This best-of is loaded with the usual smash suspects plus three new cuts--the sub-Mellancamp "Someday I'll Be Saturday Night", the Bed of Roses-style ballad single "Always", and a low-key remake of "Living On A Prayer" titled "Prayer '94". Love 'em or not, there's no denying the loyalty of the fans. --Jeff Bateman

One to be played over and over again!, 13 Jul 2008
Arrived yesterday and I have played it over and over, hit after hit superbly remastered and a 'must have' CD absolutely fabulous can't add anything more just buy it!

Brilliant but Pointless, 05 Jul 2008
Now I am of the opinion that greatest hits/Best of CD's should only be released at the end of a bands career and be a much larger album 2 discs minimum possibly more. The only acceptance of this is after a huge event such as the death of a band member, where you could release a best of in their memory and to show their contribution to the band. Now Bon Jovi's release is a mystery to me as there was no real reason to release one other than to make money as far as I am concerned. This doesn't mean the album is bad because every song contained is brilliant but it misses out some essential songs that within this kind of Bon Jovi release should not be left out, but there still is no point for its release. Although `Always' was released here I don't know why they didn't just save it back and put it on their next album that ended up being `These Day's' rather than on this pointless greatest hits.

There are only 2 types of people that will probably want this album

1) Hardcore fans who want `Always' as this is the album that song was released on and finding the single version will be difficult, plus the fact any real fan would want it on the real disc rather than as just a download.
2) Casual fans who just want to hear some great Bon Jovi classics but aren't to bothered about having the whole collection.

Now I bought Crossroads as my first Bon Jovi album believing that a greatest hits should show me whether they are really as good as `Living on a Prayer' had suggested, then if I really like them I could proceed to get some more albums. The album was amazing and there was not a single weak track although obviously there are songs that are stronger than others. A lot of the songs are ballads and most are based on theme around love. Some of the songs `In These Arms' and `Bed of Roses' are a bit soppy but are very good, whereas `Living on a Prayer' and `You Give Love a Bad Name' are huge rockers with powerful guitar riffs, others like `Bad Medicine' and `Lay Your Hands on Me' are more arena sounding in the sense they are more directed towards being massive during live performances and finally there are also a couple of cowboy sounding songs `Dead or Alive' and `Blaze of Glory'.

Track by track ratings out of 10

1) Living on a Prayer- 9.5
2) Keep the Faith- 10
3) Someday I'll be Saturday Night- 9.3
4) Always- 10
5) Dead or Alive- 10
6) Lay Yours Hands on Me- 8.5
7) You Give Love A Bad Name- 10
8) Bed of Roses- 10
9) Blaze of Glory- 10
10) In These Arms- 9.3
11) Bad Medicine- 7.5
12) I'll Be There For You- 9
13) In and Out Love- 7
14) Runaway- 8
15) Never Say Goodbye- 8.5

Overall this is a very good album and really opened my mind and ears to the world that is Bon Jovi but having now heard their music I know that I may as well have started out with a proper album, I recommend unless you fit into one of the above categories that I spoke about you should instead buy `Slippery When Wet' `New Jersey' or `Keep the Faith' and slowly get their studio albums instead. This is 4 stars for the content being as good as it is. The star off is because it's not really worth it plus `Dry County' isn't here probably their best song!


Best Album Ever, 21 Jan 2008
This album is simply amazing. Nothing gets you more pumped up for a night out than listening to hit after hit from the big man. I live in an apartment and on two occasions the neighbour downstairs had to call at my door to ask me to stop playing this album so loud. On the second occasion they fell asleep pushing the door bell for at least 5 minutes. To be fair it was 3 o'clock in the morning and I was pretty leathered!

Anyway, this album will bring out your air guitar playing, karaoke singing, head bashing best. A must-own...

AWESOME BON JOVI!!!!!!!!, 25 Jul 2007
I've have been a Bon Jovi fan for only a few months and already have 8 of his albums, Jon and his band certainly rock and have released awesome music over the years, many of the albums have [righty so] hit no.1, i'm now a true Bon Jovi fan.
"Crossroads" is a greatest hits album and includes just about all their best songs and all their leading chart hits, needless to say each track is a gem.
This CD has everything a newbie fan needs to build a collection around, released in 1994 this is compilation album went that went straight to no.1 in the charts and quite rightly so, this is a true greatest hits and a disc that you will play again and again once you own it. It's a perfect collection and one that i'm most proud to own and have in my vast music collection, Bon Jovi rock and i think they are now my favorite band of all time.
All their best hits are included on this disc including "Livin' On A Prayer", "You Give Love A Bad Name", "Bad Medicine" and "Bed Of Roses" etc, some of the greatest songs ever recorded in my opinion.
If i could then i'd give this CD a 10 star raiting, i fully recommened it and hope that you will decided to buy a copy sooner rather than later if you don't already own it.

Great collection, but does the order of listing let it down?, 08 Jul 2007
Years ago, I used to be a die hard Bon Jovi fan (in my teenage years when you tend to obsess about people). Since then, although I no longer listen almost exclusively to them, I still do appreciate their music and I still think that Jon has one of THE best singing voices in the business. This album was one of my favourites, and recently I have returned to it. Upon listening to it after a few years, I think I have discovered one flaw - the listing of the songs (specifically the order of the tracks).
While "Livin' on a Prayer" is a great rock song, and a great opener, by putting that right before "Keep the Faith" - another classic Bon Jovi track - they have put maybe the two best rock anthems right at the beginning, leaving little else further on in the album to encourage you to keep listening. Perhaps I am being pedantic, but I feel the whole album could have benefitted by just having these two tracks put elsewhere on the listing. If "Keep the Faith" had appeared further in, it would ceratinly have given the CD a bit of a kick in the middle.
Having said that, this album does have some of their best ballads also. Of course there is the sublime "Always" and the equally superb "In These Arms". Both of these are great to sing along to, as both are paked with the usual love and angst that often accompanies it.
All in all, this is a great CD, even today years after its original release.

One to be played over and over again!, 13 Jul 2008
Arrived yesterday and I have played it over and over, hit after hit superbly remastered and a 'must have' CD absolutely fabulous can't add anything more just buy it!

Brilliant but Pointless, 05 Jul 2008
Now I am of the opinion that greatest hits/Best of CD's should only be released at the end of a bands career and be a much larger album 2 discs minimum possibly more. The only acceptance of this is after a huge event such as the death of a band member, where you could release a best of in their memory and to show their contribution to the band. Now Bon Jovi's release is a mystery to me as there was no real reason to release one other than to make money as far as I am concerned. This doesn't mean the album is bad because every song contained is brilliant but it misses out some essential songs that within this kind of Bon Jovi release should not be left out, but there still is no point for its release. Although `Always' was released here I don't know why they didn't just save it back and put it on their next album that ended up being `These Day's' rather than on this pointless greatest hits.

There are only 2 types of people that will probably want this album

1) Hardcore fans who want `Always' as this is the album that song was released on and finding the single version will be difficult, plus the fact any real fan would want it on the real disc rather than as just a download.
2) Casual fans who just want to hear some great Bon Jovi classics but aren't to bothered about having the whole collection.

Now I bought Crossroads as my first Bon Jovi album believing that a greatest hits should show me whether they are really as good as `Living on a Prayer' had suggested, then if I really like them I could proceed to get some more albums. The album was amazing and there was not a single weak track although obviously there are songs that are stronger than others. A lot of the songs are ballads and most are based on theme around love. Some of the songs `In These Arms' and `Bed of Roses' are a bit soppy but are very good, whereas `Living on a Prayer' and `You Give Love a Bad Name' are huge rockers with powerful guitar riffs, others like `Bad Medicine' and `Lay Your Hands on Me' are more arena sounding in the sense they are more directed towards being massive during live performances and finally there are also a couple of cowboy sounding songs `Dead or Alive' and `Blaze of Glory'.

Track by track ratings out of 10

1) Living on a Prayer- 9.5
2) Keep the Faith- 10
3) Someday I'll be Saturday Night- 9.3
4) Always- 10
5) Dead or Alive- 10
6) Lay Yours Hands on Me- 8.5
7) You Give Love A Bad Name- 10
8) Bed of Roses- 10
9) Blaze of Glory- 10
10) In These Arms- 9.3
11) Bad Medicine- 7.5
12) I'll Be There For You- 9
13) In and Out Love- 7
14) Runaway- 8
15) Never Say Goodbye- 8.5

Overall this is a very good album and really opened my mind and ears to the world that is Bon Jovi but having now heard their music I know that I may as well have started out with a proper album, I recommend unless you fit into one of the above categories that I spoke about you should instead buy `Slippery When Wet' `New Jersey' or `Keep the Faith' and slowly get their studio albums instead. This is 4 stars for the content being as good as it is. The star off is because it's not really worth it plus `Dry County' isn't here probably their best song!


Best Album Ever, 21 Jan 2008
This album is simply amazing. Nothing gets you more pumped up for a night out than listening to hit after hit from the big man. I live in an apartment and on two occasions the neighbour downstairs had to call at my door to ask me to stop playing this album so loud. On the second occasion they fell asleep pushing the door bell for at least 5 minutes. To be fair it was 3 o'clock in the morning and I was pretty leathered!

Anyway, this album will bring out your air guitar playing, karaoke singing, head bashing best. A must-own...

AWESOME BON JOVI!!!!!!!!, 25 Jul 2007
I've have been a Bon Jovi fan for only a few months and already have 8 of his albums, Jon and his band certainly rock and have released awesome music over the years, many of the albums have [righty so] hit no.1, i'm now a true Bon Jovi fan.
"Crossroads" is a greatest hits album and includes just about all their best songs and all their leading chart hits, needless to say each track is a gem.
This CD has everything a newbie fan needs to build a collection around, released in 1994 this is compilation album went that went straight to no.1 in the charts and quite rightly so, this is a true greatest hits and a disc that you will play again and again once you own it. It's a perfect collection and one that i'm most proud to own and have in my vast music collection, Bon Jovi rock and i think they are now my favorite band of all time.
All their best hits are included on this disc including "Livin' On A Prayer", "You Give Love A Bad Name", "Bad Medicine" and "Bed Of Roses" etc, some of the greatest songs ever recorded in my opinion.
If i could then i'd give this CD a 10 star raiting, i fully recommened it and hope that you will decided to buy a copy sooner rather than later if you don't already own it.

Great collection, but does the order of listing let it down?, 08 Jul 2007
Years ago, I used to be a die hard Bon Jovi fan (in my teenage years when you tend to obsess about people). Since then, although I no longer listen almost exclusively to them, I still do appreciate their music and I still think that Jon has one of THE best singing voices in the business. This album was one of my favourites, and recently I have returned to it. Upon listening to it after a few years, I think I have discovered one flaw - the listing of the songs (specifically the order of the tracks).
While "Livin' on a Prayer" is a great rock song, and a great opener, by putting that right before "Keep the Faith" - another classic Bon Jovi track - they have put maybe the two best rock anthems right at the beginning, leaving little else further on in the album to encourage you to keep listening. Perhaps I am being pedantic, but I feel the whole album could have benefitted by just having these two tracks put elsewhere on the listing. If "Keep the Faith" had appeared further in, it would ceratinly have given the CD a bit of a kick in the middle.
Having said that, this album does have some of their best ballads also. Of course there is the sublime "Always" and the equally superb "In These Arms". Both of these are great to sing along to, as both are paked with the usual love and angst that often accompanies it.
All in all, this is a great CD, even today years after its original release.

can you imagine..., 02 Mar 2007
I was going to mention Clapton's christening of the Les Paul, Marshall setup, but others have beaten me to it. I liken it's impact to what happened to harp playing when Little Walter and other's deciding to blow through the PA or an early guitar amp. They REDEFINED the sound of the instrument.

So all I'll add is the rhetorical question...can you imagine being a teenage Brit, having been reared on the sounds of the Beatles, Jerry and the Pacemakers, or even the Dave Clark Five, wandering into a London club because someone had recommended the Bluesbreakers, and hearing THIS STUFF? Probably as epiphanic as being a white guy in mid 50's Chicago and having the nerve to wander into the Dew Drop Inn and hearing Muddy, Wolf, or later, Otis Rush and Buddy Guy. Simply put, a life changing experience.

The most important guitar album of all time!, 08 Feb 2007
The best guitar player of the time on top of his game. Classic tracks. The perfect combination of guitar and amp. Incredible solos... Listening to this album it is easy to see why rock took the directions it did. This is the blueprint for pretty much every rock/blues album that followed, and in my opinion the closest Clapton ever got to this ever again is on Layla... This is Essential.

The album that changed my life., 28 May 2006
On a week's holiday with my parent's in Littlehampton in Sussex during the summer of '66, as ever, I found a record shop. Without much money as I was still at school, (just), I had the choice, in my mind anyway, between two albums; The Mother's Of Invention's 'Freakout,' and 'Bluesbreakers.' Maybe there had been a lot of publicity at the time about 'Freakout,' I can't remember, but for some reason I was torn between which one to buy. Probably the fact that I was a Yardbirds fan and had listened to 'Five Live' a great deal made up my mind, and I plumped for 'Bluesbreakers.' It was to be the wisest move and the best purchase I ever made. As a then, and still now, 'would-be' guitarist, this album, for its time in rock history, had everything you wanted and more, and has pretty much stayed that way over the ensuing years. To play with this degree of skill and feeling at Clapton's age of 21 at the time, was and is incredible. At 15, he was almost an old man to me being 6 years older, yet even so, the bluesmen I had heard were in their 30's and over, (really old men!), and even now this album begs the question "Why was Clapton so great at such a young age?" We will never know, and if put to the question, probably neither would he? It was just something he was drawn to and did, and has had the good fortune to do so for the rest of his life. If you're a guitarist, Clapton fan, blues enthusiast, whatever, and you don't own this album, simply buy it now - it will remain a classic for as long as planet Earth keeps turning.

Life Changing..., 15 Feb 2006
I first listened to this disc as a fifteen year-old and music was never the same thereafter. I started hunting straight away for the original US musicians who had inspired first Mayall and then the unbelievably young Clapton. And I'm still listening to the fruits of that search. Meantime it opened me up to the expanding British Blues scene and subsequently other new British genres, all the way from Fleetwood Mac and Chicken Shack, to The Groundhogs, Steeleye and Fairport. The music itself is quite simply inspired, mainly by the fusion of the very different talents of the individuals involved. I'm not sure that Mayall ever wrote, sang or played as well again 'though Clapton went on to far greater things. Just listen to Track 5, Double Crossin' Time, written by the both of them, which displays their different talents perfectly. This disc is one of those very rare seminal recordings which brings as much pleasure now as on the day it came off the presses.

sheer tone, 07 Jul 2005
This is the album that launched the Gibson Les Paul + Marshall amp combination that has defined the sound of rock for so long. It is worth buying for that alone. Absolute, pure, smooth but crunchy, toney goodness! Thankfully, the music is top notch, ranging from the energetic opener to the instrumental "Steppin Out", to the drum solo and tribute to the Beatles' "Day Tripper" on "What'd I Say?". Excellent stuff.

For better or worse, Phil Collins's "In the Air Tonight" was the "Stairway to Heaven" of the 1980s, winning radio stations' listener polls and even lending its designer threat to an episode of Miami Vice. Hits recalls the days when the Collins name on a disc ensured its immediate embrace by programmers and the public. How you feel about these songs will depend on how you felt about them then; despite the undeniable niceness of "Take Me Home" and "One More Night", they're unlikely to win over anyone who didn't adore them to begin with. Those who cared, though, will no doubt be gladdened to find most of Collins's biggest tunes together on one disc. --Rickey Wright

One to be played over and over again!, 13 Jul 2008
Arrived yesterday and I have played it over and over, hit after hit superbly remastered and a 'must have' CD absolutely fabulous can't add anything more just buy it!

Brilliant but Pointless, 05 Jul 2008
Now I am of the opinion that greatest hits/Best of CD's should only be released at the end of a bands career and be a much larger album 2 discs minimum possibly more. The only acceptance of this is after a huge event such as the death of a band member, where you could release a best of in their memory and to show their contribution to the band. Now Bon Jovi's release is a mystery to me as there was no real reason to release one other than to make money as far as I am concerned. This doesn't mean the album is bad because every song contained is brilliant but it misses out some essential songs that within this kind of Bon Jovi release should not be left out, but there still is no point for its release. Although `Always' was released here I don't know why they didn't just save it back and put it on their next album that ended up being `These Day's' rather than on this pointless greatest hits.

There are only 2 types of people that will probably want this album

1) Hardcore fans who want `Always' as this is the album that song was released on and finding the single version will be difficult, plus the fact any real fan would want it on the real disc rather than as just a download.
2) Casual fans who just want to hear some great Bon Jovi classics but aren't to bothered about having the whole collection.

Now I bought Crossroads as my first Bon Jovi album believing that a greatest hits should show me whether they are really as good as `Living on a Prayer' had suggested, then if I really like them I could proceed to get some more albums. The album was amazing and there was not a single weak track although obviously there are songs that are stronger than others. A lot of the songs are ballads and most are based on theme around love. Some of the songs `In These Arms' and `Bed of Roses' are a bit soppy but are very good, whereas `Living on a Prayer' and `You Give Love a Bad Name' are huge rockers with powerful guitar riffs, others like `Bad Medicine' and `Lay Your Hands on Me' are more arena sounding in the sense they are more directed towards being massive during live performances and finally there are also a couple of cowboy sounding songs `Dead or Alive' and `Blaze of Glory'.

Track by track ratings out of 10

1) Living on a Prayer- 9.5
2) Keep the Faith- 10
3) Someday I'll be Saturday Night- 9.3
4) Always- 10
5) Dead or Alive- 10
6) Lay Yours Hands on Me- 8.5
7) You Give Love A Bad Name- 10
8) Bed of Roses- 10
9) Blaze of Glory- 10
10) In These Arms- 9.3
11) Bad Medicine- 7.5
12) I'll Be There For You- 9
13) In and Out Love- 7
14) Runaway- 8
15) Never Say Goodbye- 8.5

Overall this is a very good album and really opened my mind and ears to the world that is Bon Jovi but having now heard their music I know that I may as well have started out with a proper album, I recommend unless you fit into one of the above categories that I spoke about you should instead buy `Slippery When Wet' `New Jersey' or `Keep the Faith' and slowly get their studio albums instead. This is 4 stars for the content being as good as it is. The star off is because it's not really worth it plus `Dry County' isn't here probably their best song!


Best Album Ever, 21 Jan 2008
This album is simply amazing. Nothing gets you more pumped up for a night out than listening to hit after hit from the big man. I live in an apartment and on two occasions the neighbour downstairs had to call at my door to ask me to stop playing this album so loud. On the second occasion they fell asleep pushing the door bell for at least 5 minutes. To be fair it was 3 o'clock in the morning and I was pretty leathered!

Anyway, this album will bring out your air guitar playing, karaoke singing, head bashing best. A must-own...

AWESOME BON JOVI!!!!!!!!, 25 Jul 2007
I've have been a Bon Jovi fan for only a few months and already have 8 of his albums, Jon and his band certainly rock and have released awesome music over the years, many of the albums have [righty so] hit no.1, i'm now a true Bon Jovi fan.
"Crossroads" is a greatest hits album and includes just about all their best songs and all their leading chart hits, needless to say each track is a gem.
This CD has everything a newbie fan needs to build a collection around, released in 1994 this is compilation album went that went straight to no.1 in the charts and quite rightly so, this is a true greatest hits and a disc that you will play again and again once you own it. It's a perfect collection and one that i'm most proud to own and have in my vast music collection, Bon Jovi rock and i think they are now my favorite band of all time.
All their best hits are included on this disc including "Livin' On A Prayer", "You Give Love A Bad Name", "Bad Medicine" and "Bed Of Roses" etc, some of the greatest songs ever recorded in my opinion.
If i could then i'd give this CD a 10 star raiting, i fully recommened it and hope that you will decided to buy a copy sooner rather than later if you don't already own it.

Great collection, but does the order of listing let it down?, 08 Jul 2007
Years ago, I used to be a die hard Bon Jovi fan (in my teenage years when you tend to obsess about people). Since then, although I no longer listen almost exclusively to them, I still do appreciate their music and I still think that Jon has one of THE best singing voices in the business. This album was one of my favourites, and recently I have returned to it. Upon listening to it after a few years, I think I have discovered one flaw - the listing of the songs (specifically the order of the tracks).
While "Livin' on a Prayer" is a great rock song, and a great opener, by putting that right before "Keep the Faith" - another classic Bon Jovi track - they have put maybe the two best rock anthems right at the beginning, leaving little else further on in the album to encourage you to keep listening. Perhaps I am being pedantic, but I feel the whole album could have benefitted by just having these two tracks put elsewhere on the listing. If "Keep the Faith" had appeared further in, it would ceratinly have given the CD a bit of a kick in the middle.
Having said that, this album does have some of their best ballads also. Of course there is the sublime "Always" and the equally superb "In These Arms". Both of these are great to sing along to, as both are paked with the usual love and angst that often accompanies it.
All in all, this is a great CD, even today years after its original release.

can you imagine..., 02 Mar 2007
I was going to mention Clapton's christening of the Les Paul, Marshall setup, but others have beaten me to it. I liken it's impact to what happened to harp playing when Little Walter and other's deciding to blow through the PA or an early guitar amp. They REDEFINED the sound of the instrument.

So all I'll add is the rhetorical question...can you imagine being a teenage Brit, having been reared on the sounds of the Beatles, Jerry and the Pacemakers, or even the Dave Clark Five, wandering into a London club because someone had recommended the Bluesbreakers, and hearing THIS STUFF? Probably as epiphanic as being a white guy in mid 50's Chicago and having the nerve to wander into the Dew Drop Inn and hearing Muddy, Wolf, or later, Otis Rush and Buddy Guy. Simply put, a life changing experience.

The most important guitar album of all time!, 08 Feb 2007
The best guitar player of the time on top of his game. Classic tracks. The perfect combination of guitar and amp. Incredible solos... Listening to this album it is easy to see why rock took the directions it did. This is the blueprint for pretty much every rock/blues album that followed, and in my opinion the closest Clapton ever got to this ever again is on Layla... This is Essential.

The album that changed my life., 28 May 2006
On a week's holiday with my parent's in Littlehampton in Sussex during the summer of '66, as ever, I found a record shop. Without much money as I was still at school, (just), I had the choice, in my mind anyway, between two albums; The Mother's Of Invention's 'Freakout,' and 'Bluesbreakers.' Maybe there had been a lot of publicity at the time about 'Freakout,' I can't remember, but for some reason I was torn between which one to buy. Probably the fact that I was a Yardbirds fan and had listened to 'Five Live' a great deal made up my mind, and I plumped for 'Bluesbreakers.' It was to be the wisest move and the best purchase I ever made. As a then, and still now, 'would-be' guitarist, this album, for its time in rock history, had everything you wanted and more, and has pretty much stayed that way over the ensuing years. To play with this degree of skill and feeling at Clapton's age of 21 at the time, was and is incredible. At 15, he was almost an old man to me being 6 years older, yet even so, the bluesmen I had heard were in their 30's and over, (really old men!), and even now this album begs the question "Why was Clapton so great at such a young age?" We will never know, and if put to the question, probably neither would he? It was just something he was drawn to and did, and has had the good fortune to do so for the rest of his life. If you're a guitarist, Clapton fan, blues enthusiast, whatever, and you don't own this album, simply buy it now - it will remain a classic for as long as planet Earth keeps turning.

Life Changing..., 15 Feb 2006
I first listened to this disc as a fifteen year-old and music was never the same thereafter. I started hunting straight away for the original US musicians who had inspired first Mayall and then the unbelievably young Clapton. And I'm still listening to the fruits of that search. Meantime it opened me up to the expanding British Blues scene and subsequently other new British genres, all the way from Fleetwood Mac and Chicken Shack, to The Groundhogs, Steeleye and Fairport. The music itself is quite simply inspired, mainly by the fusion of the very different talents of the individuals involved. I'm not sure that Mayall ever wrote, sang or played as well again 'though Clapton went on to far greater things. Just listen to Track 5, Double Crossin' Time, written by the both of them, which displays their different talents perfectly. This disc is one of those very rare seminal recordings which brings as much pleasure now as on the day it came off the presses.

sheer tone, 07 Jul 2005
This is the album that launched the Gibson Les Paul + Marshall amp combination that has defined the sound of rock for so long. It is worth buying for that alone. Absolute, pure, smooth but crunchy, toney goodness! Thankfully, the music is top notch, ranging from the energetic opener to the instrumental "Steppin Out", to the drum solo and tribute to the Beatles' "Day Tripper" on "What'd I Say?". Excellent stuff.

Musical Genius!, 30 Aug 2008
I don't need to tell any of you how great an artist Phil Collins is. A true 80s legend and an awesome live performer. He's produced many great songs and this collection features a lot of his best work. Many fans will probably argue that some of their favourites are not on here, but this album does boast his most liked and most popular tracks. Brilliant from start to finish, a good combination of uplifting 80s music and powerful ballads.

Life in the Fast Lane, 26 Apr 2008
`Cultural Seismology - An attempt to record the shifts and displacements of sensibility that regularly occur in the history of art, literature and thought.'

It makes you wonder doesn't it?
Phil Collins was/is a member of ancient rock group Genesis, and a releaser of diabolically bad solo music.
He is bland and non-descript in a nails-down-a-blackboard, bite-on-cotton-wool sense, and his music contains not one note of interest or revelation to prove otherwise.
For years he was in Genesis. What can you say?
Genesis, who even by the early 80's were embroiled with the Moody Blues in a `Who's the Deadest Rock Group' competition, Phil apparently became a bit disillusioned and stale, and decided to go his own way.
Left poor Genesis, (who must've been crestfallen) and joined that rather sad little band of going-nowhere monomaniacs. Gabriel, Sting, Weller, McCartney, et al, folk who sensible people would shun like lepers, and who should've finished scratching and pecking around the music business, DECADES ago.
Into this erstwhile company leaps fiery Phil, a `rocker' with all the threat and endangerment of a King Charles Spaniel.
Why isn't he a vicar? The Church wouldn't have him. Imagine being on your deathbed and the Rev Collins coming to give you comfort and succour; "Don't call me vicar, just call me Phil..." and "Miracles CAN happen" I believe you Phil....groan.
Anyway, you need to show some signs of actually being alive to fight in God's corner, and Phil would fail there and then. Listen to his cd. `Sussidio', `Two Hearts', `Easy Lover', Fibreless. Weak. Tired. Unemotional. Quite clearly, Phil needs SONGS as opposed to nebulous yik-yak, needs dynamite in his arrangements. Something - anything!
`One More Night'. Beyond a joke now. Phil's in the studio, swaying gently to the music. He doesn't realise it's so bad. He'd stop surely? Drums pulse gently when they should fire-crack, the lyrics barely exist. Weedy strings flutter away in the background...you get the picture. Lethargic. Small.
This stuff is ruthlessly exploitative as well, scientifically aimed at middle aged housewives doing the hoovering, who don't want anything too demanding, or they'll get a migraine.
It's stubbornly inward looking, a pompous slop-rock ghetto. A niche, a mono-directional phenomenon, an artistic void, destined for the barren Woolworths shelves...
Nothing on `Hits' is good or even mildly diverting. There's a dramatic chord change towards the end of `Groovy Kind of Love' that threatens to rescue the whole song, but, ahh hopes are dashed, and we're soon back on the snoozy track to the rocking chair and oblivion. So close there Phil...
There seems to be a mad, spurious trust between Phil and his audience. I'd imagine it's the same kind of thing Daniel O'Donnell has with his. A we-won't-do-anything- awry understanding, beginning in earnest and ending in Switzerland.
Maybe some-one should give old Phil a gentle nudge, tell him Justin Heyward's just released an lp. That'd get him going...perhaps.
Perhaps he could do a tour, a triple header with Twinkle and Alvin Stardust. Or he could just sleep, bless him. Pop's dreariest man looks (and sounds!) weary. Just put `In the Air Tonight' on and have 40 winks. Shhhh.....
Don't go waking him.






A Great Collection of Songs, 05 Feb 2008
Right from the beginning of this album, introduced with "Another day in Paradise", you know you in for a treat. Contained within this album are a collection of up-beat tracks, with great compliment to the drumming involved. Throughout the album, each track is individual and intriguing, lyrically and musically, and at no point did I want to change the track for a different song or album. The high quality of music has continued from his work in Genesis, comparable to Paul Weller from The Jam to a solo career. Highly recommended, with Phil Collins at his best.

A musical genius, 30 Oct 2007
Like a previous reviewer I'm also a twenty-something brought up by Phil Collins and Genesis obsessed parents, unlike many though i caught the bug and never let go- I can't quite believe how people can be so negative about PC- come on he's undeniably the most talented musician of the last 30 years- and anyone who says otherwise needs educating.

Lazy Reissue!, 24 Sep 2007
I don't what the record company has been doing for the past 9 years since the album was originally released. You would have expected the following to be done when they decide to re-release it :

1) Digitally remaster the album.
2) Include singles which were omitted in the original version to make this compilation more complete. I mean at least the UK Top 20 singles like I Missed Again & If Leaving Me is Easy and US Top 5 singles, Don't Lose My Number & Do You Remember.
3) Where is his last UK Top 20 hit - You'll be in My Heart? What about his duet (US NO 1) with Marilyn Martin - Separate Lives?


To make things worse, even the cover is the same!! With so many omissions, my advice is DON'T BUY THIS until a more comprehensive collection is released. Phil Collins deserves a 2 CD compilation which should include his 12" remixes as well.

This album has class and it sees Paul Weller once again firmly in control of every aspect: he wrote all the songs bar a cover of Dr. John's "I Walk on Gilded Splinters"; he co-produced it and, apart from his earthy vocals, he plays guitar, piano, organ and percussion. All the tracks are special, but it's the three hits--"Changingman", "Broken Stones" and the truly wonderful "You Do Something To Me"--that really stand out, as does "Porcelain Gods", which has something of the old Style Council about it. Soulful, the style is underlined by Carleen Anderson's rich backing vocals on five of the tracks. Weller is also joined by some of his other musical chums: Noel Gallagher, Steve Craddock and Steve Winwood. --Carina Trimingham

One to be played over and over again!, 13 Jul 2008
Arrived yesterday and I have played it over and over, hit after hit superbly remastered and a 'must have' CD absolutely fabulous can't add anything more just buy it!

Brilliant but Pointless, 05 Jul 2008
Now I am of the opinion that greatest hits/Best of CD's should only be released at the end of a bands career and be a much larger album 2 discs minimum possibly more. The only acceptance of this is after a huge event such as the death of a band member, where you could release a best of in their memory and to show their contribution to the band. Now Bon Jovi's release is a mystery to me as there was no real reason to release one other than to make money as far as I am concerned. This doesn't mean the album is bad because every song contained is brilliant but it misses out some essential songs that within this kind of Bon Jovi release should not be left out, but there still is no point for its release. Although `Always' was released here I don't know why they didn't just save it back and put it on their next album that ended up being `These Day's' rather than on this pointless greatest hits.

There are only 2 types of people that will probably want this album

1) Hardcore fans who want `Always' as this is the album that song was released on and finding the single version will be difficult, plus the fact any real fan would want it on the real disc rather than as just a download.
2) Casual fans who just want to hear some great Bon Jovi classics but aren't to bothered about having the whole collection.

Now I bought Crossroads as my first Bon Jovi album believing that a greatest hits should show me whether they are really as good as `Living on a Prayer' had suggested, then if I really like them I could proceed to get some more albums. The album was amazing and there was not a single weak track although obviously there are songs that are stronger than others. A lot of the songs are ballads and most are based on theme around love. Some of the songs `In These Arms' and `Bed of Roses' are a bit soppy but are very good, whereas `Living on a Prayer' and `You Give Love a Bad Name' are huge rockers with powerful guitar riffs, others like `Bad Medicine' and `Lay Your Hands on Me' are more arena sounding in the sense they are more directed towards being massive during live performances and finally there are also a couple of cowboy sounding songs `Dead or Alive' and `Blaze of Glory'.

Track by track ratings out of 10

1) Living on a Prayer- 9.5
2) Keep the Faith- 10
3) Someday I'll be Saturday Night- 9.3
4) Always- 10
5) Dead or Alive- 10
6) Lay Yours Hands on Me- 8.5
7) You Give Love A Bad Name- 10
8) Bed of Roses- 10
9) Blaze of Glory- 10
10) In These Arms- 9.3
11) Bad Medicine- 7.5
12) I'll Be There For You- 9
13) In and Out Love- 7
14) Runaway- 8
15) Never Say Goodbye- 8.5

Overall this is a very good album and really opened my mind and ears to the world that is Bon Jovi but having now heard their music I know that I may as well have started out with a proper album, I recommend unless you fit into one of the above categories that I spoke about you should instead buy `Slippery When Wet' `New Jersey' or `Keep the Faith' and slowly get their studio albums instead. This is 4 stars for the content being as good as it is. The star off is because it's not really worth it plus `Dry County' isn't here probably their best song!


Best Album Ever, 21 Jan 2008
This album is simply amazing. Nothing gets you more pumped up for a night out than listening to hit after hit from the big man. I live in an apartment and on two occasions the neighbour downstairs had to call at my door to ask me to stop playing this album so loud. On the second occasion they fell asleep pushing the door bell for at least 5 minutes. To be fair it was 3 o'clock in the morning and I was pretty leathered!

Anyway, this album will bring out your air guitar playing, karaoke singing, head bashing best. A must-own...

AWESOME BON JOVI!!!!!!!!, 25 Jul 2007
I've have been a Bon Jovi fan for only a few months and already have 8 of his albums, Jon and his band certainly rock and have released awesome music over the years, many of the albums have [righty so] hit no.1, i'm now a true Bon Jovi fan.
"Crossroads" is a greatest hits album and includes just about all their best songs and all their leading chart hits, needless to say each track is a gem.
This CD has everything a newbie fan needs to build a collection around, released in 1994 this is compilation album went that went straight to no.1 in the charts and quite rightly so, this is a true greatest hits and a disc that you will play again and again once you own it. It's a perfect collection and one that i'm most proud to own and have in my vast music collection, Bon Jovi rock and i think they are now my favorite band of all time.
All their best hits are included on this disc including "Livin' On A Prayer", "You Give Love A Bad Name", "Bad Medicine" and "Bed Of Roses" etc, some of the greatest songs ever recorded in my opinion.
If i could then i'd give this CD a 10 star raiting, i fully recommened it and hope that you will decided to buy a copy sooner rather than later if you don't already own it.

Great collection, but does the order of listing let it down?, 08 Jul 2007
Years ago, I used to be a die hard Bon Jovi fan (in my teenage years when you tend to obsess about people). Since then, although I no longer listen almost exclusively to them, I still do appreciate their music and I still think that Jon has one of THE best singing voices in the business. This album was one of my favourites, and recently I have returned to it. Upon listening to it after a few years, I think I have discovered one flaw - the listing of the songs (specifically the order of the tracks).
While "Livin' on a Prayer" is a great rock song, and a great opener, by putting that right before "Keep the Faith" - another classic Bon Jovi track - they have put maybe the two best rock anthems right at the beginning, leaving little else further on in the album to encourage you to keep listening. Perhaps I am being pedantic, but I feel the whole album could have benefitted by just having these two tracks put elsewhere on the listing. If "Keep the Faith" had appeared further in, it would ceratinly have given the CD a bit of a kick in the middle.
Having said that, this album does have some of their best ballads also. Of course there is the sublime "Always" and the equally superb "In These Arms". Both of these are great to sing along to, as both are paked with the usual love and angst that often accompanies it.
All in all, this is a great CD, even today years after its original release.

can you imagine..., 02 Mar 2007
I was going to mention Clapton's christening of the Les Paul, Marshall setup, but others have beaten me to it. I liken it's impact to what happened to harp playing when Little Walter and other's deciding to blow through the PA or an early guitar amp. They REDEFINED the sound of the instrument.

So all I'll add is the rhetorical question...can you imagine being a teenage Brit, having been reared on the sounds of the Beatles, Jerry and the Pacemakers, or even the Dave Clark Five, wandering into a London club because someone had recommended the Bluesbreakers, and hearing THIS STUFF? Probably as epiphanic as being a white guy in mid 50's Chicago and having the nerve to wander into the Dew Drop Inn and hearing Muddy, Wolf, or later, Otis Rush and Buddy Guy. Simply put, a life changing experience.

The most important guitar album of all time!, 08 Feb 2007
The best guitar player of the time on top of his game. Classic tracks. The perfect combination of guitar and amp. Incredible solos... Listening to this album it is easy to see why rock took the directions it did. This is the blueprint for pretty much every rock/blues album that followed, and in my opinion the closest Clapton ever got to this ever again is on Layla... This is Essential.

The album that changed my life., 28 May 2006
On a week's holiday with my parent's in Littlehampton in Sussex during the summer of '66, as ever, I found a record shop. Without much money as I was still at school, (just), I had the choice, in my mind anyway, between two albums; The Mother's Of Invention's 'Freakout,' and 'Bluesbreakers.' Maybe there had been a lot of publicity at the time about 'Freakout,' I can't remember, but for some reason I was torn between which one to buy. Probably the fact that I was a Yardbirds fan and had listened to 'Five Live' a great deal made up my mind, and I plumped for 'Bluesbreakers.' It was to be the wisest move and the best purchase I ever made. As a then, and still now, 'would-be' guitarist, this album, for its time in rock history, had everything you wanted and more, and has pretty much stayed that way over the ensuing years. To play with this degree of skill and feeling at Clapton's age of 21 at the time, was and is incredible. At 15, he was almost an old man to me being 6 years older, yet even so, the bluesmen I had heard were in their 30's and over, (really old men!), and even now this album begs the question "Why was Clapton so great at such a young age?" We will never know, and if put to the question, probably neither would he? It was just something he was drawn to and did, and has had the good fortune to do so for the rest of his life. If you're a guitarist, Clapton fan, blues enthusiast, whatever, and you don't own this album, simply buy it now - it will remain a classic for as long as planet Earth keeps turning.

Life Changing..., 15 Feb 2006
I first listened to this disc as a fifteen year-old and music was never the same thereafter. I started hunting straight away for the original US musicians who had inspired first Mayall and then the unbelievably young Clapton. And I'm still listening to the fruits of that search. Meantime it opened me up to the expanding British Blues scene and subsequently other new British genres, all the way from Fleetwood Mac and Chicken Shack, to The Groundhogs, Steeleye and Fairport. The music itself is quite simply inspired, mainly by the fusion of the very different talents of the individuals involved. I'm not sure that Mayall ever wrote, sang or played as well again 'though Clapton went on to far greater things. Just listen to Track 5, Double Crossin' Time, written by the both of them, which displays their different talents perfectly. This disc is one of those very rare seminal recordings which brings as much pleasure now as on the day it came off the presses.

sheer tone, 07 Jul 2005
This is the album that launched the Gibson Les Paul + Marshall amp combination that has defined the sound of rock for so long. It is worth buying for that alone. Absolute, pure, smooth but crunchy, toney goodness! Thankfully, the music is top notch, ranging from the energetic opener to the instrumental "Steppin Out", to the drum solo and tribute to the Beatles' "Day Tripper" on "What'd I Say?". Excellent stuff.

Musical Genius!, 30 Aug 2008
I don't need to tell any of you how great an artist Phil Collins is. A true 80s legend and an awesome live performer. He's produced many great songs and this collection features a lot of his best work. Many fans will probably argue that some of their favourites are not on here, but this album does boast his most liked and most popular tracks. Brilliant from start to finish, a good combination of uplifting 80s music and powerful ballads.

Life in the Fast Lane, 26 Apr 2008
`Cultural Seismology - An attempt to record the shifts and displacements of sensibility that regularly occur in the history of art, literature and thought.'

It makes you wonder doesn't it?
Phil Collins was/is a member of ancient rock group Genesis, and a releaser of diabolically bad solo music.
He is bland and non-descript in a nails-down-a-blackboard, bite-on-cotton-wool sense, and his music contains not one note of interest or revelation to prove otherwise.
For years he was in Genesis. What can you say?
Genesis, who even by the early 80's were embroiled with the Moody Blues in a `Who's the Deadest Rock Group' competition, Phil apparently became a bit disillusioned and stale, and decided to go his own way.
Left poor Genesis, (who must've been crestfallen) and joined that rather sad little band of going-nowhere monomaniacs. Gabriel, Sting, Weller, McCartney, et al, folk who sensible people would shun like lepers, and who should've finished scratching and pecking around the music business, DECADES ago.
Into this erstwhile company leaps fiery Phil, a `rocker' with all the threat and endangerment of a King Charles Spaniel.
Why isn't he a vicar? The Church wouldn't have him. Imagine being on your deathbed and the Rev Collins coming to give you comfort and succour; "Don't call me vicar, just call me Phil..." and "Miracles CAN happen" I believe you Phil....groan.
Anyway, you need to show some signs of actually being alive to fight in God's corner, and Phil would fail there and then. Listen to his cd. `Sussidio', `Two Hearts', `Easy Lover', Fibreless. Weak. Tired. Unemotional. Quite clearly, Phil needs SONGS as opposed to nebulous yik-yak, needs dynamite in his arrangements. Something - anything!
`One More Night'. Beyond a joke now. Phil's in the studio, swaying gently to the music. He doesn't realise it's so bad. He'd stop surely? Drums pulse gently when they should fire-crack, the lyrics barely exist. Weedy strings flutter away in the background...you get the picture. Lethargic. Small.
This stuff is ruthlessly exploitative as well, scientifically aimed at middle aged housewives doing the hoovering, who don't want anything too demanding, or they'll get a migraine.
It's stubbornly inward looking, a pompous slop-rock ghetto. A niche, a mono-directional phenomenon, an artistic void, destined for the barren Woolworths shelves...
Nothing on `Hits' is good or even mildly diverting. There's a dramatic chord change towards the end of `Groovy Kind of Love' that threatens to rescue the whole song, but, ahh hopes are dashed, and we're soon back on the snoozy track to the rocking chair and oblivion. So close there Phil...
There seems to be a mad, spurious trust between Phil and his audience. I'd imagine it's the same kind of thing Daniel O'Donnell has with his. A we-won't-do-anything- awry understanding, beginning in earnest and ending in Switzerland.
Maybe some-one should give old Phil a gentle nudge, tell him Justin Heyward's just released an lp. That'd get him going...perhaps.
Perhaps he could do a tour, a triple header with Twinkle and Alvin Stardust. Or he could just sleep, bless him. Pop's dreariest man looks (and sounds!) weary. Just put `In the Air Tonight' on and have 40 winks. Shhhh.....
Don't go waking him.






A Great Collection of Songs, 05 Feb 2008
Right from the beginning of this album, introduced with "Another day in Paradise", you know you in for a treat. Contained within this album are a collection of up-beat tracks, with great compliment to the drumming involved. Throughout the album, each track is individual and intriguing, lyrically and musically, and at no point did I want to change the track for a different song or album. The high quality of music has continued from his work in Genesis, comparable to Paul Weller from The Jam to a solo career. Highly recommended, with Phil Collins at his best.

A musical genius, 30 Oct 2007
Like a previous reviewer I'm also a twenty-something brought up by Phil Collins and Genesis obsessed parents, unlike many though i caught the bug and never let go- I can't quite believe how people can be so negative about PC- come on he's undeniably the most talented musician of the last 30 years- and anyone who says otherwise needs educating.

Lazy Reissue!, 24 Sep 2007
I don't what the record company has been doing for the past 9 years since the album was originally released. You would have expected the following to be done when they decide to re-release it :

1) Digitally remaster the album.
2) Include singles which were omitted in the original version to make this compilation more complete. I mean at least the UK Top 20 singles like I Missed Again & If Leaving Me is Easy and US Top 5 singles, Don't Lose My Number & Do You Remember.
3) Where is his last UK Top 20 hit - You'll be in My Heart? What about his duet (US NO 1) with Marilyn Martin - Separate Lives?


To make things worse, even the cover is the same!! With so many omissions, my advice is DON'T BUY THIS until a more comprehensive collection is released. Phil Collins deserves a 2 CD compilation which should include his 12" remixes as well.

Bland, dreary and you've probably heard it all before, 28 Aug 2008
I simply cannot understand the plaudits dished out to this elevator music reincarnation of late '60's white soul boy funk.

Ever heard of Traffic? The Faces? Oh, there are countless bands from the period, and most of which Weller was very keen to dismiss as "hippy" back in the days of The Jam.

Something has definitely happened to Weller. He's got older and matured well, but that's half the problem. This music is suitable for playing whilst you're busy hanging wall-paper or decorating your youngest's playroom. It is so bland, both musically and lyrically, that I have difficulty believing that this album WAS actually written by the same man who wrote Start, Going Underground, That's Entertainment, to name a few.

Lyrically it is very banal too. I could argue that Weller's vocals have improved since the early days but whilst he is arguably a better singer today (technically)than during the days of The Jam, his range appears to be very limited and he relies far too much on his attempts at Otis Redding style "soulful barks" to propel his songs along which can be very wearing over the course of 2 or 3 similar numbers.

Nowhere on this album does anyone sound as though they have any life in them or passion or excitement. Was this meant to sound depressing, I wonder?

The Style Council made some great sounding and FUN records but Weller has never really reached the peaks he achieved during The Jam in my opinion. Maybe he should just quit? He certainly doesn't do it for the money!



Perfect - and he knows it!, 03 Jun 2008
Weller fans will love this, but then again, so will almost everyone!

I'm quite hard to please, but I have to say that in a career spanning over 30 years, there's been very little of Weller's work that I've disliked. Admittedly, as a 15 year-old lad, I was sad when The Jam dissolved, but later in life I realised the importance of that move. Likewise, I lost the plot a bit when TSC became completely obsessed with themselves, but apart from that, there have been very few "speed wobbles".

So for me, the stand-out tracks are "broken stones", "thechangingman" and "time passes"....but what an awesome album! Choose your own favourites. Who remembers when he did "The White Room" with Noel Gallagher?

Hands up who wants to be Paolo Hewitt?.....that's a "no" then?...

Weller's creative peak, 30 May 2007
Although Paul Weller has produced some fine albums since "Stanley Road", this was the one where it all really came together and he was truly launched back into the mainstream, to become the darling of the festival generation, having been the "spokesman" for the previous one.

This is an upbeat album, loosely held together by influences of Weller's upbringing in Woking, Surrey in the late 60s/early 70s, which was far more rural than one might imagine. He speaks of his family's road, "Stanley Road" going on and on (in fact it is not that long at all) and thus reflects our habit of seeing things from childhood as being far bigger in size than they actually were. The driving piano of this track wonderfully captures this feel in music, as in deed, it meanders and rolls on and on. There is a follow on fropm "Wild Wood's" bucolic flavour with cuts like "Woodcutter's Son", "Whirlpool's End" and "Broken Stones", where once again the influence of late 60s Traffic is clear.

"Changing Man" is a great, barnstorming opener and the verve and punch is continued through "Walk On Gilded Splinters" with its slow powerful groove and "Porcelain Gods" wit its cynical lyric. "You Do Something To Me" soon became the favourite of loved-up couples at gigs (witness the Hyde Park concert DVD) and "Out Of The Sinking" another solid piece of 90s rock. Drums, searing choppy guitar, keyboards and piano are to the fore on this almost perfectly blended album. The voice is at its peak and the lyrics are both poetic at times and hard-hitting. "Stanley Road" is as close to a perfect album as you will get. However, its very perfection renders it somewhat less interesting and worthy of exploration than his other albums, if that makes sense. Like "Ziggy Stardust", "Born To Run" and "Graceland" it suffers from the "I'm too familiar with it" syndrome and thus, I often find myself listening to "Heliocentric" or "Illumination" these days, despite the fact that they are inferior albums (comparatively). Does that make sense ? I Hope so.

Awesome!!!, 16 Mar 2007
This Album is Brillant From Start to Finish. You Do Something To Me Is 1 Of The Greatest Songs Ever Written. Wings Of Speed Is In My Top 5 All Time Greatest Songs. Stanley Road Should Be In Everyones Cd Collection And In Every List Done By Music Magazines Of The Top 100 Albums You Must Own, Stanley Road Should Be In The Top 5.

Just Buy It, It's A Masterpiece, Weller Is A LEGEND.

Weller's 90s statement, 25 Aug 2006
Sold like hot cakes and contained a handful of classics and a wider batch of good tunes.
It's opening salvo of "Changingman" and "Porcelain Gods" certainly suggested a man at the peak of his powers.
The blue-eyed soul classic of "Broken Stones" remains this albums high-point. The classic mod bluster and shine of "Out Of The Sinking" comes in second place.
Other high-point is the beautiful and sadly often over-looked "Time Passes...".
But overall a very, very good album.
Only down-side is "You Do Something To Me". Made for brit-flicks starring Martine McCutcheon and Ray Winstone.
Other than that, an album worthy of respect and affection. Brilliant sleeve as well...

After making his name with the Jam and then nearly losing it (in some quarters) with the Style Council, Paul Weller reemerged in 1992 with a self-titled album. Since then he's released four studio albums (and one live set, Live Wood); Modern Classics is a democratic collection, choosing three tracks from Paul Weller, four tracks from each of the rest, and adding one new single, "Brand New Start", for good measure. There's not a loser in the lot, but the remarkable thing to note here is the coherence of this collection: Weller's mature rock and love of classic soul has resulted in a sound that's remained remarkably consistent over the course of the 1990s. There's plenty more that could've been included--his cover of "Sexy Sadie" and the touching "Has My Fire Really Gone Out?" just for starters--which simply means there are plenty of reasons to mine his catalog after Modern Classics whets your appetite. --Randy Silver

One to be played over and over again!, 13 Jul 2008
Arrived yesterday and I have played it over and over, hit after hit superbly remastered and a 'must have' CD absolutely fabulous can't add anything more just buy it!

Brilliant but Pointless, 05 Jul 2008
Now I am of the opinion that greatest hits/Best of CD's should only be released at the end of a bands career and be a much larger album 2 discs minimum possibly more. The only acceptance of this is after a huge event such as the death of a band member, where you could release a best of in their memory and to show their contribution to the band. Now Bon Jovi's release is a mystery to me as there was no real reason to release one other than to make money as far as I am concerned. This doesn't mean the album is bad because every song contained is brilliant but it misses out some essential songs that within this kind of Bon Jovi release should not be left out, but there still is no point for its release. Although `Always' was released here I don't know why they didn't just save it back and put it on their next album that ended up being `These Day's' rather than on this pointless greatest hits.

There are only 2 types of people that will probably want this album

1) Hardcore fans who want `Always' as this is the album that song was released on and finding the single version will be difficult, plus the fact any real fan would want it on the real disc rather than as just a download.
2) Casual fans who just want to hear some great Bon Jovi classics but aren't to bothered about having the whole collection.

Now I bought Crossroads as my first Bon Jovi album believing that a greatest hits should show me whether they are really as good as `Living on a Prayer' had suggested, then if I really like them I could proceed to get some more albums. The album was amazing and there was not a single weak track although obviously there are songs that are stronger than others. A lot of the songs are ballads and most are based on theme around love. Some of the songs `In These Arms' and `Bed of Roses' are a bit soppy but are very good, whereas `Living on a Prayer' and `You Give Love a Bad Name' are huge rockers with powerful guitar riffs, others like `Bad Medicine' and `Lay Your Hands on Me' are more arena sounding in the sense they are more directed towards being massive during live performances and finally there are also a couple of cowboy sounding songs `Dead or Alive' and `Blaze of Glory'.

Track by track ratings out of 10

1) Living on a Prayer- 9.5
2) Keep the Faith- 10
3) Someday I'll be Saturday Night- 9.3
4) Always- 10
5) Dead or Alive- 10
6) Lay Yours Hands on Me- 8.5
7) You Give Love A Bad Name- 10
8) Bed of Roses- 10
9) Blaze of Glory- 10
10) In These Arms- 9.3
11) Bad Medicine- 7.5
12) I'll Be There For You- 9
13) In and Out Love- 7
14) Runaway- 8
15) Never Say Goodbye- 8.5

Overall this is a very good album and really opened my mind and ears to the world that is Bon Jovi but having now heard their music I know that I may as well have started out with a proper album, I recommend unless you fit into one of the above categories that I spoke about you should instead buy `Slippery When Wet' `New Jersey' or `Keep the Faith' and slowly get their studio albums instead. This is 4 stars for the content being as good as it is. The star off is because it's not really worth it plus `Dry County' isn't here probably their best song!


Best Album Ever, 21 Jan 2008
This album is simply amazing. Nothing gets you more pumped up for a night out than listening to hit after hit from the big man. I live in an apartment and on two occasions the neighbour downstairs had to call at my door to ask me to stop playing this album so loud. On the second occasion they fell asleep pushing the door bell for at least 5 minutes. To be fair it was 3 o'clock in the morning and I was pretty leathered!

Anyway, this album will bring out your air guitar playing, karaoke singing, head bashing best. A must-own...

AWESOME BON JOVI!!!!!!!!, 25 Jul 2007
I've have been a Bon Jovi fan for only a few months and already have 8 of his albums, Jon and his band certainly rock and have released awesome music over the years, many of the albums have [righty so] hit no.1, i'm now a true Bon Jovi fan.
"Crossroads" is a greatest hits album and includes just about all their best songs and all their leading chart hits, needless to say each track is a gem.
This CD has everything a newbie fan needs to build a collection around, released in 1994 this is compilation album went that went straight to no.1 in the charts and quite rightly so, this is a true greatest hits and a disc that you will play again and again once you own it. It's a perfect collection and one that i'm most proud to own and have in my vast music collection, Bon Jovi rock and i think they are now my favorite band of all time.
All their best hits are included on this disc including "Livin' On A Prayer", "You Give Love A Bad Name", "Bad Medicine" and "Bed Of Roses" etc, some of the greatest songs ever recorded in my opinion.
If i could then i'd give this CD a 10 star raiting, i fully recommened it and hope that you will decided to buy a copy sooner rather than later if you don't already own it.

Great collection, but does the order of listing let it down?, 08 Jul 2007
Years ago, I used to be a die hard Bon Jovi fan (in my teenage years when you tend to obsess about people). Since then, although I no longer listen almost exclusively to them, I still do appreciate their music and I still think that Jon has one of THE best singing voices in the business. This album was one of my favourites, and recently I have returned to it. Upon listening to it after a few years, I think I have discovered one flaw - the listing of the songs (specifically the order of the tracks).
While "Livin' on a Prayer" is a great rock song, and a great opener, by putting that right before "Keep the Faith" - another classic Bon Jovi track - they have put maybe the two best rock anthems right at the beginning, leaving little else further on in the album to encourage you to keep listening. Perhaps I am being pedantic, but I feel the whole album could have benefitted by just having these two tracks put elsewhere on the listing. If "Keep the Faith" had appeared further in, it would ceratinly have given the CD a bit of a kick in the middle.
Having said that, this album does have some of their best ballads also. Of course there is the sublime "Always" and the equally superb "In These Arms". Both of these are great to sing along to, as both are paked with the usual love and angst that often accompanies it.
All in all, this is a great CD, even today years after its original release.

can you imagine..., 02 Mar 2007
I was going to mention Clapton's christening of the Les Paul, Marshall setup, but others have beaten me to it. I liken it's impact to what happened to harp playing when Little Walter and other's deciding to blow through the PA or an early guitar amp. They REDEFINED the sound of the instrument.

So all I'll add is the rhetorical question...can you imagine being a teenage Brit, having been reared on the sounds of the Beatles, Jerry and the Pacemakers, or even the Dave Clark Five, wandering into a London club because someone had recommended the Bluesbreakers, and hearing THIS STUFF? Probably as epiphanic as being a white guy in mid 50's Chicago and having the nerve to wander into the Dew Drop Inn and hearing Muddy, Wolf, or later, Otis Rush and Buddy Guy. Simply put, a life changing experience.

The most important guitar album of all time!, 08 Feb 2007
The best guitar player of the time on top of his game. Classic tracks. The perfect combination of guitar and amp. Incredible solos... Listening to this album it is easy to see why rock took the directions it did. This is the blueprint for pretty much every rock/blues album that followed, and in my opinion the closest Clapton ever got to this ever again is on Layla... This is Essential.

The album that changed my life., 28 May 2006
On a week's holiday with my parent's in Littlehampton in Sussex during the summer of '66, as ever, I found a record shop. Without much money as I was still at school, (just), I had the choice, in my mind anyway, between two albums; The Mother's Of Invention's 'Freakout,' and 'Bluesbreakers.' Maybe there had been a lot of publicity at the time about 'Freakout,' I can't remember, but for some reason I was torn between which one to buy. Probably the fact that I was a Yardbirds fan and had listened to 'Five Live' a great deal made up my mind, and I plumped for 'Bluesbreakers.' It was to be the wisest move and the best purchase I ever made. As a then, and still now, 'would-be' guitarist, this album, for its time in rock history, had everything you wanted and more, and has pretty much stayed that way over the ensuing years. To play with this degree of skill and feeling at Clapton's age of 21 at the time, was and is incredible. At 15, he was almost an old man to me being 6 years older, yet even so, the bluesmen I had heard were in their 30's and over, (really old men!), and even now this album begs the question "Why was Clapton so great at such a young age?" We will never know, and if put to the question, probably neither would he? It was just something he was drawn to and did, and has had the good fortune to do so for the rest of his life. If you're a guitarist, Clapton fan, blues enthusiast, whatever, and you don't own this album, simply buy it now - it will remain a classic for as long as planet Earth keeps turning.

Life Changing..., 15 Feb 2006
I first listened to this disc as a fifteen year-old and music was never the same thereafter. I started hunting straight away for the original US musicians who had inspired first Mayall and then the unbelievably young Clapton. And I'm still listening to the fruits of that search. Meantime it opened me up to the expanding British Blues scene and subsequently other new British genres, all the way from Fleetwood Mac and Chicken Shack, to The Groundhogs, Steeleye and Fairport. The music itself is quite simply inspired, mainly by the fusion of the very different talents of the individuals involved. I'm not sure that Mayall ever wrote, sang or played as well again 'though Clapton went on to far greater things. Just listen to Track 5, Double Crossin' Time, written by the both of them, which displays their different talents perfectly. This disc is one of those very rare seminal recordings which brings as much pleasure now as on the day it came off the presses.

sheer tone, 07 Jul 2005
This is the album that launched the Gibson Les Paul + Marshall amp combination that has defined the sound of rock for so long. It is worth buying for that alone. Absolute, pure, smooth but crunchy, toney goodness! Thankfully, the music is top notch, ranging from the energetic opener to the instrumental "Steppin Out", to the drum solo and tribute to the Beatles' "Day Tripper" on "What'd I Say?". Excellent stuff.

Musical Genius!, 30 Aug 2008
I don't need to tell any of you how great an artist Phil Collins is. A true 80s legend and an awesome live performer. He's produced many great songs and this collection features a lot of his best work. Many fans will probably argue that some of their favourites are not on here, but this album does boast his most liked and most popular tracks. Brilliant from start to finish, a good combination of uplifting 80s music and powerful ballads.

Life in the Fast Lane, 26 Apr 2008
`Cultural Seismology - An attempt to record the shifts and displacements of sensibility that regularly occur in the history of art, literature and thought.'

It makes you wonder doesn't it?
Phil Collins was/is a member of ancient rock group Genesis, and a releaser of diabolically bad solo music.
He is bland and non-descript in a nails-down-a-blackboard, bite-on-cotton-wool sense, and his music contains not one note of interest or revelation to prove otherwise.
For years he was in Genesis. What can you say?
Genesis, who even by the early 80's were embroiled with the Moody Blues in a `Who's the Deadest Rock Group' competition, Phil apparently became a bit disillusioned and stale, and decided to go his own way.
Left poor Genesis, (who must've been crestfallen) and joined that rather sad little band of going-nowhere monomaniacs. Gabriel, Sting, Weller, McCartney, et al, folk who sensible people would shun like lepers, and who should've finished scratching and pecking around the music business, DECADES ago.
Into this erstwhile company leaps fiery Phil, a `rocker' with all the threat and endangerment of a King Charles Spaniel.
Why isn't he a vicar? The Church wouldn't have him. Imagine being on your deathbed and the Rev Collins coming to give you comfort and succour; "Don't call me vicar, just call me Phil..." and "Miracles CAN happen" I believe you Phil....groan.
Anyway, you need to show some signs of actually being alive to fight in God's corner, and Phil would fail there and then. Listen to his cd. `Sussidio', `Two Hearts', `Easy Lover', Fibreless. Weak. Tired. Unemotional. Quite clearly, Phil needs SONGS as opposed to nebulous yik-yak, needs dynamite in his arrangements. Something - anything!
`One More Night'. Beyond a joke now. Phil's in the studio, swaying gently to the music. He doesn't realise it's so bad. He'd stop surely? Drums pulse gently when they should fire-crack, the lyrics barely exist. Weedy strings flutter away in the background...you get the picture. Lethargic. Small.
This stuff is ruthlessly exploitative as well, scientifically aimed at middle aged housewives doing the hoovering, who don't want anything too demanding, or they'll get a migraine.
It's stubbornly inward looking, a pompous slop-rock ghetto. A niche, a mono-directional phenomenon, an artistic void, destined for the barren Woolworths shelves...
Nothing on `Hits' is good or even mildly diverting. There's a dramatic chord change towards the end of `Groovy Kind of Love' that threatens to rescue the whole song, but, ahh hopes are dashed, and we're soon back on the snoozy track to the rocking chair and oblivion. So close there Phil...
There seems to be a mad, spurious trust between Phil and his audience. I'd imagine it's the same kind of thing Daniel O'Donnell has with his. A we-won't-do-anything- awry understanding, beginning in earnest and ending in Switzerland.
Maybe some-one should give old Phil a gentle nudge, tell him Justin Heyward's just released an lp. That'd get him going...perhaps.
Perhaps he could do a tour, a triple header with Twinkle and Alvin Stardust. Or he could just sleep, bless him. Pop's dreariest man looks (and sounds!) weary. Just put `In the Air Tonight' on and have 40 winks. Shhhh.....
Don't go waking him.






A Great Collection of Songs, 05 Feb 2008
Right from the beginning of this album, introduced with "Another day in Paradise", you know you in for a treat. Contained within this album are a collection of up-beat tracks, with great compliment to the drumming involved. Throughout the album, each track is individual and intriguing, lyrically and musically, and at no point did I want to change the track for a different song or album. The high quality of music has continued from his work in Genesis, comparable to Paul Weller from The Jam to a solo career. Highly recommended, with Phil Collins at his best.

A musical genius, 30 Oct 2007
Like a previous reviewer I'm also a twenty-something brought up by Phil Collins and Genesis obsessed parents, unlike many though i caught the bug and never let go- I can't quite believe how people can be so negative about PC- come on he's undeniably the most talented musician of the last 30 years- and anyone who says otherwise needs educating.

Lazy Reissue!, 24 Sep 2007
I don't what the record company has been doing for the past 9 years since the album was originally released. You would have expected the following to be done when they decide to re-release it :

1) Digitally remaster the album.
2) Include singles which were omitted in the original version to make this compilation more complete. I mean at least the UK Top 20 singles like I Missed Again & If Leaving Me is Easy and US Top 5 singles, Don't Lose My Number & Do You Remember.
3) Where is his last UK Top 20 hit - You'll be in My Heart? What about his duet (US NO 1) with Marilyn Martin - Separate Lives?


To make things worse, even the cover is the same!! With so many omissions, my advice is DON'T BUY THIS until a more comprehensive collection is released. Phil Collins deserves a 2 CD compilation which should include his 12" remixes as well.

Bland, dreary and you've probably heard it all before, 28 Aug 2008
I simply cannot understand the plaudits dished out to this elevator music reincarnation of late '60's white soul boy funk.

Ever heard of Traffic? The Faces? Oh, there are countless bands from the period, and most of which Weller was very keen to dismiss as "hippy" back in the days of The Jam.

Something has definitely happened to Weller. He's got older and matured well, but that's half the problem. This music is suitable for playing whilst you're busy hanging wall-paper or decorating your youngest's playroom. It is so bland, both musically and lyrically, that I have difficulty believing that this album WAS actually written by the same man who wrote Start, Going Underground, That's Entertainment, to name a few.

Lyrically it is very banal too. I could argue that Weller's vocals have improved since the early days but whilst he is arguably a better singer today (technically)than during the days of The Jam, his range appears to be very limited and he relies far too much on his attempts at Otis Redding style "soulful barks" to propel his songs along which can be very wearing over the course of 2 or 3 similar numbers.

Nowhere on this album does anyone sound as though they have any life in them or passion or excitement. Was this meant to sound depressing, I wonder?

The Style Council made some great sounding and FUN records but Weller has never really reached the peaks he achieved during The Jam in my opinion. Maybe he should just quit? He certainly doesn't do it for the money!



Perfect - and he knows it!, 03 Jun 2008
Weller fans will love this, but then again, so will almost everyone!

I'm quite hard to please, but I have to say that in a career spanning over 30 years, there's been very little of Weller's work that I've disliked. Admittedly, as a 15 year-old lad, I was sad when The Jam dissolved, but later in life I realised the importance of that move. Likewise, I lost the plot a bit when TSC became completely obsessed with themselves, but apart from that, there have been very few "speed wobbles".

So for me, the stand-out tracks are "broken stones", "thechangingman" and "time passes"....but what an awesome album! Choose your own favourites. Who remembers when he did "The White Room" with Noel Gallagher?

Hands up who wants to be Paolo Hewitt?.....that's a "no" then?...

Weller's creative peak, 30 May 2007
Although Paul Weller has produced some fine albums since "Stanley Road", this was the one where it all really came together and he was truly launched back into the mainstream, to become the darling of the festival generation, having been the "spokesman" for the previous one.

This is an upbeat album, loosely held together by influences of Weller's upbringing in Woking, Surrey in the late 60s/early 70s, which was far more rural than one might imagine. He speaks of his family's road, "Stanley Road" going on and on (in fact it is not that long at all) and thus reflects our habit of seeing things from childhood as being far bigger in size than they actually were. The driving piano of this track wonderfully captures this feel in music, as in deed, it meanders and rolls on and on. There is a follow on fropm "Wild Wood's" bucolic flavour with cuts like "Woodcutter's Son", "Whirlpool's End" and "Broken Stones", where once again the influence of late 60s Traffic is clear.

"Changing Man" is a great, barnstorming opener and the verve and punch is continued through "Walk On Gilded Splinters" with its slow powerful groove and "Porcelain Gods" wit its cynical lyric. "You Do Something To Me" soon became the favourite of loved-up couples at gigs (witness the Hyde Park concert DVD) and "Out Of The Sinking" another solid piece of 90s rock. Drums, searing choppy guitar, keyboards and piano are to the fore on this almost perfectly blended album. The voice is at its peak and the lyrics are both poetic at times and hard-hitting. "Stanley Road" is as close to a perfect album as you will get. However, its very perfection renders it somewhat less interesting and worthy of exploration than his other albums, if that makes sense. Like "Ziggy Stardust", "Born To Run" and "Graceland" it suffers from the "I'm too familiar with it" syndrome and thus, I often find myself listening to "Heliocentric" or "Illumination" these days, despite the fact that they are inferior albums (comparatively). Does that make sense ? I Hope so.

Awesome!!!, 16 Mar 2007
This Album is Brillant From Start to Finish. You Do Something To Me Is 1 Of The Greatest Songs Ever Written. Wings Of Speed Is In My Top 5 All Time Greatest Songs. Stanley Road Should Be In Everyones Cd Collection And In Every List Done By Music Magazines Of The Top 100 Albums You Must Own, Stanley Road Should Be In The Top 5.

Just Buy It, It's A Masterpiece, Weller Is A LEGEND.

Weller's 90s statement, 25 Aug 2006
Sold like hot cakes and contained a handful of classics and a wider batch of good tunes.
It's opening salvo of "Changingman" and "Porcelain Gods" certainly suggested a man at the peak of his powers.
The blue-eyed soul classic of "Broken Stones" remains this albums high-point. The classic mod bluster and shine of "Out Of The Sinking" comes in second place.
Other high-point is the beautiful and sadly often over-looked "Time Passes...".
But overall a very, very good album.
Only down-side is "You Do Something To Me". Made for brit-flicks starring Martine McCutcheon and Ray Winstone.
Other than that, an album worthy of respect and affection. Brilliant sleeve as well...


Modfather "Lite", 01 Mar 2007
This album shows the progression Paul Weller has made as a purely solo artist from 1992 to 1998. The tracks on it are stunning and include "Changing Man" "Out of the Sinking" "Broken Stones" "You do something to me " and many more it does not however include any of the stunning tracks which were not released as singles and therefore the collection is rather incomplete.

I would advise anyone buying this to treat it as an introduction to Paul Weller's solo work and then go on and buy his back catalogue as I am sure you will find songs on the albums which are better than some of the tracks included. I say this as a die hard Weller fan that first saw the Jam in the 1970's and still enjoys his work today.


Changingman gets selective...., 30 Aug 2006
This is a tight well compiled and presented compilation containing all Mr Weller's singles from 1992 to 1998. What shows up is a stylish collection of strong songs ranging from the R&B charge of "Peacock Suit" to the soulful "Broken Stones."
"Brand New Start" is an effective addition to this showcase of the man's solo songwriting.
So there's no experimental ambient house in here. So what. Here's an album of great songs played well by one of the UK's best songwriters. Respect due.

Never out of the CD changer, 04 Mar 2006
The quality of this collection is stunning - there is not a single duff track. Weller's raw, bluesy style is in evidence everywhere here from the pounding opening bars of 'Out Of the Sinking' and continues throughout, with the exception of the lighter, more 'Style-Council-y' 'Above The Clouds' and the Beatle-esque 'Sunflower' and 'Uh-Huh Oh-Yeh' which actually sit very happily here as a reminder of Weller's range and gift for melody writing. Though it is hard to choose my favourite tracks, the opener, the immortal, beautiful 'You Do Something To Me' and the classy 'Broken Stones' are without equal. Whenever I play this album around the uninitiated, they always end up asking me 'what album is this, it's great!' and I add another convert to the list. These are the kinds of songs that other artists only dream of producing. The guy is a god - and this album deserves every one of its 5 stars. This is music that never ages, dates or bores.

who would of though?, 17 Feb 2006
Who would of thought? i came across the man paul weller whil viewing 'Big brother' amongst all things, they had the song 'you do somthing to me' on one of the clips, and i fell i love with it there and then, and after that inspiration of such a good tune, i thought i need a bit more of that, thats when i purchased this album.
i would reccomend it for people like me who havn't heard a lot of paul, as it gives a wide variety of songs.

Who would of thought? big brother led me to a ledgend, whats next?!

The guy is an institution--his own institution, 03 Oct 2002
If you gave up on Paul Weller because the later Style Council stuff was not to your taste, you made a mistake. First of all, a lot of the unreleased Style Council stuff turned out far better than we could have thought once it was released.

Anyway, this compilation/sampler is the single best way to get caught up on Weller. 70s influence comes out strong in this rock, but it's not the stuff that influenced the younger Weller of the Jam (or not mostly I think).

As a sampler to what this genius is about, this collection is flawless. Then, if you like a particular song or songs, you can figure out what original l.p. to go back to. There is plenty more where this came from.

With Stuart Adamson gone, it's nice to think that there are still a few who have made good on the promise of all that creativity that burst forth after punk. Weller belongs to that elite.

Never mind that Van Morrison is one of the most indelible songwriters of the 20th century--take each album on its own terms. On 1968's seminal Astral Weeks, a twentysomething Van Morrison can be found belting his gospelly, bluesy vocals in just as fine a form as he would be 20 years hence. In the sociopolitical context of the times, the album cried out about such ubiquitous 1960s themes as cultural oppression and social upheaval. But it is Morrison's vocal dexterity and passion that maintains such timeless appeal. Take tracks like "Madame George" or "Cyprus Avenue" and you'll find such beautiful mourning, it'll be clear why Sinéad O'Connor once publicly exclaimed: "Van Morrison should be friggin' canonized". --Nick Heil

One to be played over and over again!, 13 Jul 2008
Arrived yesterday and I have played it over and over, hit after hit superbly remastered and a 'must have' CD absolutely fabulous can't add anything more just buy it!

Brilliant but Pointless, 05 Jul 2008
Now I am of the opinion that greatest hits/Best of CD's should only be released at the end of a bands career and be a much larger album 2 discs minimum possibly more. The only acceptance of this is after a huge event such as the death of a band member, where you could release a best of in their memory and to show their contribution to the band. Now Bon Jovi's release is a mystery to me as there was no real reason to release one other than to make money as far as I am concerned. This doesn't mean the album is bad because every song contained is brilliant but it misses out some essential songs that within this kind of Bon Jovi release should not be left out, but there still is no point for its release. Although `Always' was released here I don't know why they didn't just save it back and put it on their next album that ended up being `These Day's' rather than on this pointless greatest hits.

There are only 2 types of people that will probably want this album

1) Hardcore fans who want `Always' as this is the album that song was released on and finding the single version will be difficult, plus the fact any real fan would want it on the real disc rather than as just a download.
2) Casual fans who just want to hear some great Bon Jovi classics but aren't to bothered about having the whole collection.

Now I bought Crossroads as my first Bon Jovi album believing that a greatest hits should show me whether they are really as good as `Living on a Prayer' had suggested, then if I really like them I could proceed to get some more albums. The album was amazing and there was not a single weak track although obviously there are songs that are stronger than others. A lot of the songs are ballads and most are based on theme around love. Some of the songs `In These Arms' and `Bed of Roses' are a bit soppy but are very good, whereas `Living on a Prayer' and `You Give Love a Bad Name' are huge rockers with powerful guitar riffs, others like `Bad Medicine' and `Lay Your Hands on Me' are more arena sounding in the sense they are more directed towards being massive during live performances and finally there are also a couple of cowboy sounding songs `Dead or Alive' and `Blaze of Glory'.

Track by track ratings out of 10

1) Living on a Prayer- 9.5
2) Keep the Faith- 10
3) Someday I'll be Saturday Night- 9.3
4) Always- 10
5) Dead or Alive- 10
6) Lay Yours Hands on Me- 8.5
7) You Give Love A Bad Name- 10
8) Bed of Roses- 10
9) Blaze of Glory- 10
10) In These Arms- 9.3
11) Bad Medicine- 7.5
12) I'll Be There For You- 9
13) In and Out Love- 7
14) Runaway- 8
15) Never Say Goodbye- 8.5

Overall this is a very good album and really opened my mind and ears to the world that is Bon Jovi but having now heard their music I know that I may as well have started out with a proper album, I recommend unless you fit into one of the above categories that I spoke about you should instead buy `Slippery When Wet' `New Jersey' or `Keep the Faith' and slowly get their studio albums instead. This is 4 stars for the content being as good as it is. The star off is because it's not really worth it plus `Dry County' isn't here probably their best song!


Best Album Ever, 21 Jan 2008
This album is simply amazing. Nothing gets you more pumped up for a night out than listening to hit after hit from the big man. I live in an apartment and on two occasions the neighbour downstairs had to call at my door to ask me to stop playing this album so loud. On the second occasion they fell asleep pushing the door bell for at least 5 minutes. To be fair it was 3 o'clock in the morning and I was pretty leathered!

Anyway, this album will bring out your air guitar playing, karaoke singing, head bashing best. A must-own...

AWESOME BON JOVI!!!!!!!!, 25 Jul 2007
I've have been a Bon Jovi fan for only a few months and already have 8 of his albums, Jon and his band certainly rock and have released awesome music over the years, many of the albums have [righty so] hit no.1, i'm now a true Bon Jovi fan.
"Crossroads" is a greatest hits album and includes just about all their best songs and all their leading chart hits, needless to say each track is a gem.
This CD has everything a newbie fan needs to build a collection around, released in 1994 this is compilation album went that went straight to no.1 in the charts and quite rightly so, this is a true greatest hits and a disc that you will play again and again once you own it. It's a perfect collection and one that i'm most proud to own and have in my vast music collection, Bon Jovi rock and i think they are now my favorite band of all time.
All their best hits are included on this disc including "Livin' On A Prayer", "You Give Love A Bad Name", "Bad Medicine" and "Bed Of Roses" etc, some of the greatest songs ever recorded in my opinion.
If i could then i'd give this CD a 10 star raiting, i fully recommened it and hope that you will decided to buy a copy sooner rather than later if you don't already own it.

Great collection, but does the order of listing let it down?, 08 Jul 2007
Years ago, I used to be a die hard Bon Jovi fan (in my teenage years when you tend to obsess about people). Since then, although I no longer listen almost exclusively to them, I still do appreciate their music and I still think that Jon has one of THE best singing voices in the business. This album was one of my favourites, and recently I have returned to it. Upon listening to it after a few years, I think I have discovered one flaw - the listing of the songs (specifically the order of the tracks).
While "Livin' on a Prayer" is a great rock song, and a great opener, by putting that right before "Keep the Faith" - another classic Bon Jovi track - they have put maybe the two best rock anthems right at the beginning, leaving little else further on in the album to encourage you to keep listening. Perhaps I am being pedantic, but I feel the whole album could have benefitted by just having these two tracks put elsewhere on the listing. If "Keep the Faith" had appeared further in, it would ceratinly have given the CD a bit of a kick in the middle.
Having said that, this album does have some of their best ballads also. Of course there is the sublime "Always" and the equally superb "In These Arms". Both of these are great to sing along to, as both are paked with the usual love and angst that often accompanies it.
All in all, this is a great CD, even today years after its original release.

can you imagine..., 02 Mar 2007
I was going to mention Clapton's christening of the Les Paul, Marshall setup, but others have beaten me to it. I liken it's impact to what happened to harp playing when Little Walter and other's deciding to blow through the PA or an early guitar amp. They REDEFINED the sound of the instrument.

So all I'll add is the rhetorical question...can you imagine being a teenage Brit, having been reared on the sounds of the Beatles, Jerry and the Pacemakers, or even the Dave Clark Five, wandering into a London club because someone had recommended the Bluesbreakers, and hearing THIS STUFF? Probably as epiphanic as being a white guy in mid 50's Chicago and having the nerve to wander into the Dew Drop Inn and hearing Muddy, Wolf, or later, Otis Rush and Buddy Guy. Simply put, a life changing experience.

The most important guitar album of all time!, 08 Feb 2007
The best guitar player of the time on top of his game. Classic tracks. The perfect combination of guitar and amp. Incredible solos... Listening to this album it is easy to see why rock took the directions it did. This is the blueprint for pretty much every rock/blues album that followed, and in my opinion the closest Clapton ever got to this ever again is on Layla... This is Essential.

The album that changed my life., 28 May 2006
On a week's holiday with my parent's in Littlehampton in Sussex during the summer of '66, as ever, I found a record shop. Without much money as I was still at school, (just), I had the choice, in my mind anyway, between two albums; The Mother's Of Invention's 'Freakout,' and 'Bluesbreakers.' Maybe there had been a lot of publicity at the time about 'Freakout,' I can't remember, but for some reason I was torn between which one to buy. Probably the fact that I was a Yardbirds fan and had listened to 'Five Live' a great deal made up my mind, and I plumped for 'Bluesbreakers.' It was to be the wisest move and the best purchase I ever made. As a then, and still now, 'would-be' guitarist, this album, for its time in rock history, had everything you wanted and more, and has pretty much stayed that way over the ensuing years. To play with this degree of skill and feeling at Clapton's age of 21 at the time, was and is incredible. At 15, he was almost an old man to me being 6 years older, yet even so, the bluesmen I had heard were in their 30's and over, (really old men!), and even now this album begs the question "Why was Clapton so great at such a young age?" We will never know, and if put to the question, probably neither would he? It was just something he was drawn to and did, and has had the good fortune to do so for the rest of his life. If you're a guitarist, Clapton fan, blues enthusiast, whatever, and you don't own this album, simply buy it now - it will remain a classic for as long as planet Earth keeps turning.

Life Changing..., 15 Feb 2006
I first listened to this disc as a fifteen year-old and music was never the same thereafter. I started hunting straight away for the original US musicians who had inspired first Mayall and then the unbelievably young Clapton. And I'm still listening to the fruits of that search. Meantime it opened me up to the expanding British Blues scene and subsequently other new British genres, all the way from Fleetwood Mac and Chicken Shack, to The Groundhogs, Steeleye and Fairport. The music itself is quite simply inspired, mainly by the fusion of the very different talents of the individuals involved. I'm not sure that Mayall ever wrote, sang or played as well again 'though Clapton went on to far greater things. Just listen to Track 5, Double Crossin' Time, written by the both of them, which displays their different talents perfectly. This disc is one of those very rare seminal recordings which brings as much pleasure now as on the day it came off the presses.

sheer tone, 07 Jul 2005
This is the album that launched the Gib