Greatest (Duran Duran album)

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Untitled
Professional ratings
Review scores
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AllMusic[1]
Pitchfork Media(7.0/10)[2]

Greatest is a greatest hits compilation album released in 1998 by the band Duran Duran.

Background and release

Greatest was an update of the 1989 tenth anniversary compilation album, Decade: Greatest Hits. The new release included songs from their eponymous debut album through 1997's Medazzaland. The album includes all 14 songs featured in Decade: Greatest Hits, plus "New Moon on Monday" and four singles from the '90s, however both "Save a Prayer" and "Rio" are presented in their shorter US versions in order to fit on a single CD whereas they appeared in their full versions on the former compilation. For some unknown reason, "Perfect Day" (from 1995 album, Thank You) wasn't added to the album. "My Own Way" and "Careless Memories" were originally going to be in the album but due to the favor of the later singles. ("Serious" and "Eletric Barbarella")

The album was released by EMI after parting ways with the band after the disastrous Medazzaland album release in 1997, and marked the first of many releases designed to capitalise on the band's extensive EMI-controlled back catalogue.

To coincide with the release of the Greatest album in the United Kingdom, the song "Electric Barbarella" was released as a single. This track was originally released as a single in North America in 1997 to promote the Medazzaland album (which was never released officially in the UK). "Electric Barbarella" was also the basis for a retroactive correction in licensing payments in the band's favour, after Cuccurullo discovered that the song was mistakenly credited as having been licensed by Capitol Records instead of the band itself (rights had reverted to the band).

As of 2008, the collection had sold 1.3 million copies in the United States.[3]

To date, a full collection of Duran Duran's singles on one album still hasn't been released.

Track listing

  1. "Is There Something I Should Know?" – 4:10 (Non-album single)
  2. "The Reflex" {single version} – 4:24 (from Seven and the Ragged Tiger)
  3. "A View to a Kill" – 3:34 (from A View to a Kill)
  4. "Ordinary World" {single} – 4:42 (from Duran Duran (The Wedding Album))
  5. "Save a Prayer" (US single) – 3:47 (from Rio)
  6. "Rio" (US edit) – 4:45 (from Rio)
  7. "Hungry Like the Wolf" – 3:25 (from Rio)
  8. "Girls on Film" – 3:27 (from Duran Duran)
  9. "Planet Earth" {single} – 3:57 (from Duran Duran)
  10. "Union of the Snake" – 4:22 (from Seven and the Ragged Tiger)
  11. "New Moon on Monday" – 4:16 (from Seven and the Ragged Tiger)
  12. "Wild Boys" – 4:17 (from Arena)
  13. "Notorious" – 4:00 (from Notorious)
  14. "I Don't Want Your Love" {Shep Pettibone 7"} – 3:48 (from Big Thing)
  15. "All She Wants Is" {45 mix} – 4:26 (from Big Thing)
  16. "Electric Barbarella" {edit} – 4:17 (from Medazzaland)
  17. "Serious" {edit} – 3:56 (from Liberty)
  18. "Skin Trade" {radio cut} – 4:26 (from Notorious)
  19. "Come Undone" {edit} – 4:15 (from Duran Duran (The Wedding Album))

VHS edition

The album release was followed in 1999 by the release of a videotape compilation of the band's groundbreaking music videos, also entitled Greatest. It was not released on DVD at the time.

Video album track listing

  1. "Planet Earth"
  2. "Girls on Film" (Uncensored)
  3. "The Chauffeur" (Uncensored)
  4. "Hungry Like the Wolf"
  5. "Save a Prayer"
  6. "Rio"
  7. "Is There Something I Should Know?"
  8. "Union of the Snake"
  9. "New Moon on Monday"
  10. "The Reflex"
  11. "The Wild Boys" (extended version)
  12. "A View to a Kill"
  13. "Notorious"
  14. "Skin Trade"
  15. "I Don't Want Your Love"
  16. "All She Wants Is"
  17. "Serious"
  18. "Burning the Ground"
  19. "Ordinary World"
  20. "Come Undone"
  21. "Electric Barbarella"
  22. "My Own Way"
  23. The Wedding Album EPK

DVD edition

Untitled

In November 2003, the videotape compilation was released in DVD format, titled Duran Duran: Greatest — The DVD, with hidden extra materials, including alternative versions of some of the videos and interviews of the band, however, this version is much criticised for its extensive use of easter egg features, which make it difficult to find and play some materials.

DVD Easter eggs

DVD one

A) Girls on Film (6:26 - long, uncensored version with an alternative ending):

  • Plays alternately after watching the long uncensored version.

B) Union of the Snake (4:19 - Dancing on the Valentine version):

  • Go to the "Union of the Snake" in the sub menu, then press the left arrow-button to access an icon, then press "play/enter".

C) New Moon on Monday (4 alternative versions):

  • After playing the default, first version (the EP version), return to the title and re-select the track to access a different version with every repetition.
  1. Dancing on the Valentine version, with moon shots – 5:30
  2. Alternative version 1, with intro dialogue; not the same one shown on MTV (that version has never been released commercially) – 5:00
  3. Alternative version 2 – 5:01
  4. short version, without intro – 3:43
  5. Movie version, with extended dialogue, uses unique extended version of song, not the 12" remix – 17:37

D) The Wild Boys (4:10 - Long Arena Version):

  • Plays alternately after watching the 7" Edit Version

La Galerie De Duran

From the main menu, enter the "Galerie" by selecting the "A" in the word "GREATEST".

a) Planet Earth (4:05 - Club Version):

  • Select the Duran Duran album shot, then the "Planet Earth" (2nd) single shot. Highlight the bottom pack shot ("Girls on Film"), and press left arrow button on remote. This will take you to a hot spot, press play/enter.

b) A Day in the Life featurette 2:26:

  • Select the Rio album shot, highlight "My Own Way" single shot (3rd shot down), then press right arrow key which will highlight a hot spot. Press play/enter.

c) Girls on Film (3:24 - Censored/MTV version):

  • Select the Duran Duran album shot, then the "Girls on Film" (bottom) single shot, go to the word "Play" at bottom and press play/enter.

d) Midsummer Night's Tube Feature (4:31 - Nick and Simon discuss the recording and production of the album Seven and the Ragged Tiger):

  • Select the Seven album shot, highlight the word "next", then press up arrow key which will highlight a hot spot. Press play/enter.

e) Wild Boys Interview (8:53 - Paul Gambaccini talks to Roger, Andy and Simon):

  • Select the Arena album shot, then the "Wild Boys" single shot. Highlight the word "play", press up arrow key which will highlight a hot spot. Press play/enter.

f) View to a Kill Interview (1:52 - Paul Gambaccini talks with John and Andy):

  • Select the "View to a Kill" single shot, highlight the word "play", press right arrow to highlight a hot spot. Press play/enter.

DVD two

From the main menu, enter the "Galerie" by selecting the "A" in the word "GREATEST".

a) Liberty album Electronic Press Kit (EPK):

  • Select the Liberty album shot, highlight the "Serious" (top) single shot, press up arrow key. This will take you to a hot spot, press play/enter. The EPK contains the full length video for "Violence of Summer (Love's Taking Over)"

b) Serious (Multi-angle version):

  • Select the Liberty album shot, then the "Serious" (top) single shot. Highlight the word "album", press right arrow key. This will take you to a hot spot, press play/enter.
  • This may not work on some DVD players. Selecting the title "serious" as a track will also play the multi-angle video.

c) The Wedding Album Television Commercial

  • Select the Wedding Album album shot, highlight the word "next", then press down arrow key. This will take you to a hot spot, press play/enter.
  • This may not work on some DVD players. Selecting the title "the wedding album" as a track will also play the commercial.

d) Come Undone (Censored/MTV version)

  • Select the Wedding Album album shot, then the "Come Undone" single shot, highlight the word "play" and then press left arrow key. This will take you to a hot spot, press play/enter

Full hidden track listing

The hidden tracks may be accessed directly using the Title/Chapter number keys on a DVD player (or DVD remote control). This may not necessarily work from "inside" the disc's navigation menus depending on the DVD player. On some players the disc must be fully stopped (sometimes by pushing the "stop" button two or three times) to navigate directly to a Title, on others the disc must be playing. This DVD contains user operation prohibition on jumping directly to Titles in an attempt to prevent direct Title access, but not all DVD players obey such prohibitions. There are several duplicates of standard videos among the hidden tracks, in addition to the easter eggs.

DVD one

  • 01 "Planet Earth" (3:59). Note Title 01 has 12 chapters and plays the 12 main menu clips in sequence. The duplicates at Titles 02 and 24 play this clip by itself.
  • 03 "Girls on Film" (6:25). Uncensored "night version".
  • 04 "Girls on Film" (6:25). Uncensored "night version" with alternative ending from 5:54, where the band members hold up a banner which reads "Some people will do anything to sell records".
  • 05 "The Chauffeur" (5:00)
  • 06 "Hungry Like the Wolf" (3:41). Duplicate at Title 27.
  • 07 "Save a Prayer" (6:05). Note Title 07 has 12 chapters and cycles through the 12 main menu clips, starting from this one. The duplicates at Titles 08 and 28 play this clip by itself.
  • 09 "Rio" (5:03). Duplicate at Title 26.
  • 10 "Is There Something I Should Know?" (4:35). Duplicate at Title 30.
  • 11 "Union of the Snake" (4:20). Standard version. Duplicate at Title 33.
  • 12 "Union of the Snake" (4:20). Dancing on the Valentine EP version.
  • 13 "New Moon on Monday" (5:30). Dancing on the Valentine EP version with long intro. Note Title 13 has 12 chapters and cycles through the 12 main menu clips, starting from this one. Duplicate at Title 14 plays this clip by itself.
  • 15 "New Moon on Monday" (5:01). Alternative version 1 with shortened intro.
  • 16 "New Moon on Monday" (5:01). Alternative version 2 with shortened intro. The only differences between this version and the previous one are some animated "sparkles" at 2:54, 3:13 and 3:21. Duplicate at Title 32.
  • 17 "New Moon on Monday" (3:49). Alternative version 3 with no intro, short version. None of these versions are the ones shown on MTV, VH1, or any other video show in the '80s, '90s, or today. That version, with or without the intro, features a very specific and unique edit of footage and has never been released commercially.
  • 18 "New Moon on Monday" (17:42). 17-minute movie version set to a unique extended version of the song very different from the 12" remix.
  • 19 "The Reflex" (4:30). Duplicate at Title 31.
  • 20 "The Wild Boys" (4:15). Standard (7") version. Duplicate at Title 34.
  • 21 "A View to a Kill" (4:07). Duplicate at Title 35.
  • 22 "The Wild Boys" (7:43). Long Arena version
  • 23 "Girls on Film" (3:29). Short or MTV "day version"
  • 25 "Planet Earth" (4:05). Rum Runner club version.
  • 29 "A Day in the Life" featurette (2:27)
  • 36 Interview with John and Andy Taylor about "A View to a Kill" (1:52)
  • 37 Interview with Nick Rhodes and Simon Le Bon about Seven and the Ragged Tiger (4:31)
  • 38 Interview Simon Le Bon and Roger Taylor about "Wild Boys" (8:54)

DVD two

  • 01 "Notorious" (3:58). Note Title 01 has 9 chapters and plays the 9 main menu clips in sequence. The duplicates at Titles 02 and 13 play this clip by itself.
  • 03 "Skin Trade" (4:23). Duplicate at Title 14.
  • 04 "I Don't Want Your Love" (3:57). Duplicate at Title 15.
  • 05 "All She Wants Is" (4:28). Note Title 05 has 9 chapters and cycles through the 9 main menu clips, starting from this one. The duplicates at Titles 06 and 16 play this clip by itself.
  • 07 "Serious" (4:00). Version 1. Duplicate at Title 19.
  • 08 "Burning the Ground" (3:59). Duplicate at Title 17.
  • 09 "Ordinary World" (4:40). Note Title 09 has 9 chapters and cycles through the 9 main menu clips, starting from this one. The duplicates at Titles 10 and 21 play this clip by itself.
  • 11 "Come Undone" (4:21). Uncensored version. Duplicate at Title 22.
  • 12 "Electric Barbarella" (4:51). Duplicate at Title 25.
  • 18 Electronic Press Kit for the album Liberty (15:25). It includes the "Violence of Summer" video in two pieces, about 10 seconds is missing.
  • 20 "Serious" (3:58). Multi-angle version, showing three subtly different versions of the clip simultaneously - one in a large frame and two smaller ones. By selecting the angle, the different versions are shown in the main frame.
  • 23 "Come Undone" (4:21). Censored/MTV version. You have to look really hard to spot the differences with the uncensored one.
  • 24 Television commercial for The Wedding Album (0:21).

Charts

Chart (1998) Peak
position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[4] 19
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[5] 35
Canadian Albums (RPM)[6] 74
Chart (1999) Peak
position
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[7] 30
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[8] 24
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[9] 13
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[10] 13
US Billboard 200[11] 170
Chart (2000) Peak
position
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[12] 38
Chart (2003) Peak
position
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[13] 12
Chart (2004) Peak
position
UK Albums (OCC)[14] 4

Certifications

‹See Tfd›‹See Tfd›
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Argentina (CAPIF)[15] Platinum 60,000^
Australia (ARIA)[16] Gold 35,000^
Belgium (BEA)[17] 2× Platinum 100,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[18] Gold 50,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[19] Platinum 15,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[20] 3× Platinum 900,000^
United States (RIAA)[21] Platinum 1,000,000^
Summaries
Europe (IFPI)[22] Platinum 1,000,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ "Greatest - Duran Duran". Allmusic.
  2. ^ http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/17181-greatest[dead link]
  3. ^ "Ask Billboard: 'Trash' For Sale". Retrieved 30 April 2015.
  4. ^ "Ultratop.be – Duran Duran – Greatest" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
  5. ^ "Ultratop.be – Duran Duran – Greatest" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
  6. ^ "Top 100 CDs". RPM. 68 (11). 7 December 1998. ISSN 0033-7064. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
  7. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Duran Duran – Greatest" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
  8. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Duran Duran – Greatest" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
  9. ^ "Duran Duran: Greatest" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
  10. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Duran Duran – Greatest". Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
  11. ^ "Greatest – Duran Duran: Awards". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
  12. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Duran Duran – Greatest". Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
  13. ^ "Charts.nz – Duran Duran – Greatest". Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
  14. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
  15. ^ "Gold & Platinum Discs". CAPIF (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
  16. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2003 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
  17. ^ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – albums 2002". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on 8 March 2021. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
  18. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Duran Duran – Greatest Hits". Music Canada. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
  19. ^ "New Zealand album certifications – Duran Duran – Greatest". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
  20. ^ "British album certifications – Duran Duran – Greatest". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 3 September 2013. Select albums in the Format field. Select Platinum in the Certification field. Type Greatest in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  21. ^ "American album certifications – Duran Duran – Greatest". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
  22. ^ "IFPI Platinum Europe Awards – 2002". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 7 March 2013.
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