Chicago’s music is forever etched into the soundtrack of American pop and rock. Their blend of brassy rock, jazz fusion, ballads, and progressive arrangements helped define the 1970s — and their chart dominance remains undeniable. Now, 50 years after its original release, Chicago IX: Chicago’s Greatest Hits is getting the deluxe treatment it deserves.
Arriving this Friday, August 8, 2025, via Rhino Records, the 50th Anniversary Expanded Edition of Chicago IX more than doubles the track count from 11 to 21. It not only preserves the original's spirit but refreshes it for longtime fans and new listeners alike.
First released for the 1975 holiday season on Columbia Records, Chicago IX served as the band’s first compilation, covering material from 1969's Chicago Transit Authority through 1974’s Chicago VII. The original LP was a massive success, topping the Billboard 200 and earning 5x Platinum certification while staying on the charts for a staggering 72 weeks.
Now, Rhino Records is expanding that legacy. The new gold-hued edition of Chicago IX takes the concept further, revisiting not just the original tracks but also incorporating songs from 1975 to 1980, closing the chapter just before the band’s dramatic shift into the David Foster-produced era.
Unlike the original compilation, which began with the smash “25 or 6 to 4,” the new edition opens with the band’s very first single — “Questions 67 and 68” — featuring a powerful vocal blend between Robert Lamm and Peter Cetera.
The track order has been rearranged to follow a chronological arc, making it a more accurate reflection of the band’s stylistic evolution. “Beginnings,” which once closed the album, now follows the opener. Several tracks also appear in newly remixed forms, thanks to Steven Wilson’s 2017 stereo edits, including:
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“25 or 6 to 4”
➕ 10 Bonus Tracks That Fill In the Gaps
This expanded version not only re-sequences and remixes, but adds ten more songs, rounding out the band's first prolific decade:
From earlier albums:
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“Free” (Chicago III), a notable omission in 1975, finally makes the cut.
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“Dialogue (Part I & II)” (Chicago V) adds a socially conscious, two-part dynamic.
From Chicago VIII and beyond:
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“Old Days” (No. 5, 1975) finally joins the mix.
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“If You Leave Me Now” (No. 1, 1976), the band's first Grammy winner and soft rock classic.
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“Baby, What a Big Surprise” (No. 4, 1977) continues Cetera’s melodic legacy.
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“Alive Again” and “No Tell Lover” (both Top 20 hits in 1978) capture the band's later horn-pop polish.
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“Street Player” (1979), although it didn’t chart, became a cult favorite and a sampling staple in house music.
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“Thunder and Lightning” (No. 56, 1980), co-written by drummer Danny Seraphine, closes the chapter before the band’s sonic pivot in the early 1980s.
🎶 Full Track Listing:
(asterisk denotes tracks not on the original 1975 release)
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Questions 67 and 68 *
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Beginnings
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Make Me Smile (2017 Steven Wilson Remix/Edit)
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25 or 6 to 4 (2017 Steven Wilson Remix/Edit)
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Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?
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Free *
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Colour My World (2017 Steven Wilson Remix)
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Saturday in the Park
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Dialogue (Part I & II) *
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Feelin’ Stronger Every Day
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Just You ’N’ Me
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(I’ve Been) Searchin’ So Long
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Call on Me
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Wishing You Were Here
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Old Days *
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If You Leave Me Now *
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Baby, What a Big Surprise *
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Alive Again *
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No Tell Lover *
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Street Player *
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Thunder and Lightning *
In many ways, this expanded Chicago IX feels less like a repackaged reissue and more like a proper retrospective anthology of the band’s first ten years — one that captures their evolution from jazz-rock pioneers to adult contemporary superstars.
Whether you're discovering their catalog for the first time or replacing your worn-out LP, this release offers a definitive overview of a band whose sound defined a generation.
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