Here's a list, compiled from information provided the Deseret News and from our wire services, of the most recent boxed sets and greatest hits collections. The boxed sets, which generally have two to four cassettes or CDs, widely range in price from a low of $20 to a possible high of $100 (for extensive sets, up to a dozen or more discs per set). Many of the more expensive often can be found on sale at many record outlets, especially before Christmas. The greatest hits compilations of one or sometimes two cassettes or discs retail in the usual music price range.
Aerosmith: "Pandora's Box" (three discs; Columbia)The Count Basie Orchestra: "The Complete Roulette Live Recordings, 1959-1962" (eight discs; Mosaic)
Jeff Beck: "Beckology" (three discs; Epic)
Tony Bennett: "Forty Years: The Artistry of Tony Bennett" (four discs; Columbia)
James Brown: "Star Time" (four discs; Polydor)
Carpenters: "From the Top" (four discs; A&M)
Ray Charles: "The Immortal, 1952-1959" (three discs; Atlantic)
Ray Charles: "The Birth of Soul" (three discs; Atlantic)
Chicago: "Group Portrait" (four discs; Columbia/Legacy)
The Clash: "The Clash on Broadway" (three discs; Columbia)
Patsy Cline: "The Patsy Cline Collection" (four discs; MCA)
Nat King Cole: "The Nat King Cole Story" (two discs; Capitol)
John Coltrane: "The Prestige Recordings" (16 discs; Prestige)
Crosby, Stills & Nash: "CSN" (four discs; Atlantic)
Antoine "Fats" Domino: "They Call Me the Fat Man: The Legendary Imperial Recordings" (four discs; EMI)
Bob Dylan: "The Bootleg Series Vols. 1-3" (three discs; Columbia)
Flatt & Scruggs: "Flatt & Scruggs - 1948-1959" (four discs; Bear Family)
Judy Garland: "The One and Only" (three discs; Capitol)
Benny Goodman: "The Birth of Swing 1935-36" (three discs; RCA-Bluebird)
Great American String Band: "200 Years of American Heritage in Song" (CMH)
Jimi Hendrix: "Stages: '67-'70" (live) (four discs; Reprise)
Billie Holliday: "The Legacy (1933-1958)" (three discs; Columbia)
Billie Holliday: "The Complete Decca Recordings (1944-1950) (two discs; GRP)
Billie Holliday: "Billie Holliday, Lady in Autumn: The Best of the Verve Years" (two discs; Verve)
Mahalia Jackson: "Gospels, Spirituals & Hymns" (two discs; Columbia)
King Crimson: "The Essential King Crimson: Frame By Frame" (four discs; Caroline)
Kris Kristofferson & Friends: "Singer-Songwriter" (two discs; Sony)
Brenda Lee: "Anthology" (two discs; MCA)
Lynyrd Skynyrd: "Lynyrd Skynyrd" (three discs; MCA)
Glenn Miller: "The Complete Glenn Miller" (RCA-Bluebird)
The Modern Jazz Quartet: "MJQ40" (four discs; Atlantic)
The Monkees: "Listen to the Band" (four discs; Rhino)
Bill Monroe: "Bluegrass: 1959-1969" (Bear Family)
Les Paul: "The Legend and the Legacy" (four discs; Capitol)
Marty Robbins: "The Essential Marty Robbins" (two discs; Columbia/Legacy)
Jimmie Rodgers: "1930-1931" and "1931-1931" (continuing a series) (Rounder)
Bessie Smith: "The Complete Recordings, Vol. 2" (two discs; Columbia)
Phil Spector: "Back to Mono: 1958-1969" (four discs; Abkco)
Steppenwolf: "Born to Be Wild Retrospective" (two discs; MCA)
Barbra Striesand: "For the Record . . ." (four discs; Columbia)
T. Rex: "The Essential Collection" (three discs; Relativity)
Various Artists: "Atlantic Rhythm & Blues, 1947-74" (eight discs; Atlantic & Atco Remasters)
Various Artists: "The Complete Stax-Volt Singles 1959-1968" (nine discs; Atlantic)
Various Artists: "Greatest Speeches of the 20th Century" (four discs; Rhino)
Various Artists: "The History of British Rock: Vols. 1-9" (Rhino)
Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys: "Anthology" (two discs; Rhino)
Howlin' Wolf: "The Chess Box" (three discs; Chess/MCA)
The Allman Brothers: "Their Very Best" (PolyGram)
America: "Encore: More Greatest Hits" (Rhino)
Stevie B: "The Best of Stevie B." (RCA)
LaVern Baker: "Soul on Fire: The Best of LaVern Baker" (Atlantic & Atco Remasters)
Adrian Belew: "Desire of the Rhino King" (Island)
James Brown: "20 All-Time Greatest Hits" (Polydor)
The Buckinghams: "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy: A Collection" (Columbia/Legacy)
The Buzzcocks: "Operator's Manual" (IRS)
Cheap Trick: "The Greatest Hits" (Epic)
The Clovers: "Down in the Alley: The Best of the Clovers" (Atlantic & Atco Remasters)
Natalie Cole: "Inseparable" (Capitol)
The Cyrkle: "Red Rubber Ball: A Collection" (Columbia/Legacy)
Deep Purple: "Knocking at Your Back Door" (PolyGram)
Donovan: "The Classics Live" (Great Northern Arts Ltd.)
Holly Dunn: "Milestones: Greatest Hits" (Warner Bros.)
Freddy Fender: "The Freddy Fender Collection" (Reprise)
Generation X: "Perfect Hits" (Chrysalis)
Gerry & the Pacemakers: "The Definitive Collection" (EMI)
Gary Glitter: "Rock n' Roll" (Rhino)
The Guess Who: "Track Record" (RCA)
John Lee Hooker: "The Ultimate Collection" (Rhino)
James Ingram: "The Power of Great Music" (Warner Bros.)
The Jam: "Greatest Hits" (PolyGram)
George Jones: "The Best of George Jones" (PolyGram)
Kaleidoscope: "Egyptian Candy: A Collection" (Epic/Legacy)
B.B. King: "The Best of B.B. King, Vol. 1" (Flair/Virgin)
Leo Kottke: "The Essential Leo Kottke" (Chrysalis)
Billy J. Kramer & the Dakotas: "The Definitive Collection" (EMI)
Frankie Laine: "The Frankie Laine Collection" (PolyGram)
Leiber & Stoller: "There's a Riot Goin' On: The Rock 'n' Roll Classics of Leiber and Stoller" (Rhino)
Jerry Lee Lewis: "The Jerry Lee Lewis Collection" (Warner Bros.)
Yngwie Malmsteen: "The Yngwie Malmsteen Collection" (Poly-Gram)
Mantovani Orchestra: "Golden Hits" (Bainbridge)
Johnny Mathis: "The Duet Album" (Columbia)
Clyde McPhatter: "Deep Sea Ball: The Best of Clyde McPhatter" (Atlantic & Atco Remasters)
Roger Miller: "The Best of Roger Miller" (PolyGram)
Steve Miller: "The Best of 1968-1973" (Capitol)
Motley Crue: "Decade of Decadence" (Elektra)
Mott the Hoople: "The Ballad of Mott" (Epic/Legacy)
Mike Nesmith: "The Best of Mike Nesmith" (Rhino)
New Edition: "Greatest Hits, Vol. 1" (MCA)
Stevie Nicks: "Timespace" (Atlantic)
Oingo Boingo; "Best O'Boingo" (MCA)
Gilbert O'Sullivan: "The Best of Gilbert O'Sullivan" (Rhino)
Patti Page: "The Patti Page Collection" (PolyGram)
Pet Shop Boys: "Discography: The Complete Sin" (Capitol)
The Platters: "Anthology" (PolyGram)
The Pogues: "Essential" (Island)
Elvis Presley: "Sings Leiber & Stoller" (RCA)
Maxi Priest: "The Best of Me" (Charisma)
REO Speedwagon: "Second Decade of Rock 'n' Roll" (Epic)
The Righteous Brothers: "The Moonglow Years" (PolyGram)
Kenny Rogers: "20 Great Years" (Reprise)
Run-DMC: "Greatest Hits 1983-1991" (Profile)
Scorpions: "Hot 'n' Slow: The Best of the Ballads" (RCA)
Frank Sinatra: "Sinatra Sings the Songs of Van Heusen and Cahn" (Reprise)
Bessie Smith: "The Complete Recordings, Vol. 2" (Co-lumbia/Legacy)
Sonny & Cher: "The Beat Goes On" (Atlantic & Atco Remasters)
Southern Pacific: "Greatest Hits" (Warner Bros.)
The Spinners: "A One of a Kind Love Affair" (Atlantic & Atco Remasters)
Spirit: "Time Circle" (1968-1972) (Epic/Legacy)
Starship: "Greatest Hits" (RCA-BMG)
Steely Dan: "Gold" (expanded edition) (MCA)
Surface: "A Nice Time 4 Lovin': The Best of Surface" (Columbia)
Talking Heads: "Popular Favorites" (Sire)
Traffic: "Smiling Phases" (Island)
Tina Turner: "Simply the Best" (Capitol)
T-Bone Walker: "The Complete Imperial Recordings, 1950-54" (EMI)
Conway Twitty: "The Best of Conway Twitty" (PolyGram)
The Waterboys: "Best of the Waterboys: '81-'90" (Ensign-Chrysalis)
Bob Welch: "The Best of Bob Welch" (Rhino)
The Yardbirds: "Smokestack Lightning: The Yardbirds, Vol. 1" (Sony)
The Yardbirds: "Blues, Backtracks and Shapes of Things: The Yardbirds, Vol. 2 (Sony)
Jesse Colin Young: "Best of the Solo Years" (Rhino)
Paul Young: "From Time to Time: The Singles Collection" (Columbia)