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Three very different bands with venerable catalogues are getting new greatest hits collections added to their discographies.

First up is a new set documenting Irish post-punkers The Boomtown Rats. The First Fifty Years: Songs of Boomtown Glory is a non-chronological compilation covering all seven of the Dublin group’s studio albums – the majority released between 1979 and 1984, before frontman Bob Geldof pivoted largely to pop-rooted activist causes including the spearheading of Band Aid and Live Aid. The tracks were jointly selected by the group as well as online fan polling, and include U.K. hits like “Lookin’ After No. 1,” “Rat Trap,” “I Don’t Like Mondays,” “Someone’s Looking At You” and “Banana Republic.” The Rats – Geldof, guitarist Garry Roberts, bassist Pete Briquette and drummer Simon Crowe; minus original keyboardist Johnnie Fingers and rhythm guitarist Gerry Cott – did reunite in 2013, releasing Citizens of Boomtown in 2020. (Roberts died two years later; the remaining trio will embark on 12 dates to promote this set across the United Kingdom.) Songs of Boomtown Glory includes one track from a digital deluxe version of Citizens in its physical format debut; additionally, the double CD includes three more tracks than its double LP edition. It’s available September 19.

Summer may be ending, but UMe has a new set to keep you Kool – Kool & The Gang, of course. A new Greatest Hits, available October 17, will join together a dozen classic hits from the long-running New Jersey ensemble’s most popular period of the ’70s and ’80s. Funk and soul favorites like “Jungle Boogie,” “Hollywood Swinging,” “Summer Madness” and “Open Sesame” mingle with chart smashes from the group’s disco/pop years, including “Celebration,” “Get Down on It,” “Ladies’ Night,” “Joanna” and more. The collection, available on CD or vinyl (with a “platinum ice” color variant), will also feature “an extensive historical essay from a band insider,” the identity of which has not yet been identified.

Finally, October 31 sees the release of Energy Dome Frequencies, a new 12-track CD or vinyl offering a brief overview of alt-rock heroes Devo. Tied to a critically-acclaimed documentary on the group that just launched on Netflix, it includes the choicest cuts from Devo’s first four albums, including “Jocko Homo,” “Girl U Want,” “Whip It,” “Through Being Cool” and “That’s Good.” The group will embark on a “Cosmic De-Evolution” tour this fall alongside The B-52’s, playing a dozen North American dates from late September to early November.

All three compilations are available to order at the below links, with track lists posted for each, too. (As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases.)

The Boomtown Rats, The First Fifty Years: Songs of Boomtown Glory (Mercury/UMC (U.K.), 2025)

2CD (* exclusive): Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
2LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada

Disc 1

1. Lookin’ After No. 1
2. K.I.S.S.
3. Me and Howard Hughes
4. Here’s a Postcard
5. Dave
6. Drag Me Down
7. Rat Trap
8. Someone’s Looking At You
9. Banana Republic
10. Keep It Up *
11. Diamond Smiles
12. When the Night Comes
13. Mary of the 4th Form

Disc 2

1. There’s No Tomorrow Like Today
2. The Elephant’s Graveyard
3. She’s So Modern
4. (I Never Loved) Eva Braun
5. Trash Glam Baby
6. House on Fire *
7. The Boomtown Rats!
8. Tonight *
9. Like Clockwork
10. Neon Heart
11. Up All Night
12. Monster Monkeys
13. I Don’t Like Mondays
14. Joey’s on the Street Again

Disc 1, Tracks 1 and 13 and Disc 2, Tracks 10 and 14 released on The Boomtown Rats – Ensign ENVY 1 (U.K.), 1977
Disc 1, Tracks 2 and 4 and Disc 2, Tracks 5, 7 and 12 released on Citizens of Boomtown – BMG 538592342, 2020
Disc 1, Tracks 3 and 7 and Disc 2, Tracks 3-4 and 9 released on A Tonic for the Troops – Ensign ENVY 3 (U.K.), 1978
Disc 1, Tracks 5-6 and Disc 2, Track 8 released on In the Long Grass – Mercury MERS 38 (U.K.), 1984
Disc 1, Tracks 8 and 10-12 and Disc 2, Track 13 released on The Fine Art of Surfacing – Ensign ENROX 11 (U.K.), 1979
Disc 1, Track 9 and Disc 2, Track 2 released on Mondo Bongo – Mercury 6359 042 (U.K.), 1980
Disc 2, Track 1 released on digital deluxe edition of Citizens of Boomtown – BMG (no cat. #), 2020
Disc 2, Tracks 6 and 11 released on V Deep – Mercury 6359 082 (U.K.), 1982

Kool & The Gang, Greatest Hits (Island/Mercury/UMe, 2025)

CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / uDiscover Music (platinum ice)

1. Hollywood Swinging
2. Jungle Boogie
3. Misled
4. Ladies’ Night
5. Open Sesame – Pt. 1
6. Summer Madness
7. Celebration
8. Get Down on It
9. Too Hot
10. Fresh
11. Joanna
12. Cherish

Tracks 1-2 released on Wild and Peaceful – De-Lite DEP-2013, 1973
Tracks 3, 10 and 12 released on Emergency – De-Lite 822 943-1 M-1, 1985
Tracks 4 and 9 released on Ladies’ Night – De-Lite DSR-9513, 1979
Original version of Track 5 released on Open Sesame – De-Lite DEP-2023, 1976
Track 6 released on Light of Worlds – De-Lite DEP-2014, 1974
Track 7 released on Celebrate! – De-Lite DSR-9518, 1980
Track 8 released on Something Special – De-Lite DSR-8502, 1981
Track 11 released on In the Heart – De-Lite DSR-8508, 1983

DEVO, Energy Dome Frequencies: Songs from the DEVO Documentary (Warner/Rhino, 2025)

CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada

1. Mongoloid (Warner Version)
2. Jocko Homo (Warner Version)
3. (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction
4. Uncontrollable Urge
5. Girl U Want
6. Freedom of Choice
7. Whip It
8. Gates of Steel
9. Working in the Coal Mine
10. Beautiful World
11. Through Being Cool
12. That’s Good

Tracks 1-4 released on Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are DEVO! – Warner Bros. BSK 3239, 1978
Tracks 5-8 released on Freedom of Choice – Warner Bros. BSK 3435, 1980
Track 9 released on Heavy Metal (Music from the Motion Picture) – Full Moon/Asylum DP-90004, 1981
Tracks 10-11 released on New Traditionalists – Warner Bros. BSK 3595, 1981
Track 12 released on Oh No! It’s DEVO – Warner Bros. 23741, 1982