While the overall level of quality on Universal's "Millenium Collections" has been a bit dubious, this is actually one of the better ones. By that I mean that it is clearly intended to provide a reasonably priced introduction for those who are not very familiar with the artist in question. Taken as such, this compilation is pretty solid.

As one of the previous reviewers noted, the VU were not a hit-oriented band. They were, however, very much a song-oriented band, and that is something that comes through in this collection. There are a few glaring ommisions ("Femme Fatale" and "I'll Be Your Mirror" in particular), but overall it is an accurate if not overly thorough portrait of the band.

The usefulness of this collection ultimately hinges on your an inexpensive cheap sampler of some of the 20th Century's most exciting rock-music, you won't go wrong with this one, and you'll probably move on to their albums. If you are a devoted fan, then you know enough to know that this was never intended for you and therefore hardly represents a rip-off attempt on the part of the record company, however greedy they might be.

Well, at least "Best of the Velvet Underground" has this going for it: It's a good place to start with the Velvet Underground. The legendary rock band is the grandfather of modern indie rock, and for those who are just getting into their music, this is a fairly good way to be introduced.

This compilation includes the top songs from their four studio albums, such as "Heroin," the enchanting "Sweet Jane" (a live version, not the album one), catchy "White Light White Heat," and several more. Generally these are the songs that people think of when they think of the Velvet Underground, and so are fairly obvious choices.

In that area, it does a good job of covering the career of Velvet Underground, from 1967's "Velvet Underground And Nico" to 1970's "Loaded." And unlike most "Best of" compilations, the various songs are presented in more or less chronological order, rather than being jumbled in a sonic heap.

However, there are quite a few omissions -- and boy, are they glaring ones. The sexy "Femme Fatale" and "I'll Be Your Mirror" are among them, as is the poignant ballad "Candy Says." It's hard to know why some of these omissions are present, except that perhaps the people compiling it shrank from including songs about transsexuals and S&M, although a pair of drug-related songs are included.

What is more, there is a distinct lack of Nico from the first few songs -- the German chanteuse's throaty monotone was one of the highlights of the Velvets' debut, yet she's conspicuously absent. And with her go some of the best songs of that debut as well, such as the offbeat, teasing ballad "Femme Fatale."

"Best of the Velvet Underground" is a somewhat deceptive title -- it has some of the best, but skirts the edgier, sexier and Nico-centered songs. It's a beginning point, but it cannot measure up to what came later.

Well I can't agree with the rest of the reviews here. Every song on this compilation is great and in fine remastered sound (the live 1969 version of Sweet Jane sounds better here than on the never remastered Mercury cd). For me every Velvets' full length has some unlistenable moments (listen to European Son or Murder Mystery lately?). I would also rather listen to this cd than a cd of their tedious demos (see the Peel Slowly and See box set) or pay for two barely differing versions of the same album (the recent "Banana" album reissue with needless bonus tracks). Not every grunt and groan committed to tape by Lou and company between 1965 and 1970 needs to be heard or bought. If you are a rabid collector go buy everything. If you just enjoy certain songs (not a crime) buy this or some of the other Velvet Underground compilations on offer.

Sure, I can agree with the other reviewers that this release is the usual record label "someone likes this band? quick get a value priced hits package out!" with no real concern of the velvets story or intentions. Some of their best work in my opinion is showcased here (Beginning to see the Light, Waiting for the man) but a lot of songs were left out in place of filler material that doesnt flow well combined. A good start but nothing amazing....

Depending on how you look at it, The Velvet Underground's 20th Century Masters Collection is either a must or a bust. If you're a die-hard fan that has all of their albums already, this CD will be a complete waste. However, if you've heard so much about the band and don't exactly know where to start, this is essential. The person writing this review falls into the second category. I'm not a VU fan but am familiar with Lou Reed. I have spent many years hearing about the band but never actually HEARD them until I picked up this CD. It is definitely a mind-blower.
This collection compiles most of The Velvets important tracks. Also, the songs are presented in their original full-length versions. This means that you get the full seven-minutes worth of "Heroin" in all it's drugged-out shrieking glory as well as the full 17 and 1/2 minutes of "Sister Ray". Also included is the classic "White Light/White Heat" which has been covered by many artists over the years as well as live versions of "Sweet Jane" and "Rock and Roll".
This CD is an excellent representation of The Velvet Underground
and is an perfect introduction to their music. If you're a curious listener like I once was, this collection will probably be all the VU music you'll ever need. 65-minutes of music for a low price isn't too bad either. Check it out.