Hits Are for Squares
A man in a suit is seated inside a Starbucks shop listening to music through his headphones. The photo is set at night with the city lights illuminating from the background. Sonic Youth and Hits Are for Square are written in capitalized tan text at the top of the cover.
Greatest hits album by
Sonic Youth
ReleasedJune 10, 2008 (2008-06-10)
Recorded1982–2008
Genre
Length76:09
LabelStarbucks Entertainment
ProducerTim Ziegler
Sonic Youth chronology
SYR7: J'Accuse Ted Hughes
(2008) 		Hits Are for Squares
(2008) 		SYR8: Andre Sider Af Sonic Youth
(2008)

Hits Are for Squares is the first greatest hits album by American rock band Sonic Youth, released on June 10, 2008, by Starbucks Entertainment. The album features 15 songs spanning Sonic Youth's career since the release of their debut studio album in 1983, Confusion Is Sex. It also includes one new song: "Slow Revolution". The band intended to create a compilation album that appealed to the casual consumer.

Hits Are for Squares received acclaim from critics, who noted it as a strong introduction to the band's music.

Background and release

On June 15, 2007, Thurston Moore announced that Sonic Youth was recording a new song for a compilation album under Starbucks Entertainment.[2] Due to the decline of record stores in the 2000s, the band strived to expand upon their audience through partnering with the company.[3] The band initially reached out to Starbucks to promote their fourteenth studio album Rather Ripped (2006) in the company's coffeehouses, however, this suggestion was halted by a six-month approval process.[3] As a result, the band opted to make a compilation album under the company that would appeal to the casual consumer.[3] With Billboard, Moore shared his thoughts on the release:

In a way, Sonic Youth has a branded name. People know the name, but not necessarily our music, which might be a little too outsider for some. And when they do hear a little something, it doesn't tell the whole story. I thought it would be interesting to have a CD available in a store like Starbucks where the casual consumer can sort of have access to [our music] more readily.[3]

On July 2, 2007, Sonic Youth issued a press release in which they confirmed the name of the album as Hits Are for Squares and announced a tentative release date of early 2008.[4] The band also confirmed that the album would be co-released under Starbucks Entertainment and Universal Special Markets. On May 21, 2008, the band officially announced the release date as June 10, 2008.[5] The album featured fifteen previously released songs in addition to one new recording titled "Slow Revolution".[3] The fifteen previously released songs were individually selected by celebrities for inclusion, including Catherine Keener, Mike D, Beck, Radiohead, Portia de Rossi, Diablo Cody, Allison Anders, Dave Eggers, Mike Watt, Eddie Vedder, Michelle Williams, Flea, Gus Van Sant, David Cross, Chloë Sevigny, and The Flaming Lips.[6] Approximately 1,000 copies[7] of the album were printed as CDs for purchase at select Starbucks locations, although the album was also made available for digital download.[5] On April 17, 2010, the album was reissued as a vinyl for Record Store Day.[8]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
BBC Musicpositive[9]
The New Zealand Herald[10]
PopMatters7/10[11]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[12]
The Skinny[13]
Uncut[14]

Heather Phares of AllMusic praised the album, in which she stated that it "works surprisingly well as an introduction to Sonic Youth's sound and approach."[1]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Kim Gordon, Thurston Moore, Lee Ranaldo and Steve Shelley except "Superstar". "The World Looks Red" written by Kim Gordon, Thurston Moore, Lee Ranaldo, Jim Sclavunos and Michael Gira.

No.TitleOriginal AlbumLength
1."Bull in the Heather" (selected by Catherine Keener, actress)Experimental Jet Set, Trash and No Star, 19943:06
2."100%" (selected by Mike D of Beastie Boys)Dirty, 19922:30
3."Sugar Kane" (selected by Beck)Dirty5:58
4."Kool Thing" (selected by Radiohead)Goo, 19904:07
5."Disappearer" (selected by Portia de Rossi, actress)Goo5:08
6."Superstar" (selected by Diablo Cody, screenwriter; Bonnie Bramlett, Leon Russell)If I Were a Carpenter, 19944:08
7."Stones" (selected by Allison Anders, film director)Sonic Nurse, 20047:08
8."Tuff Gnarl" (selected by Dave Eggers, writer and Mike Watt, bassist)Sister, 19873:16
9."Teen Age Riot" (selected by Eddie Vedder, Pearl Jam's vocalist)Daydream Nation, 19886:58
10."Shadow of a Doubt" (selected by Michelle Williams, actress)EVOL, 19863:34
11."Rain on Tin" (selected by Flea, Red Hot Chili Peppers's bassist)Murray Street, 20027:55
12."Tom Violence" (selected by Gus Van Sant, film director)EVOL3:07
13."Mary-Christ" (selected by David Cross, comedian)Goo3:11
14."The World Looks Red" (selected by Chloë Sevigny, actress)Confusion Is Sex, 19832:41
15."Expressway to Yr Skull" (selected by The Flaming Lips)EVOL7:08
16."Slow Revolution"New song, 20086:14
Total length:76:09

References

  1. ^ a b c Phares, Heather. "Hits Are for Squares - Sonic Youth". Allmusic. Retrieved June 24, 2013.
  2. ^ Thompson, Paul; Phillips, Amy (June 15, 2007). "Starbucks to Release Sonic Youth Celebrity Compilation". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on February 28, 2008. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d e Paoletta, Michael (July 7, 2007). "6 Questions with Thurston Moore". Billboard. Vol. 119, no. 27. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. p. 14. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
  4. ^ Solarski, Matthew (July 2, 2007). "Vedder, Eggers Sign on for Sonic Youth Starbucks CD". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on February 9, 2008. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
  5. ^ a b Solarski, Matthew (May 21, 2008). "Sonic Youth Reveal Starbucks Hits Comp Details". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on March 20, 2016. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
  6. ^ "We Feel Conflicted About the Union of Sonic Youth & Starbucks". MTV. May 28, 2008. Archived from the original on December 19, 2022. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
  7. ^ Pinnock, Tom (March 17, 2012). "Sonic Youth – The Secrets Of Eternal Youth". Uncut. Archived from the original on September 17, 2015. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
  8. ^ Cosores, Philip (April 6, 2010). "Record Store Day adds Beasties, Sonic Youth, Phoenix, & more". Consequence. Archived from the original on December 19, 2022. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
  9. ^ Deller, Alex (November 4, 2011). "Review of Sonic Youth - Hits Are for Squares". BBC Music. Retrieved June 24, 2013.
  10. ^ Kara, Scott (October 15, 2011). "Album Review: Sonic Youth, Hits Are For Squares". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved June 24, 2013.
  11. ^ Heaton, Dave (July 17, 2008). "Sonic Youth: Hits Are for Squares". PopMatters. Retrieved June 24, 2013.
  12. ^ "Sonic Youth: Album Guide". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on June 26, 2012. Retrieved June 24, 2013.
  13. ^ Tasseltine, Austin (October 24, 2011). "Sonic Youth - Hits Are For Squares". The Skinny. Retrieved June 24, 2013.
  14. ^ "Sonic Youth - Hits Are for Squares CD Album". CD Universe. Retrieved June 24, 2013.


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