Is the recently-announced Sting box set too comprehensive, too expensive, or not stocked with enough rarities for you? Universal attempts to throw fans something of a bone with a cut-down version of the box, The Best of 25 Years, due for release in October.
Admittedly, the single-disc set is a bit of an odd duck itself, omitting anything but eight of the most obvious singles alongside four bonus tracks: a new mix of "Never Coming Home" (presumably one of the newly-mixed tracks featured on the box set proper) and three unreleased live cuts. (Presumably, they are taken from the DVD included with the full box set.)
International fans look to have more to look forward to: the standard edition of the compilation will feature an extra single, "Englishman in New York," while a double-disc edition features what looks like an additional live tune and an actual B-side, "End of the Game" from the Brand New Day era.
The sets are coming out October 17 in the rest of the world and a day later in America. A finalized Amazon pre-order page is only available for the U.S. single-disc edition, but that, and the track lists for all three configurations, are after the jump.
Sting, The Best of 25 Years (U.S.) (Cherrytree/A&M B0015941-02, 2011)
- If You Love Somebody Set Them Free
- We'll Be Together
- Fragile
- All This Time
- If I Ever Lose My Faith in You
- Fields of Gold
- Desert Rose
- Whenever I Say Your Name
- Never Coming Home (New Mix)
- Message in a Bottle (Live)
- Demolition Man (Live)
- Heavy Cloud No Rain (Live)
Track 1 from The Dream of the Blue Turtles (A&M, 1985)
Tracks 2-3 from ...Nothing Like the Sun (A&M, 1987)
Track 4 from The Soul Cages (A&M, 1991)
Tracks 5-6 from Ten Summoner's Tales (A&M, 1993)
Track 7 from Brand New Day (A&M, 1999)
Tracks 8-9 from Sacred Love (A&M, 2003)
Tracks 10-12 previously unreleased
Sting, The Best of 25 Years (International) (Cherrytree/A&M, 2011)
- If You Love Somebody Set Them Free
- Englishman in New York
- We'll Be Together
- Fragile
- All This Time
- If I Ever Lose My Faith in You
- Fields of Gold
- Desert Rose
- Whenever I Say Your Name
- Never Coming Home (New Mix)
- Message in a Bottle (Live)
- Demolition Man (Live)
- Heavy Cloud No Rain (Live)
Track 1 from The Dream of the Blue Turtles (A&M, 1985)
Tracks 2-4 from ...Nothing Like the Sun (A&M, 1987)
Track 5 from The Soul Cages (A&M, 1991)
Tracks 6-7 from Ten Summoner's Tales (A&M, 1993)
Track 8 from Brand New Day (A&M, 1999)
Tracks 9-10 from Sacred Love (A&M, 2003)
Tracks 11-13 previously unreleased
Sting, The Best of 25 Years: International Deluxe Edition (Cherrytree/A&M)
Disc 1
- If You Love Somebody Set Them Free
- Love is the Seventh Wave
- Moon Over Bourbon Street
- Fortress Around Your Heart
- Englishman in New York
- They Dance Alone (Cueca Solo)
- Fragile
- We'll Be Together
- All This Time
- Mad About You
- Why Should I Cry for You?
- The Soul Cages
- If I Ever Lose My Faith in You
- Fields of Gold
- Seven Days
- Shape of My Heart
Disc 2
- When We Dance
- I Was Brought to My Senses
- You Still Touch Me
- I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying
- Desert Rose
- Brand New Day
- Send Your Love (Dave Aude Remix)
- Whenever I Say Your Name
- Stolen Car (Take Me Dancing)
- End of the Game
- Never Coming Home (New Mix)
- Russians (Live)
- Message in a Bottle (Live)
- Demolition Man (Live)
- Heavy Cloud No Rain (Live)
Disc 1, Tracks 1-4 from The Dream of the Blue Turtles (A&M, 1985)
Disc 1, Tracks 5-8 from ...Nothing Like the Sun (A&M, 1987)
Disc 1, Tracks 9-12 from The Soul Cages (A&M, 1991)
Disc 1, Tracks 13-16 from Ten Summoner's Tales (A&M, 1993)
Disc 2, Track 1 from Fields of Gold: The Best of Sting 1984-1994 (A&M, 1994)
Disc 2, Tracks 2-4 from Mercury Falling (A&M, 1996)
Disc 2, Tracks 5-6 from Brand New Day (A&M, 1999)
Original versions of Disc 2, Tracks 7-9 and 11 from Sacred Love (A&M, 2003)
Disc 2, Track 10 from "Brand New Day" CD single (A&M, 1999)
Disc 2, Tracks 12-15 previously unreleased
Tom says
Very underwhelming.
But, hot pic of Sting 🙂