Totally Hits

Totally Hits was a series of various artists compilation albums released in collaboration with BMG and Warner Music Group, intending to showcase some of the most popular hit songs of the time.[1][2] The series was intended to rival EMI and UMG's Now That's What I Call Music! series.

For the first volume, a massive ad campaign was launched, with both record labels putting out TV spots, Internet ads, and promotions for the release. Label executives referred to it as "the definitive collection of 1998 and 1999 hit singles," and "the first multi-format collection to boast virtually an entire program of bonafide crossover smashes." The first volume debuted and peaked at #14 on the Billboard Top 200 and received favorable reviews from Robert Christgau and Entertainment Weekly, who preferred it to Now! 3.[3][4][5]

The first release was distributed by BMG's Arista Records. Prior to Totally Hits, Arista had been releasing various artists compilations known as the Ultimate series for the past four years. Arista executive vice president Charles Goldstuck claimed he wanted to "expand the franchise. We thought we'd be better off with a partner, so we could source the right repertoire and end up with as strong a compilation as possible to give the consumer complete value." Warner CEO Roger Ames accepted, and a track listing was put together in only a couple of months.[6]