50 Number Ones (CD - 2004)

Photographers: Jarrett Gaza; Mark Tucker .

There have been plenty of George Strait compilations, and most of have been very good, but none have been as good as 2004's 50 Number Ones. While the 1995 box set Strait Out of the Box illustrated the range and depth of Strait's musical achievement, it may have been too lengthy for some listeners, and shorter compilations like the two-volume The Very Best of Strait left too many hits behind -- and by 2004, all those compilations were out-dated, since Strait continued to top the charts until the release of 50 Number Ones. This double-disc contains all the big hits that he's had since Strait Out of the Box, along with all of his classics from the '80s and early '90s. The title might bend the truth a little bit -- at least according to the Billboard charts, such latter-day singles as "True" and "Run" only peaked at number two, not number one -- but it doesn't matter, since this contains all of his major singles in one convenient package. And it's not noteworthy just because it's one-stop shopping, it's also noteworthy because it proves exactly how consistent George Strait's body of work has been over the last twenty-some years. From start to finish, there's not a slow spot here -- it's a thoroughly entertaining collection that belongs in the ranks of country's greatest-hits albums. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

From the early 1980s onward, there's been no greater champion of traditional country-music values in the mainstream (and none more successful) than George Strait. Like a virtual Ramones of country, he's remained unshakeable in his devotion to a straightforward, no-frills aesthetic of which he's become the unquestioned standard-bearer. This populist stance has accordingly resounded with huge numbers of listeners; if you thought it was impressive when Alabama released a hits collection containing 40 Number One country hits, try Strait's 50 NUMBER ONES on for size.

In keeping with Strait's singular approach, the passage of time is difficult to notice here. From the wistful 1982 lost-love tale "Fool Hearted Memory" to the one new song, 2004's "I Hate Everything," Strait's amiable mix of honky-tonk, Western Swing, and bar-room ballads is remarkably consistent, providing the perfect framework for each sentiment just as comfortably as his warm, inviting voice serves the songs. Unlike many artists' best-of collections, there's no chronological peak beyond which the hits stop coming; 50 NUMBER ONES contains just as many latter-day smashes as early chart-toppers, a testament to the remarkable staying power and clarity of vision that make George Strait a star. minimize