The Who have issued more greatest-hits collections than any other major artist, releasing a vast array of compilations while they were together and in the years following their breakup. Released in 1996, My Generation: The Very Best of the Who was intended to be the definitive single-disc collection, replacing all the others that preceded it. While it is a very good collection, it just misses being a definitive sampler. Essentially, My Generation is a replica of Who's Better, Who's Best that adds four tracks that were missing from the previous compilation, including the seminal post-Tommy single "The Seeker" and the original single mix of "Magic Bus." My Generation isn't strictly a singles collection, since it contains such album rock staples as "Baba O'Riley" and the full-length version of "Won't Get Fooled Again." It also spans the group's entire career, so it has a bit of a scattershot feel to it -- "You Better You Bet" sounds a little odd next to tense early singles like "Substitute" and "I Can See for Miles." The career-spanning approach doesn't make for as cohesive a collection as Meaty Beaty Big and Bouncy, but it does mean that My Generation is an excellent -- even necessary -- introduction. There's a lot more in the Who's catalog that needs to be heard, but My Generation does boil down the most essential items (even though the abominable "Squeeze Box" is included) to a fine single-disc set. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
i wondered if i was the only person who found Squeeze Box abominable...it was played RELENTLESSLY in the mid 70s. i love the who, but i do NOT love squeeze box.
that's because the millennium collection has only 10 songs on it, while this one has twice as many songs, giving them more flexibility with which ones to choose.
A great place to start, but there's so many key tracks that didn't make the cut (Behind Blue Eyes, Bargain, I'm Free, Long Live Rock, etc.) I disagree with the review in this not being cohesive. Since it's laid out in chronological order, it moves through their career, giving highlights at each stage. It's a journey from the mid sixties to the early eighties with the Who.
dude im like, 16, and I've been growing up with these guys! I like all the hard core metal stuff, but nothing can beat the awesome collaborations of Townshend and Daltrey's awesome voice.