The Ramones

The jackets and haircuts might have become shtick by the end, but the Ramones took Iggy's adolescent boredom, revved the engine, threw in '60s girl groups and rode that hot rod straight into the 21st century. Of course, they never actually had a hit, but why quibble? Songs like "We're a Happy Family" are perennial underground favorites; the venom still stings after all these years. Ramones fanatics will be disappointed by this cursory collection -- where's "53 and 3rd" and "I Don't Wanna Walk Around With You"? -- but it's a workable introduction for the soon-to-be-converted.