Best Pop
"Hamilton" - which transferred to Broadway following a sold-out run at The Public Theater in NYC - is the acclaimed new musical about the scrappy young immigrant Alexander Hamilton, the $10 Founding Father who forever changed America with his revolutionary ideas and actions.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Then avoid this album at ALL COSTS. Soon your family will start experimenting with this album and know Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton are more than just a trivia question from the Got Milk commercial from 1993. I'll leave it at this: I enjoyed this album enough to: -sing along with it. -move along with it. -make plans to fly out to Broadway to watch and support this show. -most importantly: find out more about Alexander Hamilton beyond the 1993 Got Milk commercial. I hope you enjoy this album as much as I have."
"This excellent cast album has it all: songs about desire, triumph, love, heartbreak, power, obsession, family, cheating, status, happiness and loss. After an eight year absence from visiting NYC, Hamilton has inspired me to book a plane ticket and a ridiculously expensive hotel room in the Big Apple just to see this show in the Fall."
"It's a brilliant pastiche of musical and poetic styles, all perfectly tailored to each particular character, yet woven into an intricate narrative that will inspire, entertain, and break your heart. I was privileged to see the show the week that it opened, and can't stop telling people about it, so I was beyond thrilled that the production team, including writer/performer Lin-Manuel Miranda and producer Ahmir Khalib Thompson (aka Questlove) chose to produce a full-length soundtrack that skipped nothing from the original show. Now an entire generation of theater-goers will arrive at Hamilton already knowing the music and words, and that's probably a great thing, because it's incredibly complex and fast-paced."
"I've been immersed in American musical theater my entire life and work in it full-time now."
"Totally met all my expectations. Took the advice from friends to do your research."
2017 edition of festive 2016 album with 5 bonus tracks.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I first found out about this because my teenager nearly blew out my eardrums as she ran screaming from her room that Pentatonix was releasing a Christmas album. Each of the five musicians have gifted voices and talents and are essential to the group's unique style."
"A few of the songs on here skeptics may think the songs have been overdone and have no way of being different, but pentatonix found a way to twist the songs enough to keep the original magic but make it their own enough that it really stands out from other covers and brings the excitement of listening to that song for the first time again."
"Heard this group on the Christmas TV special - amazing voices, and acappella!"
"I love Pentatonix!!!!"
"Very interesting album - the voices are really good and close harmony I enjoy it and my guests were pleased."
"A fun new spin on holiday favorites, and sung by the talented Pentatonix and a few featured artist."
"This is by far our favorite Christmas album."
"'This was good but not half as good as last years."
The Herald Angels SingWhite Winter HymnalSleigh RideWinter Wonderland/Don't Worry Be Happy (featuring Tori KellyThat's Christmas To MeMary, Did You KnowDance Of The Sugar Plum FairyIt's The Most Wonderful Time Of The YearSanta Claus Is Coming To TownSilent Night.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I could get all excited about Kirstie and Avi nailing their leads ("Sleigh Ride" and "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" respectively) AND the fact that Kevin gets to sing several lines in "Mary..." I could rave over their original song "That's Christmas to Me" which is both beautiful and moving. But I won't......because that would take too much time that I could spend listening to this incredible album."
"I love Pentatonix so it was natural that I had to have "That's Christmas to Me"."
"We drive many miles over the Christmas holidays and most often listen to Christmas CD's as we drive."
"My daughter, a dance teacher, told us about Pentatonix."
"I want to listen to Christmas music year round thanks to this awesome band!"
"I purchased and shipped it to 4 of my friends/family AND gave it as a white elephant gift last year for Christmas."
"I Love acapella."
"One of my favorite groups and my grandchildren want to hear it every time we get in the car - even in the heat of summer!"
Best Adult Alternative
We had started writing new songs well before we got into the studio to record.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"There have been numerous acts (an American idol and a band referencing monsters, to name two) that sound pretty good, but this is the real thing."
"Love Mumford & Sons - you have to love the driving music and the accents and the rough and tumble poetry that they put into song."
"It's completely recognizable as the Simon & Garfunkel standard but Marcus adds a slight tweak to the melody line that makes it fresh and new ."
"As the follow up to the 2009 album, Babel does a lot to impress the listener. The band allows themselves to go quiet at times to paint a picture that is in compliment to what Mumford & Sons has created since their early formation."
"The heartfelt lyrics pierce the soul, at times, and the emotions build with guitars, banjos and even brass to a crescendo befitting the sentiment, never out of place or disjointed."
"Like my other review of this band-I can't listen to them ALL the time-but they are a fun romp when I am ready and always have rollicking tunes and lyrics."
"The band follows Sigh no More with a album that is even larger in sound than the first, a feat I thought impossible."
"When I tried to rip the songs off of the CD the mp3's had the same issue which makes me think it is a defect on how it's imprinted on the CD."
Best Adult Contemporary
Hit singles large and medium are here, often ("One of These Nights," "Hotel California") still sounding definitive and even tough.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Disc one is labeled as disc 1 and has disc 2 songs and disc 2 is labeled disc 2 and has disc 2 songs."
"We love these guys...old now, and we still love to hear them!"
"This 2 CD set was bought as a present for some friends up North simply because it is the GREATEST collection of songs by the Eagles that I have EVER run across, bar none."
"So many greatest hits albums leave out important hits, probably to make sure you buy more albums to get 'THE' collection of all the band's hits."
"A classic!"
"This is the ultimate boxed set -right up there with Led Zeppelin and Lynyrd Skynyrd."
"I think one can do no better then this two Cd package as i can find no reason not to give this collection a thumbs up.."
"I was excited to see this 2-CD album for such a reasonable price, but I was even more excited to hear the sound quality and professional production."
Best Dance Pop
i. am, as well as 'For All Time', a previously unreleased track from the Thriller sessions that has been newly mixed and mastered by Michael Jackson.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"As with most new records these days, it has a slight warp; but with the proper tracking force it plays just fine."
"Item arrived quick and just as described!"
"Absolute classic, my little sis loves it!!"
"Specifically, the new versions of Wanna Be Startin Somethin (With Akon was really good), Billie Jean (Kayne West with a nice remix), Beat It (With Fergie which was a nice twist), P.Y.T (with Will.I.Am which is better than the original IMO) & even The Girl Is Mine (which was my least favorite on the original album but made better this time around). You get the original nine songs, the little Vincent Price rap and the 6 new versions PLUS a DVD of the Thriller videos (Billie Jean, Beat It, Thriller and the Motown 25th Billie Jean performance). With the exception of the original "The Girl Is Mine" (which I never really liked) this is the perfect version of Thriller released to date."
"One of the greatest albums of all time by one of the greatest artists of all time."
Best Easy Listening
Led by 'All Or Nothing At All,' this collection is stacked with standouts, including 'I'll Never Smile Again' (1940), 'I've Got The World On A String' (1953), 'In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning' (1955), 'I've Got You Under My Skin' (1956), 'Come Fly With Me' (1957), 'The Way You Look Tonight' (1964), 'Fly Me To The Moon (In Other Words)' (1964), 'Strangers In The Night' (1966), 'My Way' (1968), and 'Theme From New York, New York' (1979), among many more.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The reviewer who gave this set 1 star is being very nit picky about what is obviously a great representation of Sinatra's music. Sure, hardcore Sinatraphiles such as myself always want to hear more previously unreleased Sinatra music, and Sinatra's catalog of recordings is so vast that even 100 recordings is super-difficult to narrow it down to."
"This is the first time material from all three of Sinatra’s labels (Columbia, Capitol, and Reprise) are included on the same collection, and it’s also the first time many of these tracks have had any significant remastering efforts, so that alone makes this a worthy purchase."
"The most important songs IMO (the ones that are in disc 2) are mostly mastered fine, but for example the first 2 tracks on the first lp are atrociously bad sounding, i dont know where they sourced them from but i guess no mastering will save that mess."
"I'm sure the most adamant Sinatra fans would find a song or two missing but for a great overview of this man's career spanning works, this is a must have collection whether you are just discovering Sinatra's music or have been a fan for decades."
"This is the best LP I own, I've tried to listen the same songs on iTunes music and the difference is very sharp, it was really good remastered."
"If you want a brief collection of Frank Sinatra from 1939 to his last years,this is the collection for you.I am a collector and if I was to pick 100 songs that best define him,my choice would be pretty close to these selections."
"I love this collection.I have many Frank Sinatra collections but, this is by far the best."
"There's nothing to add to sinatra perfomance and songs, a excellent compilation of his songs, the pressing is excellent, highly rated in british audio magazines."
Best Euro Pop
Sweden's biggest musical export! Included are a full 19 digitally remastered hits, most notably Dancing Queen; Take a Chance on Me; The Winner Takes It All; Waterloo; Fernando , and The Name of the Game . 76 minutes of AM bliss.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I admit that I became interested in purchasing in this collection of Gold Greatest Hits by Abba after watching the Mama Mia movie with my husband around August 2009 (when we were living in Orlando, Florida)."
"Was deliberating on getting one of the Mamma Mia soundtracks, and then figured it would be better to actually purchase this greatest hits album which contained all of those songs and more."
"Great memories from my teenage years listening to this music."
"I got this in preparation for seeing Mama Mia!"
"A great album with all of Abba's hits."
"This 19 song album has some of my favorites that I've heard over the years - Knowing Me, Knowing You, Dancing Queen, Take a Chance on Me."
"Friends gave me an old CD I could not get to transfer to my Kindle, so I purchased this so I could enjoy this delightful collection on-the-go."
"This is the perfect round up of all your favorite abba songs!"
Best Korean Pop
1 CD (Random) + 100P Photobook + 20p The Note of 'The Most Beautiful Moment In Life' + 1 Photocard (Random 1 out of 28 Photocard + 1 Special photocard in limited quantity) + Special Stickers // This is the official release and will be counted towards Billboard / Hanteo / Gaon Charts.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The only thing I'm upset about is that I didn't get the poster... which I for sure thought I would get since this was the link that Bighit posted on their twitter."
"I'm listening to the album for the 3rd time in a row."
"Just finished listening to it for the first time through!"
"I'm listening right now and to hear such great vocals and unexpected beat drops makes me happy."
"I pre-ordered the album for my sister's birthday gift."
"Comes with everything as promised and a special song plus commentary from the members in the book though it is all in Korean so be aware of that."
"I love the album so much I bought 3 - one for myself, one for a white elephant gift exchange and one for a fellow BTS stan!"
"I have a 15 year old niece that's obsessed with BTS and this was their newest album."
Best Pop Oldies
The classic original Beatles studio albums have been re-mastered by a dedicated team of engineers at Abbey Road Studios in London over a four year period utilising state of the art recording technology alongside vintage studio equipment, carefully maintaining the authenticity and integrity of the original analogue recordings.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"It has Bungalow Bill, Back in the USSR, Rocky Racoon, and Blackbird plus a lot more."
"A 2 CD "mini-box" with a picture book, and a small version of a collage poster that may have been part of the original album all those years ago."
"Album cover was slightly warped, but other than that it was sure nice to hear these old songs again."
"I could go in depth about this album in my review, but don't need to: This mono issue has different versions of many tracks that cannot be heard anywhere else, including the Anthology series."
"As any Beatles fan already knows this album (CD)may be the groups best ever compilation of original music, in my opinion the Beatles changed the face of music and created sounds that no one before them ever thought of as music, alarm clocks, crowing roosters,sustained notes the list goes on and on."
"The Beatles."
"While some tracks seem decidedly tongue-in-cheek like the swagger on "Rocky Raccoon" or "Piggies," some of these songs remain classic and the set wears well over 40 years after it was released. The White Album varies sounds and allows the band to explore and stretch, one of the most interesting and provocative of the Beatles' sets."
"Rocky Raccoon, Why Don't We Do It Ii the Road, Blackbird, I Will...I keep it in my CD player in the car as a back up to my Bluetooth device."
Best Pop Singer-Songwriters
The Beatles' acclaimed original studio album remasters, released on CD in 2009, make their long-awaited stereo vinyl debut. Following the success of The Beatles' acclaimed, GRAMMY Award-winning 2009 CD remasters, it was decided that the sound experts at EMI's Abbey Road Studios should create new versions of The Beatles' vinyl LPs. The project demanded the same meticulous approach taken for the CD releases, and the brief was a simple one: cut the digital remasters to vinyl with an absolute minimum of compromise to the sound. The first stage in transferring the sound of a master recording to vinyl is the creation of a disc to be used during vinyl manufacture. The older, alternative method is to cut the sound into the soft lacquer coating on a nickel disc - the first of several steps leading to the production of a stamper to press the vinyl. Having made initial test cuts, Magee pinpointed any sound problems that can occur during playback of vinyl records. For example, each vinyl album was listened to for any 'sibilant episodes' - vocal distortion that can occur on consonant sounds such as S and T. These were corrected by reducing the level in the very small portion of sound causing the undesired effect. The last phase of the vinyl mastering process began with the arrival of the first batches of test pressings made from master lacquers that had been sent to the two pressing plant factories.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I love 180g vinyl."
"A classic, a break out album that defines al' 4 Beatles seeking their own direction toward independence."
"It has Bungalow Bill, Back in the USSR, Rocky Racoon, and Blackbird plus a lot more."
"A 2 CD "mini-box" with a picture book, and a small version of a collage poster that may have been part of the original album all those years ago."
"I was so dissapointed I left it in a corner for several months then one day I said to myself I would give it a chance so I sat down and listened to it carefully at that point I realized I was not the Beatles I was listening to but a combination of John,George,Paul & ringo showing what was to come on their solo work or first albums next thing I know it was becoming one of my favorite Beatle albums today I have it on cd,cassette and vinyl and on my way to buy a sealed one to leave for my daughter this lp is not meant for any other type of format but vinyl and on a good system so if you have a choice don't get the cd or the excessive hissing cassette."
"Album cover was slightly warped, but other than that it was sure nice to hear these old songs again."
"I could go in depth about this album in my review, but don't need to: This mono issue has different versions of many tracks that cannot be heard anywhere else, including the Anthology series."
"I bought this nearly a year ago but only recently gave it as a Father's Day present."
Best Soft Rock
Hit singles large and medium are here, often ("One of These Nights," "Hotel California") still sounding definitive and even tough.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Disc one is labeled as disc 1 and has disc 2 songs and disc 2 is labeled disc 2 and has disc 2 songs."
"We love these guys...old now, and we still love to hear them!"
"This 2 CD set was bought as a present for some friends up North simply because it is the GREATEST collection of songs by the Eagles that I have EVER run across, bar none."
"So many greatest hits albums leave out important hits, probably to make sure you buy more albums to get 'THE' collection of all the band's hits."
"A classic!"
"This is the ultimate boxed set -right up there with Led Zeppelin and Lynyrd Skynyrd."
"I think one can do no better then this two Cd package as i can find no reason not to give this collection a thumbs up.."
"I was excited to see this 2-CD album for such a reasonable price, but I was even more excited to hear the sound quality and professional production."
Best Teen Pop
THE VERY BEST OF FRANKIE VALLI & THE 4 SEASONS packs a single CD with 20 classics recorded for Vee-Jay, Phillips, Curb/Warner, Private Stock, and RSO between 1962-1978.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"My favorite of the three Frankis Valli CD's I bought."
"Buy the album, if you own nothing by The Four Seasons."
"Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons are incredible."
"Makes me feel young again to listen to their old hit songs."
"Every song a hit every song I remember growing up."
"This CD was a great trip down memory lane and reminded me that, much like the Beatles' music, the music of the Four Seasons is always timely and exciting."
"Someone should digitally re-due the original recordings, as they now sound "tinny" compared to the new digital recordings from the show."
"He made me an 8 track tape of the golden song of Franki Vali and the 4 seasons as he had learned this was my favorite group."
Best Pop Tributes
If there is no 5.1 surround sound player, please change the audio set up to stereo-pcm for better audio experience.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"A few days ago i saw the tail end of it by accident and i was glued to the television...George Jones did a couple duets and he was as always very good."
"As much as I love Harry Connick's singing, his was the only song I didn't care for."
"I see in some of the reviews that some fans that have certain expectations and ideas about how George's music should be presented weren't happy with this one."
"Update 8/12/2013: I have upgraded my system to Blu-ray (Oppo), and although my old dvd system (Oppo as well) was not "budget-item", the sync problem has disappeared (still playing the old dvd-disc)."
"George Jones has been in the forefront of the Country Music industry for a couple of generations, and this DVD shows why."
"The 2 Disc DVD is fabulous.But we bought the DVD for the selection"50,000 names on the Wall" We have been doing fund raising to bring in "The Wall That Heals" the Vietnam Memorial Moving Wall."
"Bought as a Christmas gift and it was a great price!"
"This was the 2-disc version and it seems like it may be a relatively infrequent quality problem because it's difficult to believe this problem was encountered by those giving 4 or 5 star reviews. Any feedback on the 1 disc version would be welcome as the sync problem comments don't generally indicate which version had the problem."
Best Vocal Pop
The Herald Angels SingWhite Winter HymnalSleigh RideWinter Wonderland/Don't Worry Be Happy (featuring Tori KellyThat's Christmas To MeMary, Did You KnowDance Of The Sugar Plum FairyIt's The Most Wonderful Time Of The YearSanta Claus Is Coming To TownSilent Night.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I could get all excited about Kirstie and Avi nailing their leads ("Sleigh Ride" and "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" respectively) AND the fact that Kevin gets to sing several lines in "Mary..." I could rave over their original song "That's Christmas to Me" which is both beautiful and moving. But I won't......because that would take too much time that I could spend listening to this incredible album."
"I love Pentatonix so it was natural that I had to have "That's Christmas to Me"."
"I threw my nearly 16 year old golden retriever an early Christmas since cancer was taking her life."
"We drive many miles over the Christmas holidays and most often listen to Christmas CD's as we drive."
"My daughter, a dance teacher, told us about Pentatonix."
"I want to listen to Christmas music year round thanks to this awesome band!"
"i played this for when folks came to visit me near Christmastime, and they loved it just as much as i. i'd only recently heard of the group on CBN and fell in love with their unique talent and sound."
"I purchased and shipped it to 4 of my friends/family AND gave it as a white elephant gift last year for Christmas."
Best Latin Pop
Selena's final album, Dreaming Of You, is available on vinyl for the first time ever!
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This CD also contains a bonus video track of "Dreaming Of You" and liner notes from the family and band which were not included on the cassette, so that was an added bonus."
"Love Love Selena forever !!!"
"The packaging was quite nice and the cd working in perfect condition!"
"So happy they put this on vinyl!"
"Daughter is a huge fan and she loved this!"
"Brings back memories and sounds great!"
Best Rock
Pink Floyd- The Dark Side Of the Moon LP. "Breathe" (listed as "Breathe in the Air" on the original LP label) 2:43 3.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The remastering is just incredible."
"Like the original, it came with the original notes, posters and stickers along with an extra wax sleeve to protect your vinyl while leaving the other in tact for collectibility."
"If you consider yourself a 70's rocker and don't have this vynil, whether original or a repress, well..."
"This is the best selling album of all time for a reason."
"Of course the content is fantastic."
"Love this record, was excited that amazon had this available at a great price."
"My main drive for this version was to purchase a Multichannel version that was perviously only available on SA-CD (Super audio CD) This box includes a quad and a 5.1 mix. I would also not feel cheated if they had included a rebate for the 3 box sets when you bought the Big box of Pink Floyd."
"When music was at its best."
Best Country
(2LP) Grammy Award winning 2015 debut solo album from US singer-songwriter blending country, southern rock & bluegrass influences.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"While today's country music is filled with songs detailing long drives on back country roads with a beer in the console, this album actually inspires you do actually get in your car and drive. If you like, country, blues or southern rock at all, this album is a must have!"
"This album is an apology for 20 years of what Nashville called Country music."
"You may have not lived the life the song speaks about, but you sure have had the feelings the song provokes . GREAT songs take you to a place that you are familiar with and allows you to relive that moment in time."
"I'm not really a country music fan (though I used to be), but this album is great!"
"Thank you to whoever convinced him to do this, and i'll buy Chris Stapleton albums as long as he's putting them out!"
"This is a bad ass record....I want to LP and have tried twice now, yet Mercury Records must have the worst quality control ever on LP pressing."
"In fact, one of the last songs on the album is "Outlaw State of Mind" - shades of Waylon Jennings."
"I bought this after seeing Chris Stapleton on the CMAs singing with Justin Timberlake, which if you haven't watched that video, it's definitely a must see!"
Best Rap & Hip-Hop
Originally released in 1984, Bob Marley's LEGEND illustrates the remarkable life and recording career of one of reggae music's most important figures.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"In any genre, Bob Marley, alone, has the highest sales percentage of any reggae performer or group. He recorded for nearly 20 years, with his groundbreaking Island catalog coming in 1970 with the release of Catch A Fire and ending in 1980 with Uprising. His calypso and ska days won't be found here and in truth, many renditions of the tracks on Legend are equaled or surpassed on other albums or black-market releases such as his 1975 concert at The Quiet Nights Club in Chicago. (Although, his TDK studio recording of Catch A Fire in Toyko (1970-71) is outstanding as well.). Having own quite a few of his blackmarket/ underground concerts none of the official "live" recording of the Wailers stacks up against the ones that are privately owned and circulated, but there is the sense in listening to the few live tracks on this album of what a Bob Marley & The Wailers concert meant."
"If you have a home theater with 5.1 Surround sound and an appreciation for the art of music and quality audio, you will LOVE this set."
"Bought it as a surprise for my mother to go along with a Bluetooth suitcase record player from Amazon as well."
"I was not pleased with the packaging, normally you put bubble wrap or something of that nature when you box something like this!!!"
"THE MOST GORGEOUS VINYL IN MY COLLECTION!!!"
"Great song."
"How can you go wrong with Bob Marley?!?"
"The hole in the center of the record was too small and I was not able to fit it on my turntable."
Best Christian Rap
NF s highly anticipated sophomore album Therapy Session vinyl is a double-disc 14-track vinyl unveiling NF s next step in his journey.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Raw, honest, vulnerable.... heartfelt."
"The song "How Could You Leave Us" is quite a unique song compared to other artists as he shares the deep and genuine emotions of love and hurt about his mom."
"In Intro 2 he tells us he's going to take us deeper in his mind than he did on Mansion and that really comes out in How Could You Leave Us (oh I dare you not to cry the first time you listen to that track by the way),and Oh Lord while still maintaining his more "in your face" type feels like on Grindin' and All I Do (OK well all his music is "in your face" but you know what I mean). Feel is really important to music, being able to completely change someone's mood in 3 minutes is not an easy thing to do through most other mediums, but it is something that can be accomplished with music."
"Oh Lord" really hit home, what an amazing song."
"On his latest album, Therapy Session, he has stepped up to the plate and hit another home run."
"I'm so thankful for the way that God is using him like He is because NF addresses a lot of the bs that is breaking His heart too."
"Sadly, the jewel cases of both NF CDs I bought (Mansion and Therapy Session) came cracked."
"I'm a huge CHH fan and NF took his already huge talent to an entirely new level with this album."
Best Soul
Combining a strong, Jazzy vocal style with often frank lyrical content recounting tales of love and loss, Winehouse is a truly talented songwriter with a good ear for melody, making this album an essential purchase.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I feel that her feelings of inadequacy and unworthiness of love come through in a couple of songs so strongly, that I feel for her and want to remind her of those that do care for her, but alas, it is too late."
"Perhaps the best known is Dusty Springfield (1939-1999), who took a cue from jazz artist Peggy Lee and combined it with the soul inflections of such girl groups as Martha and the Vandellas. By the time of its release, Winehouse had become a controversial figure, adopting Ronnie Spector's beehive hairdos and miniskirt dresses while drifting into alcohol and drugs in a way that quickly became infamous. On-going speculation about her chemical dependencies led Winehouse to write and record the album's signature cut: "Rehab," a strange mixture of R&B, South American edges, and slap-in-the-face, tough-girl lyrics that startled virtually everyone who heard it. Drug and alcohol problems, troubled romances, and publicity disasters have kept Winehouse largely silent on the music scene since BACK TO BLACK proved such an international smash."
"It is a true shame that Amy Winehouse passed so young, but listening to this album along with her other music (whether it be on vinyl or other formats) creates a comfort to her listeners that her music will be a huge impact for generations to come."
"This album was purchased for my adult daughter."
"Bad rating because I received two replacements and they both are skipping and the songs mix together."
"Be careful when ordering vinyls, it seems like they get warped in transition and then you're stuck with a defective product you paid for."
"the first 2 tracks on the disc do not work, listens with many jumps."
"I would NOT recommend this album."
Best Christian
An invitation to encounter God in worship is at the heart of Lauren Daigle's first full-length project, HOW CAN IT BE.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The voice I hear on Lauren Daigle’s debut, How Can it Be, reminds me of Adele and the International House of Prayer’s, Misty Edwards. The handclaps bring a smile, as well as the chorus, “When you don’t move the mountains I’m needing you to move/When you don’t part the waters I wish I could walk through/When you don’t give me answers as I cry out to you/I will trust, I will trust, I will trust in you.” I hear an endearing lightness and it’s easy to identify with the thought of life being a battle and more than a little unpredictable. “Let the waters rise I will stand as the oceans roar/Let the earth shake beneath/Let the mountains fall/You are God over the storm/And I am yours.” This is unshakeable confidence framed in majesty. Though our world be shaken, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). Daigle’s voice makes this regal, fitting for a King that presides over all. She starts off soulfully and becomes increasingly earnest, “Oh let this be where I die/My Lord with thee, crucified/Be lifted high as my kingdoms fall/Once and for all/Once and for all.” It brings to mind what Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.”. One of my favorite thoughts from Scripture highlights our need: “We all stumble in many ways” (James 3:2). As Robert Robinson wrote in a hymn, “Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love; Here’s my heart, O take and seal it, Seal it for Thy courts above.” It’s why I like the line, “Be lifted high as my kingdoms fall.” Live enough years and it’s not hard to see the wreckage."
"I was out driving when I heard the single "How Can It Be" on my local Christian station."
"Only problem, there was no packing material/bubble wrap with this cd and the case was broken."
"I'm a new fan of this woman after God's own heart...her lyrics are raw, they're scriptural, and above all they are motivating and spiritually stirring."
"Great writing and Lauren's voice pulls you into the song."
""Peace be Still" by the Belonging Co. not on this CD but here is that great voice, exuding humble worship."
"Best new Christian artist I've heard or met in a long time."
"I listen to this often."
Best Music of Laos
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This is a great ablum but the preview on it is a different album which was recorded 30 years ago, as compared to this one which is only a few years old."
Best Iraqi Music
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"What wonderful music comes from Baghdad and Iraq in general."
"The piece "Amiriyyah" that another reviewer likens to a siren is just that -- a tone poem or picture of Baghdad under US bombing attacks."
"The piece "Amiriyyah" that another reviewer likens to a siren is just that -- a tone poem or picture of Baghdad under US bombing attacks."
"What wonderful music comes from Baghdad and Iraq in general."
"NASEER a native babylonian from IRAQ has nine (9) music pieces in this CD all composed by him & each of them has a story to go with, he play them live on stage, showing his style and a very nice music rhythm to them."
"This music does not fit the stereotype of Near Eastern music- in point of fact, in many ways this disc is more reminiscent of a bravura recital by a musician from the Western classical music tradition. The piece about the bombing of the orphanage is quite obviously about something like that and belongs to the international tradition of protest music that uses instrumental sound effects to convey horror- does anyone else remember Jimi Hendrix playing the Star Spangled Banner during the Vietnam war?"
"Perhaps my expectations were too high, or maybe I am used to that style of the Egyptian School of famous musicians such as Fareed Al - Atrash."
"That sort of piece works well in live concert to show variety and special effects, but not on a CD, in my opinion."
Best Christian Pop & Contemporary
An invitation to encounter God in worship is at the heart of Lauren Daigle's first full-length project, HOW CAN IT BE.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The voice I hear on Lauren Daigle’s debut, How Can it Be, reminds me of Adele and the International House of Prayer’s, Misty Edwards. The handclaps bring a smile, as well as the chorus, “When you don’t move the mountains I’m needing you to move/When you don’t part the waters I wish I could walk through/When you don’t give me answers as I cry out to you/I will trust, I will trust, I will trust in you.” I hear an endearing lightness and it’s easy to identify with the thought of life being a battle and more than a little unpredictable. “Let the waters rise I will stand as the oceans roar/Let the earth shake beneath/Let the mountains fall/You are God over the storm/And I am yours.” This is unshakeable confidence framed in majesty. Though our world be shaken, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). Daigle’s voice makes this regal, fitting for a King that presides over all. She starts off soulfully and becomes increasingly earnest, “Oh let this be where I die/My Lord with thee, crucified/Be lifted high as my kingdoms fall/Once and for all/Once and for all.” It brings to mind what Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.”. One of my favorite thoughts from Scripture highlights our need: “We all stumble in many ways” (James 3:2). As Robert Robinson wrote in a hymn, “Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love; Here’s my heart, O take and seal it, Seal it for Thy courts above.” It’s why I like the line, “Be lifted high as my kingdoms fall.” Live enough years and it’s not hard to see the wreckage."
"I was out driving when I heard the single "How Can It Be" on my local Christian station."
"Only problem, there was no packing material/bubble wrap with this cd and the case was broken."
"I'm a new fan of this woman after God's own heart...her lyrics are raw, they're scriptural, and above all they are motivating and spiritually stirring."
"Great writing and Lauren's voice pulls you into the song."
""Peace be Still" by the Belonging Co. not on this CD but here is that great voice, exuding humble worship."
"Best new Christian artist I've heard or met in a long time."
"I listen to this often."
Best Disney Music
Directed by the renowned filmmaking team of Ron Clements and John Musker (The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, The Princess & the Frog) and produced by Osnat Shurer (Lifted, One Man Band), Moana sails into U.S. theaters on Nov. 23, 2016.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"As a 30-something who grew up in the age of the Disney Renaissance of the 1990s and had (still has) a collection of all the original Walt Disney classics, I can be hard to convince in this age of CGI...but "Moana" is perfection...and so is the soundtrack. I'm not a big "Hamilton" fan, but I can appreciate Miranda's considerable talent - and it shines in this soundtrack. No, it doesn't "sound" like the rest of the soundtrack - but who says it's supposed to?"
"Her father is the village chief and she feels drawn to the ocean that surrounds their beautiful, tropical Polynesian island of Motunui. If you purchase the audio CD version, the lyrics are listed inside the booklet, along with the character who sings them. Some of the songs are energetic and full of adventure whereas others reflect the darker tone when Moana and Maui are faced with their main task. Auli'i Cravalho has a beautiful voice and does an amazing job with all of the songs, my favorite being "How Far I'll Go," which can be heard multiple times on the soundtrack. The score is a lot of fun too and we enjoy figuring out which part of the movie the current song is from."
"If the music isn't stuck in your head yet from your kids constantly watching and rewatching the movie, it will be by the time you're done listening to this in the car for the tenth time."
"I purchased this so my daughter could listen to the soundtrack on our Echo since she loves the movie."
"We leave this in my car every day and my kids want to listen to it every time we get into the car."
"Not neccessarily my favorite, but my two four year old grandaughters love it."
"I bought it shortly after seeing the movie for the first time and have been listening to it non stop."
"Daughter loves the movie and singing all the songs."
Best Vietnamese Music
It is a distinctive mix of folk instruments and courtly formality--a highly disciplined and richly ornamented music originally conceived for moments of importance and ceremony. Several unusual instruments are employed, including the dan bau , a one-string guitar with a bamboo stem that bends notes like a whammy bar , and the k'ni , a rifle-shaped fiddle with a mouth attachment that can create a voice-box effect similar to that used by rock guitarists such as Peter Frampton and Joe Walsh in the '70s. The music is so expertly performed and so beautifully sequenced--the focus shifting from ensemble to solo pieces, from stringed instruments to flutes--that attention never wanders. The most exciting pieces feature a clarinet playing long lines over pounding percussion, a combination common to the music of many Southeast Asian nations.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Item as described."
"Truly a nice selection of music from the North and South, played on instruments foreign to the ear in America."
"Not sure who put this together or where it comes from, but it is an excellent set of traditional vietnamese music which is very hard to find good examples of."
"That book(s) for the traditional discs share the same background material and then have notes on the individual selections. I've had this cranked up on my large car stereo and the sound is clean with good separation. I don't have a large collection of east Asian discs but this is easily my favorite."
"Viet Nam is most often identified with communism and with war, which is a pity, because the music of Viet Nam is as expressive and as complex as pieces written by Bach or Beethoven."
Best Music of Afghanistan
From Kabul to California, Homayun Sakhi is admired as the outstanding Afghan rubâb player of his generation, a charismatic virtuoso who has pushed the limits of his instrument.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Homayun Sakhi is peaceful w/tunes that soothe the audience."
"Our Press paints Afghanistan as a backward, dusty country devoid of any cultural richness and overrun by barbaric religious fanatics. Sadly, the oppressed common Afgan man (and certainly woman) are heirs to an ancient culture where the arts flourished along side those of its sister India to the east and Persia to the west."
"The Music of Central Asia initiative was set up by the Aga Khan and the Smithsonian Insitution to document the surviving folk music traditions of that rich part of the world, and to present it to the global community with enough background to get the most out of it. In this third volume, the Afghan rubab tradition is represented by virtuoso performer Homayun Sakhi. While the rubab is squarely a Central Asian creation, but its Afghani performance tradition developed in close relationship with players in the East, and so afficionados of North Indian music will find this to be quite familiar."
"(little new to the Afghan music) chosen are of a more minor/dissonant nature than the Afghan music I've heard on popular Afghan websites. The instrument itself is related to sarod, but much more percussive due to frets."
"I was hoping for more percussion, but the instrumental music was pleasing."
"Homayun jaan and Toryala jaan are both exceptional musicians and performers, respectively."
"Who played the instrument RABAB is so good, you can feel it in your heart, when you listen to it more and more carefuly, it will grab you heart, some times it will take me so away from this world, Sound of Rubab is so deep and full of joy and flavor."
"Homayun Sakhi is living proof that faith in God and faith in yourself still produce the highest results in man."
Best R&B
"Hamilton" - which transferred to Broadway following a sold-out run at The Public Theater in NYC - is the acclaimed new musical about the scrappy young immigrant Alexander Hamilton, the $10 Founding Father who forever changed America with his revolutionary ideas and actions.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Then avoid this album at ALL COSTS. Soon your family will start experimenting with this album and know Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton are more than just a trivia question from the Got Milk commercial from 1993. I'll leave it at this: I enjoyed this album enough to: -sing along with it. -move along with it. -make plans to fly out to Broadway to watch and support this show. -most importantly: find out more about Alexander Hamilton beyond the 1993 Got Milk commercial. I hope you enjoy this album as much as I have."
"This excellent cast album has it all: songs about desire, triumph, love, heartbreak, power, obsession, family, cheating, status, happiness and loss. After an eight year absence from visiting NYC, Hamilton has inspired me to book a plane ticket and a ridiculously expensive hotel room in the Big Apple just to see this show in the Fall."
"It's a brilliant pastiche of musical and poetic styles, all perfectly tailored to each particular character, yet woven into an intricate narrative that will inspire, entertain, and break your heart. I was privileged to see the show the week that it opened, and can't stop telling people about it, so I was beyond thrilled that the production team, including writer/performer Lin-Manuel Miranda and producer Ahmir Khalib Thompson (aka Questlove) chose to produce a full-length soundtrack that skipped nothing from the original show. Now an entire generation of theater-goers will arrive at Hamilton already knowing the music and words, and that's probably a great thing, because it's incredibly complex and fast-paced."
"I've been immersed in American musical theater my entire life and work in it full-time now."
"Totally met all my expectations. Took the advice from friends to do your research."
Best Britpop
a Rush of Blood to the Head is a soulful, exhilarating journey, moving from the cathartic rock of 'Politik' to the hushed tones of 'Green Eyes' without once breaking its mesmerizing spell.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Front to back it's just a great album."
"This is where it all started."
"My favorite band and the album that first made me fall in love with them - so awesome to finally have it on vinyl!"
"These cd is awesome."
"Great CD original recording."
"Super fast shipping."
Best Music
"Hamilton" - which transferred to Broadway following a sold-out run at The Public Theater in NYC - is the acclaimed new musical about the scrappy young immigrant Alexander Hamilton, the $10 Founding Father who forever changed America with his revolutionary ideas and actions.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Then avoid this album at ALL COSTS. Soon your family will start experimenting with this album and know Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton are more than just a trivia question from the Got Milk commercial from 1993. I'll leave it at this: I enjoyed this album enough to: -sing along with it. -move along with it. -make plans to fly out to Broadway to watch and support this show. -most importantly: find out more about Alexander Hamilton beyond the 1993 Got Milk commercial. I hope you enjoy this album as much as I have."
"This excellent cast album has it all: songs about desire, triumph, love, heartbreak, power, obsession, family, cheating, status, happiness and loss. After an eight year absence from visiting NYC, Hamilton has inspired me to book a plane ticket and a ridiculously expensive hotel room in the Big Apple just to see this show in the Fall."
"It's a brilliant pastiche of musical and poetic styles, all perfectly tailored to each particular character, yet woven into an intricate narrative that will inspire, entertain, and break your heart. I was privileged to see the show the week that it opened, and can't stop telling people about it, so I was beyond thrilled that the production team, including writer/performer Lin-Manuel Miranda and producer Ahmir Khalib Thompson (aka Questlove) chose to produce a full-length soundtrack that skipped nothing from the original show. Now an entire generation of theater-goers will arrive at Hamilton already knowing the music and words, and that's probably a great thing, because it's incredibly complex and fast-paced."
"I've been immersed in American musical theater my entire life and work in it full-time now."
"Totally met all my expectations. Took the advice from friends to do your research."
Best Philly Soul
Contains all of their classic Atlantic hits and more, including eight Top 20 pop smashes!
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Classic group."
"This CD is one of my favorites."
"still singing and dancing."
"Good arrangement too, and great songs!"
"The spinners is one of the best groups I have ever heard."