The Best... Album in the World...Ever!


The Best... Album in the World...Ever! is a compilation album brand from Circa Records. It was the brainchild of marketer Stephen Pritchard at Virgin Records.
Usually the album's title is made of the main title, genre and maybe issue number. However, on a number of indie music collections, the genre aspect was replaced by a full list of artist names. Due to this, these were just normally listed as The Best Album in the World...Ever!, and featured many Britpop acts, as well as dance acts such as Chemical Brothers.
Although most albums use the Album in the World...Ever! suffix, some towards the late 1990s change the suffix to Anthems...Ever!, with a plural on the theme. Some even just use ...Ever! as a suffix
Many of the albums in the series were compiled by Ashley Abram.

History

The series started with The Best...Dance Album in the World...Ever! which was a success, spending four weeks at number one on the UK Compilation Chart and ending up as the third biggest selling compilation of the year. The Dance strand led to a fourteen volume subseries. Other successful subseries included Air Guitar, Sixties, Club Anthems and the aforementioned alternative rock Best...Album in the World Evers.
The Best Club Anthems...Ever!, featuring house, big beat, techno and electronica was released in 1997, and there have been 16 sequels. One difference from The Best Dance Album in the World..Ever! and The Best Club Anthems...Ever series is that Club Anthems originally had its tracks mixed, although this stopped beginning with 2003's Very Best Club Anthems release.
The Best Air Guitar Album in the World...Ever!, referred to in retrospect as Air Guitar I, released 5 November 2001, was compiled by Brian May. A sequel was released in November 2002 and another in November 2003, the latter proclaiming itself to be the last Air Guitar Album in the World...Ever!. Both sequels were again compiled by Brian May. In 2005, a 3CD The Best of the Best Air Guitar Album in the World...Ever! was released. Whilst Air Guitar III proclaimed to be the final volume, the liner notes written by May in The Best of the Best start with "OK, we lied."
Sometimes, the albums have captured a moment of popularity for things other than music, such as The Best TV Ads...Ever!, a compilation released in May 2000 of songs from current and famous TV adverts, which was released just days after the "100 Greatest TV Ads" poll from Channel 4 and The Sunday Times aired on the former. Furthermore, many other albums with a similar concept followed from other labels, including Switched On from rival label Telstar, Classic Ads from Universal, Commercial Breaks from Beechwood Music and the similarly titled Commercial Break from Castle Music.
The series was immensely popular, and most of the volumes performed well in the compilation charts, with some even making number one. The series started to become subject to popular culture parodies, such as spoof band Shirehorses titling their first album from 1997 The worst...album in the world...ever...EVER!. Blur, who appeared on some of the albums in the series, were originally going to title their 2000 compilation Blur: The Best of as Best Blur Album in the World Ever.
The series originally featured a globe on each album cover, to represent the world, as referred to in the album titles. When the Anthems...Ever! and the simply ...Ever! titles started to appear in 1997, the globe didn't usually appear on the cover. The globe continued to be featured on in the World...Ever! covers nonetheless, although in 2001–02, it started to become absent from the album covers of in the World...Ever! albums too, as it is absent from the Air Guitar covers and one of the Dance covers.

List of compilations

Original series

Revival series (2019-present)

After a few years of the series being dormant, Spectrum Music, a budget label jointly owned by Universal Music Operations and Sony Music, started to regularly release 3-CD compilations under the Best... Album in the World...Ever! name as a companion to the revived The Hits Album series in 2019.
TitleRelease datePeak chart positionNotes
TitleRelease dateUK Compilations
Notes
The Best Country Album in the World...Ever!3
The Best Soul Album in the World...Ever!8
The Best Movie Hits Album in the World...Ever!9
The Best Electronic Album in the World...Ever!2
The Best Dance Album in the World...Ever!5
The Best 80s Groove Album in the World...Ever!6
The Best 70s Album in the World...Ever!8
The Best Disco Album in the World...Ever!15
The Best American Legends Album in the World...Ever!4
The Best 80s Album in the World...Ever!9
The Best British Legends Album in the World...Ever!19
The Best Indie Album in the World...Ever!9
The Best R&B Album in the World...Ever!12
The Best Late Nite Album in the World...Ever!15
The Best Driving Album in the World...Ever!14
The Best 80s Car Songs Album in the World...Ever!3
The Best Summer Holiday Album in the World...Ever!3
The Best 90s Album in the World...Ever!8
The Cosiest Christmas Album in the World...Ever!7Contains a bonus disc featuring Christmas carols performed by the Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge.
The Best 70s Party Album in the World...Ever!10
The Best 60s Album in the World...Ever!9
The Best 80s Car Songs Album in the World...Ever! Rides Again11
The Coolest Album in the World Ever!15
The Best Jukebox Classics Album in the World...Ever!10
The Best 80s Car Songs Album in the World...Ever! Sing Along15
The Best 70s Rock Album in the World...Ever!10
The Best 60s & 70s Soul Album in the World...Ever!10
The Best Summer Time Album in the World...Ever!11
The Best Car Songs Album in the World...Ever!14
The Best 80s Rock Album in the World...Ever!12
The Best Disco Party Album in the World...Ever!23
The Best 80s Soul Album in the World...Ever!14
The Best R&B Classics Album in the World...Ever!17
The Best Northern Soul Album in the World...Ever!8Abridged version released as a vinyl double LP entitled Northern Soul Classics.
The Best Pop Album in the World...Ever!20
The Best 80s Movies Album in the World...Ever!11
The Best Power Ballads Album in the World...Ever!10
The Best Number 1s Album in the World...Ever!11
The Best 80s Party Album in the World...Ever!13
The Best Country Classics Album in the World...Ever!12
The Best 80s US Album in the World...Ever!11
The Best Northern Soul Album in the World...Ever! Volume II: Back to the Floor21Abridged version released as a vinyl double LP entitled Northern Soul Classics: Volume 2.
The Best 80s Funk, Soul and Groove Album in the World...Ever!17
The Best Soft Rock Album in the World...Ever!14
The Best Number 1s Album in the World...Ever! More Chart-Toppers28
The Best Love Songs Album in the World...Ever!20
The Best Easy Pop Album in the World...Ever! 60s & 70s

Albums

The Best... Album in the World... Ever!

These albums have the genre of indie/alternative music.
These albums finished in 1998, although the series was picked up again in 2001 under a new name, The Album:.
The brand new The Album: series spawned six more volumes

Volume 1 (1995)

VTDCD 58
Disc 1
  1. Supergrass – "Alright"
  2. Blur – "Girls and Boys"
  3. Elastica – "Waking Up"
  4. Ash – "Girl From Mars"
  5. Oasis – "Whatever"
  6. Edwyn Collins – "A Girl Like You"
  7. The Charlatans – "The Only One I Know"
  8. Pulp – "Do You Remember the First Time?"
  9. McAlmont & Butler – "Yes"
  10. Morrissey – "Everyday Is Like Sunday"
  11. Radiohead – "High and Dry"
  12. The Cranberries – "Zombie"
  13. The Smashing Pumpkins – "Today"
  14. Manic Street Preachers – "La Tristesse Durera (Scream to a Sigh)"
  15. James – "Sit Down"
  16. The Boo Radleys – "Wake Up Boo!"
  17. Suede – "Animal Nitrate"
  18. The Verve – "This Is Music"
  19. Inspiral Carpets – "I Want You"
  20. Therapy? – "Screamager"
    Disc 2
  21. The Smiths – "This Charming Man"
  22. The Jesus & Mary Chain – "April Skies"
  23. Oasis – "Supersonic"
  24. The Stone Roses – "Fools Gold"
  25. Stereo MC's – "Connected"
  26. The Prodigy – "Out of Space"
  27. The Shamen – "Destination Eschaton"
  28. New Order – "True Faith '94"
  29. The Chemical Brothers – "Home (song)|Leave Home]"
  30. Fluke – "Bullet"
  31. Primal Scream – "Loaded"
  32. EMF – "Unbelievable"
  33. Jesus Jones – "Real, Real, Real"
  34. Depeche Mode – "Personal Jesus"
  35. Blur – "Chemical World"
  36. The Levellers – "15 Years"
  37. The Auteurs – "Lenny Valentino"
  38. Skunk Anansie – "I Can Dream"
  39. Dreadzone – "Captain Dread"
  40. The Future Sound of London – "Lifeforms (Path 4) "
  • There are 28 credited artists in the full title of the album.

    Volume 2 (1996)

VTDCD 76
Disc 1
  1. Oasis – "Wonderwall"
  2. Paul Weller – "Wild Wood"
  3. Radiohead – "Creep"
  4. Cast – "Fine Time"
  5. Pulp – "Common People"
  6. The Lightning Seeds – "Life of Riley (song)|The Life of Riley]"
  7. Blur – "Parklife"
  8. Saint Etienne – "He's on the Phone"
  9. Sleeper – "What Do I Do Now?"
  10. The Levellers – "Hope Street"
  11. Supergrass – "Caught by the Fuzz"
  12. Whale – "Hobo Humpin' Slobo Babe"
  13. Ash – "Angel Interceptor"
  14. Lush – "Single Girl"
  15. Elastica – "Connection"
  16. Garbage – "Queer"
  17. The Stone Roses – "She Bangs the Drums"
  18. New Order – "Blue Monday"
  19. The Smiths – "How Soon Is Now?"
  20. Gene – "Olympian"
    Disc 2
  21. Björk – "It's Oh So Quiet"
  22. Dreadzone – "Little Britain"
  23. Blur – "Country House"
  24. The Wonder Stuff – "The Size of a Cow"
  25. Menswear – "Stardust"
  26. Oasis – "Cigarettes & Alcohol"
  27. Happy Mondays – "Kinky Afro"
  28. Primal Scream – "Movin' on Up"
  29. Morrissey – "The More You Ignore Me, the Closer I Get"
  30. The Verve – "History"
  31. Suede – "Stay Together"
  32. The Charlatans – "Just When You're Thinkin' Things Over"
  33. The Jesus & Mary Chain – "Far Gone and Out"
  34. Echobelly – "Great Things"
  35. The Wannadies – "Might Be Stars"
  36. Skunk Anansie – "Weak"
  37. The Chemical Brothers – "Sweet (song)|Life is Sweet]"
  38. Fluke – "Tosh"
  39. Massive Attack – "Protection"
  40. McAlmont & Butler – "You Do"
  • There are 28 credited artists in the full title of the album.

    Volume 3 (1996)

VTDCD 084
Disc 1
  1. The Prodigy – "Firestarter"
  2. Leftfield/Lydon – "Open Up"
  3. Iggy Pop – "Lust for Life"
  4. Supergrass – "Going Out"
  5. Oasis – "Don't Look Back in Anger"
  6. Cast – "Sandstorm"
  7. Ocean Colour Scene – "You've Got It Bad"
  8. Garbage – "Stupid Girl"
  9. The Lightning Seeds – "Pure"
  10. The Stone Roses – "What The World Is Waiting For"
  11. Radiohead – "Street Spirit (Fade Out)"
  12. Dubstar – "Stars"
  13. Blur – "The Universal"
  14. St. Etienne – "Only Love Can Break Your Heart"
  15. New Order – "Temptation"
  16. The Levellers – "This Garden"
  17. The Charlatans – "Weirdo"
  18. Ash – "Kung Fu"
  19. Underworld – "Born Slippy"
    Disc 2
  20. Paul Weller – "The Changingman"
  21. Oasis – "Round Are Way"
  22. Happy Mondays – "Step On"
  23. Sleeper – "Inbetweener"
  24. Lush – "Ladykillers"
  25. Terrorvision – "Perseverance"
  26. Goldbug – "Whole Lotta Love"
  27. Babylon Zoo – "Spaceman"
  28. Menswear – "Sleeping In"
  29. Marion – "Time"
  30. Echobelly – "King of the Kerb"
  31. Pulp – "My Legendary Girlfriend"
  32. Elastica – "Stutter"
  33. Skunk Anansie – "Selling Jesus"
  34. The Chemical Brothers – "Chemical Beats"
  35. 60ft Dolls – "Stay"
  36. Teenage Fanclub – "Sparky's Dream"
  37. Gene – "For the Dead"
  38. Dreadzone – "Life Love & Unity"
  39. Massive Attack – "Sly"
  • Although the Dave Clarke remix of "Chemical Beats" is featured, this is only mentioned in the booklet, and the back cover just simply lists "Chemical Beats" without mention of the remix.
  • There are 28 credited artists in the full title of the album.

    Volume 4 (1996)

VTDCD 096
Disc 1
  1. Oasis – "Some Might Say"
  2. Cast – "Alright"
  3. Ocean Colour Scene – "The Day We Caught the Train"
  4. Manic Street Preachers – "A Design for Life"
  5. Suede – "Trash"
  6. Ash – "Goldfinger"
  7. Sleeper – "Sale of the Century"
  8. Dodgy – "In a Room"
  9. Lightning Seeds – "Sense"
  10. Space – "Female of the Species"
  11. The Charlatans – "One to Another"
  12. The Chemical Brothers – "Loops of Fury"
  13. Underworld – "Born Slippy"
  14. The Prodigy – "No Good (Start The Dance)"
  15. Björk – "Army of Me"
  16. Goldie – "Inner City Life"
  17. Everything but the Girl – "Walking Wounded"
  18. Stereo MC's – "Step It Up"
  19. Dubstar – "Not So Manic Now"
    Disc 2
  20. Paul Weller – "Sunflower"
  21. R.E.M. – "Orange Crush"
  22. The Smiths – "Panic"
  23. Blur – "Charmless Man"
  24. Radiohead – "Just"
  25. The [Presidents of the United States of America (band)|The Presidents of the United States of America] – "Peaches (The Presidents of [the United States of America song)|Peaches]"
  26. Rocket from the Crypt – "On a Rope"
  27. Skunk Anansie – "All I Want"
  28. The Stone Roses – "Love Spreads"
  29. Garbage – "Only Happy When It Rains"
  30. Ash – "Oh Yeah"
  31. Babybird – "You're Gorgeous"
  32. Super Furry Animals – "If You Don't Want Me to Destroy You"
  33. Longpigs – "Far"
  34. Mansun – "Stripper Vicar"
  35. Shed Seven – "Where Have You Been Tonight"
  36. The Levellers – "Just the One"
  37. Placebo – "Teenage Angst"
  38. Massive Attack – "Safe from Harm"
  39. Sneaker Pimps – "6 Underground"
  40. Oasis – "The Masterplan"
  • There are 26 artists credited in the full title of the album.

    Volume 5 (1997)

  1. Pulp – "Sorted for Es and Wizz"
  2. Kula Shaker – "Tattva"
  3. Oasis – "Live Forever"
  4. Manic Street Preachers – "Everything Must Go"
  5. Blur – "Beetlebum"
  6. Placebo – "Nancy Boy"
  7. Apollo 440 – "Ain't Talkin' 'bout Dub"
  8. The Prodigy – "Breathe"
  9. Fun Lovin' Criminals – "Scooby Snacks"
  10. Mansun – "Wide Open Space"
  11. Depeche Mode – "Barrel of a Gun"
  12. Garbage – "Milk"
  13. Skunk Anansie – "Hedonism (Just Because You Feel Good)"
  14. Suede – "Beautiful Ones"
  15. The Supernaturals – "The Day Before Yesterday's Man"
  16. Bennet – "Mum's Gone to Iceland"
  17. Sleeper – "Nice Guy Eddie"
  18. Shed Seven – "Getting Better"
  19. The Presidents of the United States of America – "Lump"
  20. Geneva – "Into the Blue"
  21. Underworld – "Pearl's Girl"
  22. Paul Weller – "Out of the Sinking"
  23. Oasis – "Roll with It"
  24. Ocean Colour Scene – "The Riverboat Song"
  25. R.E.M. – "What's the Frequency Kenneth"
  26. Deep Purple – "Hush"
  27. Cast – "Flying"
  28. Space – "Dark Clouds"
  29. The Lightning Seeds – "Lucky You"
  30. The La's – "There She Goes"
  31. Dodgy – "Good Enough"
  32. White Town – "Your Woman"
  33. Babybird – "Candy Girl"
  34. 808 State and James Dean Bradfield – "Lopez"
  35. The Aloof – "One Night Stand"
  36. Radiohead – "Fake Plastic Trees"
  37. Longpigs – "Lost Myself"
  38. Terrorvision – "Easy"
  39. The Stone Roses – "I Am the Resurrection"
  • There are 22 credited artists in the full title of the album.

    Volume 6 (1997)

  1. Radiohead – "Paranoid Android"
  2. Blur – "Song 2"
  3. Supergrass – "Richard III"
  4. Foo Fighters – "This Is a Call"
  5. eels – "Novocaine for the Soul"
  6. The Charlatans – "North Country Boy"
  7. Cast – "Free Me"
  8. Manic Street Preachers – "Australia"
  9. Kula Shaker – "Hey Dude"
  10. Pulp – "Disco 2000"
  11. Monaco – "What Do You Want from Me"
  12. The Supernaturals – "Smile"
  13. John Lydon – "Sun"
  14. 3 Colours Red – "Copper Girl"
  15. Fun Lovin' Criminals – "King of New York"
  16. Sneaker Pimps – "6 Underground"
  17. Depeche Mode – "Home"
  18. Primal Scream – "Star"
  19. Skunk Anansie – "Brazen (Weep)"
  20. The Chemical Brothers – "Setting Sun"
  21. Republica – "Ready to Go"
  22. Reef – "Place Your Hands"
  23. Bush – "Swallowed"
  24. Teenage Fanclub – "Ain't That Enough"
  25. The Stone Roses – "Made of Stone"
  26. Suede – "Lazy"
  27. Ether – "If You Really Want to Know"
  28. Geneva – "Tranquilizer"
  29. Mansun – "She Makes My Nose Bleed"
  30. Embrace – "The Last Gas"
  31. Ben Folds Five – "Battle of Who Could Care Less"
  32. My Life Story – "Strumpet"
  33. Hurricane#1 – "Just Another Illusion"
  34. Placebo – "Bruise Pristine"
  35. Kenickie – "Punka"
  36. The Future Sound of London – "We Have Explosive"
  37. Fluke – "Absurd"
  38. Super Furry Animals – "Hermann Loves Pauline"
  39. The Verve – "On Your Own"
  40. Dodgy – "Staying Out for the Summer"
  • There are 25 credited artists in the title.

    Volume 7 (1998)

Disc 1
  1. The Verve – "Sonnet"
  2. Embrace – "Come Back to What You Know"
  3. Radiohead – "Karma Police"
  4. Space – "Begin Again"
  5. The Dandy Warhols – "Not [If You Were the Last Junkie on Earth]"
  6. Fatboy Slim – "The Rockafeller Skank"
  7. Iggy Pop – "The Passenger"
  8. Primal Scream – "Rocks"
  9. Brock Landars – "S.M.D.U."
  10. Chumbawamba – "Tubthumping"
  11. Robbie Williams – "Let Me Entertain You"
  12. Supergrass – "Sun Hits the Sky"
  13. The Charlatans – "How High"
  14. Skunk Anansie – "Twisted (Everyday Hurts)"
  15. The Stone Roses – "What The World Is Waiting For"
  16. Blur – "On Your Own"
  17. The Pixies – "Monkey Gone to Heaven"
  18. Catherine Wheel – "Delicious"
  19. Kenickie – "I Would Fix You"
  20. Ether – "Best Friend"
    Disc 2
  21. Mansun – "Wide Open Space"
  22. PF Project feat. Ewan McGregor – "Choose Life"
  23. Run-D.M.C. vs. Jason Nevins – "It's Like That"
  24. Collapsed Lung – "Eat My Goal"
  25. Garbage – "Push It"
  26. The Levellers – "What a Beautiful Day"
  27. Ocean Colour Scene – "Hundred Mile High City"
  28. Fat Les – "Vindaloo"
  29. The Prodigy – "Poison"
  30. Whale – "Four Big Speakers"
  31. Bentley Rhythm Ace – "Bentley's Gonna Sort You Out"
  32. Lo Fidelity Allstars – "Vision Incision"
  33. Air – "Kelly Watch the Stars"
  34. Bran Van 3000 – "Drinking in LA"
  35. Massive Attack – "Teardrop"
  36. Unbelievable Truth – "Settle Down"
  37. Cornershop – "Brimful of Asha"
  38. Super Furry Animals – "Ice Hockey Hair"
  • Unusual for compilation albums, the "Brimful of Asha" featured on disc two is the original version, not the Norman Cook remix which reached #1 in the UK charts.
  • The band Air are credited as Air French Band.
  • There are 16 credited artists in the full title of the album.
  • This volume features repeats of songs featured in previous volumes from the series; The Stone Roses' "What The World Is Waiting For" featured on Volume 3, and Mansun's "Wide Open Space" featured on Volume 5, although the version of "Wide Open Space" here is a remix by Paul Oakenfold.

    ''The Best Funk Album in the World...Ever!''

This is a double tape or CD compilation of 1970s funk and blaxploitation soundtrack music. The album is a de facto follow up to the EMI/Virgin release Superfunk though it was decided to list the album under the stronger Best..Ever brand name.
The concept of the album is similar to the Harmless collections and to BMG Global TV's Blaxplotation album series.

''The Best Christmas Album in the World... Ever!''

This is a double CD album of various Christmas music, originally released in 1996. In 2000, a new edition was released, The Best Christmas Album in the World... Ever! .

1996 Edition

Disc One
  1. "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" – John Lennon & Yoko Ono
  2. "Wonderful Christmastime" – Paul McCartney
  3. "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day" – Wizzard
  4. "Merry Xmas Everybody" – Slade
  5. "Do They Know It's Christmas?" – Band Aid
  6. "Fairytale of New York" – The Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl
  7. "I Believe in Father Christmas" – Greg Lake
  8. "2000 Miles" – Pretenders
  9. "Spaceman Came Travelling">Spaceman (Babylon Zoo song)">Spaceman Came Travelling" – Chris De Burgh
  10. "The Power of Love" – Frankie Goes to Hollywood
  11. "Driving Home for Christmas" – Chris Rea
  12. "Step into Christmas" – Elton John
  13. "Merry Christmas Everyone" – Shakin' Stevens
  14. "Another Rock and Roll Christmas" – Gary Glitter
  15. "Little Saint Nick" – The Beach Boys
  16. "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" – Jackson 5
  17. "In Dulce Jubilo" – Mike Oldfield
  18. "Stop the Cavalry" – Jona Lewie
  19. "Christmas Wrapping" – The Waitresses
  20. "Ring Out, Solstice Bells" – Jethro Tull
  21. "Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy" – David Bowie/Bing Crosby
    Disc Two
  22. "White Christmas" – Bing Crosby
  23. "The Christmas Song" – Nat 'King' Cole
  24. "Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow" – Dean Martin
  25. "Mary's Boy Child" – Harry Belafonte
  26. "When a Child is Born" – Johnny Mathis
  27. "Mistletoe and Wine" – Cliff Richard
  28. "Walking in the Air" – Aled Jones
  29. "I Believe" – Robson & Jerome
  30. "Winter Wonderland" – Doris Day
  31. "Lonely Pup " – Adam Faith
  32. "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" – Mel & Kim
  33. "Last Christmas" – State of the Heart
  34. "Happy Holiday" – Andy Williams
  35. "Santa Baby" – Eartha Kitt
  36. "Lonely This Christmas" – Mud
  37. "Pretty Paper" – Roy Orbison
  38. "Silver Bells" – Jim Reeves
  39. "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" – Perry Como
  40. "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" – The Weavers
  41. "The Twelve Days of Christmas" – The Spinners
  42. "Gaudete" – Steeleye Span
  43. "In the Bleak Midwinter" – Bert Jansch
  44. "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve" – Mary Margaret O'Hara

    2000 New Edition

Disc One
  1. "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" – John Lennon & Yoko Ono
  2. "Wonderful Christmastime" – Paul McCartney
  3. "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day" – Wizzard
  4. "Merry Xmas Everybody" – Slade
  5. "Do They Know It's Christmas?" – Band Aid
  6. "I Believe in Father Christmas" – Greg Lake
  7. "A Spaceman Came Travelling" – Chris De Burgh
  8. "The Power of Love" – Frankie Goes to Hollywood
  9. "Angels" – Robbie Williams
  10. "Baby, It's Cold Outside" – Tom Jones with Cerys Matthews from Catatonia
  11. "Saviour's Day" – Cliff Richard
  12. "Step into Christmas" – Elton John
  13. "Sleigh Ride" – Spice Girls
  14. "Little Saint Nick" – The Beach Boys
  15. "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" – Jackson 5
  16. "In Dulci Jubilo" – Mike Oldfield
  17. "Stop the Cavalry" – Jona Lewie
  18. "Christmas Wrapping" – The Waitresses
  19. "Ring Out, Solstice Bells" – Jethro Tull
  20. "The Millennium Prayer" – Cliff Richard
    Disc Two
  21. "White Christmas" – Bing Crosby
  22. "The Christmas Song" – Nat 'King' Cole
  23. "Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow" – Dean Martin
  24. "Mary's Boy Child" – Matt Monro
  25. "Mistletoe and Wine" – Cliff Richard
  26. "Walking in the Air" – Aled Jones
  27. "Winter Wonderland" – Doris Day
  28. "Lonely Pup " – Adam Faith
  29. "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" – Mel & Kim
  30. "Last Christmas" – State of the Heart
  31. "Little Town" – Cliff Richard
  32. "Frosty the Snowman" – Nat 'King' Cole
  33. "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" – Dean Martin
  34. "Lonely This Christmas" – Mud
  35. "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" – Ella Fitzgerald
  36. "Deck the Halls" – Treorchy, Morriston Orpheus & Pontarddulais Male Choirs with the Band of the Welsh Guards
  37. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" – Jane McDonald
  38. "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" – The Weavers
  39. "The Twelve Days of Christmas" – The Spinners
  40. "Gaudete" – Steeleye Span
  41. "Silent Night, Holy Night" – Sinéad O'Connor
  42. "In the Bleak Midwinter" – Bert Jansch
  43. "Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy" – David Bowie/Bing Crosby
  44. "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve" – Mary Margaret O'Hara

    ''The Best...Anthems...Ever!''

A 2-CD compilation released in 1997.

Disc 1

  1. "Tubthumping" – Chumbawamba
  2. "Parklife" – Blur
  3. "Love Is the Law" – The Seahorses
  4. "North Country Boy" – The Charlatans
  5. "The Day We Caught the Train" – Ocean Colour Scene
  6. "Alright" – Supergrass
  7. "Tattva" – Kula Shaker
  8. "Place Your Hands" – Reef
  9. "Creep" – Radiohead
  10. "Swallowed" – Bush
  11. "Scooby Snacks" – Fun Lovin' Criminals
  12. "This Is a Call" – Foo Fighters
  13. "Nancy Boy" – Placebo
  14. "Breathe" – The Prodigy
  15. "Girl From Mars" – Ash
  16. "Weak" – Skunk Anansie
  17. "You Love Us" – Manic Street Preachers
  18. "Block Rockin' Beats" – The Chemical Brothers
  19. "Born Slippy" – Underworld
  20. "Open Up" – Leftfield/Lydon

    Disc 2

  21. "The Drugs Don't Work" – The Verve
  22. "Street Spirit (Fade Out)" – Radiohead
  23. "There She Goes" – The La's
  24. "Stupid Girl" – Garbage
  25. "Disco 2000" – Pulp
  26. "Trash" – Suede
  27. "Sit Down" – James
  28. "Alright – Cast
  29. "Life of Riley" – The Lightning Seeds
  30. "The Changingman" – Paul Weller
  31. "Novocaine for the Soul" – eels
  32. "Peaches" – The Presidents of the United States of America
  33. "Fools Gold" – The Stone Roses
  34. "Hope Street" – The Levellers
  35. "Yes" – McAlmont and Butler
  36. "Wide Open Space" – Mansun
  37. "Heroes" – David Bowie
  38. "Song 2" – Blur
  39. "Caught by the Fuzz" – Supergrass
  40. "Lust for Life" – Iggy Pop
  41. "Choose Life" – PF Project Feat. Ewan McGregor

    ''The Best Air Guitar Album in the World...Ever!''

These were a series of albums compiled by Brian May from Queen that ran from 2001 to 2005.
Despite the first volume only entering at #5, it achieved at least Gold status, whilst the second volume received Platinum status.

Volume 1 (2001)

The first volume was released 5 November 2001, and entered the compilations charts at #5. It featured twenty tracks on CD1 and twenty one on CD2. It opens with an exclusive version of the Queen song "Tie Your Mother Down" subtitled "", which features a different intro than the original version. Also on the album was another Queen song, "Bohemian Rhapsody", the four-minute edit of the Lynyrd Skynyrd song "Freebird", and many other songs, including a rare appearance from The Jimi Hendrix Experience.
Disc 1
  1. Queen – "Tie Your Mother Down "
  2. Deep Purple – "Smoke on the Water"
  3. Blur – "Song 2"
  4. Run DMC – "Walk This Way"
  5. Derek & the Dominos – "Layla"
  6. The Kinks – "You Really Got Me"
  7. Rainbow – "Since You Been Gone"
  8. Def Leppard – "Photograph"
  9. The Troggs – "Wild Thing"
  10. David Bowie – "Rebel Rebel"
  11. Jeff Beck, Terry Bozzio and Tony Hymas – "Where Were You"
  12. Joe Walsh – "Rocky Mountain Way"
  13. Dire Straits – "Sultans of Swing"
  14. The Surfaris – "Wipe Out"
  15. Foo Fighters – "Monkey Wrench"
  16. Thin Lizzy – "The Boys Are Back in Town"
  17. Black Sabbath – "Paranoid"
  18. Joe Satriani – "Surfing with the Alien"
  19. Status Quo – "Whatever You Want"
  20. Lynyrd Skynyrd – "Free Bird "
    Disc 2
  21. The Jimi Hendrix Experience – "Voodoo Chile"
  22. The Who – "My Generation"
  23. T-Rex – "20th Century Boy"
  24. Paul McCartney – "All Shook Up"
  25. Chuck Berry – "Johnny B Goode"
  26. Weezer – "Hash Pipe"
  27. The Shadows – "Apache"
  28. Motörhead – "Ace of Spades"
  29. Eddie Cochran – "Summertime Blues"
  30. Free – "All Right Now"
  31. Robbie Williams – "Let Me Entertain You"
  32. Fleetwood Mac – "Oh Well"
  33. Metallica – "For Whom the Bell Tolls"
  34. ZZ Top – "Gimme All Your Lovin'"
  35. Boston – "More Than a Feeling"
  36. Cream – "Crossroads"
  37. Status Quo – "Down Down"
  38. Bad Company – "Can't Get Enough"
  39. Whitesnake – "Here I Go Again "
  40. Wheatus – "Teenage Dirtbag"
  41. Queen - "Bohemian Rhapsody"

    Volume 2 (2002)

After the success of volume 1, the second volume was released November 2002. Like volume 1, there was an exclusive on the album: Brian May's cover of "God Save the Queen" recorded on top of Buckingham Palace in 2002. Also featured was Queen's "One Vision" and many pop punk and nu metal songs which were fairly recent at the time of release. Brian May had help in compiling the album from several other musicians, alongside Ashley Abram.
Disc 1
  1. Queen – "One Vision"
  2. Bryan Adams – "Run to You"
  3. Robert Palmer – "Addicted to Love"
  4. Def Leppard – "Pour Some Sugar on Me"
  5. Billy Idol – "Rebel Yell"
  6. Alien Ant Farm – "Smooth Criminal"
  7. Beastie Boys – "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party)"
  8. The Clash – "Should I Stay Or Should I Go"
  9. The Ventures – "Walk, Don't Run"
  10. The Kinks – "All Day and All of the Night"
  11. Thin Lizzy – "Jailbreak"
  12. Sweet – "Action"
  13. Iron Maiden – "Run to the Hills"
  14. Sum 41 – "Fat Lip"
  15. Love Sculpture – "Sabre Dance"
  16. Focus – "Hocus Pocus"
  17. Status Quo – "Paper Plane"
  18. The Cult – "She Sells Sanctuary"
  19. The Undertones – "Teenage Kicks"
  20. The Hives – "Hate to Say I Told You So"
    Disc 2
  21. The Who – "Pinball Wizard"
  22. Cream – "Sunshine of Your Love"
  23. Deep Purple – "Black Night"
  24. Steppenwolf – "Born to Be Wild"
  25. Alice Cooper – "School's Out"
  26. ZZ Top – "Sharp Dressed Man"
  27. Status Quo – "Roll Over Lay Down"
  28. Rainbow – "All Night Long"
  29. David Bowie – "The Jean Genie"
  30. Nickelback – "How You Remind Me"
  31. Stiltskin – "Inside"
  32. The Knack – "My Sharona"
  33. Toto (band) – "Hold the Line"
  34. The Cougars – "Saturday Nite at the Duck Pond"
  35. Eddie Cochran - C'mon Everybody
  36. The Shadows – "F.B.I."
  37. Bert Weedon – "Guitar Boogie Shuffle"
  38. Buddy Holly & the Crickets – "That'll Be the Day"
  39. Free – "Wishing Well"
  40. Pink Floyd – "Another Brick in the Wall "
  41. Gary Moore – "Parisienne Walkways "
  42. Brian May, Roger Taylor, Ray Cooper and the Royal Academy of Music Symphony Orchestra - "God Save the Queen"

    Volume 3 (2003)

Volume 3 was released November 2003. Intended to be "the last Air guitar album in the world... ever!" according to the liner notes, there was later a "best of the best" album. Volume 3 featured a rare recording of the Pink Floyd song "Have a Cigar" by the Foo Fighters with Brian May. Queen's "Now I'm Here" also featured. The liner notes feature small quotes about each song/artist by May. Volumes 1 & 2 also did this, but focused mainly on the guitarist, rather than the song.
Disc 1
  1. Queen – "Now I'm Here"
  2. Bryan Adams – "Summer of '69"
  3. Billy Idol – "White Wedding"
  4. Def Leppard – "Armageddon It"
  5. EMF – "Unbelievable"
  6. Red Hot Chili Peppers – "Higher Ground"
  7. Cream – "Badge"
  8. Status Quo – "Caroline"
  9. Spin Doctors – "Two Princes"
  10. The Shadows – "Man of Mystery"
  11. Robert Palmer – "Bad Case of Lovin' You"
  12. Bill Haley and His Comets – "Rock Around the Clock"
  13. Eddie Cochran – "Somethin' Else"
  14. The Animals – "House of the Rising Sun"
  15. Chad Kroeger and Josey Scott – "Hero"
  16. Thin Lizzy – "Don't Believe a Word"
  17. Gary Moore – "Still Got the Blues (For You)"
  18. The Jam – "Going Underground"
  19. Rush – "Spirit of Radio"
  20. Blink-182 – "All the Small Things"
  21. Whitesnake – "Fool for Your Loving"
  22. Slade – "Cum On Feel the Noize"
    Disc 2
  23. Van Halen – "Eruption"
  24. The Who – "I Can't Explain"
  25. Prince – "Let's Go Crazy"
  26. Electric Six – "Gay Bar"
  27. Avril Lavigne – "Unwanted"
  28. R.E.M. – "The One I Love"
  29. David Bowie – "Suffragette City"
  30. Foo Fighters featuring Brian May – "Have a Cigar"
  31. The Yardbirds – "Over Under Sideways Down"
  32. Bad Company – "Feel Like Makin' Love"
  33. Puddle of Mudd – "Blurry"
  34. The Offspring – "Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)"
  35. Sweet – "Ballroom Blitz"
  36. Chuck Berry – "No Particular Place to Go"
  37. Duane Eddy - Peter Gunn Theme
  38. Yngwie Malmsteen – "Vengeance"
  39. Lynyrd Skynyrd – "Sweet Home Alabama"
  40. REO Speedwagon – "Back on the Road Again"
  41. Judas Priest – "Living After Midnight"
  42. George Thorogood and the Destroyers – "Bad to the Bone"
  43. Girlschool & Motörhead – "Please Don't Touch"
  44. ZZ Top - "Tush"

    US repackage of Volume 1 (2003)

In 2003, the success of Volume 1 meant the album was released in the US by Hollywood Records. It was given the new name World's Greatest Air Guitar Album. The album cover featured the same image, but was moved, alongside the new album text.

Volumes I & II (2003)

Following the success of Volume 2, Volumes 1 and 2 were compiled into a box set, released in the same original CD boxes, but a slipcase had been placed over them displaying new artwork. The cover subtitles the set 4 CD Deluxe Limited Edition.

Best of the Best (2005)

In 2005, the series returned with a 3-CD album titled The Best of the Best Air Guitar Albums in the World Ever. Due to the fact volume 3 claimed to be the last volume, the liner notes note "OK, we lied". Most of the songs had already appeared on volumes 1, 2 & 3, but there were some which didn't, such as The Darkness' "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" and an exclusive Queen + Paul Rodgers live performance of "Fat Bottomed Girls".
Disc 1
  1. Queen + Paul Rodgers – "Fat Bottomed Girls "
  2. The Darkness – "I Believe in a Thing Called Love"
  3. Van Halen – "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love"
  4. Kiss – "Crazy Crazy Nights"
  5. Robert Palmer – "Addicted to Love"
  6. Run DMC – "Walk This Way"
  7. Thin Lizzy – "The Boys Are Back in Town"
  8. Iron Maiden – "Run to the Hills"
  9. Motörhead – "Ace of Spades"
  10. The Shadows – "Apache"
  11. The Kinks – "You Really Got Me"
  12. Bad Company – "Feel Like Makin' Love"
  13. Deep Purple – "Smoke on the Water"
  14. Free – "Wishing Well"
  15. Rainbow – "Since You Been Gone"
  16. Cream – "Sunshine of Your Love"
  17. Lynyrd Skynyrd - "Free"
    Disc 2
  18. Dire Straits – "Sultans of Swing"
  19. The Police – "Message in a Bottle"
  20. The Allman Brothers Band – "Jessica"
  21. Pink Floyd – "Money"
  22. Joe Walsh – "Rocky Mountain Way"
  23. Bryan Adams – "The Only Thing That Looks Good on Me Is You"
  24. Fleetwood Mac – "Shake Your Moneymaker"
  25. ZZ Top – "Gimme All Your Lovin'"
  26. Whitesnake – "Here I Go Again"
  27. Boston – "More Than a Feeling"
  28. Spin Doctors – "Two Princes"
  29. The Rasmus – "In the Shadows"
  30. Alien Ant Farm – "Smooth Criminal"
  31. Billy Idol – "Rebel Yell"
  32. EMF – "Unbelievable"
  33. Beastie Boys – " To Party"
  34. Stiltskin – "Inside"
    Disc 3
  35. Blur – "Song 2"
  36. The Knack – "My Sharona"
  37. Free – "All Right Now"
  38. David Bowie – "The Jean Genie"
  39. The Undertones – "Teenage Kicks"
  40. Status Quo – "Whatever You Want"
  41. Eddie Cochran – "C'mon Everybody"
  42. The Surfaris – "Wipe Out"
  43. Steppenwolf – "Born to Be Wild"
  44. Black Sabbath – "Paranoid"
  45. George Thorogood and the Destroyers – "Bad to the Bone"
  46. Johnny Kidd and the Pirates – "Shakin' All Over"
  47. Chuck Berry – "Johnny B Goode"
  48. The Troggs – "Wild Thing"
  49. Buddy Holly and the Crickets - "That'll Be the Day"
  50. Buzzcocks – "Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)"
  51. Love Sculpture - "Sabre Dance"
  52. Queen – "Bohemian Rhapsody"

    ''The Best Scottish Album in the World...Ever!''

This album was released 9 June 1997. It is notable for being perhaps the only widely available compilation album that features Wolfstone, who feature with their song "Battle", credited as "The Battle". At the end of the second disc is the Dunblane cover of the song "Knockin' on Heaven's Door". All royalties from the recording of this song were sent to charities. The previous compilation Hits 97 also sent royalties from the song to charity.

''The Best Driving Anthems in the World...Ever!''

This is a CD compilation of power ballads. Several editions have been released since the first album, Power Ballads – The Greatest Driving Anthems in the World... Ever!, was released in 2004.

''The Best Club Anthems in the World ...Ever!''

This is a sub-series in the series which ran from 1997 to 2006.
Here is a list of albums in the series:
  1. The Best Club Anthems...Ever!
  2. The Best Club Anthems 2...Ever!
  3. The Best Club Anthems III...Ever!
  4. The Best Club Anthems 99...Ever!
  5. The Best Club Anthems 2000
  6. The Best Club Anthems...Ever! 2K
  7. The Best Club Anthems 2001
  8. The Best Club Anthems 2002
  9. The Best Club Anthems Summer 2002
  10. The Best Club Anthems 2003
  11. The Very Best Club Anthems...Ever!
  12. The Best Club Anthems 2004
  13. The Best Club Anthems 2005
  14. The Best Club Anthems 05
  15. The Best Club Anthems Classics
  16. The Best Club Anthems 2006
  17. The Best Club Anthems 80s Anthems
  • Every album from the first volume to The Best Club Anthems 2003 was digitally mixed. Starting with The Very Best Club Anthems...Ever!, The songs were unmixed.
  • The same album also started another tradition which was slightly different packaging. Previous volumes featured a border on the cover with small circles in each corner, although this new tradition was short, and the border re-appeared for the last three albums in the series, starting with The Best Club Anthems Classics.
  • The series was very successful. It offered a third alternative to the Now Dance series, with the other alternative being The Best Dance Album series.