The 10 best rock music compilation albums
In music, albums are what make the world go round. Despite the current dominance of the streaming age and songs being freely available, the album is still the most robust way for fans to enjoy an artist’s music or, alternatively, a way of solidifying love for a newly found gem. When things are done correctly, it is in the LP that we get the most comprehensive understanding of where an artist is currently at and a flavour of which direction the artist might head in the future. Take Radiohead‘s sophomore effort, The Bends, as the perfect example.
The album can be used as an individual chapter in an artist’s career, with the likes of The 1975 and Swans masters of this approach. On the other hand, when things aren’t going so well, a record can signal the end of proceedings, with extraneous variables manifesting in song form and conveying to everyone – fans and critics alike – that this is the end of the road. On many occasions, albums have caused notorious band fallouts or acted as sad goodbyes to the greatness of what once was. The Beatles’ swansong, Let It Be, instantly springs to mind regarding the latter.
Outside of the studio album, we have the compilation. There’s an argument that it produces a better picture of an artist than a studio effort. They can be collections of hits, live versions, B-sides and covers, or even all of these simultaneously, with them an unabashed and often stellar exhibit of an artist at their purest. Whilst there have been some notably terrible examples of the compilation over the years, it’s a format that often gets overlooked, which is strange, as there have been some exceptional releases over the years.
From The Beatles to Fugazi, some of the most influential rock acts have been kind enough to provide fans with compilations over the years, with some of such quality that they go toe-to-toe with their finest studio albums. Duly, we’ve taken it upon ourselves to list the ten best compilations in the genre. Expect to see some classics, and be a little bit surprised.
The 10 best rock music compilation albums:
10. Lovely Creatures: The Best of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds (2017)
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds have been around the block a few times and have consistently produced brilliance, primarily due to their leader. Still, that’s not forgetting the input from the likes of Warren Ellis, Mick Harvey and Blixa Bargeld, who are all legends in their own right. For the uninitiated, it can be hard knowing where to start given their arc, rotating cast and the sheer volume of input they’ve had. However, in 2017 they released the best of compilation, Lovely Creatures, which does away with any worries.
It offers a host of classics. ‘Loverman’, ‘From Her to Eternity’, ‘Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!’, ‘Straight to You’, ‘Stagger Lee’ and ‘Red Right Hand’. From some of the band’s darkest cuts to some of their most melancholy, a lot is going on here. It should be enough to get anyone onside.
9. OX4: The Best of Ride – Ride (2001)
Oxford shoegaze legends Ride might have tailed off towards the end of their first chapter, but no one can doubt the heights of their early years, where they burst onto the scene on Alan McGee’s game-changing Creation Records. Their first three EPs are excellent, as are the albums Nowhere and Going Blank Again, with OX4: The Best of Ride, pulling the highlights from this influential period together, with a sprinkling of Carnival of Light and Tarantula.
‘Chelsea Girl, ‘Like a Daydream’, and ‘Leave Them All Behind’ are included, as are other staples such as ‘Dreams Burn Down’, ‘Unfamiliar’, and the Going Blank Again masterpiece ‘OX4’. Whether it be the raw noise of their formative period or the refined rock of their peak, this is essential Ride. Still, I implore those unfamiliar with the quartet to check out the songs, ‘Seagull’, ‘Mousetrap’ and ‘Grasshopper’, that do not feature. Their second chapter is also compelling.
8. Payola – The Cribs (2013)
The Cribs are the UK’s premiere cult band, as anyone from Yorkshire will attest. From their 2004 eponymous debut album to their most recent effort, 2020’s Night Network, the group have consistently delivered a rocking good time. The three Jarman brothers, twins Ryan and Gary and younger brother Ross have something that eclipses all other bands of siblings; utter magic and complete creative understanding. Duly, their career has been stellar, earning kudos from music fans from all backgrounds.
Fusing the grit of the underground alternative music they grew up loving with a general indie sensibility, there’s a reason why the band have maintained such a healthy following despite the zeitgeist. It’s authentic music, which could not be clearer on Payola, their collection of tracks from 2002-2012. Featuring staples such as ‘Hey Scenesters!’, ‘We Share the Same Skies’ and ‘City of Bugs’, and overlooked greats such as ‘On a Hotel Wall’ and ‘Don’t You Wanna be Relevant’ on the bonus disc, it’s a flawless example of a compilation.
7. Hatful of Hollow – The Smiths (1984)
A wise man once told me that this was the only album by The Smiths you’d ever need, and he wasn’t wrong. Still, my young self was surprised to discover that Hatful of Hollow was only a compilation when I followed his suggestion. But what a fine one it is. Gordon, wherever you are, take a bow. This is The Smiths at their most acerbic, with some of the versions of tracks from the Peel and Jensen sessions better than the studio ones.
Containing versions of classics such as ‘What Difference Does It Make?’, ‘William, It Was Really Nothing’, ‘This Charming Man’ and ‘Hand in Glove’, it’s like listening to the best Smiths concert ever. The record’s highlight must be the David Jensen version of ‘These Things Take Time’. Johnny Marr’s guitar is at its spikiest, Andy Rourke’s bass playing is exquisite, driving the track and reinforcing how overlooked it is, and Morrissey is howling in his delivery. Exceptional.
6. 1 – The Beatles (2001)
The most successful band on the planet, The Beatles, have many compilations to their name, and I’m sure the inclusion of 1 over the likes of the Red or Blue albums will ruffle some feathers. However, this 2000 collection, compiled by producer George Martin, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, is noteworthy. It features almost every number-one single of the Liverpool band’s career.
Issued on the 30th anniversary of The Beatles’ split, it has sold over 31 million copies. This is no real surprise, as it literally contains all the classics, save for a couple. From ‘Love Me Do’ to ‘The Long and Winding Road’, this is a sonic journey like nothing else out there, musically charting the odyssey of the world’s most important band. It elicits total awe when contemplating everything The Beatles achieved in their decade of life. It will never happen again.
5. Standing on a Beach/Staring at the Sea – The Cure (1986)
Standing on a Beach, or Staring at the Sea, as it is called in some countries, is an incredible singles compilation released in May 1986 to mark a decade since the founding of The Cure in the depths of Crawley in 1976. Notably, the album’s titles are both taken from the opening lines of their debut single, 1978’s ‘Killing an Arab’.
Whilst it doesn’t include the material from future albums, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Disintegration and Wish, that shouldn’t matter, as the goth-rock of their early career is represented in all its gloomy glory. One of their best tracks, the haunting ‘Charlotte Sometimes’ is enclosed, as is the ominous ‘A Forest’, as are the heady pair of ‘Inbetween Days’ and ‘Close to Me’. For some, this is The Cure’s best period anyway. Additionally, the cover photo of retired fisherman John Button is iconic in itself.
4. Substance – Joy Division (1988)
I was tempted to include Still, but as it is criticised for its hodgepodge nature, I opted for the safe bet, as you really cannot go wrong with Substance, the 1988 singles compilation from Joy Division. It’s the compendium fans had wanted since the tragic suicide of frontman Ian Curtis in May 1980. Containing a host of their best pieces, it charts their journey from their original guise, Warsaw, into the cultural phenomenon of Joy Division.
‘Warsaw’, ‘Transmission’, ‘She’s Lost Control, ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’ and ‘Atmosphere all feature, as do ‘Digital’ and ‘Komakino’. Substance also makes you realise how brilliant the Manchester quartet were in their time, producing many influential pieces in such a short period of four years. To think what modern alternative music would be without them is nigh-on impossible. That’s how essential they are, and Substance conveys this clearly. Some would even say it’s the only Joy Division record you need, but that’s up for debate.
3. 13 Songs – Fugazi (1989)
Whether it be Repeater, Steady Diet of Nothing, or even The Argument, D.C. post-hardcore pioneers Fugazi never delivered a dud when it came to studio albums. However, contrary to what many people mistakenly believe, 13 Songs is not a studio album. It’s a compilation. Bringing together all the tracks from the band’s first two EPs, Fugazi and Margin Walker, not only did it set the scene for their influential studio debut, Repeater, but it also captured the band when things were about to blow up.
The proof is in the pudding, as they say. 13 Songs remains Fugazi’s most successful release. Some sources even report that the album’s worldwide sales are over three million units, which is quite a feat for a title released independently through frontman Ian MacKaye’s legendary Dischord Records. ‘Waiting Room’, ‘Bulldog Front’, and the swirling ‘Glue Man’ are three moments that spring to mind. Bikini Kill frontwoman Kathleen Hanna put it best: “13 Songs is to underground music what Led Zeppelin IV is to suburban potheads.”
2. Singles Going Steady – Buzzcocks (1979)
Buzzcocks are a widely influential band, and their 1979 compilation Singles Going Steady is an absolute classic, delivering an account of the band when they were at their best. Featuring the sneering humour of the late Pete Shelley and some of their finest musical moments, from the raw power of their earliest days to the more refined melodic flourishes of their critical peak, it contains almost every vital Buzzcocks song fans would want. It’s enough to capture the hearts of newcomers immediately.
Kicking off with the taboo-busting ‘Orgasm Addict’, other highlights of the compilation are ‘What Do I Get?, ‘Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve)’, ‘Lipstick’ and ‘Autonomy’. A personal favourite is the indomitable ‘Why Can’t I Touch It?’. That bassline, that rhythm, and that chorus are just exquisite. It’s a beaming moment on a record brimming with them. Singles Going Steady will always be the best example of the magic of Buzzcocks. Whether it be the lyrics, guitar lines or their criminally underrated rhythm section, it’s a masterclass in punk rock.
1. Incesticide – Nirvana (1992)
For me, only one compilation could occupy the top spot. Not only was Incesticide the first example that sprung to mind, but it is so good that some have even made the mistake of thinking it is a studio album. Released when Nirvana were at their pomp, it contains the 1990 non-album single ‘Sliver’, B-sides, demos, outtakes, covers and radio broadcast recordings. In this sense, it is the most unadulterated portrait of Nirvana out there.
Every track on Incesticide is excellent. Kicking off with ‘Dive’, fan favourites such as ‘Aneurysm’, ‘Mexican Seafood’ and ‘Molly’s Lips’ are included, as is the alternative version of ‘Polly’. Raw and sludgy at points and tender and candid at others, there’s magic captured here due to the compilation’s wide scope. For that reason, it will never grow old.
Augmenting proceedings, the first several pressings contained liner notes written by Kurt Cobain, which included a statement slamming racism, homophobia and misogyny. He wrote: “If any of you in any way hate homosexuals, people of different colour, or women, please do this one favour for us—leave us the fuck alone! Don’t come to our shows and don’t buy our records.”
Long live Nirvana.
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