.
True fans grumble about this Guns N' Roses collection because it focuses on familiar radio staples rather than including some of the band's best material that never made the charts. But no one can argue that this best-of doesn't live up to its title - it is, indeed, the band's greatest hits. Ballads, covers, and hard rock songs are all included, offering strong proof that the band succeeded at making danger and paranoia hugely successful.
Nirvana - 'Nirvana'
Photo courtesy Geffen Records.
Nirvana's brilliance is condensed into this 14-track collection that spans the band's brief career, making sure to include the hits as well as important tracks from both their pre-Nevermind days and their triumphant Unplugged swan song. Though obviously geared to the Nirvana newbie, Nirvana also got some hardcore fans to pony up their hard-earned dollars because of the best-of's inclusion of the previously unreleased track "You Know You're Right."
Oasis - 'Stop the Clocks'
Photo courtesy Columbia.
Oasis juggle their chronology (and the definition of "hits") on Stop the Clocks. Ignoring Be Here Now, which had its share of singles, this best-of grabs most of the band's peak moments while making room for obscure songs that are just as terrific as their radio smashes. The track list bounces around from album to album, but it's a surprisingly cohesive collection – and it culminates with their finest song.
Pearl Jam - 'Rearviewmirror'
Photo courtesy Epic.
Pearl Jam started off as a rock-radio staple before becoming a contemplative, more interesting album-oriented group. Rearviewmirror captures both sides of the band over two discs. The singles are all here, but what this collection does that's so valuable is also include the strongest non-hits from underrated albums like No Code. Fans willing to sample the lesser-known stuff might discover an even better Pearl Jam than the one they think they know.
Rage Against the Machine - 'Live at the Grand Olympic Auditorium'
Photo courtesy Epic.
A live album recorded as the band's end was nigh, Live at the Grand Olympic Auditorium runs through Rage Against the Machine's catalog, nailing the best moments from their three studio records. Until they decide to release a proper greatest-hits compilation, Live will more than suffice as Rage's grand summation. (Note: There's also a DVD version available.)
Smashing Pumpkins - 'Rotten Apples'
Photo courtesy Virgin Records.
The title of this greatest-hits album is obviously meant to be ironic – the 18 tracks collected on Rotten Apples are the best of the bunch. Arranged chronologically, Rotten Apples does a superb job of showing the progression of Smashing Pumpkins from dreamy shoegazing rockers to stadium-filling superstars to moody experimentalists. Holding it all together is frontman Billy Corgan's ethereal, yearning voice.
Soundgarden - 'A-Sides'
Photo courtesy A&M.
Focusing almost completely on their radio songs, Soundgarden's A-Sides hits a lot of the highlights of the band's final three albums. But some choice early tracks are also included, helping to illuminate how Chris Cornell and the rest of the guys sounded when they were still struggling to establish a sonic identity.
Stone Temple Pilots - 'Thank You'
Photo courtesy Atlantic.
Stone Temple Pilots started off as a pseudo-grunge band but soon evolved into a group that was comfortable with glam rock, pop, Led Zeppelin balladry and even punk. Thank You represents STP better than any one of their studio albums ever could because it encompasses all their stylistic flourishes. Plus, since the band had a ton of hits, there are plenty of highlights to enjoy here.
