Best of Rockers 'n' Ballads

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Best of Rockers 'n' Ballads
Compilation album by
Scorpions
ReleasedNovember 29, 1989[1]
Recorded1978–1989
Genre
Length61:28 (Europe) / 55:08 (US)
LabelEMI (Europe)
Mercury (US)
ProducerDieter Dierks, except "I Can't Explain" by Bruce Fairbairn
Scorpions compilations chronology
Gold Ballads
(1985) 		Best of Rockers 'n' Ballads
(1989) 		Hot & Slow: The Best of the Ballads
(1991)
Singles from Best of Rockers 'n' Ballads
  1. "I Can't Explain"
    Released: October 1989
  2. "Holiday"
    Released: 1989[2]
The Essential Scorpions cover
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[3]
AllMusic
(The Essential Scorpions)[4]

Best of Rockers 'n' Ballads is a compilation album by the German hard rock band Scorpions, released in 1989. All songs on this album are from their tenure with Mercury Records, from 1979 to 1988, in addition to rare or never-before released material.

Background[edit]

The record was released with different track listings in different regions: At all the compilation features several rare or completely unreleased tracks: There are remixes of "Big City Nights", "Lovedrive", "Holiday" and "Is There Anybody There", which were previously unreleased. Also included are two different versions of "Hey You". While the European pressing features a previously unreleased remix of the song, the US and Japanese editions are the only ones featuring the original version, which was released in 1980 as a single. Another rarity was a cover of The Who's "I Can't Explain", which was also included on that same year's Stairway to Heaven/Highway to Hell charity compilation album. The European CD edition also includes one more rarity: the version of "China White", which features a different solo, a solo that was just released on US editions of Blackout before.

The track listing and individual running times differ between the US, European and Asian editions. While the European pressing features 14 or 15 tracks, the original version of "Hey You" is missing and replaced by a remix. The US and Japanese version just feature twelve tracks and omit the re-recorded version of "Is There Anybody There?" as well as "Another Piece of Meat" and "China White", but it includes the longer, original version of "Hey You". The European edition was re-released with the title The Essential Scorpions in 2003.

Best of Rockers 'n' Ballads reached platinum status in the United States, and is the Scorpions' only compilation album to be certified at least gold by the RIAA there.[5]

Track listing[edit]

European edition[edit]

No.TitleWriter(s)From the albumLength
1."Rock You Like a Hurricane"Rudolf Schenker, Klaus Meine, Herman RarebellLove at First Sting, 19844:10
2."I Can’t Explain"Pete TownshendStairway to Heaven/Highway to Hell, 19893:19
3."Rhythm of Love"Schenker, MeineSavage Amusement, 19883:47
4."Big City Nights (Remix)"Schenker, MeinePreviously unreleased (Original version from Love at First Sting)3:52
5."Lovedrive"Schenker, MeineLovedrive, 19794:50
6."Is There Anybody There? (Remix)"Schenker, Meine, RarebellPreviously unreleased (Original version from Lovedrive)4:16
7."Holiday (Remix)"Schenker, MeinePreviously unreleased (Original version from Lovedrive)6:50
8."Still Loving You"Schenker, MeineLove at First Sting6:25
9."No One Like You"Schenker, MeineBlackout, 19823:54
10."Blackout"Schenker, Meine, Rarebell, Sonja KittelsenBlackout3:49
11."Another Piece of Meat"Schenker, RarebellLovedrive3:21
12."You Give Me All I Need"Schenker, RarebellBlackout3:37
13."Hey You (Remix)"Schenker, Meine, RarebellPreviously unreleased (Original version from the "Hey You" single, 1980)3:43
14."The Zoo"Schenker, MeineAnimal Magnetism, 19805:29
15."China White (US-solo version)* (CD bonus track)"Schenker, MeineBlackout6:56

US and Japanese edition[edit]

No.TitleWriter(s)From the albumLength
1."Rock You Like a Hurricane"Schenker, Meine, RarebellLove at First Sting4:12
2."I Can’t Explain"TownshendStairway to Heaven/Highway to Hell3:22
3."Still Loving You"Schenker, MeineLove at First Sting6:27
4."Big City Nights"Schenker, MeineLove at First Sting4:09
5."Lovedrive (Remix)"Schenker, MeinePreviously unreleased (Original version from Lovedrive)4:51
6."Holiday (Remix)"Schenker, MeinePreviously unreleased (Original version from Lovedrive)6:48
7."Blackout"Schenker, Meine, Rarebell, KittelsenBlackout3:45
8."Rhythm of Love"Schenker, MeineSavage Amusement3:49
9."No One Like You"Schenker, MeineBlackout3:55
10."You Give Me All I Need"Schenker, RarebellBlackout3:40
11."Hey You"Schenker, Meine, RarebellNon-album single4:29
12."The Zoo"Schenker, MeineAnimal Magnetism5:28

Charts[edit]

Chart (1989) Peak
position
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[6] 92
Finnish Albums (The Official Finnish Charts)[7] 12
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[8] 14
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[9] 35
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[10] 21
US Billboard 200[11] 43

Sales and certifications[edit]

Certifications for Rockers 'n' Ballads
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[12] Gold 50,000^
Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[13] Gold 25,000[13]
Germany (BVMI)[14] Gold 250,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[15] Gold 25,000^
United States (RIAA)[16] Platinum 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "RIAA".
  2. ^ "Scorpions singles".
  3. ^ Weber, Barry. "Scorpions The Best of Rockers 'N' Ballads review". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2012-11-27.
  4. ^ Theakston, Rob. "Scorpions Essential review". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2012-11-27.
  5. ^ RIAA Gold and Platinum Search for albums by Scorpions. Retrieved on 2011-02-22.
  6. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Scorpions – Best of Rockers 'n' Ballads" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Scorpions – Best of Rockers 'n' Ballads" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  9. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Scorpions – Best of Rockers 'n' Ballads". Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  10. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Scorpions – Best of Rockers 'n' Ballads". Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  11. ^ "Scorpions Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  12. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Scorpions – Ballads & Rockers". Music Canada. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  13. ^ a b "Scorpions" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  14. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Scorpions; 'Rockers'n'Ballads')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  15. ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('Rockers'n'Ballads')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
  16. ^ "American album certifications – Scorpions – Rockers 'n' Ballads". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
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