The first version was released on the China Records label in November 1988.
The Best of the Art of Noise was released with at least ten different track listing variations from 1988 to 1997.
The first version was on LP format and contained 7" single mixes, while the corresponding compact disc release that year contained the extended or 12" single remixes of all of the tracks.
However, LP releases in territories such as Korea and Argentina featured a combination of both track listings.
In 1992, China Records reissued The Best of and added "Yebo," "Instruments of Darkness" and "Robinson Crusoe," while omitting the three tracks that were licensed from ZTT Records and included on the 1988 release: "Beatbox," "Moments in Love" and "Close (To the Edit)."