Bob Marley & The Wailers - Legend LP

Even as greatest hits packages go, Legend is an utter gem. Every song is inspired, in a class of its own, whether the real version of "I Shot the Sheriff", the hymnlike "No Woman, No Cry" or the sheer joy of "Jamming". Even allowing that Marley never wrote any bad material, Legend is still the crème de la crème, the heart and soul of the Jamaican people packed into one five-inch compact disc. He was unique and the message of this record, more than any other, is that he died far too soon. --Chris Nickson