How Greatest Hits Go Wrong Part 6: Jumping the Greatest Hits Gun

For a brief explanation on this series, click here. 

How many times have casual Eagles fans picked up The Eagles Greatest Hits and been shocked to get home and see that “Hotel California” is nowhere on the track list? Thousands, I’d imagine. The hits album was released ten mere months before “Hotel California,” which would go on to be one of the biggest hits of any band ever. They would later put out a second volume of hits, including “Hotel California.” But man, record store clerks must have a bitch of a time explaining why people have to buy two records to get everything the whole spectrum of mellow California rock.

Also, Bob Dylan’s Greatest Hits came out in 1967, before “All Along the Watchtower,” “Hurricane,” “Tangled up in Blue,” “Lay Lady Lay,” “Knockin On Heaven’s Door” and dozens more. He released a second greatest hits collection four years later, then a third in 1991. As a favor to his fans, he ceased recording songs that would qualify as “hits” sometime in the mid ’80s, so it’s easy to get caught up.