"13" is the first compilation album by the American rock band the Doors, released on November 30, 1970, by Elektra Records. The album is titled 13 because it features thirteen tracks, selected from the band's five studio albums up to that point. The cover shrink wrap included a clear sticker that read: "A Collection of Thirteen Classic Doors Songs." It is the only compilation album released by the band while lead singer Jim Morrison was still alive.
The album reached No. 25 on the Billboard 200 chart. Although it was a commercial success at the time, it has since been superseded by later and more comprehensive compilations, such as The Best of the Doors (1985), and has not been reissued on CD.
The creation of 13 was initiated by Elektra Records, who wanted to release a product from the band in time for the Christmas season. The band reluctantly agreed to the project. Jim Morrison even agreed to shave off his beard for the album's cover photo shoot, but the label ultimately chose to use a younger photo of him, which had also been used for the band's live album Absolutely Live, released earlier in 1970. In his memoir No One Here Gets Out Alive, author Danny Sugerman noted that Elektra seemed to prefer the "pretty" image of Morrison, which was also reflected in the album's cover, where Morrison's image is much larger than those of the other band members. Sugerman remarked that this focus on Morrison’s image upset him, as it sidelined the contributions of guitarist Robby Krieger, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, and drummer John Densmore.
The back cover of 13 features the band posing with a small bust of Ludwig van Beethoven, which some people mistakenly believed to be a bust of occultist Aleister Crowley.
