Note: The 2002 release of The Very Best of Chicago: Only The Beginning effectively renders this CD obsolete. VBO is a two-CD comprehensive set of all Chicago's major hits, covering the band's entire career. Every song on Greatest Hits, 1982-1989, is also included on VBO. This review is presented for historical purposes only.

NAME THAT SINGER

Chicago Greatest Hits, 1982-1989 is, well, a collection of Chicago's greatest hits from 1982 to 1989. All the radio (and video!) hits you remember are here: "Hard to Say I'm Sorry," "Stay the Night," "Hard Habit to Break," "Along Comes A Woman," "Will You Still Love Me," et cetera. It's an appropriate summary of '80s Chicago, and provides a good way for Chicago newbies to learn to distinguish between the voices of Peter Cetera, Bill Champlin, and Jason Scheff.

Chicago's 20th album has two interesting distinctions. First, Michelle Williams of Destiny's Child (quit laughing, those ladies can sing!) has cited it as one of her most influential albums while growing up. Sometimes it still amazes me that a hugely successful band of my childhood was still producing hits into my college years, and that someone growing up so long after me would still be influenced by the band.

Secondly, the album, probably boosted by Christmas 1989 gift-giving, spent five weeks in the Top Forty in 1990. By that lucky accident of timing, it assured Chicago a spot in an exclusive club of artists who have had Top Forty albums in the '60s, the '70s, the '80s, and the '90s. The subsequent release and success of The Very Best of Chicago: Only the Beginning in 2002, which also made the Top Forty, gave Chicago a Top Forty album in yet another decade. Other artists who have enjoyed five decades worth of chart success (in either single or album format) include the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, the Who, Bob Dylan, the Isley Brothers, and the Bee Gees. Pretty good company!