GHV2

Infobox Album |
Name = GHV2
Type = Greatest hits
Artist = Madonna


Released = November 12, 2001(EU)
November 13, 2001 (NA)
December 11, 2001 (Special Edition)
Recorded = 1991-2000
Genre = Pop, Electronica, Dance
Length = 68:24
Label = Maverick, Warner Bros.
Producer = Madonna, Shep Pettibone, Dave "Jam" Hall, Dallas Austin, Nigel Wright, Alan Parker, Andrew Lloyd Webber, David Caddick, Nellee Hooper, William Orbit, Patrick Leonard, Babyface, Mirwais Ahmadzaï, Guy Sigsworth, Mark "Spike" Stent
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|4|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:0ukcikkabb59 link]
*Robert Christgau (B+) [http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=madonna link]
* "Pop Matters" [http://www.popmatters.com/music/reviews/m/madonna-greatest.shtml link] |
Last album = "Music"
(2000)
This album = "GHV2"
(2001)
Next album = ""
(2001)Singles
Name = GHV2
Type = studio
single 1 = Thunderpuss GHV2 Megamix
single 1 date = November, 2001 (Promo only)

"GHV2" (an abbreviation of Greatest Hits Volume 2) is the fourth compilation by American singer-songwriter Madonna, released on November 12, 2001 by Maverick Records. It is her second greatest hits collection, and the follow-up to the 1990 release, "The Immaculate Collection". Unlike "The Immaculate Collection," it does not contain any new recordings. It was released to coincide with the live video, "Drowned World Tour 2001". The RIAA certified it Gold & Platinum on Dec 12, 2001, denoting one million shipments in the United States. Worldwide, the album has sold more than seven million units. [ [http://www.absolutemadonna.com/charts/albumstats.shtml AbsoluteMadonna.com - Album Charts & Stats ] ] [ [http://www.world4madonna.com/charts/ Madonna- Latest Madonna music, charts, awards, CDs, Confessions on a dancefloor, Madonna, American Life, Erotica, sales figures ] ] [ [http://vjekos-adam-diary-and-other-stuff.blogspot.com/search/label/GHV2 Vjeko's A'dam diary, Madonna and other stuff: GHV2 ] ] . A promotional only remix album, "", was released to accompany it.

Album history

Originally titled "The Second Coming", Madonna and Warner Bros. decided to change it to "GHV2", an unusual title for a greatest hits package. It was released on the eleventh anniversary of "The Immaculate Collection", and features a selection of hits ranging from "Erotica" (1992) to "What It Feels Like for a Girl" (2001). Madonna felt that because it was a "greatest hits," it should only contain previously released hit songs.

Assuming more control on her albums, in an interview with BBC's Jo Whiley, Madonna said about the selection of the "GHV2" tracks, "I only wanted songs that I could listen to five times in a row." Like "The Immaculate Collection", there were many other popular singles excluded. "American Pie," which was a big hit, was excluded as a "punishment," because Madonna regretted putting it on the "Music" album. "It was something a certain record company executive twisted my arm into doing, but it didn't belong on the album so now it's being punished," she said.

Also omitted were "This Used to Be My Playground" (1992), "I'll Remember" (1994), "You'll See" (1995), and "Rain" (1993), which had all appeared on the 1995 ballads compilation "Something to Remember". Other hits, "Fever" (1993), "Bad Girl (1993), "You Must Love Me" (1996) and "Nothing Really Matters" (1999) were also left out.

To avoid an "explicit lyrics" label, an edit of "Human Nature" was included, in which the line, "I'm not your bitch, don't hang your shit on me," is removed. Of the other 14 songs, nine other songs were also edited down from their original album versions.

While there were no new songs, a promo-only megamix was used to promote the album, "Thunderpuss GHV2 Megamix" which mixed "Don't Tell Me," "Erotica," "Secret," "Frozen," "What It Feels Like For A Girl," "Take a Bow," "Deeper and Deeper," "Music," and "Ray of Light," in that order. The "GHV2 Megamix" was accompanied by a video, compiled of images of live performances and 23 Madonna videos.

The cover picture is from a 2001 photo shoot for the Drowned World Tour, by Regan Cameron. The logo in the right corner says "Madonna," and "GHV2." The Japanese lettering (モヂジラミミヂ) is the result of typing the letters 'M-A-D-O-N-N-A' on an English keyboard but with the keys re-mapped to their positions on a Japanese 'kana' keyboard, and does not mean anything in Japanese. The proper translation for Madonna is: マドンナ. [http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/マドンナ_%28歌手%29] "GHV2" can also be seen on the cover picture on Madonna's eye. Kevin Reagan contributed artwork to the inner sleeve. A special edition of "GHV2", featuring the same track listing, but some additional artwork, was released in December 2001. Hidden in the inner sleeve album artwork of both editions of GHV2 is the quote from "Human Nature," : "Express Yourself, Don't Repress Yourself."

Track listing

¹ These songwriters names have been officially added by ASCAP, which were not previously included. They have since been added to the "I'm Going to Tell You a Secret" and "The Confessions Tour" live albums.

Chart performance

Radio promotional samplers

In 2001, four and five track CD samplers were released to radio stations to promote the release of "GHV2." The samplers contained some of Madonna's biggest hit singles from 1991-2001.

ix-track radio sampler

#"Erotica"
#"Bedtime Story"
#"The Power of Good-Bye"
#"Drowned World/Substitute for Love"
#"Music"
#"Don't Tell Me"

Five-track radio sampler

#"Deeper and Deeper"
#"Human Nature"
#"Secret"
#"Frozen"
#"Music

Single re-releases

Although no vinyl version of the "GHV2" album was officially released, Warner Bros. Records did release seven 7" singles which include 14 of the 15 songs featured on GHV2; only "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" was not released. All the 7" singles were released in November 2001.

References

External links

*MusicBrainz album|id=aa916363-e6b8-41e1-9b2d-1301426337d6|name =GHV2
*"GHV2". "Mad-Eyes". [http://www.mad-eyes.net/disco/ghv2/index.htm link] - last accessed on August 10, 2007.