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.

Including all of Chicago's biggest hits to date, this set stretches from their 1969 debut, Chicago Transit Authority (referred to as Chicago I in the original LP liner notes), 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 (the fifth and final consecutive album to do so) and remained on the Billboard 200 for a total of 72 weeks. It has since been certified quintuple platinum by the RIAA, signifying sales of over five million copies. 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, the mono promo single version was used. Most of the intro was cut off, and 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.

2025 expanded version: To mark the 50th anniversary of Chicago’s first greatest hits collection, the 1975 release Chicago IX has been significantly expanded from 11 tracks to 21. The new edition now includes songs from every studio album they released between 1969 and 1980. “Questions 67 And 68” “Beginnings” “Make Me Smile” (2017 Steven Wilson Remix/Edit) “25 Or 6 To 4” (2017 Steven Wilson Remix/Edit) “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?” “Free” “Colour My World” (2017 Steven Wilson Remix) “Saturday In The Park” “Dialogue (Part I & II)” “Feelin’ Stronger Every Day” “Just You ’n’ Me” “(I’ve Been) Searchin’ So Long” “Call On Me” “Wishing You Were Here” “Old Days” “If You Leave Me Now” “Baby, What A Big Surprise” “Alive Again” “No Tell Lover” “Street Player” “Thunder And Lightning”

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

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Chart (1975–1977)	Peak position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)	16

Chart (2025)	Peak position
Hungarian Physical Albums (MAHASZ)	11

Year-end charts

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Chart (1976)	Position