Chicago - The Best of Chicago: 40th Anniversary Edition

The purpose of 2007's The Best of Chicago: 40th Anniversary Edition -- the group's second double-disc set in just five years -- is plain in its title: it's been assembled with the band's birthday in mind. It's hard to pass up an anniversary like that, and so The Best of Chicago competes with 2002's The Very Best of Chicago: Only the Beginning, a terrific 39-song set that had all of their hits. In comparison, the 2007 set covers a little more ground according to the calendar -- it has songs from their 2006 studio set Chicago XXX, which the 2002 does not -- but it's ten songs shorter, a compromise that might bring it in a smaller minimum suggested retail price, but doesn't really serve anybody looking for a truly comprehensive compilation. For those listeners, it's an easy decision: stick with the 2002 Very Best Of. For those listeners who want a double-disc set that's just slightly cheaper, this 40th Anniversary set will suit them fine, because it does have all the big hits -- so many that it takes a close comparison of the two track listings to realize what's missing on this one. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Name Credits Al Mainwaring Design Arnaud Leger Design Ashley Underwood Design Bill Champlin Group Member, Guitar, Vocals, Keyboards Bill DeYoung Liner Notes, Interviewer Bruce Gaitsch Guitar Chas Sandford Audio Production, Producer Cheryl Pawelski Compilation Producer Chicago Audio Production Chris Pinnick Guitar Craig Stevens Design Daniel Seraphine Drums, Percussion, Vocals David Donnelly Remastering David Foster Audio Production, Producer Dawayne Bailey Vocals, Guitar Don Jr. Garlock Design Donnie Dacus Vocals, Guitar James Newton Howard Producer, Audio Production James Pankow Group Member, Trombone, Author, Vocals James William Guercio Producer, Audio Production Jason Scheff Vocals, Group Member, Bass Jay DeMarcus Producer, Audio Production Jean Krikorian Design Jeff Magid Supervisor Jim Jamitis Design Jimmy Katz Photography Joshua Banker Design Keith Howland Guitar, Group Member, Vocals Laudir DeOliveira Conga, Percussion, Vocals Lee Loughnane Author, Vocals, Group Member, Trumpet, Flugelhorn Mark Rosenmeier Cover Design Mike Engstrom Product Manager, Compilation Producer Peter Cetera Bass, Vocals Phil Ramone Producer, Audio Production Robert Lamm Author, Vocals, Group Member, Keyboards Ron Nevison Audio Production, Producer Scott Webber Project Assistant Sheryl Farber Editorial Supervision Steve Woolard Annotation Terry Kath Guitar, Vocals Tris Imboden Drums, Group Member Vanessa Atkins Editorial Supervision Vincent Gonzales Design Walter Parazaider Group Member, Vocals, Woodwind, Author