His 12 Greatest Hits

Overview
His 12 Greatest Hits is a 1974 compilation on MCA that gathers Neil Diamond’s Uni-era singles from 1968–1972, plus two live cuts from the Hot August Night era. It showcases Diamond’s early chart peak before his Columbia comeback, packaging twelve essential tracks in one package. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/His_12_Greatest_Hits))

Recording History
The album compiles material recorded 1968–1972 from Diamond’s Uni/MCA years, with producers Tom Catalano, Tommy Cogbill, Chips Moman, Chip Taylor, and Neil Diamond, and includes orchestral/arranged contributions by Lee Holdridge and Marty Paich among others. The original release presents ten studio tracks and two live performances. The live selections—“Sweet Caroline” and “Holly Holy”—are taken from Hot August Night (1972). On the 1985 CD, these two tracks used studio versions, later remixed; a 1993 reissue reinstated the live versions. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/His_12_Greatest_Hits)) The Hot August Night recordings were captured at The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles on August 24, 1972. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_August_Night?utm_source=openai))

Chart Performance & Recognition
The LP peaked at No. 29 on the Billboard 200. It also reached No. 11 in the United Kingdom, spending 18 weeks on the UK chart. The album was certified Gold in 1974 and later certified 4× Platinum in 1993 in the U.S. (with UK Gold certification noted as well). ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/His_12_Greatest_Hits))

Cultural Impact & Legacy
Two aspects stand out: first, the album’s inclusion of the Hot August Night live versions helped cement Diamond’s legacy of live performance, a facet revisited in later reissues. Second, Diamond’s material—especially “Sweet Caroline”—has had a broad cultural afterlife, with the song being inducted into the National Recording Registry in 2019 and widely covered or repurposed in sports and popular culture. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/His_12_Greatest_Hits)) The set also helped anchor Diamond’s reputation as a defining voice of late-1960s/early-1970s pop, and its live tracks remain notable curiosities within a studio-dominated compilation. ([en.wikipedia.org](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/His_12_Greatest_Hits))