Greatest Hits (Guns N' Roses album)

Greatest Hits is a compilation album by the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, released on March 23, 2004. Released by Geffen Records in part because of the delay in the making of Chinese Democracy, the album was subject to lawsuits by band member Axl Rose and former band members, in an attempt to block its release due to its track listing.

Greatest Hits
Greatest hits album by
Guns N' Roses
ReleasedMarch 23, 2004
Recorded1987–1994
GenreHard rock, heavy metal
Length79:18
LabelGeffen
ProducerGuns N' Roses, Mike Clink, Bill Levenson
Guns N' Roses chronology
Live Era '87–'93
(1999)		 Greatest Hits
(2004)		 Chinese Democracy
(2008)

Despite the album having almost no promotion, it reached number one on the UK Albums Chart[1] and number three on the Billboard 200 chart upon its release.[2] Greatest Hits re-entered the Billboard 200 at number three in March 2012, selling about 85,000 copies as part of a promotion by both Amazon and Google Play that saw the album sold for 25 cents for one day.[3] The album has proven a popular seller, selling over six million copies in the United States by 2018.[4] Greatest Hits is one of the longest charting albums in the Billboard 200 era,[5] being one of only seven albums to notch at least 400 weeks on the chart by June 2017.[6] As of July 2018, it has spent 441 weeks on the chart.[7]

Lawsuit

Axl Rose immediately tried to block the release by suing Geffen, saying it would ruin his focus on Chinese Democracy and if he were to get the album finished and released sooner, the Greatest Hits album would be selling more, leaving the album unnoticed. Former bandmates Slash and Duff McKagan helped Rose file the lawsuit against Geffen, although they did not speak to each other in person.[8][9] This failed and the album was released under Geffen Records' rights.[10][5]

Reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[11]
NME[12]
Pitchfork3.9/10[13]
StylusD+[14]
Ultimate Guitar9.4/10[15]

The album received mixed reviews, with several critics complaining of the track listing, feeling several notable songs were missing. AllMusic criticized the album for "(giving) an inaccurate portrait of the band", saying "it bears all the hallmarks of a slapdash compilation, hastily assembled by the label as a way to buy time between releases. There are no liner notes, the cardboard packaging is flimsy, (&) the remastering isn't notable."[11] The review singled out "Nightrain", "Estranged", "It's So Easy", "Mr. Brownstone" and "Used to Love Her" as songs that should have been on the album but weren't.

Pop Matters stated the album "does nothing to enhance the legacy of a once-proud rock band. There are no hidden insights into the inner workings of the group, no lost classics, and no evidence of their contribution to a new generation of musicians. Instead we are left with an inflated sticker price for a Pandora's box of tracks..."[16] Pitchfork criticized the compilation for having too many covers, as well as not including songs such as "Out Ta Get Me", "Used to Love Her", and "One in a Million".[13] BBC criticized the songs for being dated.[17] The Maneater stated "The appearance of the album gives the impression of a record company that focused solely on the fact that people would buy the album even if it were wrapped in brown wrapping paper." and criticized the compilation for not including songs such as "Estranged", "Mr. Brownstone", and "Pretty Tied Up".[18]

In a positive review, NME stated " It’s packed with pomp, spunk and circumstance, makes blokes want to fight and girls want to dance. What the fuck else is there?".[12]

Track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Original albumLength
1."Welcome to the Jungle"Axl Rose, Jeffrey Isbell, Saul Hudson, Michael McKagan, Steven AdlerAppetite for Destruction (1987)4:32
2."Sweet Child o' Mine"Rose, Isbell, Hudson, McKagan, AdlerAppetite for Destruction5:55
3."Patience"Rose, Isbell, Hudson, McKagan, AdlerG N' R Lies (1988)5:56
4."Paradise City"Rose, Isbell, Hudson, McKagan, AdlerAppetite for Destruction6:47
5."Knockin' on Heaven's Door" (Bob Dylan cover)Bob DylanUse Your Illusion II (1991)5:36
6."Civil War"Rose, Isbell, Hudson, McKaganUse Your Illusion II7:42
7."You Could Be Mine"Rose, Isbell, Hudson, McKaganUse Your Illusion II5:44
8."Don't Cry" (original version)Rose, Isbell, Hudson, McKaganUse Your Illusion I (1991)4:51
9."November Rain"Rose, Isbell, Hudson, McKaganUse Your Illusion I8:57
10."Live and Let Die" (Paul McCartney & Wings cover)Paul McCartney, Linda McCartneyUse Your Illusion I3:02
11."Yesterdays"Rose, Isbell, Hudson, McKagan, West Arkeen, Del James, Billy McCloudUse Your Illusion II3:18
12."Ain't It Fun" (radio version) (The Dead Boys cover)Cheetah Chrome, Peter Laughner"The Spaghetti Incident?" (1993)5:10
13."Since I Don't Have You" (The Skyliners cover)Jackie Taylor, James Beaumont, Janet Vogel, Joseph Rock, Joe Verscharen, Lennie Martin, Wally Lester"The Spaghetti Incident?"4:18
14."Sympathy for the Devil" (The Rolling Stones cover)Mick Jagger, Keith RichardsInterview with the Vampire soundtrack (1994)7:36
Total length:79:18

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.[19]

Guns N' Roses
  • W. Axl Rose – lead vocals, percussion on "Welcome to the Jungle", whistling on "Patience" and "Civil War", synthesizer and whistle on "Paradise City", keyboards on "Since I Don't Have You" and "Live and Let Die", piano on "November Rain, "Yesterdays," and "Sympathy for the Devil."
  • Slash – lead guitar, acoustic guitar on "Civil War" and "Sweet Child o' Mine", lead acoustic guitar on "Patience"
  • Izzy Stradlin – rhythm guitar (on tracks 1–2, 4–11), rhythm acoustic guitar on "Patience", backing vocals on tracks 1–11
  • Duff McKagan – bass, backing vocals, rhythm acoustic guitar on "Patience"
  • Steven Adler – drums (on tracks 1–2, 4, and 6), backing vocals on "Patience"
  • Matt Sorum – drums and backing vocals on tracks 5, 7–14
  • Dizzy Reed – keyboards and piano on tracks 5–14, organ
  • Gilby Clarke – rhythm guitar and backing vocals on tracks 12–13
  • Paul Tobias – rhythm guitar on "Sympathy for the Devil"

Additional personnel

Charts
Chart (2004) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[20] 5
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[21] 1
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[22] 1
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[23] 26
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[24] 2
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[25] 4
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[26] 3
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[27] 1
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[28] 4
Irish Albums (IRMA)[29] 1
Italian Albums (FIMI)[30] 2
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[31] 1
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[32] 1
Portuguese Albums (AFP)[33] 7
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[34] 2
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[35] 2
UK Albums (OCC)[36] 1
US Billboard 200[37] 3

Sales and certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Argentina (CAPIF)[38] 2× Platinum 80,000^
Australia (ARIA)[39] 9× Platinum 630,000^
Belgium (BEA)[40] Gold 25,000*
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[41] Gold 50,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[42] 2× Platinum 200,000^
Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[43] Platinum 31,665[43]
Germany (BVMI)[44] Platinum 200,000^
Greece (IFPI Greece)[45] Gold 10,000^
Hungary (MAHASZ)[46] Gold 10,000^
Ireland (IRMA)[47] 6× Platinum 90,000^
Italy (FIMI)[48] 2× Platinum 200,000*
Japan (RIAJ)[49] Gold 100,000^
Mexico (AMPROFON)[50] Gold 50,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[51] 6× Platinum 90,000^
Poland (ZPAV)[52] 3× Platinum 60,000*
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[53] Platinum 100,000^
Sweden (GLF)[54] Platinum 60,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[55] Platinum 40,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[56] 7× Platinum 2,100,000^
United States (RIAA)[57] 5× Platinum 5,000,000^
Summaries
Europe (IFPI)[58] 4× Platinum 4,000,000*

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

References
  1. "The Official Charts Company – Guns N' Roses". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 7, 2008.
  2. "Charts & Awards". AllMusic. Archived from the original on March 23, 2012. Retrieved March 23, 2012.
  3. "GUNS N' ROSES: 'Greatest Hits' Sells 85K Copies In One Week As Part Of 25-Cent Promotion". Blabbermouth.net. March 21, 2012. Archived from the original on March 23, 2012. Retrieved March 23, 2012.
  4. Caulfield, Keith (January 5, 2018). "Billboard 200 Chart Moves: Nat King Cole Collects First Top 40 Album in More Than 50 Years". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 6, 2018. Retrieved January 6, 2018.
  5. "Chart Moves: Guns N' Roses 'Hits' Longevity Milestone, 'Pitch Perfect' Still Selling Strong". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 1, 2015. Retrieved February 14, 2015.
  6. "Billboard 200 Chart Moves: Guns N' Roses 'Greatest' Hits Landmark 400th Week on Chart". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 9, 2017.
  7. "Guns N' Roses Greatest Hits Chart History". Archived from the original on May 9, 2018.
  8. Krgin, Borivoj (February 18, 2004). "Report: Guns N' Roses may sue to block 'Greatest Hits' album". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Archived from the original on February 14, 2015. Retrieved February 14, 2015.
  9. Wiederhorn, Jon (May 4, 2004). "Axl Rose Sued By Ex-Guns N' Roses Bandmates". MTV News. Archived from the original on February 14, 2015. Retrieved February 14, 2015.
  10. Krgin, Borivoj (May 14, 2006). "Guns N' Roses: 'Greatest Hits' Certified Triple Platinum". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Archived from the original on February 14, 2015. Retrieved February 14, 2015.
  11. "Greatest Hits – Guns N' Roses – Songs, Reviews, Credits – AllMusic". AllMusic.
  12. "NME Album Reviews – Guns N' Roses : Greatest Hits". NME. March 19, 2004. Archived from the original on October 8, 2012. Retrieved February 19, 2012.
  13. "Guns N' Roses". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on May 6, 2013.
  14. "Guns n Roses – Greatest Hits – Review". Stylus Magazine. Archived from the original on February 29, 2012. Retrieved February 19, 2012.
  15. "Guns N' Roses: Greatest Hits - Reviews @ Ultimate-Guitar.com".
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  18. "The Maneater". www.themaneater.com.
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  49. "Japanese album certifications – Guns N Roses – Greatest Hits" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Select 2004年5月 on the drop-down menu
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