For decades, greatest hits albums were inescapable. They summed up artists’ careers, provided intros to unknown sounds, and served as a dependable cash-grab for labels that were able to resell music they had already paid for. But now? Seems like they’re more or less done for, killed by the infinite "playlistification" of all things (unless you're trying to make a retro statement...hello White Stripes!) We spend some thinking through what the greatest hits was, what it did, and what that might tell us about the art-form shaping format known as the album. ALSO—we talk through some of the most influential greatest hits albums of all time, from the Eagles to Bob Marley.
Further reading / listening:
A Major #Mood: Spotify, Labels, and our Dismal Streaming Future - Money 4 Nothing
Why the Death of the Greatest Hits Albums and reissues is Worth Mourning - Stephen Thomas Erlewine (Pitchfork)
The Great War Against Singles - Hit Parade (Slate)
Kate Bush is Running Up Those Charts
Independent Labels and Electronic Music with Chal Ravens
Hard Landing: The End of Free Money and The Future of the Music Industry
What Makes a Hit in 2022? (with Andrew Unterberger)
Mike Park of Asian Man Records
New vs. Old Music
Mat Dryhurst and the Case for Crypto in Music (Part 2)
Mat Dryhurst and the Case for Crypto in Music (Part 1)
Bandcamp and Epic Games Get Hitched
Neoliberal Jazz with Dale Chapman
Web 3.Bro with David Turner
Neil Young vs. Spotify
Sync Life (featuring Sebastian Adé)
New Year, Fresh Mailbag
Sparks: This Film Ain’t Big Enough For The Both Of Us
Spotify Wrapped....Wrapped
45 Billion Dollars and Universal‘s IPO
How the iPod Changed Everything with Eamonn Forde
Music‘s Environmental Impact with Kyle Devine
”Getting Signed” and the Ideology of Record Contracts Featuring David Arditi
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