#92 The Great Twenty-Eight by Chuck Berry

The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time

2025 Album Rank

92

2011 Album Rank

105

Total Points

700

Year Released

1982

Billboard 200 Chart Peak

N/A

Weeks at #1

N/A

RIAA Sales Certification

N/A (Fewer than 500,000 copies sold)

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The Great Twenty-Eight Album Details

The Great Twenty-Eight is a definitive compilation of Chuck Berry's most influential recordings, released in 1982 by Chess Records. Rather than a traditional studio album, it serves as a curated anthology of Berry's groundbreaking work from 1955 to 1965, capturing the essence of rock and roll's foundation. With its 21 A-sides, 6 B-sides, and one album track, the collection showcases Berry's signature blend of rhythm & blues, country, and lyrical wit.

From teenage anthems and guitar riffs that shaped the genre to witty narratives about youth culture, The Great Twenty-Eight is as much a history lesson as it is an exhilarating listening experience. It remains one of the most celebrated greatest hits packages in rock history and a key reference point for artists ranging from The Beatles to Bob Dylan to The Rolling Stones.

Interesting Facts About The Great Twenty-Eight

• The album includes genre-defining hits such as Maybellene, Roll Over Beethoven, Rock and Roll Music, Johnny B. Goode, and Sweet Little Sixteen. Eleven of the songs on the album made it to the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
• Johnny B. Goode was famously included on the Voyager Golden Record sent into space in 1977 to represent human culture and music to extraterrestrial life.
• Most of the songs were recorded at Chess Studios in Chicago, where Berry worked closely with producer Leonard Chess and pianist Johnnie Johnson.
• While not a concept album, the tracklist tells a story of American youth, cars, dance, rebellion, and romance, making it thematically cohesive despite being a compilation.
• The B-side Reelin' and Rockin' became a surprise hit in its own right, later re-released as a live single in 1972 and charting again.
• School Day (Ring! Ring! Goes the Bell) and Too Much Monkey Business showcase Berry's knack for social commentary, influencing early rap's emphasis on everyday storytelling.
• Berry's guitar style, especially his use of double stops and boogie rhythm, became a blueprint for countless rock guitarists.
• The collection's influence was so enduring that a 3-LP vinyl reissue called The Great Twenty-Eight: Super Deluxe Edition was released in 2017, adding rare live cuts and mono mixes.
• Despite being released long after Berry's chart-topping years, the album became essential listening for those studying the origins of rock music.

The Great Twenty-Eight Tracklist

1. Maybellene
2. Thirty Days
3. You Can't Catch Me
4. Too Much Monkey Business
5. Brown Eyed Handsome Man
6. Roll Over Beethoven
7. Havana Moon
8. School Days
9. Rock and Roll Music
10. Oh Baby Doll
11. Reelin' and Rockin'
12. Sweet Little Sixteen
13. Johnny B. Goode
14. Around and Around
15. Carol
16. Beautiful Delilah
17. Memphis
18. Sweet Little Rock and Roller
19. Little Queenie
20. Almost Grown
21. Back in the U.S.A.
22. Let It Rock
23. Bye Bye Johnny
24. I'm Talking About You
25. Come On
26. Nadine (Is It You?)
27. No Particular Place to Go
28. I Want to Be Your Driver

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