Just about every major hit Linda Ronstadt has recorded is included on this excellent one-disc collection. The biggest hit missing is 1980's #10 hit "How Do I Make You" (aggravatingly, available on the British version of this disc). Many of the smashes here were already well-known in their original form, such as the Motown classics "Heat Wave," "Tracks of My Tears," "Ooh Baby Baby," and '50's rock standards "That'll Be the Day," "When Will I Be Loved," and "Back In The U.S.A." In addition to these huge chart successes are some excellent lesser hits and album tracks. "Love Is A Rose" and "Just One Look" did not do as well on the charts as, for example, "Get Closer" or her version of "Tumbling Dice," but they are clearly the superior records.

Ronstadt has been both praised and vilified for her many remakes (pretty much all her Top Tens). On one hand she was the first to bring songwriters like Warren Zevon, Karla Bonoff, Kate and Anna McGarrigle to the record-buying masses. On the other hand, some of her remakes are thought to lack emotional depth. Dave Marsh, in the good version of the Rolling Stone Record Guide, called Ronstadt a "horrid interpreter of...rock and soul material, frequently missing the essence...and never cutting below the surface." Scathing, and possibly accurate regarding "Tumbling Dice" (probably why it's not included here) and "Back In The U.S.A." I would side with Linda, however, on the hypnotically-beautiful "Ooh Baby Baby" and the uptempo hits "When Will I Be Loved," "That'll Be The Day," and the #1 "You're No Good." Of course, the duets with Aaron Neville are stunning--welcome comebacks for both singers--and I have always liked both "Somewhere Out There" and James Ingram. Although the song, an omnipresent #2 pop radio staple in 1986, made most people I know very, very ill.

I hope that Warner/Elektra/Asylum(?) issues a "Best of Volume 2," as they did with Rod Stewart (here, anyway). I'd still like to see a compilation of the remaining hits, even "Tumbling Dice," on disc, as well as the Nelson Riddle I-am-too-mature-for-rock-and-so-what-if-I-gained-a-few-pounds era songs "What's New" and "I've Got A Crush On You," and the gorgeous "Heartbeats Accelerating" from "Winter Light." In addition to "Get Closer," other fine singles from Ronstadt wanting to be anthologized include "I Knew You When," "Someone To Lay Down Beside Me," "Easy For You To Say," "It Doesn't Matter Anymore," "Alison" (yep, the Elvis Costello song, from "Back in the U.S.A."), "Silver Threads and Golden Needles," and "I Can't Let Go." O.K., one more: the non-single duet with James Taylor, "I Think It's Gonna Work Out Fine" from "Get Closer."

Regardless, this is the best collection ever likely to be assembled on one CD. Even a fussy completist like me recommends it highly.

Fans may note that the British version of this album omits "Love Is a Rose" and "Adios," the latter of which features background vocals by Brian Wilson, in favor of "How Do I Make You," "Love Has No Pride," "Desperado" (the Eagles' album-rock favorite), and "After the Gold Rush," a truet with Emmylou Harris and Valerie Carter. I'm pretty sure I made up that word; remember I invented it first. Lucky Brits.

Linda Ronstadt has one of the most amazing female voices in the music industry. I was very excited when I got this CD. It represents her music career well from the casual fan aspect. This woman has sang all different types of music and has been popular since the 60's which definitely displays some staying power. This album contains seven of her top 10 hits and sixteen top 40 hits. Although many of her hits were cover songs, she delivered them so well, they ptactically became her own. Her top 5 version of "Heat Wave" is fantastic and rivals the original. Then there's her #1 hit "You're No Good" which is undoubtably a 70's classic as is "Blue Bayou" (#3 hit.) Her first hit is graciously included being "Different Drum" (#13) from 1967. "It's So Easy" (#5) "Ohh Baby Baby" (#7) and "Hurt So Bad" (#8) are other highlights . Then who could forget her three smash duets which shot Linda back into the spotlight in the late 80's and early 90's. "Somewhere Out There" with James Ingram is now a pop standard and her vocal delivery in it is fantastic. Both her duets with Aaron Neville are also gems. "Don't Know Much" hit #2 and "All My Life" made it to #11 on the pop charts. The album then closes with her beautiful and stunning version of "Winter Light."

This hit collection is long overdue. Although there were previous collections of her earlier material, a more complete one was well deserved. Although this may not be all the way up to standards for the die-hards, this is a great collection for new fans. Linda Ronstadt's music should be enjoyed by all.

I have enjoyed listening to Linda Ronstadt over the years and happy to still hear her songs on the radio today! I agree with most of the reviewers and do recommend this collection for casual fans.

I already had her two greatest hits albums (1976 and 1980) and also have "Howl Like A Rainstorm...Cry Like The Wind" album, but still decided to buy this. I'm happy I did! Sure, hits are missing, but what is here is great and sounds great too!

Included are liner notes and pictures of Linda in color and B & W through her various stages of her life. Detailed song credits with chart positions are also here.

While on occasion criticized for not writing her own material, Linda Ronstadt nonetheless became arguably the definitive interpretive singer, male or female, of the last three decades. While she started out as a country-rock singer, she never limited herself to that role--for every 'You're No Good' or 'Poor,Poor Pitiful Me', you had a Motown classic like 'Heatwave' or 'Tracks Of My Tears'(which in my estimation to this day still equals, if not surpasses, the original Miracles' classic). Along the way she made a few genre stops (new wave, mariachi, adult contemporary pop) before coming full circle in the late nineties. The compilation adds a few of her late-eighties duets with James Ingram and Aaron Neville not found on her two previous greatest hits cds, as well as several album cuts. Ultimately, this compilation reaffirms that few artists in recent times could match Ronstadt's overall first-rate body of work.

I have to admit, I like pop music but I've been a snob about it. The words Good and Pop music don't seem to go together well. How can it be? Pop music is suppose to be disposible.

However, the production values on this CD of Linda's hits relfect the informed song choices that she made at the time. You couldn't deny this woman for her sheer ability to make you listen to her and that voice!! A true survivor of pop music.

My thoughts on this CD are the following:

The sound quality on this CD is great. It suggest that Linda Ronstadt's songs were remastered and transferred to digital. Sound is better than her Volume 1 and II hit CDs. So, this CD is a 5 for sound quality. This CD design and pictures accompanying the jacket are great. I give this a 5 too.

However, I give the song choices on this CD a 4. Yes, 4.