Where a greatest hits album is enough

[the science eel]

Hollies is a good shout.

[SteveDave]

Elvis
Lovin' Spoonful
Simon & Garfunkel
Chairman of the Board
Most of Motown's 60s poppier artists ( would happily be proven wrong on this)

I would recommend "The Hums Of The Lovin' Spoonful" to anyone who's not heard it. An amazing LP from nose to tail. Includes this absolute banger not found on any[nb]I've just found it on this https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lovin%27_Spoonful_Greatest_Hits[/nb] best of's-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nace1xqUFDw

[Sebastian Cobb]

Most of Motown's 60s poppier artists ( would happily be proven wrong on this)

Spector too. I've got a Crystals and Ronettes LP but also have all their good stuff on a cheap knocked-out 'best of the wall of sound' lp I bought for fuck all in a charity shop.

I've got a couple of other girl group LP's and the only one I'd say is really good is the Shangri-La's, because they cut out all the filler and had one side of good singles and the flip is a live recording with a garage band.

Although if you're not already aware of it, Yvonne Fair's The Bitch is Black is an excellent Motown album. And of course Diana Ross' Diana.

[jobotic]

This'll do for me when it comes to The Shangri-Las. If you can find it get it. Must be pretty much all they did.

https://www.discogs.com/The-Shangri-Las-Myrmidons-Of-Melodrama/release/675095

What's the live recording like Sebastian Cobb?

[Sebastian Cobb]

This'll do for me when it comes to The Shangri-Las. If you can find it get it. Must be pretty much all they did.

https://www.discogs.com/The-Shangri-Las-Myrmidons-Of-Melodrama/release/675095

What's the live recording like Sebastian Cobb?

It's great! Really garagey.
I'm struggling to find it on Spotify/Youtube, but I think this is one of the tracks off of it:
Leader of the Pack

Edit: pulled the lp out and it's not on the tracklist so I don't think it is.
Twist and Shout is on there though and it's great.

Edit 2:
looks like most of it is on disc 2 here: https://open.spotify.com/album/09SIWnx0g4L42DRBKg3ZYJ?si=1u6WvVcuR8qEdbnEqRYDvQ&dl_branch=1

Actual lp:
https://www.discogs.com/The-Shangri-Las-Leader-Of-The-Pack/master/288886

[Goldentony]

bollocks re: Elvis too, From Elvis In Memphis, Rhythm and Country, How Great Thou Art, the Sun City stuff, the album where he yells at the crowd because someone sold rumours he was on smack and goes I PULL THEY GODDAMN TONGUE OUT BY THE ROOT

[Sebastian Cobb]

Housemate had some elvis live album where he sings hound dog at half-time then double times it, was great.

[Sebastian Cobb]

Not a greatest hits, but on a soul tip, where it's mostly singles rather than albums that worked, the Otis Redding and Carla Thomas 'King and Queen' lp is great.

I've got a scratched to fuck copy I begrudgingly paid a fiver for because the guy at the market wouldn't budge. Looking at discogs it seems like it was an honest rate, but no bargain.

[Pauline Walnuts]

I only got into The Jam recently, so I may change my mind, but Snap! is such a fantastic comp I don't feel the need to investigate the albums.

Snap! was my first thoughts for this too. Maybe it's because I've only really heard their second album.

Fine Young Cannibals: 'Finest'

They only made 2 albums, and they were only 35 minutes long. Easy 'Best of CD' on that one.

[non capisco]

Not a greatest hits, but on a soul tip, where it's mostly singles rather than albums that worked, the Otis Redding and Carla Thomas 'King and Queen' lp is great.

Otis' albums are pretty consistent in general I'd have said. Otis Blue, Dictionary Of Soul, King & Queen, even the posthumous ones from the early 70s are all pretty low on filler.

[rue the polywhirl]

Probably the Police. Their album tracks are often inessential and at worst chastening. The first half of Synchronicity (the side without any of the hits) should be called Synchroncrapcity and Mother is so bad it gave me trauma. Also Madness Greatest Hits - Divine. Madness Deep Dive - Disappointing.

[The Culture Bunker]

They only made 2 albums, and they were only 35 minutes long. Easy 'Best of CD' on that one.

You'd think so, but it does without 'I'm Not Satisfied', which I quite liked from the second album (which my dad had on tape).

[Sebastian Cobb]

Otis' albums are pretty consistent in general I'd have said. Otis Blue, Dictionary Of Soul, King & Queen, even the posthumous ones from the early 70s are all pretty low on filler.

Yeah that's fair enough on Otis specifically. I don't really think of Stax as having many good albums (much like Motown) but they do I guess.

[holyzombiejesus]

ELO

[Sebastian Cobb]

I know it's entirely possible to amass a WHO discography but I know little about them and am quite happy with my copy of Meaty Big and Bouncy.

I realise this is probably heresy though.

[jobotic]

Nigh on perfect. Just few tracks missing. You need Around and Around

[Goldentony]

ELO

BLANK ON BOTH SIDES

[Chicory]

A friend 'burned' me a CD selection of AC/DC hits about twenty years ago, which made him Steve Jobs in my eyes. I've never felt the need to listen to anything more by them.

[holyzombiejesus]

BLANK ON BOTH SIDES

ELO > Elvis

[thecuriousorange]

Metallica never releasing a Best-of was a shrewd business move, as it meant each new fan would buy all the good albums and even a few of the crap ones.

[Goldentony]

ELO > Elvis

well done, he's fucking dead, cant defend himself

[jamiefairlie]

The Beat.

[chveik]

Sutcliffe Jugend

[Goldentony]

The Beat.

fuck off! what is going on in this thread!!!

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

bollocks re: Elvis too, From Elvis In Memphis, Rhythm and Country, How Great Thou Art, the Sun City stuff

Hell yeah. Elvis is one of the ultimate deep dive artists. His late '60s Memphis recordings are incredible. He recorded some amazing stuff in the '70s too. A greatest hits artist? Absolute rhinestoned bollocks, mate.

He never played Sun City though. ;)

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

ELO > Elvis

What a bizarre and entirely wrong hot take.

[lankyguy95]

The first half of Synchronicity (the side without any of the hits) should be called Synchroncrapcity

I mean, Synchronishitty was available.

[rue the polywhirl]

I mean, Synchronishitty was available.

Why would I want another variant of a record I'm already not a fan of?

[phantom_power]

I got an Eddie Grant Greatest Hits LP for about 8p from the tip the other week on a bit of a flyer thinking there might be a couple of good tracks on it. Every single one is a banger, though I don't think I need to listen to any of his albums in full

[Sebastian Cobb]

As mentioned Depeche Mode is a good shout. I've tried various parts of their discography but never really managed. Their first singles collection is ace.

I think I prefer Erasure albums more, but POP! is also a solid collection of hits.