Chicago’s Greatest Hits is a compilation album featuring the most popular and successful songs by the American rock band Chicago. Known for their blend of rock, pop, and jazz influences, Chicago rose to prominence in the late 1960s and became one of the most successful bands of the 1970s and beyond. Their Greatest Hits album serves as a comprehensive collection of their biggest hits and showcases their diverse musical style.
The album was originally released on November 10, 1975, on Columbia Records, and achieved tremendous success, peaking at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart. It remained on the chart for a total of 72 weeks, demonstrating its enduring appeal to listeners. Furthermore, Chicago’s Greatest Hits received a quintuple platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
This certification signifies that the album has sold over five million copies in the United States alone, highlighting its significant commercial achievement. No songs were chosen from Chicago III (no hit singles) nor Chicago VIII which had just been released.
- Peter Cetera – bass, guitar, lead & background vocals
- Terry Kath – guitars, lead & background vocals
- Robert Lamm – keyboards, lead & background vocals
- Lee Loughnane – trumpet, flugelhorn, percussion, background vocals
- James Pankow – trombone, percussion, background vocals
- Walter Parazaider – woodwinds, percussion, background vocals
- Danny Seraphine – drums, percussion
- Laudir de Oliveira – percussion
- James William Guercio – producer
- John Berg – design
- Nick Fasciano – logo
- Reid Miles – photography
The picture disc version is most likely the same as the 2013 Rhino release on black vinyl. Most of the songs are shorter single releases. “Beginnings” is the 6:28 version, not the 7:54 album version nor the 2:47 single version. This picture disc was released in 2023 by Rhino Records.
Picture Disc Release
- Catalogue No:603497837861
- Barcode:0603497837861
- No of Discs:1
- Release Date: January 13, 2023
Side one
- 25 Or 6 To 4 (4:52) Chicago II (Lamm)
- Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is? (2:53 )
Chicago Transit Authority (Lamm) - Colour My World (3:00) Chicago II (Pankow)
- Just You ‘N’ Me (3:47) Chicago VI (Pankow)
- Saturday In The Park (3:56) Chicago V (Lamm)
- Feelin’ Stronger Every Day (4:14) Chicago VI (Cetera/Pankow)
Side two
- Make Me Smile (2:58) Chicago II (Pankow)
- Wishing You Were Here (4:36) Chicago VII (Cetera)
- Call On Me (4:01) Chicago VII (Loughnane)
- (I’ve Been) Searchin’ So Long (4:30) Chicago VII (Pankow)
- Beginnings (6:28) Chicago Transit Authority (Lamm)
Further Reading
Sources
- “CHICAGO – CHICAGO IX: CHICAGO’S GREATEST HITS (PICTURE DISC)” (2023) https://www.joesalbums.com/products/chicago-chicago-ix-chicagos-greatest-hits-picture-disc-vinyl-record-album-lp
- “Chicago IX: Chicago’s Greatest Hits” (Updated May 31, 2022)
- Chicago’s Greatest Hits – Wikipedia Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago%27s_Greatest_Hits
- RIAA – Searchable Database Link: https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&se=chicago#search_section
- “Chicago (2) – Greatest Hits” https://www.discogs.com/release/25965115-Chicago-Greatest-Hits
