Ten (+1) Greatest Hits Albums That Are Better Than Their Artist’s Discrete Studio Releases
(Half of these artists were simply better at singles than albums, while the other half had a small discography, so their greatest hits release is close to exhaustive. No insult intended, and listed alphabetically by artist.)
Love and Other Numbers 1980-1984 by Ash Wednesday and Friends
Bobby Jimmy You a Fool: The Best of Bobby Jimmy and the Critters by Bobby Jimmy and the Critters
Photographs & Memories: His Greatest Hits by Jim Croce
The Best of Fingerprintz: Bullet Proof Heart by Fingerprintz
The Essential Mi-Sex by Mi-Sex
Best Of (2-CD) by Nouvelle Vague
Every Breath You Take: The Singles by The Police
Greatest Hits (1981) by Queen
Greatest Hits (1996) by Thompson Twins
Overview by Violet Eves
(Bonus Album: The Cure’s 2001, 2-disc Greatest Hits is not their best album (that’s Disintegration, of course) and maybe not even in their top five (add The Head on the Door, Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me, Pornography, and Faith), but the second disc offers new acoustic renditions of all eighteen of the songs on the first, and is thus essential.)
— March 22, 2021