What an amazing collection. Never has an artist put out such a complete work of art. Unlike usual greatest hits packages which simply throw an artists best songs on disc, George Michael has taken time to create a 2 disc mood set, "For the Feet" and "For the Heart". With a few surprise songs thrown in, especially "AS" with Mary J Blige which for legal reason the US version didn't contain. Well worth the money.

I clearly remember the day that I had to admit to myself that I actually liked WHAM!. Now, 15 years later with the dawn of this collection I regret nothing. Do you hear me? Nothing. George Michael belongs to that spare club of musicians that survived the demise of their 80's band counterparts (another would be Sting) although one could argue that George Michael was WHAM!, to survive in Pop without a marketable logo is still a feat. Perhaps it is his ability to infuse the otherwise dispensable medium of Dance-Pop with a combination of playful sexuality and genuine pathos not found in the usual fare. Sure, his voice is amazing and flawless but his songwriting and producing (he does his own) are also inventive and fresh/non-formulaic. From the moment he took the stage with Elton John at Live Aid in '85, George Michael has dug in his heels for the long haul. Even his moral experiment "Listen without Prejudice Vol. I" sounds legitimate on return listenings and prefigures Prince's more-lauded biz rebellion by several years.

This budget-priced collection has all the GM that you need. Almost. One regret is that the alternate version (Pt. II) of the definitive GM track "I Want Your Sex" is included here instead of the superior original cut. "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)", the Aretha Franklin duet, is superfluous and lacks the characteristics (not written or produced by GM) that illuminate his songs above his Pop peers. Other disappointments are cosmetic and subtle, for instance, the opening string motif and classical guitar solo are mixed-out of "A Different Corner" (?). Still, this is the collection to get. If you're smart you can fill in the gaps with vinyl.

While this compilation was a contract obligation for Michael, Sony had the rights to these songs and to release any compilations they wanted to, this is still a worthwhile investment for the George Michael fans. LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: THE BEST OF GEORGE MICHAEL spans his career with plenty of material to satisfy the fans. The set is divided by 2 cds, the first being FOR THE HEART (ballads) and the second being FOR THE FEET (uptempos). This is the import version, which features one extra track, the duet with Mary J Blige on "As", which was not placed on the US version as a punishment from the label for his bathroom escapades in 1998. As well there are two new songs, one on each disc.

FOR THE HEART features some of his most heartfelt ballad performances. Notables include "Jesus To A Child", "You Have Been Loved", "I Can't Make You Love Me", "Careless Whisper", "Cowboys and Angels" and "One More Try".

FOR THE FEET features some of his best uptempo songs, such as "I Want Your Sex (Pt II), "Star People 97", "Too Funky", "Fastlove", etc. "Outside" is a great song, the new one on this disc, the video is among his best. Other highlights here include the duet with Aretha Franklin on "I Knew You Were Waiting For Me", the duet with Mary J Blige "As", "Hard Day", and more.

Overall this 29 song collection is a generous offering, and a must have for the fans, to remember some of his best known music. FOR THE HEART is perfect for reflection and relaxing, FOR THE FEET is perfect for getting ready to go out and party. Overall this is essential for the fans.

The title of this set says it all, "the best..." It is rare that an artist with so few albums under their belt could manage to fill two discs with true hits. However, George Michael rises to the challenge with this superb array of heart-breakers and bottom-shakers. The worldwide chart success of this package proves that controversy and legal problems cannot keep George Michael from coming out on top.

After listening to this compilation in full, I was really disappointed with the overall song selection. Perhaps George Michael (or the record company) felt that these were his best songs (and many of them are certainly good, even the lesser-known ones), but the majority of them are definitely not the tunes that made him a household name.

I've always had respect for Michael as I knew even as a kid in the 1980s that he was the creative force behind WHAM! and he remained in control of his music into his solo career with writing and producing (which I will forever admire, given how much record company executives want to keep pop musicians under their creative thumb).

Many of the songs included here are very jazzy and there are too many covers for someone of Michael's creative caliber to have done and then used here. He had many pop hits as a member of WHAM! and especially in his solo career, so why all the filler material?

I will join the chorus here and say I was majorly disappointed that the lesser-known version of "I Want Your Sex" (Part II) was chosen to be included over the better version that the general public came to know and love.

Whenever I buy a CD or, believe it or not, a tape or record (anyone remember them???) from an artist that was a big part of my pop music introduction in the 1980s, I always get those "Whoa! I haven't heard this in a *long* time" moments. There were two instances of that here, with "Monkey" (I can't remember the last time I heard that one on corporate radio) and his duet with Aretha Franklin, "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" (ditto).

I just think Michael (and/or the record company) should have cut out what I consider to be the filler songs and just kept it to one CD/one tape, putting all his well-known pop hits here and keeping the lesser-known songs to a minimum. I know that sounds like a corporate pop music mindset in and of itself, but the lesser-known songs here really detracted from the compliation's intent (although I still have great respect and admiration for Michael as a pop musician). - Donna Di Giacomo