Album · Compilation
The Best of 1980–1990
The Best of 1980–1990 is U2's first greatest hits compilation, released on 2 November 1998 on Island. It gathers the Irish band's hit singles from the 1980s, adds a few live staples, and includes a re-recording of "Sweetest Thing", originally a 1987 B-side. A companion video of music videos and live footage followed in April 1999, and the band picked up the story again with The Best of 1990–2000 in 2002.
The cover shows Peter Rowen, the boy who also appears on Boy and War, as well as the early EP Three and Early Demos. He is the brother of Guggi, Bono's friend from the Virgin Prunes. A limited two-disc edition with a second disc of B-sides arrived a week ahead of the single-disc version, and demand was high. It debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 and set a first-week US sales record for a group's greatest hits album, with 237,500 copies.
The Best of 1980–1990: tracklist, credits and charts
14 tracks · 1:05:35Tracklist
- 1Pride (In the Name of Love)Bono, Clayton, Edge, Jr.3:50
- 2New Year’s DayBono, Clayton, Edge, Jr.4:19
- 3With or Without YouBono, Clayton, Edge, Jr.4:59
- 4I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking ForBono, Clayton, Edge, Jr.4:41
- 5Sunday Bloody SundayBono, Clayton, Edge, Jr.4:42
- 6BadBono, Clayton, Edge, Jr.5:52
- 7Where the Streets Have No NameBono, Clayton, Edge, Jr.4:36
- 8I Will FollowBono, Clayton, Edge, Jr.3:38
- 9The Unforgettable FireBono, Clayton, Edge, Jr.4:55
- 10Sweetest Thing (The Single mix)Bono, Clayton, Edge, Jr.3:03
- 11DesireBono, Clayton, Edge, Jr.3:00
- 12When Love Comes to TownU2 and Bono4:18
- 13Angel of HarlemU2 and Bono3:50
- 14All I Want Is You / OctoberBono, Clayton, Edge, Jr.9:52
- Produced by
- Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois, Steve Lillywhite, Jimmy Iovine, U2, St. Francis Xavier
- Recorded at
- Windmill Lane Studios, A&M Studios, Sun Studio
- Recorded
- 1980–1989 1998
- Mixed by
- Steve Lillywhite, Mark Wallis, Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois, Stephen Harris, Rob Jacobs, Shelly Yakus, David Tickle
- Mixed at
- Windmill Lane Studios
- Engineered by
- Brian Eno, Kevin Killen, Daniel Lanois, Paul Thomas, Pat McCarthy, Dave Meegan, Flood, Stephen Harris, Joe O’Herlihy, Paul Barrett, Jack Clement, David Ferguson, David Tickle
- Label
- Island
- Length
- 1:05:35
Line-up
- Bono · lead vocals, harmonica, guitar
- Adam Clayton · bass guitar, electric bass guitar, bass
- The Edge · guitar, background vocals, electric guitar, piano, keyboard
- Brian Eno · keyboard, background vocals · guest
- Daniel Lanois · tambourine, omnichord, guitar, background vocals · guest
- Larry Mullen, Jr. · percussion, drums (drum set)
- Kenny Fradley · trumpet · guest
- Steve Wickham · electric violin · guest
- Nicola Cleary · strings · guest
- Nicholas Milne · strings · guest
- Aengus O’Connor · strings · guest
- Una O’Kane · strings · guest
- B.B. King · guitar, vocals · guest
- U2 · guest
- Helen Duncan · background vocals · guest
- Phyllis Duncan · background vocals · guest
- Rebecca Evans Russell · background vocals · guest
- The Memphis Horns · horn · guest
- Joey Miskulin · organ · guest
- Benmont Tench · keyboard · guest
Singles
- “Sweetest Thing” · 19 October 1998
Peak chart positions
| Chart | Peak |
|---|---|
| UK Albums Chart · 1998–2014 | 1 |
| US Billboard 200 · 1998–2014 | 2 |
| Australian Albums (ARIA) · 1998–2014 | 1 |
| Austrian Albums · 1998–2014 | 1 |
| Belgian Albums (Flanders) · 1998–2014 | 1 |
| Belgian Albums (Wallonia) · 1998–2014 | 1 |
| Canadian Albums (Billboard) · 1998–2014 | 1 |
| Dutch Albums · 1998–2014 | 1 |
| French Compilations (SNEP) · 1998–2014 | 1 |
| German Albums · 1998–2014 | 1 |
All 22 charts
| Irish Albums (IRMA) · 1998–2014 | 1 |
| Italian Albums (FIMI) · 1998–2014 | 1 |
| New Zealand Albums · 1998–2014 | 1 |
| Portuguese Albums (AFP) · 1998–2014 | 1 |
| Spanish Albums (AFYVE) · 1998–2014 | 1 |
| Swedish Albums · 1998–2014 | 1 |
| Swiss Albums · 1998–2014 | 1 |
| Norwegian Albums · 1998–2014 | 2 |
| Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista) · 1998–2014 | 3 |
| Hungarian Albums · 1998–2014 | 3 |
| Danish Albums · 1998–2014 | 8 |
| Mexican Albums · 1998–2014 | 80 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification |
|---|---|
| Argentina | 3× Platinum |
| Argentina | Platinum |
| Australia · 2006 | 8× Platinum |
| Austria | 2× Platinum |
| Belgium · 2007 | 6× Platinum |
| Canada | 6× Platinum |
| Denmark · 2005 | Platinum |
| Finland | Gold |
| Germany | Platinum |
| Greece | 2× Platinum |
| Hungary · 2000 | Gold |
| Italy · 2014 | Gold |
| Japan · 1999 | 2× Platinum |
| Mexico · 1999 | Gold |
| Netherlands · 1998 | Platinum |
| New Zealand | 9× Platinum |
| Norway · 1998 | Platinum |
| Poland · 1999 | Platinum |
| Portugal | 5× Platinum |
| Spain · 2005 | 4× Platinum |
| Sweden · 1998 | Gold |
| Switzerland | 3× Platinum |
| United Kingdom · 2002 | 5× Platinum |
| United States | 2× Platinum |
| United States | 2× Platinum |
| Europe · 2004 | 7× Platinum |
From MusicBrainz, Wikipedia and Wikidata. Only what the sources record is shown.
63.9
Popularity (0–100, vs the whole vault)
211
ListenBrainz listeners
48k
Wikipedia views, last 12 months
55k
Deezer fans (all editions)
Released the same week
The Masterplan
Oasis · 1998
No Security
The Rolling Stones · 1998
Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie
Alanis Morissette · 1998
Mutations
Beck · 1998
40 Seasons: The Best of Skid Row
Skid Row · 1998
Shaving Peaches
Terrorvision · 1998
Once in a LIVEtime
Dream Theater · 1998
Greate$t Hit$
Mötley Crüe · 1998
Up
R.E.M. · 1998
Words From the Exit Wound
Napalm Death · 1998
Paralyse
3 Colours Red · 1998
Also released on 2 November
Every year →
There Is Nothing Left to Lose
Foo Fighters · 1999
The Battle of Los Angeles
Rage Against the Machine · 1999
eMOTIVe
A Perfect Circle · 2004
The Masterplan
Oasis · 1998
Shine On
Pink Floyd · 1992
This Desert Life
Counting Crows · 1999
No Tourists
The Prodigy · 2018
On Parole
Motörhead · 1979
Death to False Metal
Weezer · 2010
Live at Reading
Nirvana · 2009
No Security
The Rolling Stones · 1998
Voyage 34: The Complete Trip
Porcupine Tree · 1992
More from U2
Full discography →
Three
1979
Boy
1980
October
1981
War
1983
Under a Blood Red Sky
1983
The Unforgettable Fire
1984
Wide Awake in America
1985
The Joshua Tree
1987
Rattle and Hum
1988
Achtung Baby
1991
Zooropa
1993
Zoo TV: Live From Sydney
1994
Pop
1997
Please: PopHeart Live EP
1997
All That You Can’t Leave Behind
2000
7
2002
The Best of 1990–2000
2002
U2 Go Home: Live From Slane Castle, Ireland
2003
How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
2004
Early Demos
2004
The Complete U2
2004
Love: Live From the Point Depot
2004
Live From Under the Brooklyn Bridge
2004
U2.COMmunication
2005
U218 Singles
2006
Live From Paris
2007
No Line on the Horizon
2009
Artificial Horizon
2010
Wide Awake in Europe
2010
Songs of Innocence
2014
Songs of Experience
2017
The Europa EP
2019
SURRENDER 40 SONGS, ONE PLAYLIST
2022
Songs of Surrender
2023
Two Hearts Beat as One / Sunday Bloody Sunday
2023
Stories of Surrender EP
2025
Days of Ash EP
2026
Easter Lily EP
2026
Carnaval de luz
2026
The best of 1998
All of 1998 →
System of a Down
System of a Down · 1998
Americana
The Offspring · 1998
Garage Inc.
Metallica · 1998
Follow the Leader
Korn · 1998
Adore
The Smashing Pumpkins · 1998
Mechanical Animals
Marilyn Manson · 1998
Yield
Pearl Jam · 1998
Dizzy Up the Girl
Goo Goo Dolls · 1998
Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age · 1998
Iron Maiden An Introduction to… Virtual XI 1998
An Introduction to… Virtual XI
Iron Maiden · 1998
Celebrity Skin
Hole · 1998
Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie
Alanis Morissette · 1998
More on Island
The label →The Joshua Tree
U2 · 1987
Achtung Baby
U2 · 1991
War
U2 · 1983
All That You Can’t Leave Behind
U2 · 2000
The Unforgettable Fire
U2 · 1984
Songs of Innocence
U2 · 2014
Boy
U2 · 1980
How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
U2 · 2004
Pretty Hate Machine
Nine Inch Nails · 1989
All Killer No Filler
Sum 41 · 2001
Rattle and Hum
U2 · 1988
Pop
U2 · 1997
Releases and pressings
How we know the release date wikipedia + wikidata; also seen: 1998-10-28 (musicbrainz)
| Source | Date | Note |
|---|---|---|
| MusicBrainz | 28 October 1998 | |
| Wikipedia infobox | 2 November 1998 | |
| Wikidata | 2 November 1998 | |
| US release | 10 November 1998 | earliest US date |
| UK / Europe release | 2 November 1998 | earliest UK or European date |
22 editions
| Date | Country | Label | Barcode | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | GB | Island | 731452461322 | other |
| 1998 | US | Island | other | |
| 1998 | AU | Island | 731452461322 | other |
| 1998 | ID | Island | 731452461322 | other |
| 1998 | CA | Island | 731452461223 | other |
| 1998 | JP | Island | 4988011361302 | other |
| 1998 | MX | Island | 731452461322 | other |
| 1998 | FR | Island | 731452461322 | other |
| 28 October 1998 | JP | Island | 4988011361296 | original |
| 2 November 1998 | CA | Island | 731452461223 | other |
| 2 November 1998 | AU | Island | 731452461223 | deluxe |
| 2 November 1998 | XE | Island | 731452461223 | other |
| 9 November 1998 | GB | Island | 731452461322 | other |
| 10 November 1998 | — | — | 6001210132332 | other |
| 10 November 1998 | US | Island | 731452461322 | other |
| 10 November 1998 | US | Island | 731452461223 | other |
| 10 November 1998 | CA | Island | 731452461322 | other |
| 10 November 1998 | ZA | Island Records Ltd. | 6001210132332 | other |
| 13 November 2002 | JP | Island | 4988005323460 | other |
| 14 April 2017 | XW | UMC | 00602557629163 | other |
| 14 April 2017 | XW | UMC | 00602557627503 | other |
| 28 July 2018 | — | Island | 602557970890 | other |
Cover art sources
deezer · upscaled: major: best source 1200x1200, upscaled to 1500 (x1.25)
| Source | Size | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| deezer ✓ | 1200×1200 | upscaled: major: best source 1200x1200, upscaled to 1500 (x1.25) |
| fanarttv | 1000×1000 | upscaled |
| coverartarchive | 500×500 | upscaled |