Nuggets (series)

''Nuggets'' is a series of compilation albums, started by Elektra Records in 1972 and continued by Rhino Records thereafter. The series focuses primarily on relatively obscure garage and psychedelic rock songs from the 1960s, but with some hits and pop-oriented songs also included.

In 1972, Elektra released '' Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965–1968'', compiled by Lenny Kaye. The later series by Rhino consists of 12 vinyl-only and three single-CD albums, all released during the 1980s. In 1998, Rhino issued a 4-CD ''Nuggets'' box set, which was essentially the original 1972 LP with 91 bonus tracks. Four more box sets and four single-CDs releases followed.

The music on Rhino's 1984–1989 ''Nuggets'' series is similar to that on Kaye's original compilation. While many of the songs on the 1980s series' 15 albums appeared on the original ''Nuggets'' double LP, others were new to the series and some eventually wound up on Rhino's 1998 box set. Although most of the music was recorded by US groups, there are some exceptions, such as the Troggs (English) and the Easybeats (Australian).

In 2012, Australian label Festival Records issued their own CD compilation titled ''Down Under Nuggets: Original Australian Artyfacts, 1965–1967'', followed by a vinyl release the following year.

Discography

Original compilation: 1972

The original 1972 ''Nuggets'' compilation was a 2-LP set of 27 American psychedelic and garage rock singles that were originally released during the mid-to-late 1960s. It was created by Lenny Kaye, and was reissued with a new cover design by Sire Records in 1976. For more information:
*'' Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965–1968'' (1972)

Nuggets, Volumes 1 through 12: 1984–1985

Rhino issued a 12-volume series of ''Nuggets'' LPs in 1984-1985; there are 168 tracks across the 12 volumes. All tracks are by American performers, and the LPs feature a mix of garage rock, folk rock, pop and other related genres.

The 12-volume ''Nuggets'' series had a broader scope than the original LPs, and only 16 of the 27 tracks on the original ''Nuggets'' 2-LP set were included in the 12 volume series.

Many tracks from the 12-volume series were later included in the 1998 ''Nuggets'' 4-CD box set. Of the 116 tracks in the CD box set, 72 are found in the 12-volume LP series.

* Tracks included on the original 1972 compilation are noted in the columns labelled Nuggets 2LP.
* Tracks included on the later 1998 4-CD box set are noted in the columns labelled Nuggets Box.
*Tracks included in specialized ''Nuggets'' compilations are noted in the Other column.
**Tracks marked H appear on '' Hallucinations: Psychedelic Pop Nuggets from the WEA Vaults''
**Tracks marked LA appear on '' Where the Action Is! Los Angeles Nuggets 1965–1968''.
**tracks marked SF appear on '' Love Is the Song We Sing: San Francisco Nuggets 1965-1970''

''Nuggets, Volume 1: The Hits'' (1984)

''Nuggets, Volume 2: Punk'' (1984)

''Nuggets, Volume 3: Pop'' (1984)

''Nuggets, Volume 4: Pop, Part Two'' (1984)

''Nuggets, Volume 5: Pop, Part Three'' (1985)

''Nuggets, Volume 6: Punk, Part Two'' (1985)

'' Nuggets, Volume 7: Early San Francisco'' (1985)

''Nuggets, Volume 8: The Northwest'' (1985)

'' Nuggets, Vol. 9: Acid Rock'' (1985)

''Nuggets, Volume 10: Folk Rock'' (1985)

''Nuggets, Volume 11: Pop, Part Four'' (1985)

''Nuggets, Volume 12: Punk, Part Three'' (1985)

Nuggets: Psychedelic Sixties: 1986-1989

Beginning in 1986, Rhino curated another configuration of ''Nuggets'' volumes, this time on CD. These volumes drew from the original ''Nuggets'' 2-LP set, and the later 12-volume LP series, but also included tracks completely new to the Nuggets series. As well, a handful of tracks were from non-American acts, specifically tracks by The Troggs (England) and The Easybeats (Australia).

The 3CD collection consists of 54 tracks. This iteration of ''Nuggets'' has an extremely different track listing when compared to the original LPs:
*Only 11 of the 27 tracks on the original ''Nuggets'' 2LP set are featured across these three CDs.
*Only 37 of the 168 tracks from the 12-LP series are featured across these 3 CDs.

As well, numerous tracks from these three CDs were later incorporated into the later ''Nuggets'' 4CD box set -- although many, many tracks were not ported over into the CD box set. Of the 116 tracks on the 1998 4CD box set, 32 are featured in this 3CD series.

* Tracks included on the original 1972 compilation are noted in the columns labelled Nuggets 2LP.
* Tracks included on the later 1998 4-CD box set are noted in the columns labelled Nuggets Box.
*Tracks included in specialized ''Nuggets'' compilations are noted in the Other column.
**Tracks marked II appear on '' Nuggets II: Original Artyfacts from the British Empire and Beyond, 1964–1969''
**Tracks marked LP followed by a number appear on that volume number in the 12-LP ''Nuggets'' LP series

''Nuggets: A Classic Collection from the Psychedelic Sixties'' (1986)

''More Nuggets: Classics from the Psychedelic Sixties, Vol. 2'' (1987)

''Even More Nuggets: Classics from the Psychedelic Sixties, Vol. 3'' (1989)

Nuggets: Box sets: 1998-2009

A series of ''Nuggets'' box sets have been issued.

* '' Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the First Psychedelic Era, 1965–1968'' (1998)
**The first box set compiled the original 2-LP sequence of ''Nuggets'' tracks, and 91 other tracks -- some of which had been included on the 1980s 12-volume LP collection, many of which had not. All the tracks included in the box set were by American artists, recording in the mid to late 1960s.

* '' Nuggets II: Original Artyfacts from the British Empire and Beyond, 1964–1969'' (2001)
**This follow-up box compiled similar tracks that were from various non-American artists, also working in the late 1960s. Virtually all of these tracks were not previously issued as part of any ''Nuggets'' compilation.

* '' Children of Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the Second Psychedelic Era, 1976–1995'' (2005)
**This third box consisted of music in similar styles to the original ''Nuggets'' tracks (garage rock, jangle pop, folk rock, etc.), but that were recorded mainly in the 1980s and early 1990s.

* '' Love Is the Song We Sing: San Francisco Nuggets 1965–1970'' (2007)
**This fourth box compiled tracks from bands working in and around the San Francisco area in the late 1960s.

* '' Where the Action Is! Los Angeles Nuggets: 1965–1968'' (2009)
**This fifth box compiled tracks from performers working in and around the Los Angeles area in the late 1960s. Both this box and the San Francisco box consisted almost entirely of material that was not compiled on previous ''Nuggets'' volumes.

Other single-disc compilations

Two single disc compilations of softer ''Nuggets'' material were issued in 2004. These compilations tended toward orchestrated, mildly psychedelic music, and did not feature a typical ''Nuggets'' rock or garage rock sound:
* '' Hallucinations: Psychedelic Pop Nuggets from the WEA Vaults'' (2004)
* '' Come to the Sunshine: Soft Pop Nuggets from the WEA Vaults'' (2004)

The above two CDs were reissued the following year with unchanged track listings, but with new titles and artwork:
* ''My Mind Goes High: Psychedelic Pop Nuggets from the WEA Vaults'' (2005)
* ''A Whole Lot of Rainbows: Soft Pop Nuggets from the WEA Vaults'' (2005)

The most recent ''Nuggets'' compilation featured tracks from performers working in Australia and New Zealand in the late 1960s, and very definitely focused on garage rock and similarly harder material:
* ''Down Under Nuggets: Original Australian Artyfacts, 1965–1967'' (2012)

See also

* List of garage rock compilation albums
* '' Psychedelic States''

References

{{Authority control

Nuggets series albums
Compilation album series
Psychedelic rock compilation albums