Classic Queen

This is an excellent collection of one of the most popular and influential rock bands of all time, though it omits "We Are the Champions" and "Fat Bottomed Girls" (these, however, can be found on the Greatest Hits album, which together with Classic Queen gets you a comprehensive selection of their work). There's some great stuff here, including rockers like "Hammer to Fall," "Stone Cold Crazy," "I Want It All," "Headlong," and the hilarious "Tie Your Mother Down." There's also a good sampling of ballads, performed with an energy and sincerity that sets them apart: "Who Wants to Live Forever" is sorrowfully beautiful, and "The Show Must Go On" is only echoed by songs like Queensryche's "Is There Anybody Listening." Rounding things off is a fine selection of the unclassifiable, such as "Under Pressure," "I'm Going Slightly Mad," and "Radio Ga Ga." --Genevieve Williams