The Best of 1980–1990 is the first greatest hits compilation by Irish rock band U2, released in November 1998. It mostly contains the group's hit singles from the 1980s but also mixes in some live staples as well as one new recording, "Sweetest Thing". In April 1999, a companion video was released. The album was followed by another compilation, The Best of 1990–2000, in 2002. A limited edition version containing a special B-sides disc was released a week earlier than the 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 the 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 cover is Peter Rowen, brother of Bono's friend Guggi of the Virgin Prunes. He also appears on the covers of the early EP Three, two of the band's first three albums, and Early Demos.
Commercial performance
In the United States, the double-disc version of the album 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 peaked at number four 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 standard edition was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, denoting shipments of two million on 6 March 2002; on 4 December 1998, the double-disc version was certified double platinum for shipments of two million. 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 on 8 November 2002, denoting shipments of 1.5 million units. 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 BillboardCanadian 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 charts 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 of 1985. Same goes for the version of "A Room at the Heartbreak Hotel" which is an edit from the original version on the "Angel Of Harlem" single from 1989.
Chart positions
Weekly charts
Chart
Peak position
Year-end charts
Certifications
Video
Music and words by U2. All tracks have been remastered for this release.
