CD-Charts Position 1
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The Essential Leonard Cohen

CD-Charts > Music > Greatest Hits
by: Leonard Cohen

Release Date April 25, 2005
The voice is the first thing you notice. The early poetic renditions on such classics as "Suzanne", "Sisters of Mercy" and "Famous Blue Raincoat" are presented in a voice that is deadpan but not as gruff as in later years. This was at a period when he was a well kept secret and with a style and presentation that not everyone took to. Move onto disc 2 and you notice how the voice deepens and the songs become bigger. One thing that Cohen has never failed to deliver is quality songs with curious stories to tell. He has an almost hymn-like or gospel touch on a lot of his work, usually enhanced by superb backing singers and wondrous musicians and arrangements.

I move between both of his periods with equal ease, but I find the latter ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 2
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The Best Of Radiohead

CD-Charts > Music > Greatest Hits
by: Radiohead

Release Date June 02, 2008
Isn't this facility for reviewing albums? People seem to be getting caught up in the politics and forgetting the point. This album contains, in my opinion, some of the best songs of the last couple of decades. I don't agree that it's disjointed or that it's essential to listen to individual Radiohead albums in their entirety. These people must be so disappointed when they go to see the band play live and have to sit through a set full of songs taken from different albums.

CD-Charts Position 3
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The Best Of Radiohead (2 Disc Version)

CD-Charts > Music > Greatest Hits
by: Radiohead

Release Date June 02, 2008
Enough has been said about this compilation not being representative of what the band are about, but for an objective test I compared the track listing with what they performed live when I saw them at Victoria Park earlier this week. They played just five songs from the first disc and another four from the second out of a total of twenty five performed. Were it not for the second disc that would be a terrible hit rate for a supposed "Best Of" album; even with it that's barely over a third of their live set covered. There are no two ways about it; this is a fundamentally backward-looking compilation.

That said, the songs are still great and stand on their own merits even outside their original album contexts. If you want a Radiohead sampler, ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 4
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The Essential Neil Diamond

CD-Charts > Music > Greatest Hits
by: Neil Diamond

Release Date January 14, 2008
You've probably dismissed Diamond as music your mum listens to. You're wrong to think this because you'll be missing some great pompous rock songs. Some of it's cheesy, but a lot of what is on this best of is genuinely good stuff.

His name looks like an anomaly on my MP3 player's artist list. The thing is, I'm not ashamed as I love these big over the top (orchestra included on everything) songs. And you don't have to worry about good taste getting in the way of your listening experience.

Some of these songs even rock in their own way. Though it's best to skip the Streisand duet. And Brooklyn Road and Morningside don't stand up after a few listens. Otherwise it's great. And the live tracks are very energetic - I personally ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 5
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The Platinum Collection: Greatest Hits I, II & III

CD-Charts > Music > Greatest Hits
by: Queen

Release Date November 13, 2000
Every song is great and "Don't Stop me now" and "Save me" are especially good.Even my 14 year old son loves this set. I recommend this to any Queen Fan!

CD-Charts Position 6
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Neil Diamond: The Greatest Hits 1966-1992

CD-Charts > Music > Greatest Hits
by: Neil Diamond

Release Date January 07, 2008
I should have read the other reviews. Some people prefer live but I like crisp full belt studio versions. Shame the CD cover didn't indicate some tracks were live and some re-recorded. Maybe amazon will be nice and let me change it :-)

CD-Charts Position 7
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Crossroad: The Best of Bon Jovi

CD-Charts > Music > Greatest Hits
by: Bon Jovi

Release Date June 18, 1999
This album is simply amazing. Nothing gets you more pumped up for a night out than listening to hit after hit from the big man. I live in an apartment and on two occasions the neighbour downstairs had to call at my door to ask me to stop playing this album so loud. On the second occasion they fell asleep pushing the door bell for at least 5 minutes. To be fair it was 3 o'clock in the morning and I was pretty leathered!

Anyway, this album will bring out your air guitar playing, karaoke singing, head bashing best. A must-own...

CD-Charts Position 8
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Greatest Hits

CD-Charts > Music > Greatest Hits
by: Guns N' Roses

Release Date June 02, 2008
Now I am a massive Guns `n' Roses fan and have been since about the age of 10 when I first heard Paradise City, I then went and got all of their albums from my local music store. Now the problem with this CD isn't the quality of the songs, tracks 1-9 and track 11 are fantastic, but...

1) Irrelevant because it isn't even a greatest hits. Some of the tracks are extremely poor and have no place here, for example `Since I Don't Have You', `Ain't it Fun', `Sympathy for the Devil' and `Live and let Die'. Now although these songs are good when you consider some of the songs not included on this so called greatest his such as `Estranged', `Breakdown', `Rocket Queen', `Don't Damn Me' and `Dead Horse' the songs included have no place on this CD.

2) Pointless because ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 9
Average Rating:

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The Essential Paul Simon

CD-Charts > Music > Greatest Hits
by: Paul Simon

Release Date June 02, 2008
I have been listening to the music of Paul Simon since i can remember.
What you get here is not a rebel, a follower of trends, a commercial artist or a controversial one.
What we get with Paul simon is some of the most beautiful songs ever in the English Language, performed with the respect they deserve.
As one part of the duo Simon and Garfunkel, Paul Simon wrote : The Boxer, sounds of silence, Bridge over Troubled water and Mrs Robinson to name a few.
What strikes me as a surprise in this collection is how several of the songs here are of the same quality if not superior to the above.
ie American Tune, Slip Slidin away, Still crazy after all these years, Kodachrome, Gone at Last, The Boy in the Bubble.

It is true that many people consider ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 10
Average Rating:

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Radiohead - The Best Of Radiohead [2008]

CD-Charts > Music > Greatest Hits
starring: Radiohead

Release Date June 02, 2008
Radiohead are a great band, and I don't think this compilation of their videos could be classed as a cash in. If you are a big fan of Radiohead, rather than someone who mainly likes their better known work, it is a good thing to have for your collection.
Their videos are some of the most creative, experimental, original and beautiful ever made. However I found myself a little disappointed with the overall standard and didn't enjoy all of the videos as much as I thought I would. Whilst the band have this reputation for very complex, arty videos - be aware that a few of the videos are basically just recorded live gigs or performance videos.
The middle of the DVD has, in my opinion, the strongest videos and songs - from the bands strongest and most acclaimed albums - The Bends ... Read More: