Reviewing for
Rolling Stone in December 1970,
Jon Landau said that Sly Stone's style is "so infinite and revolves around so many crucial aspects that it has only come together perfectly on a handful of his singles", the best of which are compiled on
Greatest Hits. Although he found occasionally "trite" music and lyrics, Landau felt that most of the songs "alone stand as a tribute to one of the most original and creative
rock musicians." In the March 1971 edition of
Ebony, Phyl Garland hailed it as among the best recent "best of" LPs and "a true bonanza" of
psychedelic soul, recommended especially for fans of the genre. In ''
Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies'' (1981),
Robert Christgau said that, although he has "doubts" about the band's studio albums,
Greatest Hits is "among the greatest
rock and roll LPs of all time", adding that Stone's political songs are "uplifting but never simplistic or sentimental". He also asserted that the music's flashy
stereo separations, vocal sounds, and
register alterations made
Greatest Hits "the toughest commercial experiments in rock and roll history".
Bill Shapiro was more enthusiastic in
The CD Rock & Roll Library: 30 Years of Rock & Roll on Compact Disc, finding the sound "bright, crisp, clean, clear, detailed and dynamic" overall. Of
Greatest Hits in general, he called it "one of the best compilation rock/
pop/funk recordings ever" and "chock full of brilliant, influential, and too-often-overlooked pop greatness" that will make listeners "dance and smile". In his review of the 2007 reissue, Andrew Gilstrap from
PopMatters said that, although it is not comprehensive, the "slapped-together feel" may be "part of what makes
Greatest Hits work so well, as if it was put together with the same freewheeling spirit that characterized the band." ==Track listing==