Hits (Mike + The Mechanics album)

Hits is a compilation album by Mike + The Mechanics, released in 1996 except in the United States and Canada, where it was released in 2005. It contains nearly all of the band's hits up to the time of its release. "All I Need Is a Miracle" was re-recorded for the album.

Hits
Greatest hits album by
Released4 March 1996[1]
Recorded1985–96
Length60:36
LabelRhino/Atlantic, Virgin
ProducerMike Rutherford, Christopher Neil, Russ Titelman
Mike + The Mechanics chronology
Beggar on a Beach of Gold
(1995)
Hits
(1996)
Mike & The Mechanics
(1999)

In September 2004 the album was repackaged as a double CD with the band's 2004 album Rewired as Rewired + Hits. The cover is a close up of part of the Rewired cover overlaid with both album covers side by side.

Reception

edit
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [2]
Q     [3]

Peter Kane in Q wrote, "These are all songs that are uniformly high on melody and craftsmanship, with mercifully no hidden agenda."[3] In a retrospective review, AllMusic editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine declared Hits "a first-rate compilation, giving the casual fan all of the essential Mike + the Mechanics tracks".[2]

Track listing

edit
No.TitleWriter(s)Original albumLength
1."All I Need Is a Miracle '96" (Re-recorded version)Mike Rutherford, Christopher NeilMike + The Mechanics (1985)5:42
2."Over My Shoulder"Rutherford, Paul CarrackBeggar on a Beach of Gold (1995)3:37
3."Word of Mouth"Rutherford, NeilWord of Mouth (1991)3:57
4."The Living Years"Rutherford, RobertsonLiving Years (1988)5:35
5."Another Cup of Coffee"Rutherford, NeilBeggar on a Beach of Gold (1995)4:21
6."Nobody's Perfect"Rutherford, RobertsonLiving Years (1988)4:43
7."Silent Running"Rutherford, RobertsonMike + The Mechanics (1985)6:13
8."Nobody Knows"Rutherford, NeilLiving Years (1988)4:25
9."Get Up"Rutherford, CarrackWord of Mouth (1991)4:26
10."A Time and Place"Rutherford, RobertsonWord of Mouth (1991)4:52
11."Taken In"Rutherford, NeilMike + The Mechanics (1985)4:22
12."Everybody Gets a Second Chance"Rutherford, RobertsonWord of Mouth (1991)3:59
13."A Beggar on a Beach of Gold"Rutherford, RobertsonBeggar on a Beach of Gold (1995)4:32

Charts

edit
Chart (1996) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[4] 139
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[5] 41
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[6] 6
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[7] 27
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[8] 10
Scottish Albums (OCC)[9] 3
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[10] 19
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[11] 15
UK Albums (OCC)[12] 3

Certifications

edit
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Germany (BVMI)[13] Gold 250,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[14] 2× Platinum 600,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

edit
  1. ^ "BPI".
  2. ^ a b Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Hits – Mike + the Mechanics | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 December 2019.
  3. ^ a b Kane, Peter (April 1996). "Mike & The Mechanics: Hits". Q: 123.
  4. ^ "Part of Mike and Mechanic's ARIA Albums chart history 1988 to 2022, received from ARIA in 2022". ARIA. Retrieved 3 December 2023 – via Imgur.com.
  5. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Mike & The Mechanics – Hits" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
  6. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Mike & The Mechanics – Hits" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
  7. ^ "Charts.nz – Mike & The Mechanics – Hits". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
  8. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Mike & The Mechanics – Hits". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
  9. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
  10. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Mike & The Mechanics – Hits". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
  11. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Mike & The Mechanics – Hits". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
  12. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 20, 2024.
  13. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Mike + The Mechanics; 'Hits')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
  14. ^ "British album certifications – Mike & The Mechanics – Mike And The Mechanics Hits (Cdv 2797)". British Phonographic Industry.