I was born in the early 60s and attended college and grad school in the early to mid 80s. Being a farm kid in the country, I didn’t buy albums or go to concerts so most of my listening was a mix of country and rock or pop songs that were played on the radio. I’m getting a new phone soon (with a lot of memory so I can carry a nice selection of music with me) so I’m getting some late 60s/70s/80s CDs to help build the collection of popular songs of the period (I have country covered). Therefore, I’m asking for SIGForum’s collective wisdom and suggestions on rock-to-pop-oriented collections (generally best of’s to get the best bang for the buck) or possibly definitive albums that I should consider for my library.

I currently have the following:

• Billy Joel, Greatest Hits Vols. 1, 2, & 3
• Blondie, Greatest Hits
• Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band, Greatest Hits 1 & 2
• Boston, Boston
• Carly Simon, Greatest Hits Live
• Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Best of CCR
• Eagles, The Very Best Of
• Elton John, Greatest Hits 1970-2002
• Fleetwood Mac, Greatest Hits
• Foreigner, Complete Greatest Hits
• Hall & Oates, Ultimate Daryl Hall & John Oates
• Heart, Greatest Hits
• Huey Lewis & The News, Greatest Hits
• James Taylor, Greatest Hits
• Lynyrd Skynyrd, Thyrty - The 30th Anniversary Collection
• Rod Stewart, Greatest Hits, Vol. 1
• Simon & Garfunkel, Simon & Garfunkel's Greatest Hits
• The Steve Miller Band, Greatest Hits 1974-1978
• ZZ Top, Greatest Hits

I have albums or collections selected on my wish list for Crosby Stills & Nash, .38 Special, Bryan Adams, Jackson Browne, Jefferson Airplane - Jefferson Starship - Starship, Jimmy Buffett, Journey, Kansas, Pat Benatar, Styx, The Doors, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Toto, and Van Halen.

Beyond that, I have some other artists or groups selected but no album or collection chosen, and there are hundreds (thousands?) of other artists from the period to consider. What are your suggestions for consideration for other artists or groups and their best representative music of the period?

Thanks!

ST

Frampton Comes Alive by Peter Frampton

Wings greatest

The Cars greatest hits

ABBA Gold greatest hits

The Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1

Here are 5 I like but there are so many...

Hot Rocks - Rolling Stones
Eat A Peach - Allman Bros
Jethro Tull - Aqualung
The Band - Last Waltz
The Temptations - Greatest Hits Live

Gun's and Roses Appetite for Distruction.

Looks like a good list. A lot of overlap with what I have.

Nothing is really coming to mind except perhaps Led Zep IV. And maybe Eric Clapton. Or Queen.

I'm a little embarrassed to admit, but since you included Pop, for some inexplicable reason, I like Olivia Newton John, Go-Go's / Belinda Carlisle, The Bangles and Abba.

Not sure if they have a "best of" album , Ted Nugent and Ozark Mountain Daredevils have a couple cool songs.

Abbey Road

Sergeant Pepper

The Beatles.

Out of the Blue

E.L.O.

Spirits Having Flown

Bee Gees.

just get a spotify subscription...

are you collecting media (cd's / albums) or digital files? if the latter, I can share a lot of what is listed.
ok here goes:
Zztop six pack
Queen platinum collection
40 licks Rolling Stones
Allman brothers dreams
B. B. king of the blues
The animals retrospective
The last waltz the band
Pandoras box Aerosmith
Endless summer The Beach Boys
The very best of Chicago only the beginning
Csn box set
Credence clearwater revival 20 greatest hits
Deep purple platinum collection
The very best of the doobie brothers
Elton johns greatest hits
Elton johns greatest hits vol. 2
Eric Clapton complete Clapton
Eric Clapton nothing but the blues
Eric Clapton unplugged
Fleetwood Macs greatest hits
The best of foghat
Foreigner records
Grand funk railroad greatest hits
J. Geils band full house live
The essential heart
Jethro Tull 25th anniversary box set
Jim Croce greatest hits
Jimmy buffet boats, beaches, bars and ballads
Joe Walsh’s greatest hits
Lynyrd Skynyrd box set
Wings greatest
Reo speed wagon the hits
The definitive soul collection sam and Dave
Steely dan box set
All time greatest hits steppenwolf
The Steve miller band box set
Styx greatest hits
Styx greatest hits part 2
Supertramp crime of the century and breakfast in America
The temptations anthology
Tom petty box set
The best of van Morrison
Traffic low spark of high heeled boys
U2 the best of 1980-1990
Kansas point of know return and left overture
Loggins and Messina sittin in
All of led zeppelin
All of Pink Floyd
Elo wembly or bust
All of the eagles
The Doors
rock 'n' roll fantasy the very best of bad company
history: americas greatest hits

This message has been edited. Last edited by: ltz400,

Three decades of rock and pop is a lot of territory to cover . I won't recommend obscure, less well known artist, seems your desires are in the mainstream, so I'll stuck to that.

Beach Boys- Pet Sounds
The Beatles- Abbey Road
The Carpenters- Gold
The Kinks- The Very Best Of
David Bowie- The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust
Joni Mitchell- Court & Spark
Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons- The Very Best Of
Led Zeppelin- IV
Led Zeppelin- Physical Graffiti
The Who- Who's Next
The Hollies- Greatest Hits
The Raspberries- Greatest
Neil Diamond- Hot August Night
The Moody Blues- Anthology
The Police- Synchronicity
Steely Dan- Can't Buy A Thrill
Supertramp- The Very Best Of
UFO- Strangers in the Night
Yes- The Yes Album

Breakfast in America Supertramp


Dark Side of the Moon Pink Floyd

Tommy The Who

Bridge Over Troubled Water (Or the Greatest Hits compilation album) Simon & Garfunkel

Michael Jackson - Off the Wall (the production on this one is superb)
The Bangles - Everything (surely their best)
Pink Floyd - The Wall (quintessential Floyd)
Pink Floyd - Meddle (my favorite from them)
David Lee Roth - Eat ‘em and Smile (a perfect lineup at the perfect time)
Metallica - Master of Puppets (they never topped this one)
Jeff Beck - Blow by Blow (the greatest album of all time … there will be no discussion concerning this, it’s settled)

Trying to avoid duplicates and ltz 400 covered a bunch.
Best of Leon Russell
Little Feat, anything w Lowell George
Joe Cocker self titled or Best of
Best of The Who , Quadrophenia
Paul Simon, Negotiations and Love songs ( best of)
Grateful Dead American Beauty
Rod Stewart Every Picture tells a story
Boz Scaggs Boz Scaggs if only for Loan me a Dime.
Talking Heads Remain in Light
Frank Zappa Apostrophe, Overnight sensation. Plus Shut up and play your guitar
Velvet Underground Loaded
Brian Eno Desert Island Selection
Warren Zevon Excitable Boy

Thanks, everyone, for the great suggestions. I had some but not nearly all of these on my radar but really didn't have a clue on the best albums or representative works. I'll be checking them out.

In response to ltz400's questions, I'm looking at CDs. Many gently used (rated good or better) CDs are available on Ebay nearly dirt cheap; I'm loading them onto the system and putting the original back in the case.

More suggestions are welcome.

Thanks!

ST

BeBop Deluxe Raiding the divine archive
Bryan Ferry Roxy Music Street Life 20 greatest hits.
Peter Gabriel Shaking the Tree 16 greatest hits
Blue Oyster Cult Super hits
The Essential Clash
Stevie Wonder Songs in the key of life
Bob Dylan Blond on Blond & Blood on the Tracks

This message has been edited. Last edited by: tjcj,

Those three decades have so much great stuff.
I'd go to YouTube and look up/search any of the suggestions you've seen here that appeal to your tastes and start listening.

I would second a suggestion of 'Greatest Hits I, II, & III' from Queen.

if you would like to listen (test drive) an album prior to buying I would suggest you tube or Spotify. they have been a great help in sorting out the most comprehensive "best of " albums. wikipedia is also good for sorting by artist just use (artist discography) and it will list all known studio ,live and compilations). if you need a digital file (.m4a) just ask and we can send it.

Dire Straits - Sultans of Swing

Kooper, Bloomfield, Stills - Super Session