If you like all the Cranberries radio hits, and were hoping to have them all on one disc instead of owning every single Cranberries CD, just be warned that you are NOT getting many of the full length recordings, with some tracks being as much as 2 minutes shorter than the original album versions. Amongst the many edited versions I noticed were:

Dreams

When You're Gone

Free to Decide

Hollywood

Promises

Animal Instinct

Just my Imagination

You & Me

Track times:

1. dreams (4:15)

2. linger (4:34)

3. zombie (5:07)

4. ode to my family (4:31)

5. i can't be without you (3:07)

6. ridiculous thoughts (3:36)

7. salvation (2:24)

8. free to decide (3:23)

9. when you're gone (3:52)

10. hollywood (4:19)

11. promises (3:32)

12. animal instinct (3:32)

13. just my imagination (3:13)

14. you & me (3:17)

15. analyse (4:06)

16. time is ticking out (3:01)

17. this is the day (4:15)

18. daffodil lament (6:06)

19. new new york (4:09)

20. stars (3:31)

I bought this best-of cd wanting to hear a band I liked and saw a few times back in college. The problem is, Amazon doesn't let you know that the songs are the "singles" versions that were shortened for radio. "Promises" is hacked down to practically nothing. I'd recommend just buying their original cd's as opposed to this.

The Cranberries started out the early nineties as one of pop's most promising musical units, thanks in large part to their knack for melodic dream pop and Dolores O'Riordan's Sinead-like wail. Somewhere along the way, however, they seemed to stray from their initial path, with their music becoming increasingly riddled with overt political commentary(which, when lyricized by O'Riordan, was almost always laughable)and musically even sounding occasionally like just another corporate rock band, the only difference being the screaming banshee lead singer. But, when they were good, they were very good--'Linger' remains their shining moment, but they still managed several small jewels among the otherwise overbaked rubbish that often littered their studio sets. Both 'Dreams' and the hard-rocking 'Zombie' rate among their best--and they must have thought so too, considering as how they remade both later under the titles 'Analyse' and 'Hollywood', respectively. That aside, there's little to complain about here--this is a strong retrospective that actually does everyone the favor of wading through their spotty studio sets and placing all their essential music front and center on one disc. Highly recommended.

This has got to be the best album that came out in 2002. Even if one's not a Cranberries fan, this album has a little bit of something for everyone. All best songs from the past are included (even though there are still some other great songs) and the latest single - "Stars" is just simply great. I couldn't help myself listening to it for several times everytime. The song is a true Cranberries trade mark - beautiful, melodic, good beat and just pure simple music. Very addictive. Every music lover should have this CD. One of the greatest 'best of...' albums of the decade!!

My husband was helping a friend paint his living room, he came home at the end of the day raving about this CD that our pal had been playing while they painted!

So, being a good and thoughtful wife (!), I purchased it for my husband as a Christmas stocking gift. We've all (incl. our two young sons) fallen in love with this terrific CD.

The music is rich, celtic in spots, rockin' in others. Some of it you'll recognize from the radio, but you might (like me) not have known who the artist was?! Strong vocals, great backup instrumentals (my husband is a drummer, and is particularly drawn to music w/ good drum-beats!).

Anyway, we're loving this CD, and we highly recommend it to all of you! Enjoy!