The Great Twenty-Eight

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A man of Chuck Berry’s stature—who came of age in the early rock ’n’ roll era, before albums became the chief format—has been represented by countless anthologies of his classic work. It’s a personal decision just how deep you wish to search, and "complete" collections are generally too much for more casual listeners who prefer a highlight reel. <i>The Great Twenty-Eight</i> was considered the gold standard by Berry fans. It covers Berry’s first nine years and makes no half-hearted attempt to insist that his later years matched his seminal work in the '50s and early ‘60s. Elvis Presley may have been The King, but Berry was the definition of rock ’n’ roll. His guitar style was imitated by Keith Richards and all who followed him, and Berry’s songwriting was literate and witty, making him troublesome for many white middle-class families in the grey-flannel ‘50s. “Brown Eyed Handsome Man,” “Sweet Little Sixteen,” “Sweet Little Rock ’n’ Roller,” “Little Queenie,” “Carol,” “Nadine,” “Back in the USA”: Berry sang about love, lust, and the American Dream like few before or since.

via Apple Music