Timespace: The Best of Stevie Nicks is the first greatest hits album by American singer-songwriter Stevie Nicks. It was released on September 3, 1991, via Modern and Atlantic Records in the U.S. and EMI internationally. The album features many of her hit singles from her solo career. Included in the track list are three new songs: "Sometimes It's a Bitch"–co-written by Jon Bon Jovi, "Love's a Hard Game to Play"–co-written by Bret Michaels, and "Desert Angel", which Nicks wrote for the soldiers serving in the Gulf War. The album's booklet contains notes written by Nicks herself about each song.

The album debuted and peaked at number 30 on the US Billboard 200, Nicks' lowest charting album at the time, but it remained on the chart for nearly six months and, as of February 2011, the album had sold over 1.5 million copies in the United States. The album was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 1997. The album also achieved a Gold certification by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) for shipping 100,000 copies in the United Kingdom and was Nicks' third top 20 album there. The album spent four weeks at number one in New Zealand.

The Fleetwood Mac song "Silver Springs" (written by Nicks) was originally intended to be in the compilation, but Mick Fleetwood, the band's drummer and leader, would not allow Nicks to release the song because of his plans to release it on a forthcoming Fleetwood Mac box set. This led to a dispute, resulting in Nicks leaving Fleetwood Mac for several years.

Content Timespace features ten of Nicks' previous singles from her solo career, along with the album cut "Beauty and the Beast" from The Wild Heart (1983). Most of the previously released singles included have been remixed by Chris Lord-Alge for the album.

Three new singles were recorded for Timespace specifically. The opening track to the album, "Sometimes It's a Bitch", was written by Jon Bon Jovi and Billy Falcon. Nicks initially did not want to record the track due to the inclusion of the word 'bitch' but had a change of heart once she realized that "he dreamed about what the notorious Stevie Nicks had been like...and what it had all done to her...the indulgences, the lifestyle." "Love's a Hard Game to Play", the second newly recorded track, was written by Bret Michaels of Poison and Pat Schunk. She described how Michaels had brought back her "laughter" that she thought she had lost, and how she hoped he would stay her "friend for a long time". The third and final newly recorded song, "Desert Angel", was only included on CD editions of Timespace and was written by Nicks and Mike Campbell. She reflected on how she wanted to write a letter to the soldiers serving in the Gulf War and how "we had lived through it, we had prayed, and my song would make at least all of us...never forget this war."

Critical reception Timespace received a positive reception from music critics, praising the previous material and defining it as a "splendid representation" of her solo career. The new tracks, meanwhile, received mixed reviews. Chuck Campbell of Denver Rocky Mountain News compared the three new songs as "comparatively awful against these illustrious hits."

Personnel for new tracks Taken from the Timespace: The Best of Stevie Nicks booklet.

"Sometimes It's a Bitch"

Benmont Tench – organ Robbie Buchanan – synthesizer programming Waddy Wachtel – electric guitar Danny Kortchmar – electric guitar Tico Torres – drums Randy Jackson – bass Jon Bon Jovi – acoustic guitar Sharon Celani – background vocals Lori Perry Nicks – background vocals

"Love's a Hard Game to Play"

Pat Schunk – acoustic and electric guitar, bass, keyboards Denny Fongheiser – drums Bret Michaels – 12 string guitar, additional vocals Sharon Celani – background vocals Lori Perry Nicks – background vocals Roger Love – background vocals Dave Harte – tambourine

"Desert Angel"

Michael Campbell – guitar, bass, keyboards Benmont Tench – organ, piano Sharon Celani – background vocals Lori Perry Nicks – background vocals

Track listing

Charts

Weekly charts + Weekly chart performance for Timespace: The Best of Stevie Nicks Chart (1991) PeakpositionCanada Top Albums/CDs (RPM) 25European Albums (Music & Media) 25Irish Albums (IFPI) 6

Year-end charts + Year-end chart performance for Timespace: The Best of Stevie Nicks Chart (1991) Position New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)13

Certifications

References