The Best of 1990–2000 is the second greatest hits album by Irish rock band U2. It was released on 5 November 2002 through Island Records and Interscope Records. It was issued as both a single-disc CD compilation and as a multi-disc compilation called The Best of 1990–2000 & B-Sides, which included a second disc of 14 B-sides released between 1990 and 2000 and a bonus DVD. A video album of the same name was later released in December 2002.
The Best of 1990–2000 | ||||
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Greatest hits album by | ||||
Released | 5 November 2002 | |||
Recorded | 1990–2002 | |||
Genre | Rock, alternative rock | |||
Length | 71:53 | |||
Label | Island/Interscope | |||
Producer | Steve Lillywhite, Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois, William Orbit, Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen Jr. Flood, Nellee Hooper, Paul Barrett, Howie B[1] | |||
U2 chronology | ||||
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Singles from The Best of 1990–2000 | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Blender | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Entertainment Weekly | B−[4] |
Pitchfork Media | 5.6/10[5] |
Rolling Stone | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Best of 1990–2000 contained two newly recorded tracks, "Electrical Storm" and "The Hands That Built America"; the former was released as a single, while the latter was released on the soundtrack to Gangs of New York. The compilation also includes "new mixes" of several songs, as well the tracks "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" (a non-album single from 1995) and "Miss Sarajevo" (which was originally credited to Passengers and also released as a single in 1995).
The album charted at number one in 13 countries and was the twelfth-best-selling album of 2002, according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry.[7]
No. | Title | Album | Length |
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1. | "Even Better Than the Real Thing" | Achtung Baby (1991) | 3:39 |
2. | "Mysterious Ways" (Best of version) | Achtung Baby | 4:02 |
3. | "Beautiful Day" | All That You Can't Leave Behind (2000) | 4:05 |
4. | "Electrical Storm" (William Orbit mix) | New song | 4:37 |
5. | "One" | Achtung Baby | 4:35 |
6. | "Miss Sarajevo" (Radio edit; originally credited to Passengers (U2 & Brian Eno)) | Original Soundtracks 1 (1995) | 4:30 |
7. | "Stay (Faraway, So Close!)" | Zooropa (1993) | 4:58 |
8. | "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of" | All That You Can't Leave Behind | 4:31 |
9. | "Gone" (New mix) | Pop (1997) | 4:32 |
10. | "Until the End of the World" | Achtung Baby | 4:38 |
11. | "The Hands That Built America" (Theme from Gangs of New York) | New song | 4:57 |
12. | "Discothèque" (New mix) | Pop | 4:40 |
13. | "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" | Batman Forever Soundtrack (1995) | 4:44 |
14. | "Staring at the Sun" (New mix) | Pop | 4:48 |
15. | "Numb" (New mix) | Zooropa | 4:21 |
16. | "The First Time" | Zooropa | 3:44 |
Total length: | 71:53 |
No. | Title | Album | Length |
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17. | "The Fly" | Achtung Baby | 4:28 |
"Electrical Storm" was released as a single in promotion of the album. "Gone," "Discothèque," "Staring at the Sun," and "Numb" were remixed by Mike Hedges for the compilation. "Mysterious Ways" is identical to the album version with the exception of a single lyric. "Miss Sarajevo," co-written by Brian Eno, was originally included on the album Original Soundtracks 1, which was released by the band under the alias "Passengers".
No. | Title | Originally released on | Length |
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1. | "Lady with the Spinning Head" (Extended dance mix) | "Even Better Than the Real Thing" single | 6:06 |
2. | "Dirty Day" (Junk Day mix) | "Please" single | 4:40 |
3. | "Summer Rain" | "Beautiful Day" single | 4:07 |
4. | "Electrical Storm" (Band version) | New song | 4:26 |
5. | "North and South of the River" | "Staring at the Sun" single | 4:36 |
6. | "Your Blue Room" | Original Soundtracks 1 | 5:26 |
7. | "Happiness Is a Warm Gun" (Gun mix) | "Last Night on Earth" single | 4:45 |
8. | "Salomé" (Zooromancer remix edit) | "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses" single | 5:51 |
9. | "Even Better Than the Real Thing" (Perfecto mix) | "Even Better Than the Real Thing" single | 6:38 |
10. | "Numb" (Gimme Some More Dignity Mix edit) | Melon: Remixes for Propaganda | 5:50 |
11. | "Mysterious Ways" (Solar Plexus Club mix) | "Mysterious Ways" single | 4:08 |
12. | "If God Will Send His Angels" (Big Yam mix) | "Mofo" single | 5:42 |
13. | "Lemon" (Jeep mix) | "Lemon" single | 5:29 |
14. | "Discothèque" (Hexidecimal mix edit) | "Discothèque" single | 5:45 |
Total length: | 73:52 |
"North and South of the River" was written with Christy Moore. "Happiness Is a Warm Gun" was written by Lennon–McCartney. "Your Blue Room" was written with Brian Eno.
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "The History Mix" | 7:40 |
2. | "U2: The Best of 1990–2000 DVD Trailer" | 2:27 |
3. | "Please" (Live mural cut) | 5:00 |
4. | "Beautiful Day" (Èze version) | 4:04 |
Total length: | 19:11 |
"The History Mix" is a video montage anthologizing the band's nineties albums and tours. It includes snippets of interviews, promotional videos, and so forth. The live version of "Please" is from the Helsinki Olympic Stadium in Helsinki, Finland, recorded on 9 August 1997 and directed by Maurice Linnane.
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
Decade-end charts
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Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Argentina (CAPIF)[53] | 2× Platinum | 80,000^ |
Australia (ARIA)[54] | 2× Platinum | 140,000^ |
Austria (IFPI Austria)[55] | Platinum | 30,000* |
Belgium (BEA)[56] | 2× Platinum | 100,000* |
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[57] | Platinum | 125,000* |
Canada (Music Canada)[58] | 3× Platinum | 300,000^ |
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[59] | Platinum | 50,000^ |
Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[60] | Gold | 29,864[60] |
France (SNEP)[61] | 2× Gold | 200,000* |
Germany (BVMI)[62] | Gold | 150,000^ |
Greece (IFPI Greece)[17] | Platinum | 30,000^ |
Hungary (MAHASZ)[63] | Gold | 10,000^ |
Italy (FIMI)[64] sales since 2009 |
Gold | 25,000* |
Japan (RIAJ)[65] | Gold | 100,000^ |
Mexico (AMPROFON)[66] | Gold | 75,000^ |
Netherlands (NVPI)[67] | Platinum | 80,000^ |
New Zealand (RMNZ)[68] | 4× Platinum | 60,000^ |
Poland (ZPAV)[69] | Gold | 35,000* |
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[70] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
Sweden (GLF)[71] | Gold | 30,000^ |
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[72] | 2× Platinum | 80,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[73] | 2× Platinum | 600,000^ |
United States (RIAA)[74] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
Summaries | ||
Europe (IFPI)[75] | 3× Platinum | 3,000,000* |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
The Best of 1990–2000 | ||||
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Video by | ||||
Released | 2 December 2002 | |||
Recorded | 1991–2002 | |||
Genre | Rock | |||
Length | 176:00 111:49 (main feature) 77:31 (tracks 1-16 only) | |||
Label | Island, Interscope | |||
Director | Kevin Godley, Stéphane Sednaoui, Jonas Åkerlund, Anton Corbijn, et al. | |||
Producer | Ned O'Hanlon | |||
U2 chronology | ||||
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The Best of 1990–2000 was also released as a video compilation, featuring music videos from the songs on the album. The DVD version of the video featured one to two videos for each song on the album, plus seven bonus videos (for songs not on the album), as well as directors' commentaries, and three mini-documentaries. The VHS version of the video featured simply one video for the 16 songs from the album.
On all versions however, there is no video for "The First Time", as one was never made or rather released. In its place was put the video of "The Fly", which itself was on certain versions of the album. The DVD case had two disc slots, one for the main videos, the other for the "History Mix" DVD from the "A and B sides" version of the album. In its absence, a CD/DVD-shaped paper disc is used as a placeholder.
Music and words by U2, except where otherwise noted.
All tracks were remastered for these releases.
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Argentina (CAPIF)[77] | Platinum | 8,000^ |
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[78] | Platinum | 50,000* |
France (SNEP)[79] | Platinum | 20,000* |
Mexico (AMPROFON)[80] | Gold | 10,000^ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
Credits adapted from liner notes.[81]
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