This album was released in 1970. It was Sly & The Family Stone's fifth album, and the first to feature "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)"/"Everybody Is A Star", which was a #1 single. After James Brown, Sly Stone led the most influential funk band of his generation.

Sly & the Family Stone: Sylvester "Sly Stone" Stewart (vocals, guitar, keyboards); Freddie Stone (guitar); Jerry Martini (saxophone); Cynthia Robinson (trumpet); Rosie Stone (keyboards); Larry Graham (bass guitar); Greg Errico (drums).

Released in 1970 during the stopgap between Stand! and There's a Riot Goin' On, Greatest Hits inadvertently arrived at precisely the right moment, summarizing Sly & the Family Stone's joyous hit-making run on the pop and R&B charts. Technically, only four songs here reached the Top Ten, with only two others hitting the Top 40, but judging this solely on charts is misleading, since this is simply a peerless singles collection. This summarizes their first four albums perfectly (almost all of Stand! outside of the two jams and "Somebody's Watching You" is here), adding the non-LP singles "Hot Fun in the Summertime," "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)," and "Everybody Is a Star," possibly the loveliest thing they ever recorded. But, this isn't merely a summary (and, if it was just that, Anthology, the early-'80s comp that covers Riot and Fresh would be stronger than this), it's one of the greatest party records of all time. Music is rarely as vivacious, vigorous, and vibrant as this, and captured on one album, the spirit, sound, and songs of Sly & the Family Stone are all the more stunning. Greatest hits don't come better than this -- in fact, music rarely does. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

As anthology albums go, this one is practically an embarrassment of riches, showcasing as it does some of the most innovative music of '60s. Granted, Sly had other hits after this best-of was cobbled together by a record company anxious about his slow progress in the studio, but what's here is, as they say, choice.

The impact these songs had on '70s funk (and beyond--just ask Prince) is all but incalculable, but Sly's musical vision was far more all encompassing than that might suggest. A song like "Everyday People" could be danceable, magisterially beautiful, and lyrically uplifting all at the same time (and, it should be added, eternally fresh-sounding).