2 comments about In Your Room.

1. As far as quality of material, the Yaz(oo) albums and bonus tracks included here are superior, and merit a five-star rating. The straight stereo remastering of the two albums and remixes is excellent--it really enrichens the sound--subtly, but noticeably. Most people buying this will have most of this material already, so you know how fabulous the songs are.
   
   As for what's new--the documentary is interesting and informative, but it is the kind of thing you watch a few times at most. The real disappointment is in the 5.1 surround mixes. I will be charitable and say that they don't sound good. At all. They are interesting to a certain extent, as you can clearly identify the parts of the songs, but all of the richness has been drained. This could be due to the fact that the songs were so spare to begin with, and what sounds full coming through two channels seems thin through 5. In any case, these mixes are a failure.
   
   It is nice to have the remixes on the bonus disc--I never replaced my vinyl of "State Farm" or "Don't Go," so it is nice to have them digitized. But there are some rarities missing--and it is a real shame that "Get Set" wasn't included--by the wishes of the artists, but it would have been nice to have. The videos from their BBC appearances are charming, but lip-synched per the standards of the day. I don't think I'll watch them repeatedly. And the booklet is nice.
   
   So the bottom line--the best of what's here was already out there, though we do have it in remastered form. The new elements simply fall short. It is a must-have for die-hard fans like me, but not for everyone.



2. Yazoo were always more popular in the UK than the US, but their two albums spawned perennial club hits that still get played today. This box set collects the two albums, remastered at last, and finally with their tracklists matching their original UK counterparts.
   
   Many US fans would be surprised to realize that two of the groups biggest club hits, "Situation" and "State Farm", were not originally on the UK versions of their respective albums. Both were B-Sides of singles, and were originally considered throwaway tracks by Clarke and Moyet. Savvy American execs saw the potential in "Situation" and hired Francois Kervorkian to remix the track, creating a dancefloor smash on both sides of the pond. When "Upstair's At Eric's" was released in America, the moody track "Tuesday" was dropped from the line-up to make room for the reworked "Situation", and "Tuesday" did not appear on an album in America until 1999's "Best Of Yaz" compilation CD.
   
   On the American release of "You and Me Both", the track "Happy People" was dropped in favor of the single "State Farm". These decisions were perhaps understandable for the limited time available on vinyl albums, but why these missing tracks were not restored to the original American compact disc versions of the albums is a mystery ( In an odd twist of fate, the British CD release of "Upstairs At Eric"s" saw the US mix of "Situation" added as a bonus track - along with the single-only "The Other Side Of Love"- but this time the avant garde track "I Before E Except After C" was removed. strange, since there was still plenty of room on the disc for all of the tracks...curiouser and curiouser).
   
   Fortunately, the box set restores both albums to their original tracklists and a third CD collects all the singles in their original and remixed/extended versions. Also included is a bonus DVD of television appearances, promotional video clips ( many of which were never shown in America ) and a terrific half hour documentary about the group which answers many questions, and should put to rest rumours about who disbanded the group and why, once for all. The television appearances are almost overkill, since all of them involve the duo onstage at various shows miming to their current hit ( and after you've seen them miming "Only You" once, you can pretty much predict what the next clips are going to look like ). Also included is a lovely booklet about the group which is chockful of pictures and history.
   
   The remastering job is terrific and gives the songs more punch than ever before. There are also very good 5.1 mixes included on the companion DVD which sound great on a surround system.
   
   All in all a great set celebrating the legacy of a short-lived but fondly remembered collaboration of two great talents, Vince Clarke and Alison Moyet.

2 comments about In Your Room.

1. As far as quality of material, the Yaz(oo) albums and bonus tracks included here are superior, and merit a five-star rating. The straight stereo remastering of the two albums and remixes is excellent--it really enrichens the sound--subtly, but noticeably. Most people buying this will have most of this material already, so you know how fabulous the songs are.
   
   As for what's new--the documentary is interesting and informative, but it is the kind of thing you watch a few times at most. The real disappointment is in the 5.1 surround mixes. I will be charitable and say that they don't sound good. At all. They are interesting to a certain extent, as you can clearly identify the parts of the songs, but all of the richness has been drained. This could be due to the fact that the songs were so spare to begin with, and what sounds full coming through two channels seems thin through 5. In any case, these mixes are a failure.
   
   It is nice to have the remixes on the bonus disc--I never replaced my vinyl of "State Farm" or "Don't Go," so it is nice to have them digitized. But there are some rarities missing--and it is a real shame that "Get Set" wasn't included--by the wishes of the artists, but it would have been nice to have. The videos from their BBC appearances are charming, but lip-synched per the standards of the day. I don't think I'll watch them repeatedly. And the booklet is nice.
   
   So the bottom line--the best of what's here was already out there, though we do have it in remastered form. The new elements simply fall short. It is a must-have for die-hard fans like me, but not for everyone.



2. Yazoo were always more popular in the UK than the US, but their two albums spawned perennial club hits that still get played today. This box set collects the two albums, remastered at last, and finally with their tracklists matching their original UK counterparts.
   
   Many US fans would be surprised to realize that two of the groups biggest club hits, "Situation" and "State Farm", were not originally on the UK versions of their respective albums. Both were B-Sides of singles, and were originally considered throwaway tracks by Clarke and Moyet. Savvy American execs saw the potential in "Situation" and hired Francois Kervorkian to remix the track, creating a dancefloor smash on both sides of the pond. When "Upstair's At Eric's" was released in America, the moody track "Tuesday" was dropped from the line-up to make room for the reworked "Situation", and "Tuesday" did not appear on an album in America until 1999's "Best Of Yaz" compilation CD.
   
   On the American release of "You and Me Both", the track "Happy People" was dropped in favor of the single "State Farm". These decisions were perhaps understandable for the limited time available on vinyl albums, but why these missing tracks were not restored to the original American compact disc versions of the albums is a mystery ( In an odd twist of fate, the British CD release of "Upstairs At Eric"s" saw the US mix of "Situation" added as a bonus track - along with the single-only "The Other Side Of Love"- but this time the avant garde track "I Before E Except After C" was removed. strange, since there was still plenty of room on the disc for all of the tracks...curiouser and curiouser).
   
   Fortunately, the box set restores both albums to their original tracklists and a third CD collects all the singles in their original and remixed/extended versions. Also included is a bonus DVD of television appearances, promotional video clips ( many of which were never shown in America ) and a terrific half hour documentary about the group which answers many questions, and should put to rest rumours about who disbanded the group and why, once for all. The television appearances are almost overkill, since all of them involve the duo onstage at various shows miming to their current hit ( and after you've seen them miming "Only You" once, you can pretty much predict what the next clips are going to look like ). Also included is a lovely booklet about the group which is chockful of pictures and history.
   
   The remastering job is terrific and gives the songs more punch than ever before. There are also very good 5.1 mixes included on the companion DVD which sound great on a surround system.
   
   All in all a great set celebrating the legacy of a short-lived but fondly remembered collaboration of two great talents, Vince Clarke and Alison Moyet.

5 comments about Thank You for the Music.

1. The best part of this collection is the rare, previously unavailable tracks. Never mind that buying this item means acquiring songs one already has; it is the the above mentioned rare stuff that is worth the price of admission. Disc 4, Track 8, Medley, Pick a Bale of Cotton, On Top of Old Smokey, and Midnight Special are interesting. Whoever heard of ABBA singing a CCR song? And Track 11 on the same disc, ABBA Undeleted, in which they're "jamming" is a lot of fun, because it is so informal and spontaneous.
   Now, if only Agnetha Faltskog's early career German language recordings would once again be available...



2. I enjoyed all of the music in this CD. It brings me back to my childhood days where ABBA songs were played over the radio on a daily basis. It is good to know that I finally found and have the ABBA CD that I like!!!



3. Well I recentley purchased this box set and I was happy. My only two complaints are about tracks on this box set.
   
   Complaint #1:
   They say they have put every track on here ever released by ABBA. This is NOT true. It does NOT contain "Arrival", "Dum Dum Diddle", "Bang-A-Boomerang", "My Love, My Life", "Lovelight (Original Version)", "The Name of the Game (Long Version)", "Move On", tracks from their Spanish album "Oro: Grandes Exitos", "Intermezzo No. 1", "Ring Ring (Bara Du Slog En Signal)", any tracks from the Ring Ring album (aside from "Ring Ring", "Merry-Go-Round", "Love Isn't Easy (But It Sure Is Hard Enough)and "Santa Rosa") so many of the tracks that ABBA released is NOT on here so it is NOT all of ABBA's singles (first to last) they leave many good ones out.
   Complaint #2:
   This box set remixes Lovelight and shortens The Name of the Game. Most people like the ORIGINAL version of Lovelight and the ORIGINAL version of The Name of the Game. Aside from this the box set is well worth your ABBA pleasure...



4. I own this by ABBA, and I Truly think its the Best Collection of ABBA's Songs! I Never get tired of listening to them! This 4 CD Set and Booklet is well worth the money and listening time!



5. I can recall this band when i was a child having alot of hits.Some of the songs i remember from those days were S.O.S. and Waterloo.My mum bought some of their albums and i just loved a heap of their songs.By the late 70's i started ignoring them as they got so much attention by the media.But i still liked alot of their tunes.Radio stations seemed to ignore this band alot in the 80's here.But i heard some of their songs and after so many years of not hearing them they sounded damn good,so i went and got a few albums.This was 1989 and i got right into them again.I always hoped this band would get back together,but the news is that they will not.Thats a shame,but there is so much music to reflect on.Every now and then i play their songs,Some of my favorites are the 2 i mentioned and Honey Honey,I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do ,Mamma Mia ,Fernando ,Ring Ring ,The Winner Takes It All ,Under Attack , Hasta Manana and Thank You For The Music.There is also a stack of other songs i like.This is a good collection of their songs.

5 comments about The Hits/The B-Sides.

1. i have been looking for this cd for months, got it really fast and i just can`t stop listening to it'!



2. The Past, Present, and Anticipating the Future.
   
   This collection of Prince's greatest hits is without a doubt still his best, even though he has released 3 others in its wake.
   
   The Hits include all of Prince's Top 40 hits and then on a 3rd disc introduces the B-sides that were born from his incredible top 40 hits. B-sides allow the listener to understand how Prince's music was created and how the Era's in which he created his music transformed his artistically.
   
   Prince's music have become a microscope into his life. The Hits cover his emergence as a pop star, His reign at the top of the charts, and finally Prince straying away from the commerical world of music to a more artistic rare form that could teach today's musical youth a lesson in blazing trails rather than just strolling along one someone else created.
   
   The Hits is a chronical of music that will forever stand the test of time in a forever changing world of music.



3. It may not be a definitive portriat of his overall career since he produced many great songs(if not albums) after this box set was released but, the hits and B sides does a stellar job of capturing most of the best songs he did during his prime period
   
   Disc one contains what people expect "When Doves Cry", "1999", "Diamonds and Pearls" etc. What makes this box set worth owning is the second and third disc. In my opinion, the second disc contains the songs that cemented his status as the eccentric genius of pop music in the 1980's with racy songs like "Dirty Mind", "Head", "If I was your Girlfriend", etc. The first disc is great and contains some of the most inventive pop songs ever produced but the rauchier second disc contains the songs that made every Prince album an event in the 1980's. Take away the rauchiness and you're left with "another pop artist" who made great songs but have no personality (like George Michael). His sexier side is what made him unique. With sexier x rated songs presenting a flipside to his accessible pop songs, he's a artist shrounded in mystery and worth a million analysis! He's a pure legend because if it and without the second disc, casual fans wouldn't be aware of the mystery that gave him longetvity.
   
   The B Sides disc (disc 3) is pretty cool if not great. It doesn't measure up to the quality of the first two discs but, hidden gems like "She's always in my Hair", "[..] Toad", and "Erotic City" makes the disc worth checking out. If the first disc presents Prince as a inventive Pop craftsman, and the second disc showcases Prince's sexier side, then the thrid disc defines his experiemental side. At times the experimentations paid off and sometimes they didn't - making the B sides disc less consistent than the first two, but enjoyable nonetheless.
   
   This is not a bad place to start to hear one of the best mainstream artist in pop music history. What would've made this boxset better was for them to extended it to a extra disc to include more album tracks rather than just include the hits. Since the quality of Prince music took a nosedive at the dawn of the 90's, this is the best place to hear the purple one at his most fruitful and colorful.



4. It took the morality police a few days after the Super Bowl to catch back up with Prince. I guess he has been operating too far under the radar for the MP's to remember that back in the day he was one of their biggest targets.
   
   But even the younger MP's have to recall that Prince became a music icon back in the 1980s, when neo-conservatism ran amuck through art. Prince had the courage to push back and this classic set shows his genius as hit after hit after hit - and a few surprises - are showcased in the 56 tracks.
   
   The third disc of B-sides is full of rare songs that make the box set well worth the price. Not only is Prince a prolific artist, he made the singles a must for fans who wanted material not found on albums. Many of the cuts show Prince's wry sense of humor. My favorites include 200 Balloons, Shockadelica, How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore and Another Lonely Christmas.
   
   Pop Life is my favorite song, but discs one and two deliver elegance - Nothing Compares 2 U - collaborations, Alphabet St (with Sheila E) and If I was Your Girlfriend (with Camille) & cuts that may have gotten lost in the wealth of output - Thieves In The Temple and Pope.
   
   He dominated the music industry like few artists. And it looks like Prince and his guitar are ready again to shake things up and get the MP's all hot & bothered.
   
   Maybe for next year's big game the NFL will play it safe and dust off ancient stadium rockers ZZ Top, with the hope that the 8-track tape they'll be lip-syncing to won't snap in the equally antique machine.



5. Prince is a musical genius.
   2 words...BUY IT. You will not regret this purchase.

5 comments about Like, Omigod! The '80s Pop Culture Box (Totally).

1. its a very good and almost complete 80's colletion.
   there is a few songs not important or famous.
   the box is pretty and the book its interesant.



2. As a child of the 80's I really enjoyed hearing all of the songs in this box set. The box set really showcases all of the one-hit-wonders that seemed to make up top 40 radio in the 80's: Kajagoogoo, Bow Wow Wow, Taco, The Fixx, etc. Most of the decade's major stars are absent, but I'm sure one Madonna, Michael Jackson or Prince tune would have cost way too much to license. If you love 80's music, you will enjoy this box set, that is if you don't already own most of these tunes.
   
   My problem with the box set is that it doesn't differentiate itself from so many countless others that are available. I picked this box set up after listening to Rhino's "Have a Nice Decade: 70's Box Set". The 70's box featured about 4 or 5 soundbites per disk wedged between songs. The scope of music found of the 70's box set was fantastic, and the various styles presented kept my attention. The Newscasts and soundbites, the variety really captured the flavor of the 70's. You won't find this in the 80's box set. The tunes presented in the 80's set are basically all Top 40 hits, and really doesn't scratch the surface of the music scene in the 80's. Where is Siouxsie and the Banshees, where are The Dead Milkmen, where is Morris Day and the Time? I like the hits, but let's face it, I don't need another copy of "Tainted Love" or "Take on Me" which are readily available on almost any 80's best of CD.
   The booklet that comes with the box set has some decent info, but why does it start off with an essay that is so critical of the decade? Instead of celebrating the Reagan years, we get a diatribe about "greed" and how shallow and dismal the decade was???? Buyers of this box set probably have fond memories of the time this set represents...why have such a negative essay start things off? The song by song rundown is good, as is the timeline running along the bottom of the booklet which points out key events of the decade.
   I guess in the long run it boils down to if you don't have these tunes, this is a handy collection to pick them all up in one shot, but if you already have plenty of 80's cds in your collection..you may want to pass as there really isn't anything new here.



3. Although this set has a good selection of 80's music i don't feel it included a lot of songs that are better than what it has. I really like the 70's version of this set though.



4. Some of my downloads from Kazaa sound better than the songs on this collection. I doubt that Rhino used the master tapes for this set as most songs have serious imperfections. That's a shame because the songs selection is very good. After listening to three or four songs, my ears start ringing. This collection is probably more suitable for car listening on long trips. For this reason I will never buy another Rhino collection. Period.



5. Well, like many of the reviewers, this set has lots of well known songs, but many tracks are not worth the price.
   
   I have been collecting 80's songs via iTunes for a few years now. I have 7 discs that I made myself of 80's hits. A lot of this set included. I, however, was able to skip downloading Don Johnson, Billy Crystal and many of those random, unwanted songs that have been mentioned.
   
   When I am finished with my "Ultimate 80's Box Set" I will have about 15 discs of all the songs I remember hearing during those long bus rides to and from school in the 1980's. Of course, I listen on an iPod, so I don't need the discs anymore.
   
   My rule of thumb is if it is made by "Rhino" don't bother. It will be overpriced, poorly constructed, poorly compiled, poor quality, not remastered and you'll eventually be left feeling ripped off.
   
   Go to iTunes. I have only had a few songs not come up so far. Some of those have eventually made it to iTunes. If you can't find it there, just wait...it won't take long.

5 comments about '80s Pop Hits.

1. I bought this CD BoxSet awhile ago at Best Buy as being a number of these are that I had a sneaking suspiscion on what these songs truly sound like. I do,however remember the "Let's Hear It For The Boy" since I have seen "FootLoose" hundreds of times and it's still a favorite in which the song was from. I also remember "Total Eclipse Of The Heart" that indeed is questionary on if it's a love song or a depressing "break-up song?" Ah,and there was my personal
   favorite..."Eternal Flame" in which I find to be full of emotion and true love as this is what love songs should truely be like to begin with!! Let's not forget the pop group that was extremely popular with teens
   (And myself when I was much younger.)"way back when in the old school" called none other than the
   ever-so-famous The New Kids On The Block!! I didn't care for some of the songs on this CD set,unfortunately as that is partially why I give this item a 4 stars.
   Not to change the subject on this fabulous item(Okay,I lied.)but I lost 2 of the 3 CD's because I believe they got stolen since my ex-boyfriend used them last...that is,if memory serves me. Oh well,perhaps I might consider buying a whole spanking new copy to
   "get even" with him since he'd have 2 used CD's while I'd have all 3 CD's being new!! Ha,ha,ha,he,he,he!! I love it!!! However,all I must say(Yeah right,you're all probably tired of me chit-chatting for quite some time now...)I must make the comment: "NICE PRICE!!!!" I was born in 1981 so I'm somewhat familiar with 80's music. I personally prefer Joan Jett and the Blackhearts in which I found to be a total bummer not to include herself and her band...I MEAN,WHO HASN'T HEARD OF THE SONG CALLED "I LOVE ROCK 'N ROLL?!!" Also,another favorite I like is "Search Is Over" from Survivor since it's the song that played during a Junior High dance that I went to with an ex-boyfriend(He wasn't my "ex" when we were at the dance,though.)as "Search Is Over" was the song playing when I got MY FIRST KISS EVER!!!! Sigh...I guess you can't have 'em all...EVEN ON THE POKE'MON VIDEO GAMES IS IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO "CATCH 'EM ALL!!" GO FIGURE,HUH? GREAT PRODUCT,ANYWAYS. RECOMMENDED FOR THOSE WHOM EITHER GREW UP IN THE 80'S OR ENJOY 80'S MUSIC FOR SHEER ENJOYMENT...BE CAREFUL,80'S MUSIC WERE ALL A COMPLETE "SELL-OUT" BUT AT LEAST IT WASN'T AS "CORNY" AS SOME OF THOSE 70'S AND 80'S CARTOONS THAT KIDS WATCHED WHEN THEY WERE ALL YOUNG,THOUGH. A MUST BUY!!! ^_^
   
   *J. Allen*



2. I LOVE '80s music (I grew up in that era), but only about half of the songs on this CD are among my favorites from that era. The other half of the songs, I either tolerated back then or didn't like at all. I've seen better '80s collections. (Also, there should have been more hard rock/heavy metal hits included, as many of those songs were grouped in with the pop hits on many radio stations back then. )



3. I recall very few of these hits from the 80s. There may be one or two that I know on each of the three CDs. This is not the fault of the CD publisher--It's MY fault for not reading the song lists more closely before I ignorantly hit the "buy" button. Make sure this CD is going to provide the 1980s sound YOU remember before you buy.



4. Most of the tracks on the first disc alone warrant purchasing it at the price offered...however, the second two discs could've been whittled-down to a few tracks that could've replaced some of the softer offerings on Disc One and it would've been one monster CD...still, the wheat can be burned from the chaff on one's mp3/I-Pod, I suppose.



5. Any 80's music lover will be happy to have this collection! The selection is perfect. I just love it.

5 comments about Michael Jackson: The Ultimate Collection.

1. If you're a Michael Jackson fan, you probably have at least two or more greatest hits compilations, but this one is truly a must have.
   Packed with all the amazing hits including many from the Jackson 5 and Jacksons era, also delivering a good number of previously unreleased tracks and original demos that any fan would more than appreciate (The demo from 'We Are the World' it's impossible to find and simply brilliant).
   
   The booklet itself is amazing, superb pictures and lots of info. Plus the Bucharest concert, if you don't have it already then here it is.
   Just LOVE IT.



2. I love this Michael Jackson collection especially the unreleased selections. I listen to it all the time.
   
   Lisa-Shaker Heights, Oh.



3. This is everything we expected and wanted. It makes a great addition to our Micheal Jackson collection we have. Thank you so much. Also my kids love it.



4. There is only one bad thing that I can say about this box set and that it wasn't hand delivered by Michael himself!
   
   All your favourites are here plus some gems that you didn't know you were missing. The booklet is great and although the DVD element has been released on it's own it's still a winner in my eyes.
   
   It comes in an impressive fold-out case that towers above any neighbouring CD's or DVD's you have displayed.
   
   Do yourself a favour and get your hands on it. Show your friends and feel even better about what you scored...
   
   Gonz
   
   Sydney, Australia



5. I just purchased this item a couple of days ago, and already I'm impressed. Not only does it contain songs from his days with the Jackson 5 all the way to the Invincible album, it also has rare and unreleased songs from albums tracing back to The Jacksons. There are four discs of music, and one DVD of the Dangerous Tour Live in Bucharest. I feel that some of the discs are missing some of his greatest singles such as In The Closet, Working Day & Night, Another Part Of Me, Liberian Girl, Leave Me Alone, Human Nature, and I Can't Help It. These are only a few to name, but here's the list:
   Disc 1
   1. I Want You Back (Jackson 5)
   2. ABC (Jackson 5)
   3. I'll Be There (Jackson 5)
   4. Got To Be There
   5. I Wanna Be Where You Are (Jackson 5)
   6. Ben
   7. Dancing Machine (Single Version)
   8. Enjoy Yourself (The Jacksons)
   9. Ease On Down The Road (duet with Diana Ross) - this song is from The Wiz.
   10. You Can't Win - also from The Wiz
   11. Shake A Body (an early demo of Shake Your Body [Down to the Ground])
   12. Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground) [Single Version]
   13. Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough
   14. Rock With You - one of my favorite tracks from the Off The Wall era
   15. Off The Wall - another favorite
   16. She's Out Of My Life - if you want to cry, listen to this song.
   17. Sunset Driver (Demo)
   18. Lovely One (The Jacksons)
   19. This Place Hotel (The Jacksons) - it's usually known as the Heartbreak Hotel.
   Disc 2
   1. Wanna Be Startin' Somethin' - Mama se, mama sa, mama koosa! Another jam by the legend and a good song to dance to.
   2. The Girl Is Mine (feat. Paul McCartney)
   3. Thriller - I used to be afraid of the music video when I was a child.
   4. Beat It
   5. Billie Jean
   6. P.Y.T. (Original Version/Demo) - this isn't the same P.Y.T. from the Thriller album. This version sounds more like a ballad than a dance song. I really like this version.
   7. Someone In The Dark - I think that you can find this song on the E.T. soundtrack. This song also sounds really good.
   8. State Of Shock (The Jacksons with Mick Jagger)
   9. Scared Of The Moon (Demo)
   10. We Are The World (Demo) - Michael is the only one singing in this version. It still sounds really good.
   11. We Are Here To Change The World
   Disc 3
   1. Bad
   2. The Way You Make Me Feel
   3. Man In The Mirror
   4. I Just Can't Stop Loving You (feat Siedah Garrett)
   5. Dirty Diana
   6. Smooth Criminal
   7. Cheater (Demo)
   8. Dangerous (Early Version)
   9. Monkey Business
   10. Jam
   11. Remember The Time - one of my favorite songs from Dangerous. I also like the video which includes Eddie Murphy, Iman, and Magic Johnson.
   12. Black Or White
   13. Who Is It (IHS Mix)
   14. Someone Put Your Hand Out - a really nice, smooth ballad that is an unreleased track from the Dangerous era. During one of Michael's costume changes from the Dangerous Tour, you can hear the pianist playing this song.
   Disc 4
   1. You Are Not Alone
   2. Stranger In Moscow - I really like this song, and Michael makes a lot of references about the USSR.
   3. Childhood (Theme from Free Willy 2) - this song is really deep. Michael sings about how he never had a childhood. One of his lyrics states "people say I'm not okay, cause I love such elementary things, it's been my fate to compensate, for the childhood I've never known,,,"
   4. On The Line - a nice ballad produced by Babyface.
   5. Blood On The Dancefloor
   6. Fall Again (demo)
   7. In The Back
   8. Unbreakable
   9. You Rock My World
   10. Butterflies
   11. Beautiful Girl (demo) - this song sounds very melodic.
   12. The Way You Love Me - this song also sounds really nice.
   13. We've Had Enough
   Disc 5: The Dangerous Tour DVD
   1. Jam
   2. Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'
   3. Human Nature
   4. Smooth Criminal
   5. I Just Can't Stop Loving You
   6. She's Out Of My Life
   7. I Want You Back/The Love You Save
   8. I'll Be There
   9. Thriller
   10. Billie Jean
   11. Working Day & Night
   12. Beat It
   13. Will You Be There
   14. Black Or White
   15. Heal The World
   16. Man In The Mirror
   This box set of Michael's ultimate collection is very good. It's missing some of his great singles, but overall it's really not a bad collection.
   9.

5 comments about I Want My 80's Box.

1. The 1980's really was the golden age of music videos. It was so much different then. Most teens didn't own that many albums. Albums were expensive if you were a kid living at home with your parents, and no one could download songs from the internet. Most kids watched MTV all day. These songs represent a more peaceful time to me. Ronald Reagan was President, and the Cold War between America and the former Soviet Union was coming to an end. Most of these are love songs. All of them were hits during the 80's. I always assumed that many American singers were influenced by punk rock. Punk-rock bands were popular in Britain. There were a lot of popular British singers during the 1980's. I do wish Phil Collins had been part of this collection. I would trade "Luka" for one of his songs any day of the week. I like all of the songs in this box set except for that one.



2. This boxed set has all of your favorites from the 80s. I bought it for my sister for Christmas and we listened to it over and over again on New Year's Eve and beyond. Every song brought back a memory from the "old days" and made us smile. What a great way to start the new year!



3. GREAT CD, a must have if you are into the 80's music.



4. I luuuuv some of these songs, but some of them suck. hoever, if u like these songs u should totally get it!



5. I mix 80s dance music and the number of times when mixing that I find myself reaching for either this compilation or its companion, "Hit Me With Your 80s Box," is extraordinary. These are two outstanding collections. They are pricey, but worth every penny. For many people, owning these two will be all the 80s music you'll ever need.
   
   Fidelity is outstanding, the tracks are well organized more or less chronologically, and the sequences in which tracks are placed is excellent. The "box" itself in which the 3 CDs come is sturdy, it is easily folded out in part or in whole to access any of the CDs quickly and easily (unlike many multi-CD offerings). Liner notes are extensive and interesting.
   
   This offering is a class act all the way. Highly, highly recommended. 7 stars.

5 comments about Hit Me with Your 80's Box!.

1. Good stuff, especially for those of us nostalgic for 80's music. It's a nice three CD collection of some of the best mainstream stuff from the 80's, including some music I had trouble finding elsewhere.



2. I mix 80s dance music and the number of times when mixing that I find myself reaching for either this compilation or its companion, "I Want My 80s Box," is extraordinary. These are two outstanding collections. They are pricey, but worth every penny. For many people, owning these two will be all the 80s music you'll ever need.
   
   Fidelity is outstanding, the tracks are well organized more or less chronologically, and the sequences in which tracks are placed is excellent. The "box" itself in which the 3 CDs come is sturdy, it is easily folded out in part or in whole to access any of the CDs quickly and easily (unlike many multi-CD offerings). Liner notes are extensive and interesting.
   
   This offering is a class act all the way. Highly, highly recommended. 7 stars.



3. This is a great collection of awesome 80's music, but I feel that each disc should have had about three more songs on them. Also, I think the title refers to Pat Benatar's HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT. Strangely enough, the song is nowhere to be found on this set???



4. ...Why does this box set not contain the very song its title is a reference to? If it were to be truly complete, it would contain: HIT ME WITH YOUR RHYTHM STICK, by Ian Dury & The Blockheads.



5. Hit me with your 80's box is great box set for anyone who likes eighties music. While it not as good as "Like, Omigod:The 80's pop culture box" It still will take the listener back to a great time in the music industry.

5 comments about Have A Nice Decade: The '70s Pop Culture Box.

1. I liked that many of these songs fit into the "one hit wonder" category, it was fun to listen to them again after all this time. I agree with what many people said about the news snip-its randomly inserted through out - while I didn't completely hate them, it was annoying when I created an itunes play list with some of these songs for a party and all of a sudden the music stops and some weird recorded voice stated speaking about some news-worthy event. I thought they might show up as separate tracks on the CD, providing the ability to omit them from playlists, but that was not the case. Dispite this, I love the box set.



2. This is one of the best box sets EVER! From a decade that no one will miss. That is ofcousre if you have this



3. This is a pretty cool seven CD box set that covers hit songs of the 1970s. It features songs from many different styles of music; including pop, rock, country, folk, R&B, disco, novelty and others. A few of the songs are preceded by brief excerpts from news reports or press conferences. I know that some people didn't like this aspect of the collection, but it didn't bother me, because the sound bites usually relate to the following song in an amusing way. There are many great songs here, and there are also many not-so-great songs ("Feelings", anyone?). A lot of these songs are quite frankly on the "cheesy" side, but in a way that is part of their appeal. This collection does a fantastic job of covering the good, the bad and the ugly of 1970s popular music.



4. Do you remember watching "Chico and The Man"? Do you remember when the Colts were in Baltimore and the Orioles were famous for Brooks Robinson, Jim Palmer and Earl Weaver instead of Cal Ripken? How about Chevy Vans with Shag Carpets with murals painted along the side? If so YOU MUST PICK UP THIS BOX SET! Rhino has done a fantastic job compiling 7 CD's worth of memories from the "ME" decade. Journey back to a time when AM Radio (that's right...AM Radio) featured hits by Alice Cooper, Peter Frampton, mixed with hits from Motown artists like Stevie Wonder and James Brown...and throw in a dash of Disco for flavor. A time when music wasn't so fragmented, a time when there really was Top 40 radio. Sure some of the songs in this set are goofy, and will make you roll your eyes (Popcorn by Hot Butter) but you can't help but feel their nostalgic charm. There are going to be tons of songs in this set that you know by heart...but, there are also tunes found here that you probably haven't heard in 20+ years (well, except when today's American Idol winners and hip-hop artists steal certain portions of these songs to incorporate in today's "music") Maybe nothing on this set is ground-breaking, and the booklet included in this set even recognizes that the musical path we followed in the 1970's was nowhere near the path carved by music pioneers in the 1960's, but you will still have a great time listening to these tunes. The booklet by the way is fantastic. Great track by track listing of the songs and the artists who performed them. It's full of the useless trivia that I crave and which currently clogs up about 80% of my brain pan. I loved listening to a tune, and reading the paragraph or two about the artist or the song while it played out.
   I see other reviewers here who disliked the "sound bites" or news clips that are wedged between some of the songs....I loved them, and only wish they had provided more per disk. (There is usually only 4 or 5 per CD). Sure I loved hearing "Convoy" and "The Streak" again, but I also enjoyed listening to Jimmy Carter denounce his "Playboy" interview, and nothing is so chilling as hearing Jim Jones urge his followers to "hurry" and drink the Kool-Aid before authorities arrive. Moments that really defined the 70's.
   So jump into your favorite bell bottoms and peasant blouse or jam your butt into some sequined spandex and get your boogie on.



5. This seven disc compilation would have been perfect, if Rhino had left off the highly annoying soundbites that precede many of the tracks. I did not purchase this set to hear segments of ancient news stories that did not interest me then, nevermind today!