Many of the band's biggest selling singles are included, along with a number of their best known album tracks. Every variation of the Byrds' ever changing lineup is represented within the album's song selection and as such, it provides a survey of the band's musical journey from their days as folk rock and psychedelic rock pioneers through to their later exploration of country rock.
At the time of its release, History of The Byrds was the most comprehensive overview of the band's recorded output available. However, none of the tracks from the 1973 reunion album were included on History of The Byrds, due to that album having appeared on Asylum Records rather than on Columbia. It was issued to coincide with the reunion of the original members of the Byrds and the release of a reunion album, titled Byrds, in March 1973. The album features the first appearance on an LP of the non-album single " Lady Friend" and the 1965 B-side "She Don't Care About Time".
Tambourine Man", and culminates with their final single release for the label, "America's Great National Pastime".
It begins with the Byrds' debut single on Columbia, " Mr. History of The Byrds provides a chronological survey of the band's career from 1965 to 1971, a period when they were signed to Columbia Records.