The latest albums making noise
Greatest hits collections have become much more prevalent over the last decade. As shelf space in box retailers becomes harder to secure, artists are forced to compile their best-known songs in order to stay relevant in the eyes of the deal-hunting public. Christina Aguilera’s first such disc, complete with exclusive distribution at Target, seems to fall prey to this phenomenon.
Now don’t get us wrong ― there are plenty of reasons to pick up this compilation. The defining single “Genie In a Bottle” is here, as is the single/video version of its equally popular cousin, “What a Girl Wants.” Ballads such as “I Turn To You” and “Beautiful” are also present and accounted for, as is the hip-hop banger “Dirrty” with Redman, and the throwback joints “Candyman” and “Ain’t No Other Man.”
Noticeably missing, though, are important songs such as Aguilera’s commercial debut, “Reflection,” and other notable singles such as the “The Voice Within,” “Can’t Hold Us Down,” her pairing with Lil Kim, and anything from 2000’s Mi Reflejo, the Spanish album. You can also forget about legally owning “Lady Marmalade,” Aguilera’s other pairing with Kim, Pink and Mya.
To fill these voids, Aguilera has included four new singles: “Keeps Gettin' Better” and “Dynamite,” which both have a quality reminiscent of Rihanna’s “Disturbia” or one of the tracks from Lady GaGa’s album; a remix of “Genie In a Bottle” titled “Genie 2.0,” that takes on the same melodic tone of the two new singles; and “You Are What You Are (Beautiful),” a much more mellow take that’s as impassioned as the original.
This collection seems premature, especially given that Aguilera has only had three studio albums. Though the decade-spanning set is missing some key elements, it’s still a fun trip down memory lane that reminds us of when we were first introduced to the girl with the powerful pipes. We’ve been hooked ever since, and if the next decade is as full of timeless hits, we may forgive the exclusions.
That’s My Jam’s Rating:
5. Get It Now
4. Get It On Sale
3. Get It As a Gift
2. Get It To a CD Exchange Store
1. Don’t Get It At All
Track List:
1. “Genie In a Bottle”
2. “What a Girl Wants”
3. “I Turn To You”
4. “Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You)”
5. “Dirrty” with Redman
6. “Fighter”
7. “Beautiful”
8. “Ain’t No Other Man”
9. “Candyman”
10. “Hurt”
11. “Genie 2.0”
12. “Keeps Gettin' Better”
13. “Dynamite”
14. “You Are What You Are (Beautiful)”
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