Rainbow (the hard rock/heavy metal band founded by guitarist Ritchie Blackmore in 1975 after leaving Deep Purple) has several official greatest-hits compilations, with The Very Best of Rainbow (1997) standing as one of the most comprehensive single-disc overviews of their classic era (roughly 1975–1983).The band evolved significantly: early albums with Ronnie James Dio featured epic, fantasy-themed hard rock and proto-metal (often with orchestral elements); the Graham Bonnet era leaned more commercial hard rock; and the Joe Lynn Turner period shifted further toward AOR/melodic rock. Compilations typically span these phases, and fan/critical consensus often ranks the Dio-era material highest for artistic ambition while acknowledging the later commercial singles as the biggest chart hits.Official Compilation Highlights
The Very Best of Rainbow (1997, Polydor): A strong single-disc summary covering the main eras. Approximate tracklist includes:
Man on the Silver Mountain
Catch the Rainbow
Starstruck
Stargazer
Kill the King
Long Live Rock ’n’ Roll
Gates of Babylon
Since You Been Gone
All Night Long
I Surrender
Can’t Happen Here
Jealous Lover
Stone Cold
Power
Can’t Let You Go
Street of Dreams
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