The Best of 1990-2000
Encyclopedia
The Best of 1990–2000 is the second greatest hits compilation album
by Irish
rock
band U2
. The album was released on 5 November 2002 by Island Records
, except in the United States
where the album was released on the Interscope
label as a single-disc CD
compilation. The Best of 1990–2000 & B-Sides was released on the same day with a second disc featuring 14 of the b-side
single
s released from 1990 to 2000 and a bonus DVD
with a trailer for the album and three other segments. A video album
of the same name was later released in December 2002 (see 2002 in music
).
The album contained two newly recorded tracks, "Electrical Storm" and "The Hands That Built America
", the latter of which was released on soundtrack to Gangs of New York
while the former was released as a single. The album also included several "new mixes" of several songs and the songs "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me
", which been released as a single in 1995 but had not previously been included on a U2 album, and "Miss Sarajevo
", which was originally credited to Passengers and also released as a single in 1995.
The album charted at #1 in 13 countries and was the twelth best-selling album of 2002, according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry.
for the compilation. "Mysterious Ways" is identical to the album version with the exception of a single lyric. "Miss Sarajevo", co-written by Brian Eno
, was originally included on the album Original Soundtracks 1
, which was released by the band under the alias "Passengers".
. "Happiness Is a Warm Gun" was written by Lennon/McCartney
. "Your Blue Room" was written with Brian Eno
.
in Helsinki
, Finland
, recorded on 9 August 1997 and directed by Maurice Linnane.
version of the video featured one to two videos for each song on the album, plus seven bonus videos (for songs not on the album), as well as directors' commentaries, and three mini-documentaries. The VHS
version of the video featured simply one video for the 16 songs from the album. On all versions however, there is no video for "The First Time", as one was never made or rather released. In its place was put the video of "The Fly
".
The lyrics to "The Ground Beneath Her Feet" were written by Salman Rushdie. The song features Daniel Lanois
on pedal steel guitar
.
All tracks have been remastered for these releases.
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
by Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
. The album was released on 5 November 2002 by Island Records
Island Records
Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...
, except in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
where the album was released on the Interscope
Interscope Records
Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that currently operates as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-History:...
label as a single-disc CD
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
compilation. The Best of 1990–2000 & B-Sides was released on the same day with a second disc featuring 14 of the b-side
A-side and B-side
A-side and B-side originally referred to the two sides of gramophone records on which singles were released beginning in the 1950s. The terms have come to refer to the types of song conventionally placed on each side of the record, with the A-side being the featured song , while the B-side, or...
single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
s released from 1990 to 2000 and a bonus DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
with a trailer for the album and three other segments. A video album
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
of the same name was later released in December 2002 (see 2002 in music
2002 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2002.-Events:*February 3 – U2 perform during the halftime show for Super Bowl XXXVI...
).
The album contained two newly recorded tracks, "Electrical Storm" and "The Hands That Built America
The Hands That Built America
"The Hands That Built America" is a song by U2, released on the soundtrack to the film Gangs of New York. It was one of two new songs on their The Best of 1990-2000 compilation, with the other being "Electrical Storm"...
", the latter of which was released on soundtrack to Gangs of New York
Gangs of New York
Gangs of New York is a 2002 historical film set in the mid-19th century in the Five Points district of New York City. It was directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Jay Cocks, Steven Zaillian, and Kenneth Lonergan. The film was inspired by Herbert Asbury's 1928 nonfiction book, The Gangs of New...
while the former was released as a single. The album also included several "new mixes" of several songs and the songs "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me
Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me
"Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" is a 1995 single by U2 from the Batman Forever soundtrack album. A number-one single in their home country of Ireland, the single reached number two on the UK Singles Chart, number sixteen on the Billboard Hot 100, and number one on the Billboard Album Rock...
", which been released as a single in 1995 but had not previously been included on a U2 album, and "Miss Sarajevo
Miss Sarajevo
"Miss Sarajevo" is the only single from the 1995 album Original Soundtracks 1 by U2 and Brian Eno, under the pseudonym Passengers. Luciano Pavarotti makes a guest vocal appearance, singing the opera solo. It also appears on U2's compilation, The Best of 1990-2000, and was covered by George Michael...
", which was originally credited to Passengers and also released as a single in 1995.
The album charted at #1 in 13 countries and was the twelth best-selling album of 2002, according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry.
Track listing
"Electrical Storm" was released as a single in promotion of the album. "Gone", "Discothèque", "Staring at the Sun", and "Numb" were remixed by Mike HedgesMike Hedges
-Career:Mike Hedges started as a tape-op at Morgan Studios in London in the late 1970s. Having graduated to engineer, he went freelance in 1981 and became an engineer/producer....
for the compilation. "Mysterious Ways" is identical to the album version with the exception of a single lyric. "Miss Sarajevo", co-written by Brian Eno
Brian Eno
Brian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno , commonly known as Brian Eno or simply as Eno , is an English musician, composer, record producer, singer and visual artist, known as one of the principal innovators of ambient music.Eno studied at Colchester Institute art school in Essex,...
, was originally included on the album Original Soundtracks 1
Original Soundtracks 1
Original Soundtracks 1 is a 1995 album recorded by U2 and Brian Eno, as a side project, under the pseudonym Passengers...
, which was released by the band under the alias "Passengers".
Bonus B-sides disc
"North and South of the River" was written with Christy MooreChristy Moore
Christopher Andrew "Christy" Moore is a popular Irish folk singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He is well known as one of the founding members of Planxty and Moving Hearts...
. "Happiness Is a Warm Gun" was written by Lennon/McCartney
Lennon/McCartney
The Lennon–McCartney songwriting partnership is one of the best-known and most successful musical collaborations in history...
. "Your Blue Room" was written with Brian Eno
Brian Eno
Brian Peter George St. John le Baptiste de la Salle Eno , commonly known as Brian Eno or simply as Eno , is an English musician, composer, record producer, singer and visual artist, known as one of the principal innovators of ambient music.Eno studied at Colchester Institute art school in Essex,...
.
Bonus DVD
"The History Mix" is a video montage anthologizing the band's nineties albums and tours. It includes snippets of interviews, promotional videos, and so forth. The live version of "Please" is from the Helsinki Olympic StadiumHelsinki Olympic Stadium
The Helsinki Olympic Stadium , located in the Töölö district about from the center of the Finnish capital Helsinki, is the largest stadium in the country, nowadays mainly used for hosting sports events and big concerts. The stadium is best known for being the center of activities in the 1952...
in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, recorded on 9 August 1997 and directed by Maurice Linnane.
Charts
| Chart (2002) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Top 50 Albums | 1 |
| Austrian Top 75 Albums | 1 |
| Belgium (Flanders) 100 Albums | 1 |
| Belgium (Wallonia) 100 Albums | 3 |
| Canadian Albums Chart Canadian Albums Chart The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe and Billboard, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS... |
1 |
| Danish Top 40 Albums | 1 |
| Finnish Top 40 Albums | 4 |
| French Compilations | 1 |
| German Albums Chart | 4 |
| Greek Top 50 Albums | 1 |
| Hungarian Top 40 Albums | 3 |
| Irish Top 75 Albums | 1 |
| Italian Top 20 Albums | 1 |
| Japanese Top 30 Albums | 3 |
| Netherlands Top 100 Albums | 1 |
| New Zealand Top 50 Albums | 1 |
| Norwegian Top 40 Albums | 2 |
| Polish Top 50 Albums | 2 |
| Swedish Top 60 Albums | 6 |
| Swiss Top 100 Albums | 1 |
| UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
2 |
| US Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
|
3 |
| US Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
34 |
Certifications
Video
The Best of 1990–2000 was also released as a video compilation, featuring music videos from the songs on the album. The DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
version of the video featured one to two videos for each song on the album, plus seven bonus videos (for songs not on the album), as well as directors' commentaries, and three mini-documentaries. The VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
version of the video featured simply one video for the 16 songs from the album. On all versions however, there is no video for "The First Time", as one was never made or rather released. In its place was put the video of "The Fly
The Fly (song)
"The Fly" is a song by rock band U2. It is the seventh track from their 1991 album Achtung Baby and it was released as the album's first single on 12 October 1991. "The Fly" introduced a more abrasive sounding U2, as the song featured hip-hop and industrial beats, distorted vocals, and an elaborate...
".
Track listing
Music and words by U2, except where otherwise noted.- "Even Better Than the Real ThingEven Better Than the Real Thing"Even Better Than the Real Thing" is the second song on U2's 1991 album Achtung Baby. It was released as the album's fourth single on 7 June 1992.-Writing and recording:...
"- Kevin GodleyKevin GodleyKevin Godley is a British musician and music video director.He was born in a family of Jewish descent, and went to North Cestrian Grammar School in Altrincham....
video with commentary - Ritchie Smyth remix video
- Kevin Godley
- "Mysterious WaysMysterious Ways (song)"Mysterious Ways" is a song by the rock band U2. It is the eighth track from their 1991 album Achtung Baby and was released as the album's second single on 25 November 1991. The song reached the top ten of the singles charts in several countries, including Ireland, where it went to number one...
"- Stéphane SednaouiStéphane SednaouiStéphane Sednaoui is a French-American photographer, director and producer whose work includes music videos, art projects, photographic essays, portrait photography, fashion photography and photojournalism....
video with commentary
- Stéphane Sednaoui
- "Beautiful DayBeautiful Day"Beautiful Day" is a song by the rock band U2. It is the first track from their 2000 album, All That You Can't Leave Behind, and it was released as the album's lead single. It was a commercial success, helping launch the album to multi-platinum status, and is one of U2's biggest hits to date...
"- Jonas ÅkerlundJonas ÅkerlundJonas Åkerlund is a Swedish film and music video director, and drummer. He is best known for directing music videos, which are often mock forms of movie trailers and short films...
video with commentary
- Jonas Åkerlund
- "Electrical Storm"
- Anton CorbijnAnton CorbijnAnton Corbijn is a Dutch photographer, music video and film director. He is the creative director behind the visual output of Depeche Mode and U2, having handled the principal promotion and sleeve photography for both for more than a decade...
video with commentary - U2 Sur Mer documentary
- Anton Corbijn
- "OneOne (U2 song)"One" is a song by Irish rock band U2. It is the third track from their 1991 album Achtung Baby, and it was released as the record's third single in March 1992. It was recorded at three recording studios, Hansa Ton Studios, Elsinore, and Windmill Lane Studios...
"- Anton Corbijn video with commentary
- Phil JoanouPhil JoanouPhil Joanou is an American film director. He is also well known for his work with Irish rock band U2, having directed their rockumentary/live tape Rattle and Hum, one of three videos filmed for "One", and the video for "All Because of You"...
video with commentary - A Story of One documentary
- "Miss SarajevoMiss Sarajevo"Miss Sarajevo" is the only single from the 1995 album Original Soundtracks 1 by U2 and Brian Eno, under the pseudonym Passengers. Luciano Pavarotti makes a guest vocal appearance, singing the opera solo. It also appears on U2's compilation, The Best of 1990-2000, and was covered by George Michael...
"- Maurice Linnane video and commentary
- Missing Sarajevo documentary
- "Stay (Faraway, So Close!)Stay (Faraway, So Close!)"Stay " is a song by the rock band U2. It is the fifth track on their 1993 album, Zooropa and was released as the album's third single on 22 November 1993. The song was a top ten hit in the Ireland, Australia, the United Kingdom, and several other countries. The music video was shot in Berlin,...
"- Wim WendersWim WendersErnst Wilhelm "Wim" Wenders is a German film director, playwright, author, photographer and producer.-Early life:Wenders was born in Düsseldorf. He graduated from high school in Oberhausen in the Ruhr area. He then studied medicine and philosophy in Freiburg and Düsseldorf...
video and commentary
- Wim Wenders
- "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out OfStuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of"Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of" is the second single from U2's 2000 album, All That You Can't Leave Behind. The song, characterised by gospel-tinged melodies and saccharine lead guitar part, won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal in 2002...
"- Joseph Kahn video with commentary
- Kevin Godley video with commentary
- "Gone"
- David MalletDavid Mallet (director)David Mallet is a British director particularly noted for his work on music videos, including David Bowie's innovative "Ashes to Ashes", Rush's "Distant Early Warning, and Queen's "Radio Ga Ga" and "I Want to Break Free" videos. He has also served as a producer on television programmes including...
video (excerpt from PopMart: Live from Mexico CityPopMart: Live from Mexico CitySelections from the Mexico City concert were released on the live album Hasta la Vista Baby! U2 Live from Mexico City. The album was and released exclusively to members of U2's fan club magazine, Propaganda, in 2000. It features 14 songs from the band's 25-song performance.-Track listing:...
)
- David Mallet
- "Until the End of the WorldUntil the End of the World (song)"Until the End of the World" is a song by rock band U2 and the fourth track from their 1991 album Achtung Baby. The song began as a guitar riff composed by lead vocalist Bono from a demo, which the band revisited with success after talking with German filmmaker Wim Wenders about providing music...
"- Kevin Godley video (live from Zoo TV TourZoo TV TourThe Zoo TV Tour was a worldwide concert tour by rock band U2. Staged in support of their 1991 album Achtung Baby, the tour visited arenas and stadiums from 1992 through 1993...
)
- Kevin Godley video (live from Zoo TV Tour
- "The Hands That Built AmericaThe Hands That Built America"The Hands That Built America" is a song by U2, released on the soundtrack to the film Gangs of New York. It was one of two new songs on their The Best of 1990-2000 compilation, with the other being "Electrical Storm"...
"- Maurice Linnane studio version video
- "DiscothèqueDiscothèque (song)"Discothèque" is the lead single from Irish rock band U2's 1997 album, Pop. It peaked at number one in many countries' charts, including the UK Singles Chart. The song received mixed reviews from critics.-Release history:...
"- Stéphane Sednaoui video with commentary
- "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill MeHold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me"Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" is a 1995 single by U2 from the Batman Forever soundtrack album. A number-one single in their home country of Ireland, the single reached number two on the UK Singles Chart, number sixteen on the Billboard Hot 100, and number one on the Billboard Album Rock...
"- Godley/Linanne video with commentary
- "Staring at the Sun"
- Jake ScottJake Scott (director)Jake Scott is a British film director who works primarily in the field of music videos. Most of his works were produced under the Ridley Scott Associates banner or RSA's music video subdivision Black Dog Films...
video with commentary - Morleigh Steinberg video
- Jake Scott
- "NumbNumb (U2 song)"Numb" is a song by rock band U2. It is the third track from their 1993 album Zooropa and was released in June 1993 as the album's first single. The song features a monotonous mantra of "don't" commands spoken by guitarist The Edge amidst a backdrop of various sound effects and samples...
"- Kevin Godley video with commentary
- Emergency Broadcast NetworkEmergency Broadcast NetworkEmergency Broadcast Network is the name of a multimedia performance group formed in 1991 that took its name from the Emergency Broadcast System. The founders were Rhode Island School of Design graduates Joshua Pearson, Gardner Post and Brian Kane . Kane left EBN in 1992...
remix video
- "The FlyThe Fly (song)"The Fly" is a song by rock band U2. It is the seventh track from their 1991 album Achtung Baby and it was released as the album's first single on 12 October 1991. "The Fly" introduced a more abrasive sounding U2, as the song featured hip-hop and industrial beats, distorted vocals, and an elaborate...
"- Smith/Klein remix video with commentary
Bonus videos
- "PleasePlease (U2 song)"Please" is the eleventh song from U2's 1997 album, Pop. It was released as the album's fourth single on 20 October 1997.As with "Sunday Bloody Sunday", the song is about The Troubles in Northern Ireland. The single cover for this song features the pictures of four Northern Irish politicians —...
"- Anton Corbijn video with commentary
- "If God Will Send His AngelsIf God Will Send His Angels"If God Will Send His Angels" is the fifth single from U2's 1997 album, Pop, released on 8 December 1997. It was also featured on the City of Angels soundtrack.-Track listings:...
"- Phil Joanou video with commentary
- "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild HorsesWho's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses"Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses" is the fifth track on U2's 1991 album, Achtung Baby. It was released as the album's fifth and final single in 1992.-Writing and recording:...
"- Phil Joanou video with commentary
- "Lemon"
- Mark Neale video with commentary
- "Last Night on EarthLast Night on Earth-Chart performance:-See also:*List of covers of U2 songs - Last Night on Earth*List of RPM Rock/Alternative number-one singles...
"- Ritchie Smyth video with commentary
- "MofoMOFO (song)"Mofo" is a song by U2. It is the third track on the band's 1997 album Pop and it was released as the album's final single on 8 December 1997. The song was partially written about Bono's mother, whom he lost at the age of fourteen...
"- Maurice Linnane remix video
- "The Ground Beneath Her FeetThe Ground Beneath Her Feet (song)"The Ground Beneath Her Feet" is a song by U2 from the film, The Million Dollar Hotel, and featured on the film's soundtrack, The Million Dollar Hotel: Music from the Motion Picture. The song was recorded with Daniel Lanois on the pedal steel guitar for the film. However, a different mix than the...
"- Wim Wenders video with commentary
- An "easter egg" also features. From the main menu on the DVD, if "One" is clicked, the main screen for "One" will appear. Once on this screen, the digit '1' could be clicked on the remote control a numerous amount of times. If clicked a numerous amount of times, some TrabantTrabantThe Trabant is a car that was produced by former East German auto maker VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau in Zwickau, Sachsen. It was the most common vehicle in East Germany, and was also exported to countries both inside and outside the communist bloc...
s will appear and then an animation, "Fish Tank" will play. This simply consists of an animation depicting a fish tank with Trabants "swimming" in it.
The lyrics to "The Ground Beneath Her Feet" were written by Salman Rushdie. The song features Daniel Lanois
Daniel Lanois
Daniel Lanois born September 19, 1951 in Hull, Quebec) is a Canadian record producer, guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter. He has released a number of albums of his own work and has produced albums for a wide variety of artists, including Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Peter Gabriel, Emmylou Harris, Willie...
on pedal steel guitar
Pedal steel guitar
The pedal steel guitar is a type of electric guitar that uses a metal bar to "fret" or shorten the length of the strings, rather than fingers on strings as with a conventional guitar. Unlike other types of steel guitar, it also uses pedals and knee levers to affect the pitch, hence the name "pedal"...
.
All tracks have been remastered for these releases.
Certifications
Personnel
- BonoBonoPaul David Hewson , most commonly known by his stage name Bono , is an Irish singer, musician, and humanitarian best known for being the main vocalist of the Dublin-based rock band U2. Bono was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, and attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School where he met his...
– lead vocals - The Edge – guitar, keyboards, vocals
- Adam ClaytonAdam ClaytonAdam Charles Clayton is a musician, best known as the bassist of the Irish rock band U2. Clayton has resided in County Dublin since the time his family moved to Malahide when he was five years old in 1965...
– bass guitar - Larry Mullen, Jr. – drums
External links
- The Best of 1990–2000 (standard edition) at U2 Wanderer, with comprehensive details on various editions, cover scans, lyrics, and more
- The Best of 1990–2000 (limited edition) at U2 Wanderer
- The Best of 1990–2000 (video) at U2 Wanderer