Imserba Webstore - Greatest Hits I, II & III - The Platinum Collection (3CD)

	List Price: $22.99 Our Price: $24.68 Your Save: $ ( % ) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Manufacturer: Hollywood Records
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Binding: Audio CD EAN: 0720616236029 Format: Box set Label: Hollywood Records Manufacturer: Hollywood Records Number Of Discs: 3 Publisher: Hollywood Records Release Date: 2002-09-24 Studio: Hollywood Records
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Editorial Reviews: What once seemed Queen's greatest liabilities--a preening flamboyance and pompous, overwrought theatricality--have ironically become their most enduring charms in a gray, postmodern pop-music landscape. While it eschews the glammy, pre-punk hard rock of live faves like "Stone Cold Crazy" and "Tie Your Mother Down" for the band's more quirky club-beat string of latter-day hits, this 51-track triple-CD anthology goes a long way toward documenting the true dimensions of the band's music and fame. Some songs may not be instantly familiar to American fans because of yet another irony: just as their U.S. fortunes waned during the punk and new wave era, the band was exploding into true international superstars. Thus, there may be a sense of discovery here, whether of latter-day Queen material or solo work by Brian May and Freddie Mercury, whose duet on "Barcelona" with diva Montserrat Caballé transcends boundaries of both time and genre. A previously unreleased live performance of "The Show Must Go On" featuring Elton John on vocals is also included. --Jerry McCulley
Spotlight customer reviews: Customer Rating: Summary: As Good As It Is, Missing Some Real Classics Comment: Like my title says, this platinum collection is very good, but I'm surprised at the songs not included. I know we all have our favorite Queen songs and I'm sure many of them weren't included, but the absence of the following songs really confuses me: Sheer Heart Attack, Tie Your Mother Down, Get Down Make Love, and Keep Yourself Alive. I mean those weren't some obscure Queen songs, they were bonafide hits just like the rest of the collection from the first two discs. Some of the garbage/filler on the third CD could have easily been replaced with those songs. What garbage/filler do I speak of: The Show Must Go On, Under Pressure, Barcelona, Somebody To Love, Another One Bites The Dust (the worst of the garbage/filler), and Thank God It's Christmas. Otherwise there really isn't much to complain about. As for CD three, I feel this platinum collection is worth it over just buying Greatest Hits 1 & 2 for the song These Are The Days Of Our Lives, one of Queens best songs IMO. Plus some of the songs from Made In Heaven are decent as well as the unexpected gem Princess of the Universe from A kind Of Magic. I would say there is enough on disc three to warrant its purchase as well as a place on your hard drive/MP3 player. The reason for four stars instead of five is for the inclusion of the worthless songs listed above and the exclusion of songs that deserved to be included. Queen is one of the most important bands ever in the history of rock and roll, and this collection is a good place to start as an introduction. I would hope you would not stop here though, but rather go on to buy the classic albums from which these songs came. Customer Rating: Summary: CD#3 Comment: Would've given it 5 stars if not for that 3rd CD. It is a travesty that was included and I would never have bought the pack if I had found out sooner about that 3rd horrible CD. Still worth the low price just for the 1st & 2nd CD. 3rd CD...BLAH! Customer Rating: Summary: Just Love It! Comment: I was amazed at the amazon.com price for this collection. iTunes does not even give you the option to buy the Platinum Collection, so the amazon.com price was awesome, plus you get the box CD set and music. I have not had the chance to really listen to all of the 3rd CD, but since Freddy has a great voice, I'm sure they are just great. I know there has been complaints about the 3rd CD, but come on now! Customer Rating: Summary: Milking the cash cow. Comment: After releasing the entire Queen CD catalogue in terrific remastered versions, Hollywood Records re-packaged the hits into the 'Classic Queen' and 'Greatest Hits' compliations. Then a few years ago, they finally issued the original British 'Greatest Hits' and 'Greatest Hits 2' CDs ... now, here once again, are those two compilations along with a mis-titled 'Greatest Hits 3', which is actually a complilation of duets between the surviving members of Queen and some UK pop stars such as Elton John, along with a few stray authentic Queen and Freddie Mercury solo tracks. While interesting, disc 3 would have been better had it been a real hits collection of actual Queen recordings - perhaps some classic album tracks or B-sides. Still, for the price of 2 CD's you get most of Queen's radio hits, which will be enough for casual fans. But these discs only skim the surface of Queen's musical legacy. Customer Rating: Summary: Queen: Greatest Hits I, II & III - The Platinum Collection (3CD) Comment: Great addition to any collection! This CD boxed set and enclosed booklet presents the versatility, talent and history of this awesome band.