Through the Years is a compilation album by the progressive rock

Progressive rock

Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...

 band Jethro Tull

Jethro Tull (band)

Jethro Tull are a British rock group formed in 1967. Their music is characterised by the vocals, acoustic guitar, and flute playing of Ian Anderson, who has led the band since its founding, and the guitar work of Martin Barre, who has been with the band since 1969.Initially playing blues rock with...

. It is something of a retrospective; with songs from many different periods in the band's history. It is not a greatest hits

Greatest hits

A greatest hits album is a music compilation album of successful, previously released songs by a particular artist or band...

 album; as it has many songs not on such albums (Such as "Quizz Kid", "Still Loving You Tonight" and "Beastie".) It has material spanning all over the band's existence; from their first album

This Was

*The 2001 remastered CD added three bonus tracks and extensive liner notes.40th Anniversary Collectors' Edition*A deluxe two-CD fortieth anniversary edition was released in 2008...

 to their folk

Songs from the Wood

Songs from the Wood is the tenth studio album by Jethro Tull and is considered to be the first of a trio of folk rock albums despite the fact that folk music elements are present in the work of Jethro Tull both before and after this trilogy...

 rock

Heavy Horses

Heavy Horses is the eleventh studio album by Jethro Tull, released on 10 April 1978. It is considered the second album in a trilogy of folk-rock albums by Jethro Tull, although folk music's influence is evident on a great number of Jethro Tull releases...

 trio

Stormwatch (album)

Stormwatch is the twelfth studio album by the rock group Jethro Tull. It is considered the last in the trilogy of folk-rock albums by Jethro Tull...

 to Aqualung to Roots to Branches

Roots to Branches

Roots to Branches is the name of the 19th studio album by the band Jethro Tull. It carries characteristics of Tull's classic 1970s art-rock and folk-rock roots alongside jazz and Arabic and Far Eastern influences. All songs were written by Ian Anderson and recorded at his home studio...

. The liner notes contain a short history of Jethro Tull. (Starting humorously with the question "Didn't Jethro Tull die of a drug overdose

Drug overdose

The term drug overdose describes the ingestion or application of a drug or other substance in quantities greater than are recommended or generally practiced...

?")

Track listing

1. "Living in the Past (Live
   Recorded live track
   A recorded live track is a song or audio sequence recorded from live performances .Live song tracks typically have concert hall noise . Though often less precise than practiced, studio recordings, live recordings may offer a more exciting feel...
   
   )" - 5:03
2. "Wind Up" - 6:04
3. "Warchild" - 4:33
4. "Dharma for One" - 4:11
5. "Acres Wild" - 3:22
6. "Budapest" - 10:00
7. "The Whistler" - 3:30
8. "We Used to Know" - 3:55
9. "Beastie" - 3:57
10. "Locomotive Breath
    Locomotive Breath
    "Locomotive Breath" is a song by the English progressive rock band Jethro Tull from their 1971 album, Aqualung. It is notable for a long bluesy piano introduction and its flute solo by rock flute virtuoso Ian Anderson...
    
     (Live
    Recorded live track
    A recorded live track is a song or audio sequence recorded from live performances .Live song tracks typically have concert hall noise . Though often less precise than practiced, studio recordings, live recordings may offer a more exciting feel...
    
    )" - 5:36
11. "Rare and Precious Chain" - 3:34
12. "Quizz Kid" - 5:08
13. "Still Loving You Tonight" - 4:30

The track "Living in the Past" is not listed as live, but there are many differences between it and the original that imply that it is live, such as lack of lyrics, more intense playing and applause at the end.