Alan Jackson

If you don't know where to begin when it comes to Jackson's huge discography, start here. Among many other chart-topping, honky-tonking hits that are sure to get your spurs spinning, The Greatest Hits Collection features an extended mix of "Chattahoochee" with a longer drum-break in the middle and at the end -- perfect for those electric-slide-styled line-dances.

Too many country artists who start strong fall off artistically as they work their market niche. So Alan Jackson's improvement is a triumph--his writing only peaked after he was sure his niche would listen. "Little Man" is populism without ressentiment, "Drive (For Daddy Gene)" makes me wish my dad had risked his Chevy on me, and "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)" could end up one of the few 9/11 remembrances emotionally evenhanded enough for Americans of differing convictions to share. Then there's the forgettable bonus disc, which demonstrates by contrast why some hits deserve to be. (Grade - )