Chicago IX: Chicago's Greatest Hits

Chicago IX: Chicago's Greatest Hits is the first greatest hits album, and ninth album overall, by the American band Chicago and was released in 1975 by Columbia Records in both stereo (PC 33900) and SQ quadraphonic (PCQ 33900) versions.

Chicago IX: Chicago's Greatest Hits
Compilation album by Chicago
Released	November 10, 1975
Recorded	January 1969 – December 1973
Genre	Progressive rock jazz fusion
Length	47:18
Label	Columbia
Producer	James William Guercio
Chicago chronology
Chicago VIII (1975) Chicago IX: Chicago's Greatest Hits (1975) Chicago X (1976)
Chicago compilation chronology
Chicago IX: Chicago’s Greatest Hits (1975) Greatest Hits, Volume II (1981)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]

Including all of Chicago's biggest hits to date, this set stretches from their 1969 debut, Chicago Transit Authority, to 1974's Chicago VII. Chicago VIII and its hits, having only come out just months earlier, were considered too recent to anthologize, while Chicago III's material was overlooked for inclusion due to its lack of top-selling singles.

Chicago IX proved to be an enormous success upon its release. It reached No. 1 in the US and remained on the Billboard 200 for a total of 72 weeks.^[2] It has since been certified quintuple platinum by the RIAA, signifying sales of over five million copies.^[3] Chicago IX was reissued by Rhino Records, Chicago's current distributor. The album did not chart in the UK.

Track listing

Side one

1. "25 or 6 to 4" (Robert Lamm) – 4:51
2. "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?" (Lamm) – 3:20 CD 2:53 LP/Cassette
   • On the original LP (and cassette) version of Chicago IX, most of the intro was cut off. The spoken part over the last verse was also omitted.
3. "Colour My World" (James Pankow) – 2:59
4. "Just You 'n' Me" (Pankow) – 3:42
5. "Saturday in the Park" (Lamm) – 3:54
6. "Feelin' Stronger Every Day" (Peter Cetera/Pankow) – 4:14

Side two

1. "Make Me Smile" (Pankow) – 2:59
   • This is the single edit that also includes parts of "Now More Than Ever".
2. "Wishing You Were Here" (Cetera) – 4:34
3. "Call on Me" (Lee Loughnane) – 4:02
4. "(I've Been) Searchin' So Long" (Pankow) – 4:29
5. "Beginnings" (Lamm) – 7:51 CD 6:28 LP/Cassette
   • On the original LP version, this song fades out about 1:20 early.

The UK version contains the additions of "Never Been in Love Before" and a shortened 3:27 version of "I'm a Man". The Brazilian version has the addition of "Happy Man" and moves "25 or 6 to 4" to the end of Side 1. "Feelin' Stronger Every Day" and "(I've Been) Searchin' So Long" are omitted.

Personnel

• Peter Cetera – bass, guitar, lead & background vocals
• Terry Kath – guitars, lead & background vocals
• Robert Lamm – keyboards, lead & background vocals
• Lee Loughnane – trumpet, flugelhorn, percussion, background vocals
• James Pankow – trombone, percussion, background vocals
• Walter Parazaider – woodwinds, percussion, background vocals
• Danny Seraphine – drums, percussion
• Laudir de Oliveira – percussion
• James William Guercio – producer
• John Berg – design
• Nick Fasciano – logo
• Reid Miles – photography

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1975–1977) Peak position Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[4] 16 Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[5] 1 Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[6] 4 New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[7] 7 US Billboard 200[8] 1

Year-end charts Chart (1976) Position Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[9] 13

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[10]	3× Platinum	300,000^
United States (RIAA)[11]	5× Platinum	5,000,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.