Greatest Hits (Whitesnake album)

Whitesnake's Greatest Hits
European Cover
Greatest hits album by
Whitesnake
Released4 July 1994
Recorded1983–1989
1983–2011 (2022 reissue)
Genre
Length68:02
Label
Producer
Whitesnake chronology
Slip of the Tongue
(1989) 		Whitesnake's Greatest Hits
(1994) 		Restless Heart
(1997)
Singles from Whitesnake's Greatest Hits
  1. "Is This Love"
    Released: 25 July 1994[1]
The Blues Album
(2021)
Greatest Hits: Revisited, Remixed, Remastered
(2022)
The Purple Album: Special Gold Edition
(2023)
Alternative cover
Reissued album cover
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStarStarHalf star[2]
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal7/10[3]
MusicHound RockStarStarStarHalf star[4]
Music WeekStarStarStar[5]

Whitesnake's Greatest Hits is the universally first greatest hits album by the band Whitesnake, first released on 4 July in Europe and 19 July 1994 in the North America, by EMI Records and Geffen Records. The compilation features the group's well-known hits from a various amount of countries, predominately the success of their singles in North America, containing nine singles and two tracks from their previous recorded albums—Slide It In (1984), Whitesnake (also known as 1987), and Slip of the Tongue (1989)—as well as three tracks that were either previously unavailable in the United States or were released as B-sides.

Upon release, Whitesnake's Greatest Hits received positive reviews from music critics. It reached number four on the UK Albums Chart and was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). However, it did not sold well in the United States, where it reached number 161 on the US Billboard 200 chart, but was eventually certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). After the conclusion of the band's Greatest Hits tour, they were dropped by Geffen, and Whitesnake did not release another album in North America until 2008. The compilation was reissued in 2022 in its remixed form featuring a different track listing.

Background

In 1990, lead singer David Coverdale put the group on a hiatus after the Slip of the Tongue tour and withdrew from the public eye to reflect on his career. Three years later, he resurfaced by forming a collaboration with Jimmy Page. The album Coverdale–Page was released in March 1993, opening at number five in the US and number four in the UK. They played six concerts in Japan. The duo ended up selling more than one million copies worldwide.[6]

During rehearsals for the Coverdale—Page tour, Coverdale was informed by Geffen Records, the group's North American label at the time, were planning to release a greatest hits compilation, titled Whitesnake's Greatest Hits. The project initially featured recent songs that were successful in North America. Coverdale questioned the way the songs were going to be arranged. Meanwhile, the band's European label, EMI Records also planned to get hold of the upcoming title from Geffen and issue the compilation. Coverdale then envisioned a greatest hits album that would be conceived as two volumes, known as 'Volume I' and 'Volume II'—the first highlighting early blues rock, and the second containing hard rock and glam metal sound that brought them to a worldwide success, which Geffen had already assembled. The idea was done "so people would have the choice," Coverdale explained, given that Whitesnake had various successes in different regions. EMI had agreed to assemble his request but the original recordings that were meant for the 'Volume I' set could not be located at that time. He then wanted to do a set that contained Whitesnake's most successful albums ranging from 1984 to 1990, saying that he "wanted some good old Rock 'n' Roll bollocks at the bottom."[7]

Release and promotion

To promote Whitesnake's Greatest Hits, EMI planned a "heavily advertised" campaign and promotion starting off with other countries "one area at a time", involving local TV advertising, radio adverts, in-store window displays, and nationwide street poster campaign, followed by multiple publications, including Daily Mail and Daily Mirror. The goal was to keep the albums sales consistent throughout the summer, followed by "a one-week cool down period between each burst of activity."[8] The compilation was released on 4 July 1994 and received a positive response from the public. Rod MacSween from EMI convinced Coverdale to tour as Whitesnake. Although reluctant, Coverdale agreed and decided to reform the group.[6]

Commercial performance

In the band's main country, Whitesnake's Greatest Hits debuted at number four on the UK Albums Chart on 16 July 1994.[9] This was the group's second highest charting position since their 1981 Come an' Get It album last peaked at number two. It went on to spend 12 weeks inside the chart[10] and received a gold certification by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).[11] The album debuted at the top spot for two weeks on the Rock & Metal Albums chart.[12][13][14] According to Coverdale, the album had already reached over 100,000 copies in the UK within two days after its release.[6]

Whitesnake's Greatest Hits also was successful in multiple countries. In Japan, the album peaked at number 27 and charted for six weeks.[15] Five years later, the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) certified it gold for shipment of 100,000 copies.[16] Across Europe, the album charted within the top twenty in multiple countries such as Portugal,[17] Sweden,[18] and Switzerland,[19] while peaking at number 13 on the pancontinental European Top 100 Albums chart.[17] In Finland, the album peaked at number six[20] and was certified gold for shipments of 21,755 copies.[21]

In Germany, Whitesnake's Greatest Hits reached number 51 on that chart and charted for 8 weeks. Despite having a successful cult following in that country, where all of the group's studio albums since Come an' Get It peaked inside the Top 30, the compilation failed to match its previous efforts.[22] In Australia, it peaked at number 34 and spent four weeks in that chart.[23] Nearly twelve years later, the album only peaked at number 95 in Spain.[24] In the United States, the compilation was a commercial failure on the US Billboard 200 chart, where it only peaked at number 161 and stayed for two weeks inside the chart. On 7 November 1995, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified it gold for sales of 500,000 units, and was eventually certified platinum for one million on 28 September 1998.[25]

The single "Is This Love" was reissued to promote Whitesnake's Greatest Hits, and featured the song "Sweet Lady Luck" (a B-side from the previous album Slip of the Tongue). This version reached number 25 on the UK Singles Chart.[10]

Reissue

On 6 May 2022, vocalist David Coverdale and RHINO Entertainment released the new remix for the Greatest Hits album (under the alias, Greatest Hits: Revisited, Remixed, Remastered), remixed by Chris Collier. It featured three new tracks in the tracklist: "Give Me All Your Love", "Guilty of Love", and the band's 2011 album title track, "Forevermore", with the only track "Looking for Love" removed from the remixed version.[26]

The reissue charted on sub-genres of the UK Albums Chart, peaking at number 37 on the UK Rock & Metal Albums Chart running for a consecutive seven weeks, number 39 on Physical Albums, number 47 on Album Sales, number 98 on Album Downloads, and number 33 on the Scottish Albums chart.[27]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)FromLength
1."Still of the Night"David Coverdale, John SykesWhitesnake, 19876:38
2."Here I Go Again" (1987 Radio Mix)Coverdale, Bernie MarsdenWhitesnake3:53
3."Is This Love"Coverdale, SykesWhitesnake4:44
4."Love Ain't No Stranger"Coverdale, Mel GalleySlide It In, 19844:17
5."Looking for Love"Coverdale, Sykes1987 (Whitesnake European version)6:31
6."Now You're Gone"Coverdale, Adrian VandenbergSlip of the Tongue, 19894:12
7."Slide It In"CoverdaleSlide It In3:20
8."Slow an' Easy"Coverdale, Micky MoodySlide It In6:09
9."Judgement Day"Coverdale, VandenbergSlip of the Tongue5:16
10."You're Gonna Break My Heart Again"Coverdale, Sykes19874:11
11."The Deeper the Love"Coverdale, VandenbergSlip of the Tongue4:22
12."Crying in the Rain" ('87 version)CoverdaleWhitesnake5:36
13."Fool for Your Loving '89" (re-recorded version)Coverdale, Marsden, MoodySlip of the Tongue4:11
14."Sweet Lady Luck"Coverdale, VandenbergB-Side of 12" single"The Deeper the Love/Judgment Day", 19904:34

Greatest Hits: Revisited, Remixed, Remastered (2022)

The tracklist of the 2022 remix has a different setlist of songs from the preceding 1994 Greatest Hits album.[26]

No.TitleWriter(s)FromLength
1."Still of the Night" (2022 Remix) Whitesnake6:50
2."Here I Go Again" (2022 Remix) Whitesnake4:32
3."Is This Love" (2022 Remix) Whitesnake5:03
4."Give Me All Your Love" (2022 Remix)Coverdale, SykesWhitesnake3:13
5."Love Ain't No Stranger" (2022 Remix) Slide It In4:19
6."Slide It In" (2022 Remix) Slide It In3:19
7."Slow an' Easy" (2022 Remix) Slide It In6:10
8."Guilty of Love" (2022 Remix)CoverdaleSlide It In3:23
9."Fool for Your Loving" (2022 Remix) Slip of the Tongue4:11
10."Judgement Day" (2022 Remix) Slip of the Tongue5:23
11."The Deeper the Love" (2022 Remix) Slip of the Tongue4:09
12."Now You're Gone" (2022 Remix) Slip of the Tongue4:10
13."Sweet Lady Luck" (2022 Remix) B-Side of "The Deeper the Love"4:36
14."You're Gonna Break My Heart Again" (2022 Remix) Whitesnake (European Version)4:16
15."Crying in the Rain" (2022 Remix) Whitesnake5:48
16."Forevermore" (2022 Remix)Coverdale, AldrichForevermore7:06

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the compilation album's liner notes.[28] For original song album credits, see Slide It In, Whitesnake and Slip of the Tongue.

Management
  • John Kalodner – A&R
  • Debra Shallman – A&R Coordination
  • Jeff Magid – project coordination
  • Howard Kaufman – management
Design
  • Hugh Syme – art direction, emblem design, cover concept development
  • Bernard Boudreau – photography
  • Sal Manna – liner notes
Technical
  • George Marino – remastering
  • David J. Donnelly – mastering supervisor

Charts

Certifications and sales

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[21] Gold 21,755[21]
Japan (RIAJ)[16] Gold 100,000^
Japan
2022 release 		— 1,906[35]
United Kingdom (BPI)[11] Gold 100,000^
United States (RIAA)[25] Platinum 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Release formats for Whitesnake's Greatest Hits
Region Date Label Format Catalogue Edition Ref.
  • Europe
 4 July 1994
EMD 1065 Standard [36]
  • North America
 19 July 1994
  • cassette
  • CD
 GEFD 24620 [37]
  • Japan
 21 July 1994
SRCS 7440
  • Worldwide
  • 6 May 2022 (Digital)
  • 17 June 2022 (Physical)
  • 17 July 2022 (CD/Blu-ray Set)
  • R1680917 (Vinyl)
  • R2680916 (CD)
 Revisited, Remixed, Remastered Edition [26][38]
  • Japan
  • WPZR-18528 (CD)
  • WPZR-30928/9 (CD/Blu-Ray)

References

  1. ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 23 July 1994. p. 43.
  2. ^ Huey, Steve. "Whitesnake's Greatest Hits review". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  3. ^ Popoff, Martin (1 August 2007). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 3: The Nineties. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. p. 499. ISBN 978-1-894959-62-9.
  4. ^ Graff, Gary, ed. (1996), MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide, Visible Ink Press, p. 728, ISBN 9780787610371
  5. ^ Jones, Alan (9 July 1994). "Market Preview: Mainstream - Albums" (PDF). Music Week. p. 17. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
  6. ^ a b c Chirazi, Steffan (25 March 2011). "The Growing Pains Of Whitesnake's David Coverdale". Louder. Classic Rock. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  7. ^ "All White My Luvs!". Raw. London, England: EMAP publications. 20 July 1994. p. 64.
  8. ^ "Ad Focus: Campaign of the Week" (PDF). Music Week. 2 July 1994. p. 12. Retrieved 2 January 2026 – via worldradiohistory.com.
  9. ^ "Official Albums Chart on 10/7/1994". Official Charts Company. United Kingdom. 16 July 1994. Retrieved 2 January 2026.
  10. ^ a b c "Whitesnake - Official Charts". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  11. ^ a b "British album certifications – Whitesnake – Greatest Hits". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 15 July 2022. Select albums in the Formats field. Type Greatest Hits Whitesnake in the "Search:" field.
  12. ^ a b "UK Rock & Metal Charts ending on 23 July 1994". Music Week. Future. 23 July 1994. p. 25.
  13. ^ "Heavy Rock Albums 20" (PDF). Hit Music. No. 93. London, England: Spotlight. 16 July 1994. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  14. ^ "Heavy Rock Albums 20" (PDF). Hit Music. No. 94. London, England: Spotlight. 30 July 1994. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  15. ^ a b "グレイテスト・ヒッツ | ホワイトスネイク". Oricon. Retrieved 2 January 2026.
  16. ^ a b "Japanese album certifications – Whitesnake – Greatest Hits" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved 27 December 2020. Select 1999年10月 on the drop-down menu
  17. ^ a b c d "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. 30 July 1994. pp. 9–10. Retrieved 2 January 2026 – via worldradiohistory.com.
  18. ^ a b "Swedishcharts.com – Whitesnake – Greatest Hits". Hung Medien. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  19. ^ a b "Swisscharts.com – Whitesnake – Greatest Hits". Hung Medien. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  20. ^ a b Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 166. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  21. ^ a b c "Whitesnake" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
  22. ^ a b "Offiziellecharts.de – Whitesnake – Greatest Hits" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  23. ^ a b "Australiancharts.com – Whitesnake – Greatest Hits". Hung Medien. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  24. ^ a b c "Spanishcharts.com – Whitesnake – Greatest Hits". Hung Medien. Retrieved 2 January 2026.
  25. ^ a b "American album certifications – Whitesnake – Greatest Hits". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 15 July 2022.
  26. ^ a b c "Whitesnake's 'Greatest Hits' Have Been Revisited, Remixed and Remastered for 2022 Collection". Blabbermouth.net. 9 May 2022. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  27. ^ "Whitesnake - Greatest Hits". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
  28. ^ Whitesnake's Greatest Hits (booklet). Geffen Records. 1994. 720642462027.
  29. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart on 21/8/1994 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  30. ^ "Whitesnake Songs and Albums | Full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  31. ^ "Whitesnake Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  32. ^ "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2022-08-08" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  33. ^ "Billboard Japan Hot Albums – Week of August 3, 2022". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  34. ^ "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart on 10/6/2022 – Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 November 2023.
  35. ^ "週間 アルバムランキング – 2022年08月08日付". Oricon. 3 August 2022. Archived from the original on 3 August 2022. Retrieved 15 July 2025.
  36. ^ "Ratt Man for the 'Snake?!". Kerrang!. No. 495. London, England: United Newspapers. 21 May 1994.
  37. ^ Bridenthal, Bryn; Hamm, Roy (1994). "Whitesnake - You can't keep the 'Snake down" (Press release). Los Angeles, California, United States: Geffen Records.
  38. ^ "Whitesnake Detail New GREATEST HITS Collection". Rhino. 6 May 2022. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitesnake%27s_Greatest_Hits