The Very Best of Prince

It wouldn’t be right to title this comp *The Very Best of Prince* without a heavy dose of his household hits. That’s why it opens with his 1979 disco nugget “I Wanna Be Your Lover,” followed by the pre-Y2K anthem \"1999.\" But it’s in the more energetic standouts like “Let’s Go Crazy” and “I Would Die 4 U” where we get a better glimpse of the man’s talent for crafting perfect pop. “When Doves Cry” serves as a reminder that Prince is also a stellar guitarist.

Which is a grandiose way of saying that, no matter how partisans may complain, there are many listeners out there that don't want to delve into the deliriously rich catalog of Prince and would rather spend time with a single disc of all the hits -- especially since the first singles compilation was botched, spread too thin over two discs and sequenced as if it were on shuffle play.