The two-disc set contains 32 tracks in total, 16 tracks on each disc. 27 of the tracks are Gary Glitter songs spanning from 1972 through to 1984, while four of the tracks are singles from 1974–1975 by his backing band, The Glitter Band, without him. The one other track on the set is a song called "Rock Hard Men (Need The Power)", which was recorded in April 1997 from a then upcoming 1998 Gary Glitter album called Lost on Life Street. This 1997 version of "Rock Hard Men (Need The Power)" is a different mix of the song to the 1996 version that appeared as a B-side on Gary Glitter's "House of the Rising Sun" single.
The intended Lost on Life Street album was later cancelled due to the fallout from Gary Glitter's arrest on 19 November 1997 outside PC World in Bristol, and his later conviction in November 1999 for possession of child pornography. Most of the Lost on Life Street songs later had a limited release as On in 2001, which featured an extended Part 1 and Part 2 version of "Rock Hard Men".
The Ultimate Gary Glitter – 25 Years of Hits was reissued and repromoted by Snapper Music in both 2000 and 2002, with no alterations. The album does not contain any song material released under any of his aliases.
Critical reception
Steve Huey of AllMusic gave the album four and a half out of five stars and wrote that "the two-disc, 32-track anthology The Ultimate (Best Of) is perhaps the largest Gary Glitter package it would be reasonable to assemble" adding that "for the casual fan, two discs of Glitter may be slightly wearing, but for the hardcore fan who has to have all of Glitter's best moments and doesn't mind a little inconsistency, Ultimate is a purchase that's hard to argue with."[2]
^a This is the 1997 mix of "Rock Hard Men (Need The Power)", which differs from the 1996 mix that appeared as a B side on Glitter's House of the Rising Sun single.
