The Best of 1980–1990 is the first greatest hits compilation by Irish rock band U2, released on 2 November 1998. It mostly contains the group's hit singles from the 1980s, but also mixes in some live staples, as well as a re-recording of the 1987 B-side "Sweetest Thing". In April 1999, a companion video (featuring music videos and live footage) was released. The album was followed by another compilation, The Best of 1990–2000, in 2002.

A limited-edition version of the album that included a second disc of B-sides was released a week earlier than the standard single-disc version. At the time of release, the official word was that the two-disc album would be available the first week the album went on sale, then pulled from stores. While this edict never materialized, it did result in the two-disc version being in very high demand. Both versions charted in the Billboard 200, with the two-disc version debuting at number two and setting a new first-week sales record in the United States for a greatest hits album by a group, with 237,500 copies sold.

The boy on the album's cover is Peter Rowen, brother of Bono's friend Guggi (real name Derek Rowen) of the Virgin Prunes. Peter also appears on the covers of U2's early EP Three, two of their first three albums (Boy and War), and Early Demos.

Commercial performance

In the United States, the double-disc version of the album (The Best of 1980-1990/The B-Sides) debuted and peaked at number two on the Billboard 200 during the week of 21 November 1998, with 237,500 copies sold. This set a new record for the best-selling opening week for a greatest hits collection by a group in the SoundScan era. The next week, it fell to number five, while the single-disc version of the album entered the chart at number 57. The single-disc version of the compilation later peaked at number 45 on the Billboard 200. The Best of 1980-1990/The B-Sides remained on the chart for 17 weeks, while the single-disc version was present on the chart for 44 weeks. The double-disc version was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, denoting shipments of two million, on 4 December 1998; the standard edition was certified double platinum on 6 March 2002.

In the United Kingdom, the limited double-disc version debuted at number one on the UK Albums Chart on 14 November 1998, before dropping the following week to number two. It remained on the chart for 20 weeks. The single-disc edition entered at number eight on 21 November 1998, and two weeks later it reached its peak of number four. It charted for 126 weeks in the UK. The single-disc edition was certified quintuple platinum by the British Phonographic Industry, denoting shipments of 1.5 million units, on 8 November 2002.

In Canada, the double-disc version release had a numbered, limited edition of 175,000 units pressed. The double-disc version of the album debuted at the top of the Billboard Canadian Albums Chart for the week of 21 November 1998; this version stayed on the chart for four weeks. The next week, the standard edition debuted and peaked at number five on the chart, before falling to number eight the following week. The single-disc version remained on the chart for 15 weeks.

In Ireland, the album debuted with the highest single-week sales since 1993, when IRMA started keeping records. The album reached number one on Ireland's album chart and remained on the chart for 76 weeks.

Track listing Disc one

Disc two (Limited Edition B-Sides)

Note: The version of "Bass Trap" found on this compilation is a shortened edit from the original 5:14 version found on "The Unforgettable Fire" 12" single EP from 1985. The same goes for the version of "A Room at the Heartbreak Hotel", which is an edit from the original version (5:29) on the "Angel of Harlem" single from 1989.

Charts

Weekly charts +Weekly chart performance for The Best of 1980–1990 Chart (1998–2014) PeakpositionFinnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)3French Compilations (SNEP) Find "U 2" under the drop-down menu to see statistics.1Irish Albums (IRMA)1Italian Albums (FIMI)1Portuguese Albums (AFP)1scope="row"Spanish Albums (AFYVE)1

Year-end charts +Year-end chart performance for The Best of 1980–1990Chart (1998)PositionAustralian Albums (ARIA)6Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)16Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)2Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)3Canadian Albums (RPM)45 Danish Albums (Hitlisten)30Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)5European Top 100 Albums (Music & Media)23German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)41New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)11Spanish Albums (AFYPE)Open the 2000 directory, click on "entrar" (enter) and select the section "Música grabada".17Swedish Albums & Compilations (Sverigetopplistan)42Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)19UK Albums (OCC)21Chart (1999)PositionAustralian Albums (ARIA)28 Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)6Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)15Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)17Canadian Albums (RPM)32 Danish Albums (Hitlisten)50Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)7European Albums (Music & Media)20German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)27 New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)38Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)34UK Albums (OCC)55US Billboard 200110US Billboard 200134Chart (2000)PositionBelgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)91Canadian Albums (Nielsen SoundScan)161French Compilations (SNEP) 25UK Albums (OCC)136Chart (2001)PositionAustralian Albums (ARIA)70Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)94 Canadian Albums (Nielsen SoundScan) 161Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)76Chart (2002)PositionAustralian Albums (ARIA)64Canadian Albums (Nielsen SoundScan) 144Canadian Alternative Albums (Nielsen SoundScan) 34UK Albums (OCC)166Chart (2005)PositionUK Albums (OCC)177

Certifications and sales

Video

Music and words by U2. All tracks have been remastered for this release.

"Pride (In the Name of Love)" "New Year's Day" "With or Without You" "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" "Sunday Bloody Sunday" (from U2 Live at Red Rocks: Under a Blood Red Sky) "Bad" (from Rattle and Hum) "Where the Streets Have No Name" "I Will Follow" "The Unforgettable Fire" "Sweetest Thing" "Desire" "When Love Comes to Town" "Angel of Harlem" "All I Want Is You" "One Tree Hill" (Live - from a previously unreleased cut of Rattle and Hum)

Certifications

Personnel Personnel adapted from The Best of 1980–1990 CD booklet.

U2 Bono – lead vocals, guitar, harmonica The Edge – guitar, keyboards, vocals Adam Clayton – bass guitar Larry Mullen Jr. – drums, percussion

Additional musicians Daragh O'Toole – string arrangement (10) Una O'Kane, Nicola Cleary, Aengus O'Connor, Nicholas Milne – strings (10) B. B. King – vocals and guitar (12) Bobbye Hall – percussion (12) Rebecca Evans Russell, Phyllis Duncan, Helen Duncan – backing vocals (12) Joey Miskulin – organ (13) The Memphis Horns – horns (13) Van Dyke Parks – string arrangement (14) Benmont Tench – keyboards (14)

Production Brian Eno – production (1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9), additional production (10) engineering (6) Daniel Lanois – production (1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9), additional production (10), mixing (4), engineering (6) Steve Lillywhite – production (2, 5, 8, 10), mixing (3) Jimmy Iovine – production (11–14) Paul Thomas – engineering (2, 5, 8) Flood – engineering (3, 4, 7) Joe O'Herlihy – recording (10) Pat McCarthy – recording (10), additional engineering (7) Paul Barrett – recording (11) Dave Ferguson, "Cowboy" Jack Clement – recording (12, 13) David Tickle – recording and mixing (14) Kevin Kilen – additional engineering (1, 6, 9) Steve Harris – additional recording and mixing (10) Shelly Yakus – mixing (11, 13), remixing (12) Rob Jacobs – mixing (13), mix assistance (11), remix assistance (12)

See also U2 discography The Best of 1990–2000 List of best-selling albums in Argentina

References

External links The Best of 1980–1990 (standard edition) at U2 Wanderer, with comprehensive details on various editions, cover scans, lyrics, and more The Best of 1980–1990 (limited edition) at U2 Wanderer The Best of 1980–1990 (video) at U2 Wanderer