Chronicle: The 20 Greatest Hits

Last updated
Chronicle: The 20 Greatest Hits
Creedence Clearwater Revival Chronicle.jpg
Greatest hits album by
Creedence Clearwater Revival
ReleasedJanuary 1976 (1976-01) [1]
Recorded1968–1972
Genre
Length67:55
Label Fantasy
Producer John Fogerty [4]
Creedence Clearwater Revival chronology
More Creedence Gold
(1973)		Chronicle: The 20 Greatest Hits
(1976)		 20 Golden Greats
(1979)

Chronicle, or fully Chronicle: The 20 Greatest Hits, is a greatest hits album by the American rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival. It was released in January 1976 by Fantasy Records. [1] The edited version of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" featured on the album was simultaneously released as a single. [4]

Contents

Chronicle is a singles collection with 13 A-sides and seven B-sides. Unlike the two previously released Creedence Gold compilations, Chronicle includes all of the group's charted hits. Chronicle: Volume Two was released in 1986, and features non-charting "classics" collected from the same albums as the songs on Chronicle.

Certified 12× Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), [5] it is the best-selling album in the band's catalog. The compilation was ranked number 59 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time in 2012, [6] but disappeared from the list altogether when it was published again in 2020. The album has sold at least 6 million copies in the US since 1991 (data from 2013), when Nielsen SoundScan began tracking sales for Billboard . [7] It has remained on the Billboard 200 chart for 12 years, reaching the 600 week-mark (non-consecutive) in August 2022. It was re-released on vinyl in 2014 as a limited edition.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [8]
Blender Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [9]
Robert Christgau A [10]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [11]

For his review of Chronicle for AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine said that the album was suitably compiled, but he did not like how the Compact Disc reissue had the full-length version of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," saying it does not fit with the other songs on the collection. [8] Blender magazine's review called Chronicle the group's best compilation. [9] Robert Christgau called the album a good starting-point for Creedence fans. [10] [11]

Track listing

All tracks are written by J. C. Fogerty, except where noted

Chronicle: The 20 Greatest Hits track listing
No.TitleAlbumLength
1."Susie Q" (Dale Hawkins) Creedence Clearwater Revival (1968)4:36
2."I Put a Spell on You" (Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Herb Slotkin)Creedence Clearwater Revival4:32
3."Proud Mary" Bayou Country (1969)3:08
4."Bad Moon Rising" Green River (1969)2:19
5."Lodi"Green River3:10
6."Green River"Green River2:33
7."Commotion"Green River2:42
8."Down on the Corner" Willy and the Poor Boys (1969)2:45
9."Fortunate Son"Willy and the Poor Boys2:20
10."Travelin' Band" Cosmo's Factory (1970)2:08
11."Who'll Stop the Rain"Cosmo's Factory2:28
12."Up Around the Bend"Cosmo's Factory2:42
13."Run Through the Jungle"Cosmo's Factory3:07
14."Lookin' out My Back Door"Cosmo's Factory2:33
15."Long as I Can See the Light"Cosmo's Factory3:31
16."I Heard It Through the Grapevine" (Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong)Cosmo's Factory11:04
17."Have You Ever Seen the Rain?" Pendulum (1970)2:38
18."Hey Tonight"Pendulum2:43
19."Sweet Hitch-Hiker" Mardi Gras (1972)2:56
20."Someday Never Comes"Mardi Gras4:00
Total length:67:55

These times are for the CD version. The vinyl LP version has the single version of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" instead of the longer album version. [12]

Personnel

Per liner notes. [4]

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for Chronicle: The 20 Greatest Hits
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Argentina (CAPIF) [56] Gold30,000^
Australia (ARIA) [57] 6× Platinum420,000‡
Belgium (BEA) [58] Gold25,000*
Canada (Music Canada) [59] Gold50,000^
Germany (BVMI) [60] Gold250,000^
Italy (FIMI) [61] Gold25,000*
New Zealand (RMNZ) [62] Gold7,500^
United Kingdom (BPI) [63] Gold100,000^
United States (RIAA) [5] 12× Platinum12,000,000‡

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Creedence Clearwater Revival</span> American rock band (1959-1972)

Creedence Clearwater Revival, commonly abbreviated as CCR or simply Creedence, was an American rock band formed in El Cerrito, California. The band consisted of lead vocalist, lead guitarist, and primary songwriter John Fogerty, his brother, rhythm guitarist Tom Fogerty, bassist Stu Cook, and drummer Doug Clifford. These members had played together since 1959, first as the Blue Velvets and later as the Golliwogs, before settling on Creedence Clearwater Revival in 1967. The band's most prolific and successful period between 1969 and 1971 produced fourteen consecutive Top 10 singles and five consecutive Top 10 albums in the United States, two of which – Green River (1969) and Cosmo's Factory (1970) — topped the Billboard 200 chart. The band performed at the 1969 Woodstock festival in Upstate New York, and was the first major act signed to appear there.

<i>Cosmos Factory</i> 1970 studio album by Creedence Clearwater Revival

Cosmo's Factory is the fifth studio album by the American rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival, released by Fantasy Records on July 16, 1970. Six of the album's eleven tracks were released as singles in 1970, and all of them charted in the top 5 of the Billboard Hot 100. The album spent nine consecutive weeks in the number one position on the Billboard 200 chart and was certified 4x platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 1990. Rolling Stone ranked it number 413 on its 2020 list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time".

<i>Bayou Country</i> (album) 1969 studio album by Creedence Clearwater Revival

Bayou Country is the second studio album by the American rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival, released by Fantasy Records on January 15, 1969, and was the first of three albums CCR released in that year. Bayou Country reached number 7 on the Billboard 200 chart and produced the band's first No. 2 hit single, "Proud Mary".

<i>Green River</i> (album) 1969 studio album by Creedence Clearwater Revival

Green River is the third studio album by the American rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival, released on August 7, 1969 by Fantasy Records. It was the second of three albums they released in that year, preceded by Bayou Country in January and followed by Willy and the Poor Boys in October.

<i>Willy and the Poor Boys</i> 1969 studio album by Creedence Clearwater Revival

Willy and the Poor Boys is the fourth studio album by the American rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival, released on October 29, 1969, by Fantasy Records. It was the last of three studio albums the band released that year, arriving just three months after Green River. In 2020, Rolling Stone ranked the album number 193 on its list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time".

<i>Pendulum</i> (Creedence Clearwater Revival album) 1970 studio album by Creedence Clearwater Revival

Pendulum is the sixth studio album by the American rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival, released by Fantasy Records on December 9, 1970. It was the second studio album the band released that year, arriving five months after Cosmo's Factory.

<i>Mardi Gras</i> (album) 1972 studio album by Creedence Clearwater Revival

Mardi Gras is the seventh and final studio album by the American rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival, released on April 11, 1972 by Fantasy Records. Recorded after the departure of guitarist Tom Fogerty, it was the band's only studio album as a trio, and featured songs written, sung, and produced by each of the remaining members, rather than just John Fogerty. The recording sessions were marred by personal and creative tensions, and the group disbanded after a short U.S. tour to support the album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bad Moon Rising</span> 1969 Creedence Clearwater Revival song

"Bad Moon Rising" is a song written by John Fogerty and performed by Creedence Clearwater Revival. It was the lead single from their album Green River and was released on April 16, 1969 four months before the album. The song peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on 28 June 1969 and reached No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart for three weeks in September of that year. It was CCR's second gold single.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Proud Mary</span> 1969 single by Creedence Clearwater Revival

"Proud Mary" is a song by American rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival, written by vocalist and lead guitarist John Fogerty. It was released as a single in January 1969 by Fantasy Records and on the band's second studio album, Bayou Country. The song became a major hit in the United States, peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in March 1969, the first of five singles to peak at No. 2 for the group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fortunate Son</span> 1969 single by Creedence Clearwater Revival

"Fortunate Son" is a song by the American rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival, released on the band's fourth studio album, Willy and the Poor Boys in October 1969. It was previously released as a single, together with "Down on the Corner", in September 1969. It soon became a Vietnam anti-war movement anthem and an expressive symbol of the counterculture's opposition to U.S. military involvement in the Vietnam War and solidarity with the soldiers fighting it. The song has been featured extensively in pop culture depictions of the Vietnam War and the anti-war movement.

<i>The Concert</i> (Creedence Clearwater Revival album) 1980 live album by Creedence Clearwater Revival

The Concert is the second live album by American rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival, released by Fantasy Records in October 1980. It was recorded at the Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena in Oakland, California, on January 31, 1970.

<i>Revival</i> (John Fogerty album) 2007 studio album by John Fogerty

Revival is the seventh solo studio album by American roots rock singer-songwriter/guitarist John Fogerty. Released in 2007, it was his first new album in three years, and also his third album since rejoining Fantasy Records. The album was released on October 2, 2007.

<i>Premonition</i> (John Fogerty album) 1998 live album & DVD by John Fogerty

Premonition is the first live album released by John Fogerty as a solo artist. He performs many hits by his earlier band, Creedence Clearwater Revival, as well as songs composed as a solo artist. It was recorded with a live audience at Warner Bros. Studios Stage 15 on December 12 & 13, 1997, and is available on CD and DVD.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Up Around the Bend</span> 1970 single by Creedence Clearwater Revival

"Up Around the Bend" is a song by American rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival, written by the band's frontman John Fogerty. It was composed and recorded only a few days prior to the band's April 1970 European tour and was included on the album Cosmo's Factory. Released as a single, with "Run Through the Jungle" on the flipside, the double-sided single climbed to number four on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the spring of 1970.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Have You Ever Seen the Rain?</span> 1971 single by Creedence Clearwater Revival

"Have You Ever Seen the Rain" is a song by American rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival, written by John Fogerty and released as a single in 1971 from the album Pendulum (1970). The song charted highest in Canada, reaching number one on the RPM 100 national singles chart in March 1971. In the U.S., in the same year it peaked at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. On the Cash Box pop chart, it peaked at number three. In the UK, it reached number 36. It was the group's eighth gold-selling single. In March 2023, the song surpassed one billion streams on Spotify.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Creedence Clearwater Revival discography</span>

The discography of American rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival, who released their first album and singles in July 1968, includes 7 studio albums, 5 live albums, 41 compilation albums, and 29 singles. The group, although only active for 4 years, has sold more than 45 million albums and singles in the United States alone, and has charted in multiple countries throughout the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Green River (song)</span> 1969 single by Creedence Clearwater Revival

"Green River" is a song by American rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival. It was written by John Fogerty and released as a single in July 1969, one month before the album of the same name was released. "Green River" peaked at number two for one week, behind "Sugar, Sugar" by The Archies, and was ranked by Billboard as the No. 31 song of 1969.

<i>Wrote a Song for Everyone</i> 2013 studio album by John Fogerty

Wrote a Song for Everyone is the ninth solo studio album by John Fogerty, released on May 28, 2013 in the United States. The album is a collection of Creedence Clearwater Revival classics and deep tracks from his canon of hits as well as some brand new songs, performed alongside an array of notable musicians, including Foo Fighters, Bob Seger, Dawes, Brad Paisley, Miranda Lambert, Kid Rock, Keith Urban, My Morning Jacket, Alan Jackson, Jennifer Hudson, and more. The album also features two new songs, "Mystic Highway" and "Train of Fools".

<i>Live at Woodstock</i> (Creedence Clearwater Revival album) 2019 live album by Creedence Clearwater Revival

Live at Woodstock is a live album released on August 2, 2019 via Fantasy Records. The set documents swamp rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival's set at the Woodstock music festival on August 17, 1969. The release has received positive reviews and moderate chart success.

<i>At the Royal Albert Hall</i> 2022 live album by Creedence Clearwater Revival

At the Royal Albert Hall is a 2022 live album recorded in 1970 with American swamp rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival. The performance was released as an album to coincide with the documentary film Travelin’ Band: Creedence Clearwater Revival at the Royal Albert Hall, directed by Bob Smeaton. The recordings document the band's first European tour and feature footage that has never been released; the album includes the entire set recorded on April 14, 1970. An earlier live album, The Concert, released in 1980, was initially erroneously titled The Royal Albert Hall Concert, but actually documented a completely different CCR show in Oakland, California, three months before their UK tour.

References

  1. 1 2 "Creedence Clearwater Revival Lyrics Tablatures MP3 Tab Discography Albums Guitar". Creedence Online. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
  2. ↑ Blender Staff (May 2003). "500 CDs You Must Own Before You Die!". Blender . New York: Dennis Publishing Ltd . Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  3. ↑ Blender Staff (May 2003). "500 CDs You Must Own Before You Die!". Blender . New York: Dennis Publishing Ltd . Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 Chronicle: The 20 Greatest Hits (CD booklet). Creedence Clearwater Revival. U.S.A.: Fantasy Records. 1991. FCD-CCR2-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  5. 1 2 "American album certifications – Creedence Clearwater Revival – Chronicle". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved September 14, 2023.
  6. ↑ "500 Greatest Albums of All Time: Creedence Clearwater Revival, Chronicle, Vol. 1". Rolling Stone . Retrieved November 11, 2012.
  7. ↑ Paul Grein (June 5, 2013). "Week Ending June 2, 2013. Albums: The Return Of John Fogerty". Yahoo Music (Chart Watch). Retrieved June 5, 2013.
  8. 1 2 Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Chronicle: The 20 Greatest Hits Review". AllMusic . Rovi Corporation . Retrieved November 10, 2012.
  9. 1 2 "Chronicle, Vol. I". blender.com. Alpha Media Group. Retrieved November 11, 2010.[ permanent dead link ]
  10. 1 2 Christgau, Robert. "CG: Creedence". Robert Christgau. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
  11. 1 2 "Creedence Clearwater Revival: Album Guide | Rolling Stone Music". Rollingstone.com. Archived from the original on January 26, 2011. Retrieved February 9, 2012.
  12. ↑ https://www.discogs.com/release/371917-Creedence-Clearwater-Revival-Featuring-John-Fogerty-Chronicle-The-20-Greatest-Hits/image/SW1hZ2U6OTA2NTEwMA== [ bare URL ]
  13. ↑ "ARIA Top 50 Albums Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. January 29, 2024. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  14. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Creedence Clearwater Revival – Chronicle - The 20 Greatest Hits" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  15. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Creedence Clearwater Revival – Chronicle - The 20 Greatest Hits" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  16. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Creedence Clearwater Revival – Chronicle - The 20 Greatest Hits" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  17. ↑ "Creedence Clearwater Revival Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  18. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Creedence Clearwater Revival – Chronicle - The 20 Greatest Hits" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  19. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Creedence Clearwater Revival – Chronicle - The 20 Greatest Hits" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  20. ↑ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Creedence Clearwater Revival". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  21. ↑ "Italiancharts.com – Creedence Clearwater Revival – Chronicle - The 20 Greatest Hits". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  22. ↑ "Charts.nz – Creedence Clearwater Revival – Chronicle - The 20 Greatest Hits". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  23. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Creedence Clearwater Revival – Chronicle - The 20 Greatest Hits". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  24. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Creedence Clearwater Revival – Chronicle - The 20 Greatest Hits". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  25. ↑ "Creedence Clearwater Revival Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  26. ↑ "Creedence Clearwater Revival Chart History (Top Catalog Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  27. ↑ "Creedence Clearwater Revival Chart History (Digital Albums)".[ dead link ] Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  28. ↑ "Creedence Clearwater Revival Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  29. ↑ "Creedence Clearwater Revival Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  30. ↑ "ARIA Top 100 Albums for 2009". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved November 6, 2021.
  31. ↑ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2010". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 1, 2015. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
  32. ↑ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2011". Billboard. Archived from the original on February 3, 2015. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
  33. ↑ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2012". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  34. ↑ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2013". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  35. ↑ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2015". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 11, 2015. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
  36. ↑ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2016". Billboard. Retrieved August 1, 2021.
  37. ↑ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2017". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  38. ↑ "Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2017". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  39. ↑ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2018". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  40. ↑ "Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2018". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  41. ↑ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2019". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  42. ↑ "Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2019". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  43. ↑ "Top Canadian Albums – Year-End 2020". Billboard. Retrieved December 9, 2020.
  44. ↑ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2020". Billboard. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  45. ↑ "Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2020". Billboard. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  46. ↑ "Top Canadian Albums – Year-End 2021". Billboard. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
  47. ↑ "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2021". Billboard. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
  48. ↑ "Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2021". Billboard. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
  49. ↑ "Top Canadian Albums – Year-End 2022". Billboard. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  50. ↑ "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2022". Billboard. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  51. ↑ "Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2022". Billboard. Retrieved December 2, 2022.
  52. ↑ "Top Canadian Albums – Year-End 2023". Billboard . Retrieved November 22, 2023.
  53. ↑ "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2023". Billboard . Retrieved November 22, 2023.
  54. ↑ "Independent Albums – Year-End 2023". Billboard . Retrieved November 27, 2023.
  55. ↑ "Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2023". Billboard. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
  56. ↑ "Discos de Oro y Platino". CAPIF (in Spanish). Archived from the original on July 6, 2011.
  57. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2022 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved July 7, 2022.
  58. ↑ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – albums 2009". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved January 7, 2013.
  59. ↑ "Canadian album certifications – Creedence Clearwater Revival – Chronicle". Music Canada . Retrieved November 10, 2012.
  60. ↑ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Creedence Clearwater Revival; 'Chronicle: 20 Greatest Hits')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie . Retrieved November 10, 2012.
  61. ↑ "Italian album certifications – Creedence Clearwater Revival – Chronicle: 20 Greatest Hits" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana . Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  62. ↑ "Latest Gold / Platinum Albums". Radioscope. 17 July 2011. Archived from the original on 2011-07-24. Retrieved August 24, 2022.
  63. ↑ "British album certifications – Creedence Clearwater Revival – Chronicle". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved November 10, 2012.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.