If you own the above album and were highly disappointed because some of the songs were live versions instead of studio versions, then this CD is for you!!! This CD has the studio versions we are used to hearing on the radio AND it's remastered. Good job, MCA :-)

If one is going to put out something with as definitive a title as Millenium Collection, how can they omit four of Diamond's greatest songs, Cherry Cherry, Kentucky Woman, Shilo and Solitary Man? I am sure there are other significant omissions too from later in his career (September Mornings?), and surely there is room on today's modern CDs to have included more than 12 songs. Don't get me wrong, the songs on here are great and they sound fine, but I am just very disappointed in the selection. A more appropriate title would be Some of Neil Diamond's Greatest Hits.

The songs are excellent (hence the four stars), worthy examples of Brill Building tunefulness married to lyrical phrases influenced by Dylanesque dissociation. That Diamond, like Elton John's Bernie Taupin, can render said dissociation prosaic and sometimes absurd (remember the "not even a chair" line?)only makes him slightly more gauche than Billy Joel, Paul McCartney or Michael Jackson at their least inspired. But like them he has an undeniable gift, and in my opinion he's written more good songs than James Taylor, Don McClean or at least Joe Walsh. Not all of them, unfortunately are on this disc, which thus fails to deliver on its title's promise (hence the aforementioned four stars) of including the best of the featured artist. For that you also need two other releases that bookend this one: "Classics The Early Years" for additional key tracks from his 60's pop-rock period and "12 Greatest Hits Vol. 2" for highlights from his more recent adult-contemporary material. Sure there are still songs that will be missed by some, but if you have at least two of these three collections (which may depend on your budget and what phase of Diamond's musical career you favor) you are bound to have most of his more memorable and popular compositions. This album,like the two others I've mentioned, offers the original recordings of the hits, an advantage over more exhaustive, multiple-CD anthologies marred by live performances which, while quite enjoyable on their own terms, leave many listeners longing for the studio versions of songs they cherish. Even if you decide to purchase only this album you will have made an excellent addition to your music library. But if, as I suspect, it leaves you wanting more, seek out the others I've recommended at your leisure and you will get much more of a very good thing.

A thoroughly enjoyable sampler of Neil Diamond's memorable pop-rock hits which preserved and updated the virtues of Brill Building songwriting, namely, an instant accessability and enthusiasm married to certain degree of emotional resonance and sophistication - an artful balance that faltered when the times unfurtunately demanded or creative inspiration dictated that Diamond sacrifice the former in favor of the latter. Yet while it includes "Sweet Caroline" and "Cracklin' Rosie" (hence the four stars), it does leave out several songs that most people who enjoy Diamond's music will probably want to hear(ditto). To those who wish to have several more his finest songs from the early years I humbly recommend that they seek out "Classics: The Early Years." For the best known of his more recent and still tuneful adult-contemporary material I advise them to look up Columbia's "12 Greatest Hits Vol. 2." To the best of my knowledge, none of the selections on these compilations overlap, and this due to reasons of music label ownership. Anyway, last I checked the two other hits collections I've named were also available. Together they provide a very good (though, of course, by no means definitive) overview of Diamond's work and, in terms of cost and content compared to multiple-CD sets, it may be the way to go for more casual listeners.

Love Neil Diamond anything. Listen to him all the time. I listen to the studio recorded versions and my oldest son listens to the live versions.