The Best of Sade
Greatest hits album by
Sade
Released31 October 1994 (1994-10-31)
Recorded1983–1993
Studio
Length74:03
LabelEpic
Producer
Sade chronology
Love Deluxe
(1992) 		The Best of Sade
(1994) 		Lovers Rock
(2000)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Christgau's Consumer Guide(1-star Honorable Mention)[2]
Entertainment WeeklyA[3]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[4]

The Best of Sade is the first greatest hits album by English band Sade, released by Epic Records in the United Kingdom on 31 October 1994 and in the United States on 4 November 1994. The compilation chronicles Sade's first four studio albums, while also including non-single songs "Jezebel", "Like a Tattoo" and "Pearls", as well as "Please Send Me Someone to Love", which appeared in the soundtrack to the film Philadelphia. The album was digitally remastered in 2000.

The singles from Diamond Life, as well as Stronger Than Pride's "Paradise" and "Nothing Can Come Between Us", are presented in their 7″ edit forms; "Never as Good as the First Time" and "Cherish the Day" are remixes produced by Sade, also taken from their respective singles. None of this information is listed within the album's packaging.

Critical reception

AllMusic's Jason Elias wrote, "By the time this was released in 1994, something unexpected happened. Sade's early work became classic and the later additions boasted even better vocals and songs that nicely improved on the theme. The timeless sound and class always exhibited makes Sade Adu and her band a no-brainer for an appealing compilation. Like Al Green's Greatest Hits, The Best of Sade doesn't detract from the original albums and is a marker of time, not the end of the act... Despite its riches, The Best of Sade doesn't include all of the best, since 'Maureen' and or 'Keep Looking' aren't here. It's a small complaint and The Best of Sade is a great overview."[1] Robert Christgau called the album "another loungecore alternative".[2]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Your Love Is King"
Robin Millar3:43
2."Hang On to Your Love" (edit of LP version)
  • Adu
  • Matthewman
Millar4:31
3."Smooth Operator" (7″ edit)
Millar4:18
4."Jezebel"
  • Adu
  • Matthewman
Millar5:25
5."The Sweetest Taboo"
  • Adu
  • Martin Ditcham
Millar4:25
6."Is It a Crime?"
  • Adu
  • Matthewman
  • Andrew Hale
Millar6:17
7."Never as Good as the First Time" (remix edit)
  • Adu
  • Matthewman
3:59
8."Love Is Stronger Than Pride"
  • Adu
  • Matthewman
  • Hale
4:18
9."Paradise" (remix)
3:37
10."Nothing Can Come Between Us" (radio edit)
  • Adu
  • Matthewman
  • Hale
3:53
11."No Ordinary Love"
  • Adu
  • Matthewman
7:20
12."Like a Tattoo"
  • Adu
  • Matthewman
  • Hale
3:37
13."Kiss of Life" (radio edit)
  • Adu
  • Matthewman
  • Hale
  • Denman
4:11
14."Please Send Me Someone to Love"Percy Mayfield
  • Sade
  • Hein Hoven
3:42
15."Cherish the Day" (Sade remix)
  • Adu
  • Matthewman
  • Hale
6:19
16."Pearls"
  • Adu
  • Hale
4:37
Total length:74:03

Notes

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of The Best of Sade.[5]

Sade

Additional musicians

Technical

Artwork

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for The Best of Sade
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Argentina (CAPIF)[39] Platinum 60,000^
Australia (ARIA)[40] 3× Platinum 210,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[41] Gold 25,000*
Belgium (BEA)[42] Platinum 50,000*
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[43] Gold 100,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[44] Platinum 100,000^
Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[45] Gold 34,474[45]
France (SNEP)[46] 2× Gold 200,000*
Germany (BVMI)[47] Gold 250,000^
Italy (FIMI)[48] Platinum 50,000*
Japan (RIAJ)[49] Gold 100,000^
Netherlands (NVPI)[50] Platinum 100,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[51] Platinum 15,000^
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[52] Platinum 100,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[53]
1994 release 		Platinum 300,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[54]
2000 release 		2× Platinum 600,000^
United States (RIAA)[55] 4× Platinum 4,000,000^
Summaries
Europe (IFPI)[56] 2× Platinum 2,000,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Notes

  1. ^ Tracks 1–7
  2. ^ Tracks 4–10
  3. ^ a b Tracks 8–10
  4. ^ a b c Tracks 11–13, 15 and 16
  5. ^ a b Track 14

References

  1. ^ a b Elias, Jason. "The Best of Sade – Sade". AllMusic. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
  2. ^ a b Christgau, Robert (2000). "CG Book '90s: S". Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s. Macmillan. ISBN 0-3122-4560-2. Retrieved 30 March 2019 – via RobertChristgau.com.
  3. ^ Jones, Anderson (18 November 1994). "Music Review: 'The Best of Sade' (1994)". Entertainment Weekly. No. 249. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  4. ^ Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian, eds. (2004). "Sade". The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). New York: Simon & Schuster. p. 712. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  5. ^ The Best of Sade (liner notes). Sade. Epic Records. 1994. 477793 2.((cite AV media notes)): CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  6. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Sade – The Best of Sade". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
  7. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Sade – The Best of Sade" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
  8. ^ a b "Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 49. 3 December 1994. p. 51. ISSN 0006-2510 – via Google Books.
  9. ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 2681". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  10. ^ a b "Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 50. 10 December 1994. p. 51. ISSN 0006-2510 – via Google Books.
  11. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Sade – The Best of Sade" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
  12. ^ "Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 52. 24 December 1994. p. 55. ISSN 0006-2510 – via Google Books.
  13. ^ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  14. ^ "Le Détail des Albums de chaque Artiste". InfoDisc (in French). Retrieved 16 April 2022. Select "EURYTHMICS" from the drop-down menu and click "OK".
  15. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Sade – The Best of Sade" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
  16. ^ "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 1995. 2. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
  17. ^ "Hits of the World". Billboard. Vol. 106, no. 52. 24 December 1994. p. 54. ISSN 0006-2510 – via Google Books.
  18. ^ シャーデーのアルバム売り上げランキング [Sade album sales ranking] (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on 31 March 2014. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
  19. ^ "Charts.nz – Sade – The Best of Sade". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
  20. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Sade – The Best of Sade". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
  21. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
  22. ^ "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 11, no. 6. 11 February 1995. p. 15. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  23. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Sade – The Best of Sade". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
  24. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Sade – The Best of Sade". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
  25. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
  26. ^ "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
  27. ^ "Sade Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  28. ^ "Sade Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  29. ^ "Ultratop.be – Sade – The Best of Sade" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
  30. ^ "Official Jazz & Blues Albums Chart Top 30". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
  31. ^ "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
  32. ^ "Official IFPI Charts – Top-75 Albums Sales Chart (Combined) – Week: 48/2022". IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on 7 December 2022. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  33. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1994" (in Dutch). Dutch Charts. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
  34. ^ "Top 100 Albums 1994" (PDF). Music Week. 14 January 1995. p. 11. ISSN 0265-1548 – via World Radio History.
  35. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1995" (in Dutch). Dutch Charts. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
  36. ^ "Year End Sales Charts – European Top 100 Albums 1995" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 12, no. 51/52. 23 December 1995. p. 14. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
  37. ^ "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1995". Billboard. Archived from the original on 6 May 2018. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  38. ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1995". Billboard. Archived from the original on 6 May 2018. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
  39. ^ "Discos de Oro y Platino" (in Spanish). Argentine Chamber of Phonograms and Videograms Producers. Archived from the original on 31 May 2011. Retrieved 31 May 2008.
  40. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2011 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 8 March 2012.
  41. ^ "Austrian album certifications – Sade – The Best Of" (in German). IFPI Austria. 6 April 1998. Retrieved 31 May 2008.
  42. ^ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – albums 2002". Ultratop. Hung Medien. 20 February 2002. Archived from the original on 8 March 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
  43. ^ "Brazilian album certifications – Sade – The Best of Sade" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved 11 April 2014.
  44. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Sade – The Greatest Hits". Music Canada. 31 January 1995. Retrieved 26 July 2011.
  45. ^ a b "Sade" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 8 February 2009.
  46. ^ "French album certifications – Sade – The Best Of" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. 21 December 1994. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
  47. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Sade; 'The Best of Sade')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
  48. ^ "Italian album certifications – Sade – The Best Of" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 29 January 2019. Select "2016" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "The Best Of" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Album e Compilation" under "Sezione".
  49. ^ "Japanese album certifications – シャーデー – ザ・ベスト・オブ・シャーデー" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved 17 October 2018. Select 1994年12月 on the drop-down menu
  50. ^ "Dutch album certifications – Sade – The Best of Sade" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved 29 January 2019. Enter The Best of Sade in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 1997 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
  51. ^ "New Zealand album certifications – Sade – The Best of Sade". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 30 June 2017.
  52. ^ Salaverrie, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (PDF) (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Madrid: Fundación Autor/SGAE. p. 940. ISBN 84-8048-639-2. Retrieved 29 January 2019.
  53. ^ "British album certifications – Sade – The Best Of". British Phonographic Industry. 1 December 1994. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  54. ^ "British album certifications – Sade – The Best Of". British Phonographic Industry. 22 July 2013. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
  55. ^ "American album certifications – Sade – Best of Sade". Recording Industry Association of America. 1 April 1999. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
  56. ^ "IFPI Platinum Europe Awards – 1996". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 31 May 2008.
Categories