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Some bands don't just make hits — they make history. Join us as we count down our picks for the bands with the strongest catalogues of timeless classics under their belt! From legendary rock icons to pop royalty, these are the groups whose greatest hits collections stand as monuments to musical greatness. Which greatest hits album do YOU consider the best of all time? Let us know in the comments!
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00:00Hey, June, don't make it bad. Take a sad song and make it better.
00:12Welcome to WatchMojo. And today, we're counting down our picks for the top 10 bands that have the strongest catalog
00:18of timeless hits under their belt.
00:21Good time, babe. Good time, babe.
00:25Open that jacket, too.
00:2910. The Beach Boys
00:31The intricate arrangements and infectious harmonies that came from the mind of Brian Wilson and his band sound as fresh
00:37today as ever.
00:39I'm picking up good vibrations. She's giving me the good excitation.
00:45The Beach Boys were responsible for some of the most essential music of the 1960s, going head-to-head with
00:51the Beatles at their peak like few others could.
00:53Would it be nice if we could wake up in the morning when the days do?
01:00They even found a number of hits in their later years, too, even if most fans and critics would agree
01:06that the Pet Sounds era of the group was definitely their strongest.
01:09Hey, jump, I'm good. Good vibrations.
01:14From the surf rock that made them stars to the experimentation that made them legends, the Beach Boys certainly produced
01:20a truly remarkable selection of hits.
01:23God only knows what I'd be without you.
01:279. U2
01:29The iconic Irish rockers U2 have been dishing out the hits for decades now, proving themselves to be among the
01:36most durable bands to come out of the early 80s.
01:46Each of their eras brought forth a new identity for the group, a distinct sound and style.
01:51Their punkier, new-wave-adjacent early material flowed into the atmospheric anthems of the Joshua Tree, before they eventually set
01:59their sights on arena rock.
02:00And you killed yourself away, with or without you…
02:08Sure, Bono is a divisive frontman, but his powerful vocal delivery ranks among the best in the business.
02:15It's a beautiful day
02:20Sky falls, you feel like it's a beautiful day
02:23To this day, despite being nearly 50 years into their career, they are still a formidable live act, with a
02:30dense set list of classics that most bands would kill for.
02:33But I still haven't found what I'm looking for
02:418. The Bee Gees
02:44How deep is your love, is your love, how deep is your love
02:49The U-turn that saw the Bee Gees shed their soft rock and R&B roots in favor of disco
02:54was arguably one of the smartest decisions a pop band has ever made.
02:59Their early records reveal a gift for beautiful melodies and intricate vocal harmonies long before tracks like Stayin' Alive made
03:06them superstars.
03:08Ha, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive, stayin' alive
03:12The Brothers Gibb were remarkable songwriters and arrangers capable of nailing the assignment in any genre.
03:27They had the vocal chops, pop sensibility, and over the course of their prime years, they recorded some of the
03:33most essential tracks of their time, songs that maintain major cultural relevance to this day.
03:457. The Rolling Stones
03:48Few bands, if any, defined rock and roll in its 60s explosion quite like The Rolling Stones.
03:54Please allow me to introduce myself, I'm made with the taste
04:02Often compared to the Beatles, they brought a far more rugged and dangerous image to the table.
04:07But it's alright, it went to the gas
04:13The swagger of Mick Jagger alone was enough to make these guys stand out, but the band's real power lies
04:19in their combined strength.
04:21I can't get no satisfaction
04:27Whether it was the iconic guitar riffs like I Can't Get No Satisfaction and Jumpin' Jack Flash, or the legendary
04:34lyrics of Gimme Shelter and Sympathy for the Devil, the Stones rarely missed at their peak.
04:40They could do aggressive and angry, soft and gentle, and everything in between.
04:536. Bob Marley and the Wailers
04:56The sheer number of genre-defining hits that Bob Marley and the Wailers put out is staggering.
05:037. The Legend Compilation album is regarded as one of the finest, greatest hits albums ever released.
05:15In the 18 or so years Marley was active in the studio, he put together a catalogue of songs that
05:20managed to drag reggae music into the mainstream.
05:237. This is love, it's this love, it's this love, it's this love that I'm feelin'
05:29Songs like Redemption Song and No Woman No Cry are anthems that are considered timelessly poignant.
05:36No woman no cry
05:38Although Marley himself tragically died too young, his body of work is among the strongest around, regardless of genre.
05:505. Fleetwood Mac
05:52They had songs of irresistible optimism and bitter conflict, sometimes on the same album.
06:00If it goes your own way, it goes your own way
06:07Fleetwood Mac went through a few line-up changes over the years, from the bluesier Peter Green era to the
06:13introduction of Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks.
06:15While they had their fair share of success initially, it was the Buckingham-Knicks period of Fleetwood Mac that produced
06:22the lion's share of their classic songs.
06:25Have you any dreams you'd like to sell? Dreams of loneliness?
06:32The well-documented inner turmoil between the band members and their respective romances provided uniquely strong songwriting fuel.
06:40Tell me lies, tell me sweet little lies
06:44Tell me lies, tell me, tell me lies
06:48Of course, they did eventually implode, but there are only a handful of bands who can match the strength of
06:54their Greatest Hits collection.
06:56I wanna be with you everywhere
06:58I wanna be with you everywhere
07:01Number 4. Eagles
07:03You can't hide your lion eyes
07:09The combination of country, rock, folk, and polished Californian studio pop ended up providing the Eagles with the perfect formula
07:16for success.
07:18Track 1 of their debut album Take It Easy does a great job of setting the table for what would
07:23eventually follow.
07:24Take it easy, take it easy
07:30Their biggest achievement, however, may be Hotel California, a song with a hypnotic progression, atmospheric arrangement, and an extraordinary dual
07:39-guitar finale that is still being marveled at to this day.
07:43Welcome to the Hotel California
07:48Such a lovely place, such a lovely place
07:52Even though their hits can sound polished and immaculate, underneath that sheen, you could find exceptional songwriting and musicianship.
07:59There ain't no way to hide your lion eyes
08:04Number 3. ABBA
08:06There's an argument to be made that no pop group in history was quite as prolific as ABBA.
08:11While the dancing queen
08:14Young and sweet
08:16Only seventeen
08:21Despite spending nine years releasing music during their initial run, they released well over a dozen singles that have reached
08:28a level of immortal status that other bands can only dream of.
08:32Give me, give me, give me a man at the midnight
08:35No, I want somebody help me
08:38Chasing shadows of me
08:39After winning the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest, they never slowed down, bringing us legendary tracks that were full of sophisticated
08:47songwriting and incredibly catchy melodies.
08:50Mamma mia
08:51Now I really know
08:53My, my
08:54I could never let you go
08:57Their greatest hits collection is without question among the most indestructible sets of songs in music. Period.
09:04The winner takes it all
09:08The loser's standing small
09:10Number 2. Queen
09:13The extravagance of Freddie Mercury and Queen made them a force to be reckoned with in the 1970s and 80s.
09:20So you think you could stop me and spit my eye
09:25Whether they were creating compositional masterpieces like Bohemian Rhapsody or radio-ready anthems like Don't Stop Me Now, Queen brought
09:33a sound to the music.
09:34They found an attitude to the table that was uniquely theirs.
09:37Don't stop me now
09:39I'm having such a good time
09:41I'm having a ball
09:42Few bands in music history have managed to make bombast and flamboyance sound so natural and memorable
09:49Another one bites the dust
09:50Another one bites the dust
09:55Unfortunately, Mercury would pass away in 1991, ending the group's classic lineup.
10:01But the selection of hits they left in their wake puts them in very exclusive company.
10:17Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
10:21Pink Floyd
10:22The prog rock giants who have some legendary radio hits
10:26Hey, teacher
10:28Leave them kids alone
10:30Nirvana
10:31The short-lived grunge heroes who produced a remarkable catalogue
10:35Well, the lights are out
10:37It's dangerous
10:39You're in a hunt now
10:41Entertain us
10:43Aerosmith
10:44Arena rock icons with classic rock and crossover success
10:48I don't wanna fall asleep
10:51Cause I miss you baby
10:53And I don't wanna miss a thing
10:56Bon Jovi
10:57The owners of some of the most sing-alongable tracks of all time
11:10Coldplay
11:10International stars and modern masters of the pop rock anthem
11:22Before we continue, be sure to check out WatchMojo's 24-hour livestream
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11:29Always on, always live
11:31Are you not entertained?
11:341. The Beatles
11:36Let me take you down
11:39Cause I'm going to strawberry fill
11:44Unless you've actually gone through their body of work album by album,
11:48it's impossible to really appreciate just how many iconic, impressive, and otherwise legendary songs the Beatles released.
11:54John, Paul, George, and Ringo were on another level for pretty much the entirety of the decade or so they
12:01were in the spotlight
12:01Let it be
12:02Let it be
12:05Let it be
12:06Let it be
12:07Let it be
12:07Yeah, there will be an answer
12:10Let it be
12:11Their early hits were pop perfection and yet, they didn't lose any of that immediacy as they became more adventurous
12:18and experimental
12:20Somebody spoke and I went into a dream
12:26Not to mention the fact that all four members had successful solo careers
12:31Ask ten Beatles fans to compile their own greatest hits collection from the band and you're likely to get ten
12:37very different track lists
12:39It's the gold standard when it comes to the sheer depth of their work
12:43La la la la la la la
12:48La la la la la
12:51Hey
12:52But what's your own personal favorite greatest hits album of all time?
12:56Let us know in the comments below
12:58Let us know in the comments below
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