The Best of Eric Clapton: 20th Century Masters (Millennium Collection) [Original recording remastered]

Eric Clapton | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 15, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: Polydor / Umgd
• ASIN: B00028HP2G
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #34,730 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

The 20th Century Masters series is the best-selling single-artist line in music history and is being re-released by Universal Music Enterprises (UMe) in its ground-breaking, environmentally-friendly packaging format. A first for the music industry, the standard package (both sleeve and tray) will be completely paper-recyclable, continuing the company's long-standing commitment to being "green."

To further reduce the amount of paper in the Eco-Pack, the CD booklet will no longer be offered. Official liner notes are easily accessible on the Internet at http://www.ilovethatsong.com/green.

UMe is the first North American music company to replace the traditional jewel case with recycled paperboard sleeves and the plastic tray with trays made from PaperFoam®, a new packaging technology from Shorewood Packaging, a business of International Paper, that is paper-recyclable and biodegradable. Shorewood Packaging is the first North American packaging supplier to produce disc trays from PaperFoam®. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Clapton excels with his roots in blues, rock and country--but Clapton's worthy of better than this CD "retrospective.", December 25, 2006

By 

Matthew G. Sherwin (last seen screaming at Amazon customer service) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Best of Eric Clapton: 20th Century Masters (Millennium Collection) (Audio CD)

Eric Clapton remains one of the most respected musicians we've ever seen. His vocals and music are beautifully arranged works of art that appeal to many people because of his roots in R&B, rock and country. Clapton even helped to introduce America to reggae with his cover of Bob Marley's song entitled "I Shot The Sheriff." Many people know this to be true, so then why is this CD so lacking as a retrospective?

Don't get me wrong: The CD has great tracks on it: the passionate ballad entitled "Layla;" the high-spirited rendition of J. J. Cale's "After Midnight;" the reggae influenced hit "I Shot The Sheriff;" and the memorable ballad entitled "Bell Bottom Blues." The sound throughout is excellent even on my portable CD player. Clapton performs with great sensitivity and passion; and look for both Rita Coolidge and Yvonne Elliman on back-up vocals on several songs on this album.

However, a big problem arises pretty quickly. There is no music on this retrospective "best of" CD after 1978. Clapton is credited with performing great music for a long, long time since 1978--why isn't any of that represented here? The CD clocks in at an anemic 47 minutes; the producers certainly could have added one or two more songs. No "Tears In Heaven?" No "Sunshine Of Your Love?" I agree with the reviewer who writes that the CD entitled The Cream of Clapton is a much better choice--and a much better buy. You get a lot more Clapton for your money for just $1.50 more--and the sound quality will be good, too.

The liner notes do boast some great pictures of Clapton; and Scott Schinder contributes a essay about Clapton's career. Unfortunately, Schinder's essay about Clapton's work ends with Clapton's late `70s work. I guess he couldn't write about Clapton's artistry if it wasn't on this disc. (Sigh.)

If you merely want a brief introduction to Eric Clapton's earlier work during the 1970s, then this IS a CD for you to consider. However, you'll get a much better feel for Clapton's artistry if you choose The Cream of Clapton and/or Clapton Chronicles - The Best of Eric Clapton. Clapton fans will be disappointed in the brevity of this album. The sound is great; and the song selection is also very good; so I give this four stars. This cannot be a five star review. Sorry, 20th Century Masters, but you've got to come up with something much more comprehensive than this to score a grand slam!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Essential Clapton, January 28, 2006

By 

Julie A Ross (Pleasant Hill, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Best of Eric Clapton: 20th Century Masters (Millennium Collection) (Audio CD)

I was looking for a reasonably priced Clapton hits package to put on my mp3 player. This turned out to be a winner. With "Layla," "Wonderful Tonight," "Cocaine," and "Lay Down Sally," this disc includes most of my favorites. It also includes his wonderful cover of Bob Dylan's "Knockin' on Heaven's Door." The only one that appears to be missing is "Tears in Heaven." But every song on here is a classic song, and if you are on a budget, this makes for a great start to a vast Clapton collection.

P.S.: Some other reviewers are complaining that there is no Cream on this CD. That is true, but there is a seperate 20th Century Masters collection for Cream.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Fair compilation - not great, but not bad, either, June 16, 2004

By 

James Dobosiewicz (Fox Lake, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Best of Eric Clapton: 20th Century Masters (Millennium Collection) (Audio CD)

20th Century Masters The Millennium Collection - The Best of Eric Clapton is essentially a re-issue of Clapton's 1982 compilation, Timepieces. (Swap "Bell Bottom Blues" with "Willie and the Hand Jive," and "Swing Low Sweet Chariot" with "Let It Rain," and you have that other album, track for track.)

This is a fair compilation - not great, but not bad either. It is a good representation of Clapton's work from the '70s - nothing before 1970 (Eric Clapton, Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs), and nothing after 1978 (Backless), meaning you won't find anything here by the Yardbirds, Cream, Blind Faith, or Clapton's work from the '80s or '90s. If you're looking for a quick overview of Clapton's work from the '70s, or a cheap (meaning most economically feasible), single-disc compilation to answer the question, "Who is Eric Clapton?" then this may be the compilation for you.

For those who want a broader and more in-depth review of Clapton's body of work, I suggest 1995's The Cream of Eric Clapton and 1999's Clapton Chronicles: The Best of Eric Clapton. The first album, covering the years 1966 through 1981, contains hits from Cream, Derek and the Dominos, and Clapton's own work from the '70s and very early '80s. Additionally, the songs are presented roughly in chronological order. The second album covers the years 1985 through 1999. Though the songs are not in chronological order (odd, considering that the videos on the companion Clapton Chronicles DVD are), there are enough hits that should make an '80s and '90s Clapton fan happy.

And, of course, for the most expansive review of Clapton's work, check out the 1988 career retrospective, Crossroads. This is a 4-CD boxed set, and covers the years 1965 through 1988. This set costs considerably more than the two CDs previously mentioned and is geared more towards the Clapton fanatic than to the casual fan, but I can guarantee you won't find a more comprehensive Clapton collection in one package. For his late '80s and '90s work, again, check out Clapton Chronicles.

I hope this review helps. Happy Listening!