Which musicians would have the best "greatest hits" album?

[Sazari]

OASIS HTH

[The Comrade]

[Sandman]

Bob Dylan
The Smiths
Outkast


The best actual greatest hits collections I've ever heard were probably Sade, Phil Spector, and the Isley Brothers.

[The Comrade]

i second the smiths

[WizardfromOz]

I am fascinated Pink Floyd has not been mentioned yet

[Dobby]

The Smiths is a good shout.

The Cure
John Lennon (if you combine Beatles and solo)
Blur
Oasis

[NAB]

If one were to consider greatest hits that were actually hits in the popular sense, then here are a few notables not mentioned so far.

Madonna
Michael Jackson
Elton John
Elvis
Stevie Wonder

[OGPhilly]

I dabble in various genres quite casually, but I can only speak with any real weight about hip hop, so here goes:

With the size of his catalog against his many notable tracks, which are highly celebrated both critically and for commercial success, I must give the boring answer of Jay-Z for best greatest hits album.

I do figure, though, that Wu-Tang Clan can beat Jay easily if you allowed their greatest hits to include both Clan tracks and solo releases from the members.

[The Dude]

Beatles is the easiest choice of all. It's impossible not to find 20 songs from them. Elvis would be in any generic list, I'd add to my personal list:

Led Zeppelin
Pink Floyd
Queen
Pearl Jam
Bob Dylan
Neil Young
Radiohead
Rolling Stones
Bob Marley

Those would probably be mine. I'd put other bands if I took their best 15-18 songs as well, but I'm going to limit myself to bands with a large collection of music (so Tool is out, for instance). Some bands have an exhaustive catalogue but not sure I'd consider 15-18 super amazing songs (Dinosaur Jr, Sonic Youth, Beck, Eels, Wilco, Blur). Fiona Apple is on the list if I can throw in her random stuff. Same with Jimi.

Tool, Queens of the Stone Age, Built To Spill, Spoon, Iron & Wine, The Black Keys are actually pretty close for consideration.

If we allow for Jazz, which I also love, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Charles Mingus, and Thelonious Monk are easy answers.

Other music that would definitely work but I don't listen to much but like or don't like but is popular.

Michael Jackson
Madonna
Elton John
The Velvet Underground
David Bowie
Black Sabbath/Ozzie
Metallica
Beach Boys/Wilson
The Cure
The Who
The Kinks
Johnny Cash
Stevie Wonder
King crimson
The Doors
Mariah Carey
Tom Waits.

Also probably snoop dog, eminem, Nas, and jay-z could be on this list but I don't know how big their catalogue is, honestly.


I am sure to be missing a lot.

[OGPhilly]