Greatest Hits (Guns N' Roses album)

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Greatest Hits is a compilation album by the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, released on March 23, 2004. Released by Geffen Records in part because of the delay in the making of Chinese Democracy, the album was subject to lawsuits by band member Axl Rose and former band members, in an attempt to block its release due to its track listing.

Despite the album having almost no promotion, it reached number one on the UK Albums Chart<ref name="UK">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and number three on the Billboard 200 chart upon its release.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Greatest Hits re-entered the Billboard 200 at number three in March 2012, selling about 85,000 copies as part of a promotion by both Amazon and Google Play that saw the album sold for 25 cents for one day.<ref name="bm2012">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The album has proven a popular seller, selling over six million copies in the United States by 2018.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Greatest Hits is one of the longest charting albums in the Billboard 200 era,<ref name="auto">Template:Cite magazine</ref> being one of only seven albums to notch at least 400 weeks on the chart by June 2017.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> As of July 2023, it has spent 631 weeks on the chart.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>

Lawsuit

Axl Rose immediately tried to block the release by suing Geffen, saying it would ruin his focus on Chinese Democracy and if he were to get the album finished and released sooner, the Greatest Hits album would be selling more, leaving the album unnoticed. Former bandmates Slash and Duff McKagan helped Rose file the lawsuit against Geffen, although they did not speak to each other in person.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The lawsuit failed and the album was released under Geffen Records' rights.<ref name="auto"/> <ref name="3xplat">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Reception

Template:Music ratings The album received mixed reviews, with several critics complaining of the track listing, feeling several notable songs were missing. AllMusic criticized the album for "(giving) an inaccurate portrait of the band", saying "it bears all the hallmarks of a slapdash compilation, hastily assembled by the label as a way to buy time between releases. There are no liner notes, the cardboard packaging is flimsy, (&) the remastering isn't notable."<ref name="AM"/> The review singled out "Nightrain", "Estranged", "It's So Easy", "Mr. Brownstone" and "Used to Love Her" as songs that should have been on the album but weren't.

Pop Matters stated the album "does nothing to enhance the legacy of a once-proud rock band. There are no hidden insights into the inner workings of the group, no lost classics, and no evidence of their contribution to a new generation of musicians. Instead we are left with an inflated sticker price for a Pandora's box of tracks..."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Pitchfork criticized the compilation for having too many covers, as well as not including songs such as "Out Ta Get Me", "Used to Love Her", and "One in a Million".<ref name="PITC"/> BBC criticized the songs for being dated.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The Maneater stated "The appearance of the album gives the impression of a record company that focused solely on the fact that people would buy the album even if it were wrapped in brown wrapping paper." and criticized the compilation for not including songs such as "Estranged", "Mr. Brownstone", and "Pretty Tied Up".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In a positive review, NME stated "It’s packed with pomp, spunk and circumstance, makes blokes want to fight and girls want to dance. What the fuck else is there?".<ref name="NME"/>

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.<ref>Template:Cite AV media notes</ref>

Guns N' Roses

• W. Axl Rose – lead vocals, percussion on "Welcome to the Jungle", whistling on "Patience" and "Civil War", synthesizer and whistle on "Paradise City", keyboards on "Since I Don't Have You" and "Live and Let Die", piano on "November Rain", "Yesterdays," and "Sympathy for the Devil"
• Slash – lead guitar, acoustic guitar on "Civil War", "Sweet Child o' Mine" and "Knockin' On Heaven's Door", lead acoustic guitar on "Patience"
• Izzy Stradlin – rhythm guitar (on tracks 1, 2, 4–11 and "Shadow of Your Love"), rhythm acoustic guitar on "Patience", backing vocals on tracks 1–11
• Duff McKagan – bass, backing vocals, rhythm acoustic guitar on "Patience"
• Steven Adler – drums (on tracks 1, 2, 4, and 6 and "Shadow of Your Love" and "Civil War"), backing vocals on "Patience"
• Matt Sorum – drums and backing vocals on tracks 5, 7–14
• Dizzy Reed – keyboards and piano on tracks 5–14, organ
• Gilby Clarke – rhythm guitar and backing vocals on "Ain't It Fun" and "Since I Don't Have You"
• Paul Huge – rhythm guitar on "Sympathy for the Devil"

Additional personnel

• Michael Monroe – co-lead vocals on "Ain't It Fun"
• Mike Staggs – additional guitars on "Ain't It Fun"
• West Arkeen – percussion on "Patience"
• Rick Richards – percussion on "Patience"
• Ray Grden – percussion on "Patience"
• Howard Teman – percussion on "Patience"
• The Waters – backing vocals on "Knockin' on Heaven's Door"
• Shannon Hoon – backing vocals on "Live and Let Die", "November Rain", co-lead vocals on "Don't Cry"

• Johann Langlie – programming on "Live and Let Die", "November Rain"
• Reba Shaw – backing vocals on "November Rain"
• Stuart Bailey – backing vocals on "November Rain"
• Jon Thautwein – horn on "Live and Let Die"
• Matthew McKagan – horn on "Live and Let Die"
• Rachel West – horn on "Live and Let Die"
• Robert Clark – horn on "Live and Let Die"

Charts

Weekly charts

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Weekly chart performance for Greatest Hits

Chart (2004–2020)	Peak position
Brazilian Albums (ABPD)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	15
Singaporean Albums (RIAS)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	1
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	8

Year-end charts

2004 year-end chart performance for Greatest Hits

Chart (2004)	Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	21
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	16
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	13
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	9
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	26
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	2
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	14
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	11
UK Albums (OCC)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	11
US Billboard 200<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	42

2005 year-end chart performance for Greatest Hits

Chart (2005)	Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	88
UK Albums (OCC)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	191
US Billboard 200<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	47

2006 year-end chart performance for Greatest Hits

Chart (2006)	Position
UK Albums (OCC)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	148
US Billboard 200<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	73

2008 year-end chart performance for Greatest Hits

Chart (2008)	Position
UK Albums (OCC)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	137

2009 year-end chart performance for Greatest Hits

Chart (2009)	Position
UK Albums (OCC)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	116

2010 year-end chart performance for Greatest Hits

Chart (2010)	Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	51
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	96
UK Albums (OCC)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	113
US Billboard 200<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	165

2011 year-end chart performance for Greatest Hits

Chart (2011)	Position
UK Albums (OCC)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	115

2012 year-end chart performance for Greatest Hits

Chart (2012)	Position
UK Albums (OCC)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	159
US Billboard 200<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	108

2013 year-end chart performance for Greatest Hits

Chart (2013)	Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	70
UK Albums (OCC)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	175

2014 year-end chart performance for Greatest Hits

Chart (2014)	Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	81

2015 year-end chart performance for Greatest Hits

Chart (2015)	Position
US Billboard 200<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	155

2016 year-end chart performance for Greatest Hits

Chart (2016)	Position
Canadian Albums (Billboard)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	44
US Billboard 200<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	133

2017 year-end chart performance for Greatest Hits

Chart (2017)	Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	31
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	74
Canadian Albums (Billboard)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	25
US Billboard 200<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	140
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	21

2018 year-end chart performance for Greatest Hits

Chart (2018)	Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	53
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	39

2019 year-end chart performance for Greatest Hits

Chart (2019)	Position
US Billboard 200<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	157
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	26

2020 year-end chart performance for Greatest Hits

Chart (2020)	Position
UK Albums (OCC)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	84
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	44

2021 year-end chart performance for Greatest Hits

Chart (2021)	Position
Canadian Albums (Billboard)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	50
US Billboard 200<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	115
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	19

2022 year-end chart performance for Greatest Hits

Chart (2022)	Position
Polish Albums (ZPAV)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	71
US Billboard 200<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	81
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	9

2023 year-end chart performance for Greatest Hits

Chart (2023)	Position
UK Albums (OCC)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	92
US Billboard 200<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	96
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>	12

2024 year-end chart performance for Greatest Hits

Chart (2024)	Position
US Billboard 200<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	104

Decade-end charts

2000s decade-end chart performance for Greatest Hits

Chart (2000–2009)	Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	75
UK Albums (OCC)<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>	67
US Billboard 200<ref>Template:Cite magazine Digit page 168 on the PDF archive.</ref>	105

2010s decade-end chart performance for Greatest Hits

Chart (2010–2019)	Position
Australian Albums (ARIA)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	48