Comments on: Discussion: Greatest Hits Going the Way of the Dodo?

By: Sheldon

Sheldon — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 22:02:17 +0000

Why in hell would anyone buy a Rascal Flatts Greatest Hits album? All one has to do is sit in front of your local “TODAY’S COUNTRY!!!” radio and listen for an hour…you will be sure to hear all of their hits – probably twice.

By: Jane

Jane — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 09:04:47 +0000

I think Greatest Hits albums will always be around, hopefully. For me, I became a fan of Martina McBride after buying her GH album, as it introduced me to her music. Same with Lee Ann Womack, so hopefully they’ll always been around for others like me to gain new artists to listen to and for singers to gain new fans.

By: Dan Milliken

Dan Milliken — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 05:31:30 +0000

One exception that I thought of is box sets, which I still think are awesome, though a different beast from greatest hits packages. I don’t know whether their time has passed yet or not, but I hope it hasn’t.

By: Paul W Dennis

Paul W Dennis — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 05:13:18 +0000

For those who still like their music in archival (permanent)form, “Greatest Hits” packages still serve a purpose, especially for artists of whom you are not a diehard fan.

I have all three Tim McGraw hits collections, but only one other album, ditto for other artists such as Phil Vassar, Mindy McCready, Michelle Wright and Rascall Flatts. I’ve only picked up hits collections on Reba since about 1992 and only rarely picked up non-hits albums by Martina McBride and Faith Hill

Since I do not download, I hope that hits collections continue to be available

By: Matt B.

Matt B. — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 00:44:13 +0000

To be honest, I wouldn’t have the hits packages I have of late if not for getting review copies of them. I did buy a “Playlist” set of Lonestars (ducks) but then wisened up and returned it as I had everything on it already and can review such things w/o buying them cause of that.

By: Trailer

Trailer — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 21:33:18 +0000

I was going to defend greatest hits collections, but when I looked at my collection, I realized I haven’t bought any myself in quite awhile (aside from Bob Marley). Those who still buy CD’s will still buy them, but we all know that market shrinks every day. Even a diehard CD buyer like myself has begun supplementing my buys with digital albums and singles.

By: Lanibug

Lanibug — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 17:54:39 +0000

I have to say that with artists that I listen to consistently, I would not buy a greatest hits package, but as many people have mentioned I have all of the hits. The part that makes me mad is when they package in new songs and you cannot buy the new songs online without buying the whole album…..argh….really gets me going.

Now there are artists that I have bought greatest hits packages from because while I like them, they do not fall into my favorites categories and I have not bought their other stuff and it has allowed me to get the stuff I like without having to purchase the other stuff.

By: Matt B.

Matt B. — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 17:44:20 +0000

I think they truly mean to thank their fans for supporting them enough for a ‘greatest hits’ CD but in reality, it actually services those who aren’t their bigger fans and if they’re gonna buy one complete ‘album’ of theirs, it’s gonna be the hits package.

By: Blake Boldt

Blake Boldt — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 16:32:47 +0000

@Chris N.: Considering the diminishing album sales nowadays, “please” would be a little more appropriate than “thank you”, don’t you think?

By: Chris N.

Chris N. — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 16:22:18 +0000

Can anyone explain to me why artists always say a greatest-hits album is a way of “saying ‘thank you’ to our fans”? A lifetime as a music fan and a decade (or so) as a music journalist, and I still don’t get what the hell that’s supposed to mean.