The compilation album commercial was a late-night American television staple in the 1980s and early 90s. Nearly all of them followed the same format: a pair of spokespeople (often inexplicably in front of a fireplace) explained how the music on the albums they were selling was some of the greatest music ever recorded and featured “original hits by the original artists” while song titles and artist names scrolled by and clips from select tracks were played.

The music for “Breakfast’s Greatest Hits” was produced, recorded, and mixed at NoWare Studio in Minneapolis. The team wanted to evoke the sounds of the 1970s and 1980s, without directly parodying any existing songs. Over the course of an eight-hour improvisational jam-session, the team of six musicians and writers recorded the 10 original songs that appear in the video.