Langbahn Team – Weltmeisterschaft

Hits to the Head

Hits to the Head
Greatest hits album by
Released11 March 2022
RecordedJune 2003 – 2021
Studio
Genre
Length69:20
LabelDomino
Producer
Franz Ferdinand chronology
Always Ascending
(2018)
Hits to the Head
(2022)
The Human Fear
(2025)
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic77/100[1]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Clash9/10[3]
PopMatters6/10[4]
Under the Radar7/10[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.

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 for 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 Johansson3:00
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 Costey3:34
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 Zdar3:50
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

References

  1. ^ "Hits to the Head by Franz Ferdinand". Metacritic. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
  2. ^ "Franz Ferdinand – Hits to the Head Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
  3. ^ Smith, Mat (16 March 2022). "Franz Ferdinand – Hits To The Head". Clash. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
  4. ^ Garratt, John (11 March 2022). "Franz Ferdinand: Hits to the Head (Album Review)". PopMatters. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
  5. ^ Berlyant, Matthew (7 June 2022). "Franz Ferdinand: Hits to the Head (Domino)". Under the Radar. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
  6. ^ Trendell, Andrew (2 November 2021). "Franz Ferdinand talk new single 'Billy Goodbye', their greatest hits and new line-up". NME. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  7. ^ Minsker, Evan (2 November 2021). "Franz Ferdinand Share Video for New Song "Billy Goodbye"". Pitchfork. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  8. ^ "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 21 March 2022". The ARIA Report. No. 1672. Australian Recording Industry Association. 21 March 2022. p. 6.
  9. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Franz Ferdinand – Hits to the Head" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  10. ^ "Ultratop.be – Franz Ferdinand – Hits to the Head" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  11. ^ "Ultratop.be – Franz Ferdinand – Hits to the Head" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  12. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Franz Ferdinand – Hits to the Head" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  13. ^ "Lescharts.com – Franz Ferdinand – Hits to the Head". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  14. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Franz Ferdinand – Hits to the Head" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  15. ^ "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2022-03-21/p/5" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  16. ^ "Portuguesecharts.com – Franz Ferdinand – Hits to the Head". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  17. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  18. ^ "Spanishcharts.com – Franz Ferdinand – Hits to the Head". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  19. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Franz Ferdinand – Hits to the Head". Hung Medien. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  20. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  21. ^ "Franz Ferdinand Chart History (Top Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 8 February 2023.