The Very Best of Enya

The Very Best of Enya
Greatest hits album by Enya
Released	23 November 2009
Recorded	1986–2008
Genre	New-age Celtic pop
Length	63:17 (CD edition) 67:07 (CD Canada) 79:45 (CD/DVD edition)
Label	Warner Bros. Reprise
Producer	Nicky Ryan
Enya chronology
And Winter Came... (2008) The Very Best of Enya (2009) Dark Sky Island (2015)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]

The Very Best of Enya is the second greatest hits album from Irish musician Enya. The album was announced by Enya on her official site on 26 August 2009 and released on 23 November 2009, 12 Years after the relesed of her first compliation album Paint The Sky With Stars. According to her website, it includes Enya's favorite songs as chosen by her, producer Nicky Ryan, and lyricist Roma Ryan.

Two versions of the album were released: a standard single-disc edition containing only the audio tracks, and a two-disc deluxe edition featuring a DVD collecting a number of her music videos. It made top 20 in almost twenty countries.

The Very Best of Enya received mostly positive reviews from music critics and was a mild commercial success, reaching No. 32 on the UK Albums Chart, No. 55 on the US Billboard 200 and sold more than 1 million copies overall. The album spent 56 non-consecutive weeks at number one on the Billboard New Age Albums chart.^[2]

Announcements

An announcement on Enya's official website stated that the release of the album was scheduled for 16 November 2009. Roma Ryan confirmed the rumor to the media. The release date was later postponed until 23 November 2009 (and until 1 December 2009 for the U.S. and Japan). On 19 September 2009, the first version of the album cover artwork was revealed by Roma Ryan via the official Enya forum, Unity. The final version later appeared on Amazon and other online music stores.^[3]

Critical reception

The Very Best of Enya received mostly positive reviews from music critics. James Christopher Monger from "Allmusic" says that the trio seems enamored by most of the same songs that the general public is, resulting in one of those rare “greatest-hits” collections that goes deep without depriving the listener of the essentials. With tunes like "Orinoco Flow", "Caribbean Blue" and "Book of Days" in the pot and out of the way, it’s easier to appreciate hidden gems like "Cursum Perficio", "Boadicea", "Trains and Winter Rains" and "Anywhere Is".^[1]

Track listing

Although there are no new songs for the collection, "Aníron", which Enya composed and performed for The Lord of the Rings, is released on this album in a previously unreleased version. The track listing of songs on the CD differs for the CD-only edition and the CD/DVD edition.^[4]

Excluded from the DVD are the following videos: "May It Be", "Book of Days", "I Want Tomorrow", "Exile", and "How Can I Keep from Singing?". Of these, "May It Be", "Book of Days" and "Exile" included footage from motion pictures (The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Far and Away and L.A. Story, respectively), while "I Want Tomorrow" was originally a segment of the TV series The Celts and is available on the DVD release of that series.

The inclusion of the DVD marks the first North American DVD release of Enya's music videos, following the cancellation of a North American release of The Video Collection in 2001. The DVD includes three documentary featurettes that were originally included in the 2001 DVD release but, while it has been updated to include videos from post-2001 album releases, the videos for "Book of Days" and "Exile", included in the 2001 release, are omitted.

All songs' music is composed by Enya with lyrics written by Roma Ryan, except for "The Celts" and "Aldebaran" (lyrics by both Enya and Roma Ryan); and "Watermark", "Boadicea", "A Day Without Rain", and "Drifting" (instrumental, composed by Enya).

Standard edition
No.	Title	From the album	Length
1.	"Orinoco Flow"	Watermark	4:29
2.	"Aníron (I Desire)" (previously unreleased version)	The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring	2:42
3.	"Storms in Africa"	Watermark	4:04
4.	"Caribbean Blue"	Shepherd Moons	3:58
5.	"Book of Days"	Shepherd Moons	2:55
6.	"The Celts"	Enya / The Celts	2:55
7.	"Only Time"	A Day Without Rain	3:36
8.	"Wild Child"	A Day Without Rain	3:46
9.	"Water Shows the Hidden Heart"	Amarantine	4:38
10.	"Anywhere Is"	The Memory of Trees	3:57
11.	"Cursum Perficio"	Watermark	4:07
12.	"Amarantine"	Amarantine	3:09
13.	"Aldebaran"	Enya / The Celts	3:05
14.	"Trains and Winter Rains"	And Winter Came...	3:42
15.	"Watermark"	Watermark	2:25
16.	"Boadicea"	Enya / The Celts	3:31
17.	"A Day Without Rain"	A Day Without Rain	2:35
18.	"May It Be" (radio edit)	The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring	3:31

North American bonus track
No.	Title	From the album	Length
19.	"Oíche Chiúin" (chorale version)	And Winter Came...	3:31

Japanese edition bonus tracks
No.	Title	From the album	Length
19.	"To Go Beyond (Part II)"	Enya / The Celts	2:50
20.	"Only If..."	Paint the Sky with Stars	3:19
21.	"Dreams Are More Precious"	And Winter Came...	4:25

Deluxe edition

The deluxe edition, which includes a bonus DVD, is packaged in a hardcover book-style digipak.

CD "Trains and Winter Rains" (from the album And Winter Came...) "My! My! Time Flies!" (from the album And Winter Came...) "Stars and Midnight Blue" (from the album And Winter Came...) "Amarantine" (from the album Amarantine) "Sumiregusa" (from the album Amarantine) "The River Sings" (from the album Amarantine) "If I Could Be Where You Are" (from the album Amarantine) "Wild Child" (from the album A Day Without Rain) "Only Time" (from the album A Day Without Rain) "Drifting" (from the album Amarantine) "Flora's Secret" (from the album A Day Without Rain) "Fallen Embers" (from the album A Day Without Rain) "One by One" (from the album A Day Without Rain) "Pax Deorum" (from the album The Memory of Trees) "Athair ar Neamh" (from the album The Memory of Trees) "Anywhere Is" (from the album The Memory of Trees) "Orinoco Flow" (from the album Watermark) "Watermark" (from the album Watermark) "Boadicea" (from the album The Celts) "May It Be" (from the soundtrack to The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring) "Caribbean Blue" (from the album Shepherd Moons) "Aníron (I Desire)" (previously unreleased version) Amazon MP3 release bonus tracks No. Title From the album Length 23. "Oíche Chiúin [Chorale]"   And Winter Came... 3:49 24. "Only Time (Remix)"   Only Time 3:13

DVD "Orinoco Flow" "Caribbean Blue" "Only Time" "The Celts" "Amarantine" "Trains and Winter Rains" "Evening Falls..." "Anywhere Is" "It's in the Rain" "Wild Child" "Only If..." "Storms in Africa" "On My Way Home" "Enya: A Life in Music" (documentary) "The Making of Caribbean Blue" (documentary) "The Making of Only Time" (documentary)

Production

• Instrumentation (All tracks), Vocals (tracks 1-14, 16, 18-19) performed by: Enya
• Arranged by Enya and Nicky Ryan
• Recording Engineer (All tracks), audio mixing, additional vocals by: Nicky Ryan
• Lyrics (tracks 1-14, 18), and additional vocals by: Roma Ryan
• Recorded at Aigle studio
• Design and art direction by Peacock

Charts and certifications

Charts Country Position Argentina 10 Australia[5] 19 Austria[6] 18 Belgium (Flanders)[7] 2 Belgium (Wallonia)[7] 19 Canada[8] 23 Czech Republic[9] 6 Denmark[10] 17 European Top 100 Albums[11] 18 Germany[12] 19 Hong Kong[13] 15 Hungary[14] 15 Ireland[15] 22 Italy[16] 35 Japan[17] 6 Mexico[18] 60 Netherlands[19] 11 New Zealand[20] 6 Norway[21] 14 Poland[22] 23 Portugal[23] 13 Spain[24] 11 Sweden[25] 20 Switzerland[26] 8 United Kingdom 32 United States[27] 55 Billboard New Age Albums Chart[28] 1

Release history Country Date Format Label Worldwide 25 November 2009 CD digital download Warner Music United States 1 December 2009 Reprise Records Certifications and sales Region Certification Certified units/Sales Australia (ARIA)[29] Gold 35,000^^ Belgium (BEA)[30] Gold 15,000^* Denmark (IFPI Denmark)[31] Gold 15,000^^ Germany (BVMI)[32] Gold 100,000^^ Ireland (IRMA)[33] Gold 7,500^^ Italy (FIMI)[34] Gold 30,000^* New Zealand (RMNZ)[35] Platinum 15,000^^ Poland (ZPAV)[36] Gold 10,000^* Spain (PROMUSICAE)[37] Gold 30,000^^ United Kingdom (BPI)[38] Gold 100,000^^ United States 365,000^^ Summaries Worldwide 1,000,000 ^*sales figures based on certification alone ^^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

1. Monger, James Christopher. "Review: The Very Best of Enya". Allmusic. Retrieved 29 November 2009.
2. "Latest Music News, Band, Artist, Musician & Music Video News". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2011-12-04.
3. Enya.sk. "The Very Best of Enya album". Enya.sk. Retrieved 2012-06-07.
4. Lee Tobin. "News". Enya.com. Retrieved 2009-11-30.
5. "Top 50 Albums Chart - Australian Record Industry Association". Ariacharts.com.au. Archived from the original on December 7, 2011. Retrieved 2011-12-04.
6. Steffen Hung. "Austria Top 40 - Hitparade Österreich". Austriancharts.at. Retrieved 2009-11-28.
7. "Enya – The Very Best Of". ultratop. Retrieved 2009-11-28.
8. "Canada Albums Chart". Archived from the original on January 16, 2011. Retrieved 2009-12-04.
9. "Čns Ifpi". Ifpicr.cz. Archived from the original on December 18, 2008. Retrieved 2009-11-28.
10. "Velkommen til Hit-listen.dk". Hitlisterne.dk. Retrieved 2009-12-14.
11. "Billboard- Updated Album Charts from the most Trusted Music Magazine". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2009-11-28.
12. "Germany Albums Chart". Retrieved 2009-11-28.
13. "HMV Hong Kong Charts". Retrieved 2009-11-28.
14. "MAHASZ". Retrieved 2010-01-07.
15. ">> IRMA << Irish Charts - Singles, Albums & Compilations >>". Irma.ie. 2009-11-28. Archived from the original on August 7, 2012. Retrieved 2009-11-28.
16. "Italian Albums Top 50". acharts.us. 2009-11-28. Retrieved 2009-12-06.
17. "ORICON STYLE top 50". RIAJ. 2012-08-02.
18. "Mexican Album Chart". mexicancharts.com. Retrieved 2009-12-06.
19. "Hitlijsten". Radio 3FM. Retrieved 2008-11-26.
20. "New Zealand Chart: Chart #1697". RMNZ. 2009-11-30. Archived from the original on June 20, 2007. Retrieved 2009-12-01.
21. "The Very Best of Enya - Norway Charts". VG-lista. Offisielle hitlister fra og med 1958. Retrieved 2009-11-28.
22. "OLIS". Retrieved 2009-12-18.
23. "Artistas & Espectáculos". Top Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. Archived from the original on January 17, 2010. Retrieved 2009-12-14.
24. "Promusicae". Promusicae.es. Archived from the original on December 6, 2008. Retrieved 2009-12-02.
25. "Swedish Albums Chart - ''Sverigetopplistan''". Sverigetopplistan.se. Archived from the original on December 26, 2015. Retrieved 2011-12-04.
26. Steffen Hung. "Swiss Charts — Albums Top 100 30.11.2009 - swisscharts.com". Swisscharts.com. Archived from the original on December 17, 2008. Retrieved 2009-11-30.
27. "Building Album Sales - ''Hits Daily Double''". Hitsdailydouble.com. Retrieved 2011-12-04.
28. "New Age Albums". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2011-12-04.
29. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2010 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association.
30. "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – 2009". Ultratop & Hung Medien / hitparade.ch.
31. "Danish album certifications – Enya – The Very Best of Enya". IFPI Denmark. Click on næste to go to page if certification from official website
32. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Enya; 'The Very Best of Enya')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie.
33. "Irish album certifications – Enya – The Very Best of Enya". Irish Recorded Music Association.
34. "Certificazione Album Fisici e Digitali - settimana 46 del 2012" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 November 2012. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
35. "Latest Gold / Platinum Albums". Radioscope. 17 July 2011. Archived from the original on 2011-07-24.
36. "Polish album certifications – Enya – The Very Best of Enya" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry.
37. "Spanish album certifications – Enya – The Very Best of Enya" (PDF) (in Spanish). Productores de Música de España. Select the "Chart", enter ' in the field "Year". Select ' in the field "Semana". Click on "Search Charts"
38. "British album certifications – Enya – The Very Best of Enya". British Phonographic Industry. Enter The Very Best of Enya in the field Keywords. Select Title in the field Search by. Select album in the field By Format. Select Gold in the field By Award. Click Search

External links

• Enya's Official site
• The Very Best Of Enya at Discogs (list of releases)