Album · Compilation
20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best of The Who
This budget-priced compilation from the Who gathers highlights from their catalogue under the Millennium Collection banner, an artist-by-artist series issued by Geffen. It came out on 6 April 1999 and sits alongside the band's twelve studio albums, which run from My Generation in 1965 to WHO in 2019, as a handy way in for newcomers or anyone wanting a compact set of favourites.
The record had a long life after that first release. In 2011 it was reissued as Icon, part of the label's Icon series, with two extra tracks: "I Can't Explain" and "Baba O'Riley". A deluxe two-CD follow-up, Icon 2, appeared too, and a vinyl edition in 2020 added "Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere". If you want the band's classic rock sound in one sitting, the expanded versions give you the fullest picture.
20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best of The Who: tracklist and credits
10 tracks · 41:57Tracklist
- 1My GenerationPete Townshend3:20
- 2Happy JackPete Townshend2:12
- 3I Can See for MilesPete Townshend4:22
- 4Magic BusPete Townshend3:18
- 5Pinball WizardPete Townshend3:03
- 6Squeeze BoxPete Townshend2:44
- 7Behind Blue EyesPete Townshend3:43
- 8Who Are YouPete Townshend6:18
- 9Join TogetherPete Townshend4:24
- 10Won't Get Fooled AgainPete Townshend8:35
- Produced by
- Shel Talmy, Kit Lambert, Glyn Johns, The Who, Jon Astley, Glyn Johns
- Executive producer
- Chris Stamp, Pete Kameron, Kit Lambert
- Recorded at
- IBC Studios, Regent Sound Studios, CBS Studios, Gold Star Studios, Talent Masters Studios, Morgan Studios, Shepperton Studios, Olympic Studios, Eel Pie Studios, Ramport Studios, Rolling Stones Mobile Studio
- Recorded
- October 1965 – December 1977
- Mixed by
- Kit Lambert, Glyn Johns
- Mixed at
- Gold Star Studios, Basing Street Studios
- Engineered by
- Damon Lyon-Shaw, Glyn Johns, Pete Townshend
- Labels
- Geffen, Universal Music, Geffen Records
- Length
- 41:57
Line-up
- John Entwistle · bass, vocals, electric bass guitar, background vocals, bass guitar, brass
- Nicky Hopkins · piano · guest
- Keith Moon · percussion, drums (drum set), background vocals
- Pete Townshend · guitar, vocals, cello, electric guitar, background vocals, lead vocals, accordion, acoustic guitar, banjo, synthesizer, organ
- Roger Daltrey · lead vocals, mouth harp
- The Who · guest
- Rod Argent · piano · guest
- Andy Fairweather‐Low · background vocals · guest
Certifications
| Region | Certification |
|---|---|
| United States · 2008 | Platinum |
From MusicBrainz and Wikipedia. Only what the sources record is shown.
26.8
Popularity (0–100, vs the whole vault)
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Also released on 6 April
Every year →
More from The Who
Full discography →
My Generation
1965
Ready Steady Who
1966
A Quick One
1966
The Who
1967
The Who Sell Out
1967
Number Two
1968
Magic Bus: The Who on Tour
1968
Direct Hits
1968
Tommy
1969
Live at Leeds
1970
Who’s Next
1971
Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy
1971
Quadrophenia
1973
Odds & Sods
1974
Investigacion de mercado
1975
Tommy
1975
The Who by Numbers
1975
Substitute
1976
The Story of The Who
1976
Who Are You
1978
The Kids Are Alright
1979
Face Dances
1981
Hooligans
1981
It’s Hard
1982
Who’s Greatest Hits
1983
The Singles
1984
Who’s Last
1984
Who’s Missing
1985
Two’s Missing
1987
This Is My Generation
1988
Who’s Better, Who’s Best
1988
Won’t Get Fooled Again
1988
Join Together
1990
Thirty Years of Maximum R&B
1994
My Generation – The Very Best of The Who
1996
Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970
1996
BBC Sessions
2000
The Who Live: The Blues to the Bush 1999
2000
Live at the Royal Albert Hall
2001
The Ultimate Collection
2002
Then and Now
2004
Live From Toronto
2006
Endless Wire
2006
Amazing Journey: The Story of the Who
2008
Greatest Hits
2009
Greatest Hits Live
2010
Live at Hull 1970
2012
Quadrophenia: Live in London
2014
The Who Hits 50!
2014
Live at Shea Stadium 1982
2015
Ready Steady Who Two
2016
Ready Steady Who Three
2017
Live at the Fillmore East 1968
2018
WHO
2019
The best of 1999
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Issues
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S&M
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Re-Arranged
Limp Bizkit · 1999
№4
Stone Temple Pilots · 1999
‘hours…’
David Bowie · 1999
More on Geffen
The label →
Appetite for Destruction
Guns N’ Roses · 1987
Use Your Illusion II
Guns N’ Roses · 1991
Pinkerton
Weezer · 1996
“The Spaghetti Incident?”
Guns N’ Roses · 1993
On Tour Now!
Guns N’ Roses · 1991
blink‐182
blink‐182 · 2003
G N’ R Lies
Guns N’ Roses · 1988
Weezer
Weezer · 2001
Permanent Vacation
Aerosmith · 1987
Pump
Aerosmith · 1989
August and Everything After
Counting Crows · 1993
Get a Grip
Aerosmith · 1993
Releases and pressings
How we know the release date wikipedia + wikidata; also seen: 1999-04-13 (musicbrainz)
| Source | Date | Note |
|---|---|---|
| MusicBrainz | 13 April 1999 | |
| Wikipedia infobox | 6 April 1999 | |
| Wikidata | 6 April 1999 | |
| US release | 13 April 1999 | earliest US date |
3 editions
| Date | Country | Label | Barcode | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | XW | Geffen | 602567823261 | other |
| 1999 | US | Geffen | 602517079762 | other |
| 13 April 1999 | US | MCA Records | 008811195120 | original |
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) |
| fanarttv | 1000×1000 | upscaled |