Hits to the Head

Last updated
Hits to the Head
Franz Ferdinand - Hits to the Head.png
Greatest hits album by
Released11 March 2022
RecordedJune 2003 – 2021
Studio
Genre
Length69:20
Label Domino
Producer
Franz Ferdinand chronology
Always Ascending
(2018)
Hits to the Head
(2022)
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic 77/100 [1]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [2]
Clash 9/10 [3]
PopMatters 6/10 [4]
Under the Radar 7/10 [5]

Hits to the Head is a greatest hits album by Scottish indie rock band Franz Ferdinand, released on 11 March 2022 through the Domino Recording Company.

Contents

Overview

The album was announced on 2 November 2021, coinciding with the release of the single "Billy Goodbye". [6]

Of the decision to release a greatest hits album, lead singer Alex Kapranos compared the selection process of tracks for it to "writing a set-list for a festival", while further adding: "I have friends who believe you're somehow not a "real" fan if you own a best of rather than a discography. I disagree. I think of my parents' record collection as a kid. I loved their compilation LPs. I am so grateful that they had Changes or Rolled Gold . Those LPs were my entrance point. My introduction." [7]

Content

The album includes the band's singles with the exception of the album track "Outsiders". The versions available on the compilation are the most part single versions and edits, except two exclusive edits, "Walk Away" and "The Fallen", and "Glimpse of Love" which is presented with the album version.

Track listing

Hits to the Head track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Darts of Pleasure" ( Franz Ferdinand , 2004) Tore Johansson 3:00
2."Take Me Out" (Franz Ferdinand, 2004)
  • Kapranos
  • McCarthy
Johansson3:59
3."The Dark of the Matinée" (Franz Ferdinand, 2004)
Johansson4:05
4."Michael" (Franz Ferdinand, 2004)
  • Kapranos
  • McCarthy
Johansson3:23
5."This Fire" (single version; original album version from Franz Ferdinand, 2004)
  • Kapranos
  • McCarthy
Rich Costey 3:34
6."Do You Want To" ( You Could Have It So Much Better , 2005)
  • Costey
  • Franz Ferdinand
3:36
7."Walk Away" (HTTH edit; You Could Have It So Much Better, 2005)
  • Kapranos
  • McCarthy
  • Hardy
  • Thomson
  • Costey
  • Franz Ferdinand
3:28
8."The Fallen" (HTTH edit; You Could Have It So Much Better, 2005)
  • Kapranos
  • McCarthy
  • Costey
  • Franz Ferdinand
2:57
9."Outsiders" (You Could Have It So Much Better, 2005)
  • Kapranos
  • McCarthy
  • Hardy
  • Thomson
  • Costey
  • Franz Ferdinand
3:37
10."Lucid Dreams" (non-album single; 2008)
  • Kapranos
  • McCarthy
  • Hardy
  • Thomson
3:44
11."Ulysses" ( Tonight: Franz Ferdinand , 2009)
  • Kapranos
  • McCarthy
  • Hardy
  • Thomson
  • Carey
  • Franz Ferdinand
3:10
12."No You Girls" (Tonight: Franz Ferdinand, 2009)
  • Kapranos
  • McCarthy
  • Hardy
  • Thomson
  • Carey
  • Franz Ferdinand
3:22
13."Right Action" ( Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action , 2013)
  • Kapranos
  • McCarthy
2:56
14."Evil Eye" (Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action, 2013)
  • Kapranos
  • McCarthy
2:46
15."Love Illumination" (Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action, 2013)
  • Kapranos
  • McCarthy
Kapranos3:45
16."Stand on the Horizon" (Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action, 2013)
  • Kapranos
  • McCarthy
  • Kapranos
  • Terje
4:25
17."Always Ascending" ( Always Ascending , 2018)
Philippe Zdar 3:50
18."Glimpse of Love" (Always Ascending, 2018)
  • Corrie
  • Hardy
  • Kapranos
  • Thomson
Zdar3:13
19."Curious" (newly recorded)Kapranos2:49
20."Billy Goodbye" (newly recorded)Kapranos
  • Corrie
  • Kapranos
  • Price
3:41
Total length:69:20

Charts

Chart performance for Hits to the Head
Chart (2022)Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA) [8] 78
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) [9] 15
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [10] 22
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [11] 5
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [12] 31
French Albums (SNEP) [13] 55
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [14] 9
Japanese Albums (Oricon) [15] 45
Portuguese Albums (AFP) [16] 10
Scottish Albums (OCC) [17] 4
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE) [18] 16
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [19] 15
UK Albums (OCC) [20] 7
US Top Album Sales (Billboard) [21] 42

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