# Paint the Sky with Stars

Paint the Sky with Stars: The Best of Enya is the first greatest hits album by Irish singer-songwriter Enya, released on 3 November 1997 by WEA. Following her worldwide promotional tour in support of her previous album The Memory of Trees (1995), Enya began selecting tracks for a compilation album in early 1997, as her recording contract with WEA permitted her to do so. The album contains songs from her debut album Enya (1987) to The Memory of Trees (1995) and two new tracks, "Paint the Sky with Stars" and "Only If...".
Paint the Sky with Stars received positive reviews from critics and was a commercial success, reaching number 4 in the United Kingdom and number 30 on the Billboard 200 in the United States. In the latter territory, the album continued to sell over the next eight years, reaching four million copies shipped in 2005. In Japan, it became the first non-Japanese album under the Warner label to receive a Japan Gold Disc Award in the Grand Prix Album category for selling over one million copies.

## Critical reception

Professional ratings :
| Review scores ||
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | |
| Music Week | |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | |
Paint the Sky with Stars received universal acclaim from music critics. Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic rated the album five stars out of five and says that Paint the Sky with Stars: The Best of Enya is an excellent 16-song overview of Enya's career, containing 14 selections from The Celts, Watermark, Shepherd Moons, and The Memory of Trees, including "Caribbean Blue", "Anywhere Is", "Marble Halls", "Book of Days" and, of course, "Orinoco Flow"—as well as two previously unreleased songs ("Only If...", "Paint the Sky with Stars") that fit comfortably with her past work.

## Track listing

All lyrics written by Roma Ryan, except for "Marble Halls", all music composed by Enya and all songs produced by Nicky Ryan.

## Production

* Produced by Nicky Ryan
* Arranged by Enya and Nicky Ryan
* Lyrics by Roma Ryan
* Marble Halls (Traditional) arranged by Enya and Nicky Ryan
* All tracks published by EMI Songs Ltd
* Principal photography: David Scheinmann
* Calligraphy and Design: Brody Neuenschwander
* Mastered by Arun

## Accolades
### Japan Gold Disc Awards

| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
| 1998 | Paint the Sky with Stars | Best International Pop Albums of the Year | Won |

## Certifications and sales

Certifications and sales for Paint the Sky with Stars :
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
| Argentina (CAPIF) | 2× Platinum | 120,000$^^$ |
| Australia (ARIA) | 3× Platinum | 210,000$^^$ |
| Austria (IFPI Austria) | Platinum | 50,000$^*$ |
| Belgium (BEA) | 2× Platinum | 100,000$^*$ |
| Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil) | 2× Platinum | 500,000$^*$ |
| Finland (Musiikkituottajat) | Gold | 23,900 |
| Germany (BVMI) | Platinum | 500,000$^^$ |
| Hong Kong (IFPI Hong Kong) | Platinum | 20,000$^*$ |
| Italy | — | 410,000 |
| Japan (RIAJ) | Million | 1,078,000 |
| Netherlands (NVPI) | Gold | 50,000$^^$ |
| New Zealand (RMNZ) | Platinum | 15,000$^^$ |
| Norway (IFPI Norway) | Platinum | 50,000$^*$ |
| Spain (PROMUSICAE) | 2× Platinum | 200,000$^^$ |
| Sweden (GLF) | 2× Platinum | 160,000$^^$ |
| Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland) | Platinum | 50,000$^^$ |
| United Kingdom (BPI) | 2× Platinum | 600,000$^^$ |
| United States (RIAA) | 4× Platinum | 4,000,000$^^$ |
| Summaries |||
| Europe (IFPI) | 3× Platinum | 3,000,000$^*$ |
| Worldwide | — | 12,000,000 |
| $^*$ Sales figures based on certification alone. $^^$ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |||

## Release history

Release dates for Paint the Sky with Stars :
| Country | Date | Format | Label |
| Europe | 3 November 1997 | CD cassette | WEA Records |
| United States | 11 November 1997 | CD cassette | Reprise Records |