Greatest Hits
The Cure's Greatest Hits arrived in November 2001, a compilation that closed out the band's long relationship with Fiction Records. They still owed the label one last album, and Robert Smith agreed to a hits collection on one condition: he would choose the tracks himself. That makes it a career overview shaped by the man who wrote the songs, rather than by a label's sales spreadsheet.
It sits just after Bloodflowers, the 2000 studio album, and before the self-titled record of 2004. Some editions include a bonus disc, Acoustic Hits, in which the band re-recorded all eighteen songs from the international release on acoustic instruments. Hearing the familiar material stripped back is a good reason to seek out the two-disc version, and it makes this more than a simple run through the singles.
Greatest Hits: tracklist, credits and charts
18 tracks · 1:08:09Tracklist
- 1Boys Don’t CryDempsey, Smith, Tolhurst2:42
- 2A ForestGallup, Hartley, Smith, Tolhurst4:44
- 3Let’s Go to BedRobert Smith and Lol Tolhurst3:34
- 4The WalkRobert Smith and Lol Tolhurst3:32
- 5The LovecatsRobert Smith3:40
- 6Inbetween DaysRobert Smith2:58
- 7Close to MeRobert Smith3:42
- 8Why Can’t I Be You?Gallup, Smith, Thompson, Tolhurst, Williams3:14
- 9Just Like HeavenGallup, Smith, Thompson, Tolhurst, Williams3:32
- 10LullabyGallup, O’Donnell, Smith, Thompson, Tolhurst, Williams4:11
- 11LovesongGallup, O’Donnell, Smith, Thompson, Tolhurst, Williams3:28
- 12Never EnoughGallup, Smith, Thompson, Williams4:28
- 13HighBamonte, Gallup, Smith, Thompson, Williams3:35
- 14Friday I’m in LoveBamonte, Gallup, Smith, Thompson, Williams3:35
- 15Mint CarBamonte, Cooper, Gallup, O’Donnell, Smith3:30
- 16Wrong NumberRobert Smith6:02
- 17Cut HereBamonte, Cooper, Gallup, O’Donnell, Smith4:11
- 18Just Say YesBamonte, Cooper, Gallup, O’Donnell, Smith3:30
- Produced by
- Chris Parry, Mike Hedges, Mike Hedges, Robert Smith, Steve Nye, Phil Thornalley, David M. Allen, The Cure, Mark Saunders, Steve Lyon, Mark Plati, Mark Plati, Mark Saunders
- Recorded at
- Morgan Studios, Compass Point Studios, ICP Recording Studios, Studio Miraval, Hook End Studios, The Manor
- Recorded
- 1979–2001
- Mixed by
- Chris Parry, Mike Hedges, Robert Smith, Steve Nye, Phil Thornalley, David M. Allen, Bob Clearmountain, Mark Saunders, Paul Corkett, Mark Plati, Alan Moulder, Paul ‘P Dub’ Walton
- Mixed at
- RAK Studio Three, Olympic Studios
- Engineered by
- Mike Hedges, David M. Allen, Robert Smith, Smudger, Steve Whitfield, Steve Lyon
- Labels
- Polydor, Fiction
- Length
- 1:08:09
Line-up
- Michael Dempsey · bass guitar · guest
- Robert Smith · guitar, lead vocals, electric guitar, keyboard, bass guitar, vocals
- Lol Tolhurst · drums (drum set), keyboard, drum machine, vibraphone
- Simon Gallup · electric bass guitar, bass guitar
- Matthieu Hartley · keyboard · guest
- Steve Goulding · drums (drum set) · guest
- Andy Anderson · drums (drum set) · guest
- Phil Thornalley · bass guitar · guest
- Porl Thompson · keyboard, guitar, electric guitar
- Boris Williams · drums (drum set), percussion
- Roger O’Donnell · keyboard
- Perry Bamonte · keyboard, bass guitar, guitar
- Mark Price · drums (drum set) · guest
- Jason Cooper · drums (drum set) · guest
- Reeves Gabrels · guitar · guest
- Saffron · vocals · guest
Singles
- “Cut Here” · October 2001
- “Just Say Yes” · December 2001
Peak chart positions
| Chart | Peak |
|---|---|
| UK Albums Chart · 2019 | 19 |
| US Billboard 200 · Combined | 58 |
| Belgian Albums (Flanders) · 2001–2002 | 5 |
| Belgian Albums (Wallonia) · 2001–2002 | 8 |
| US Tastemaker · 2017 | 9 |
| UK Vinyl Albums (OCC) · 2017 | 10 |
| Irish Albums · Combined | 11 |
| Croatian International Albums (HDU) · 2026 | 12 |
| Ireland 3 · 2017 | 17 |
| New Zealand Albums · 2016 | 17 |
All 26 charts
| Polish Albums · Combined | 18 |
| Scottish Albums · 2019 | 21 |
| German Albums · 2001–2002 | 22 |
| Norwegian Albums · Combined | 24 |
| Swiss Albums · Combined | 24 |
| Australian Albums (ARIA) · 2001–2002 | 27 |
| Spanish Albums (AFYVE) · Combined | 29 |
| European Albums (Music & Media) · 2001–2002 | 30 |
| Italian Albums · Combined | 30 |
| Portuguese Albums · 2017 | 33 |
| Austrian Albums · 2001–2002 | 34 |
| Danish Albums · 2001–2002 | 38 |
| Swedish Albums · Combined | 48 |
| UK Physical Albums (OCC) · 2017 | 53 |
| Ireland 2 · 2017 | 65 |
| Dutch Albums · 2017 | 110 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification |
|---|---|
| Argentina | Platinum |
| Australia · 2016 | 2× Platinum |
| Belgium · 2002 | Gold |
| Germany · 2023 | Platinum |
| Italy · 2015 | Gold |
| United Kingdom · 2025 | 4× Platinum |
| Europe · 2008 | Platinum |
From MusicBrainz and Wikipedia. Only what the sources record is shown.
Released the same week
Also released on 7 November
Every year →More from The Cure
Full discography →The best of 2001
All of 2001 →More on Polydor
The label →Releases and pressings
How we know the release date wikipedia 2001-11-07 vs 2001-11-12 (musicbrainz), 2001-11-13 (wikidata)
| Source | Date | Note |
|---|---|---|
| MusicBrainz | 12 November 2001 | |
| Wikipedia infobox | 7 November 2001 | |
| Wikidata | 13 November 2001 | |
| US release | 13 November 2001 | earliest US date |
| UK / Europe release | 12 November 2001 | earliest UK or European date |
22 editions
| Date | Country | Label | Barcode | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | XW | Polydor | 731458943525 | other |
| — | CA | Elektra | 075596272629 | other |
| — | XW | Polydor | 0073145894322 | other |
| — | XE | Polydor | 731458943822 | other |
| 2001 | XE | Polydor | 731458943723 | other |
| 2001 | XE | Polydor | 731458943129 | other |
| 2001 | AU | Polydor | 731458943822 | other |
| 2001 | XE | Polydor | 731458943228 | other |
| 12 November 2001 | GB | Polydor | 731458943525 | original |
| 12 November 2001 | GB | Polydor | 731458943426 | original |
| 13 November 2001 | US | Elektra | 075596272520 | other |
| 13 November 2001 | US | Elektra | 075596272629 | other |
| 19 November 2001 | GB | Polydor | 731458938897 | other |
| 11 December 2001 | US | Elektra | 085364022929 | other |
| 2003 | AR | Universal Music | 731458952091 | other |
| 18 October 2004 | XE | Fiction | 731458943723 | other |
| December 2005 | AR | Fiction Records | 602498125366 | other |
| 2007 | XE | Fiction | 600753011539 | other |
| 28 May 2008 | JP | Fiction | 4988005514851 | other |
| 22 April 2017 | US | Elektra | 081227940805 | other |
| 22 April 2017 | XE | UMC | 602557261301 | other |
| 18 April 2026 | GB | — | other |
Cover art sources
coverartarchive · upscaled: major: best source 1200x1200, upscaled to 1500 (x1.25)
| Source | Size | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| coverartarchive ✓ | 1200×1200 | upscaled: major: best source 1200x1200, upscaled to 1500 (x1.25) |
| deezer | 1200×1200 | upscaled |
| fanarttv | 1000×1000 | upscaled |