"The Best of Blondie", released in October 1981 by Chrysalis Records, is the first greatest hits album by the American rock band Blondie. It peaked at number four in the UK, number 30 in the US, and became the band's only number-one album in Australia. The album was issued in various versions with different track listings and running orders, reflecting the popularity of certain songs in different countries. The US and Canadian editions included "One Way or Another," which was not released as a single in Europe, while the international version featured three tracks not found on the North American release: "Denis," "Picture This," and "Union City Blue."
Blondie's producer Mike Chapman remixed three tracks specifically for this album. The remix of "Heart of Glass" combines elements from both the original album version and the instrumental version. "In the Flesh" received a Phil Spector-esque mix with significant echo, while the remix of "Sunday Girl" blends vocals from the French-language version with the original English version. Additionally, "Rapture" appears in an edited version of the 12″ Disco Mix that includes an extra verse not present on the original album Autoamerican.
The album cover was photographed in June 1978 by Martyn Goddard on a rooftop in Midtown Manhattan. A video version of the album was also released on VHS, featuring the band's music videos interspersed with footage of a New York City taxi driver seeing Blondie videos on television screens throughout the city. The video featured "Call Me" during the intro and an incomplete version of "Sunday Girl" in the end credits. This video album was re-released on DVD in 2002, coinciding with the release of Greatest Hits, and included three bonus tracks not on the original release: "The Hardest Part," "Island of Lost Souls," and "Maria." All tracks are produced by Mike Chapman, except for a few produced by Richard Gottehrer and Giorgio Moroder, with all special mixes also produced by Chapman.
