Best Opera & Vocal
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"These songs were first introduced to my ears on my father's old collection of 45 rpm records."
"The song selection and choral and orchestral renderings are beautiful and so fitting for the Christmas season."
"I think the Robert Shaw singers are the quintessential coral singer for Christmas songs, none better."
"I ordered this album to approximate an old 33 LP record by the same-named choir (probably different singers many years later) that my parents had when I was a child in the '50s and '60s."
"Great compilation of Christmas carols, all beautifully done in acapella."
"My feeling after listening to this several times is that most of the songs are simply too short, clocking in at well under two minutes."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The best reviews are of this recording."
"This Handel will take you into the presence of God if you let is, as it was intended to by Handel himself."
"For a work this well known, this performance is very well done."
"The tympani part is particularly prominent in this recording, I can really hear the heads vibrating."
"This is one of my favorites, I listen to it at least once a month."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This two-cd collection of 35 of Luciano Pavarotti's best-loved opera sonnets is well named; it truly contains the best material from one of opera's greatest tenors."
"I was expecting a live concert."
"Fantastic performances."
"Wonderful."
"The music selections are beautiful, and, of course, Pavarotti's performance is commensurate with his status as the world's greatest tenor."
"Love to fill my home with Italian music!"
"Prompt delivery and good packaging."
"I love all kinds of music...was blessed to have an upbringing filled with multi-generations with diverse preferences in style of music."
Best Languages
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"That said, he certainly doesn’t overlook the elegance, sparkling wit and romance – though his approach is a bit more analytical than some others – but it seems that anything that happens storywise is bent into the service of his musical vision rather than vice versa. Yes, a case could certainly be made that Solti pushes things too hard, but I myself is happy to hear Un ballo work as a momentous drama at least on the musical level. And importantly, none of them seems to be put off by Solti’s intensity – one would expect that when a conductor pushes his own ideas about the drama as Solti does here the singers and their ability to provide vivid portraits of their characters suffer, but not so here, which is a tribute both to the soloists and the conductor."
"Ulrica tells Amelia to gather an herb with magical powers later that night near the gallows. *Act 2 highlight: "Ma dall'arido stelo divulsa" by Margaret Price. *Act 3 highlight: ""Morrò, ma prima in grazia" by Margaret Price This is when Amelia is begging her husband, Renato, to see her son one last time before what she believes is right before Renato kills her for imagined infidelity."
"Simply superb!"
"This is a performance and recording where his famous clarity and diction really add a great deal to the performance, and he really conveys his sheer joy in singing this music. He is matched by Margaret Price, who provides such an intense and beautiful performance, her smooth and pure voice gliding over this part like hands on a satin sheet, yet still providing drama and skill that would count as a masterclass in and of itself. The recording is top notch with the orchestra coming through with presence, detail, clarity and power in the wonderfully resonant Kingsway Hall, directed by Solti with urgency, drama, authority, and plenty of delicacy and precision."
Best Operas
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I have been a loyal Libera follower for year and while I have their previous Christmas album, I didn't hesitate to buy this one because I know that the constant renewing of choir members--as new boys are moved in to replace those who move on--make each album a unique and delightful experience. Don't hesitate to buy this album today because adding these Angel Voices to your music collection will truly add Merry to your Christmas for many years to come."
"The smoke of incense carries our prayers, and Libera's sound is just as potent and powerful, subtle and delicate....Maestro Prizeman and his choir (oops....'boy band'). pull out all the stops in both the CD and the Video (Which is absolutely gorgeous)."
"It might be my absolute favorite music for Christmas!!"
"When I was younger and not so busy I always listened to all types of music, in the last few years I have fallen out of that habit until I say these young men on a PBS special."
"This is Libera's first live CD release since Angel Voices in Concert in 2007 and it was well worth the wait."
"Beautiful!"
Best Operettas
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"That said, he certainly doesn’t overlook the elegance, sparkling wit and romance – though his approach is a bit more analytical than some others – but it seems that anything that happens storywise is bent into the service of his musical vision rather than vice versa. Yes, a case could certainly be made that Solti pushes things too hard, but I myself is happy to hear Un ballo work as a momentous drama at least on the musical level. And importantly, none of them seems to be put off by Solti’s intensity – one would expect that when a conductor pushes his own ideas about the drama as Solti does here the singers and their ability to provide vivid portraits of their characters suffer, but not so here, which is a tribute both to the soloists and the conductor."
"Ulrica tells Amelia to gather an herb with magical powers later that night near the gallows. *Act 2 highlight: "Ma dall'arido stelo divulsa" by Margaret Price. *Act 3 highlight: ""Morrò, ma prima in grazia" by Margaret Price This is when Amelia is begging her husband, Renato, to see her son one last time before what she believes is right before Renato kills her for imagined infidelity."
"Simply superb!"
"This is a performance and recording where his famous clarity and diction really add a great deal to the performance, and he really conveys his sheer joy in singing this music. He is matched by Margaret Price, who provides such an intense and beautiful performance, her smooth and pure voice gliding over this part like hands on a satin sheet, yet still providing drama and skill that would count as a masterclass in and of itself. The recording is top notch with the orchestra coming through with presence, detail, clarity and power in the wonderfully resonant Kingsway Hall, directed by Solti with urgency, drama, authority, and plenty of delicacy and precision."
Best Oratorios
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"These songs were first introduced to my ears on my father's old collection of 45 rpm records."
"The song selection and choral and orchestral renderings are beautiful and so fitting for the Christmas season."
"I think the Robert Shaw singers are the quintessential coral singer for Christmas songs, none better."
"I ordered this album to approximate an old 33 LP record by the same-named choir (probably different singers many years later) that my parents had when I was a child in the '50s and '60s."
"Great compilation of Christmas carols, all beautifully done in acapella."
"My feeling after listening to this several times is that most of the songs are simply too short, clocking in at well under two minutes."
Best Broadway & Vocalists
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I just saw this musical performance for the first time a little over a month ago. Needless to say, I fell absolutely in love with it and bought this album the very next morning (getting the mp3 songs from Amazon instantly is awesome) and listened to it for a month straight without ever getting tired of it."
"Cd came in excellent shape, still wrapped, security stupid tape, a big pain in the Butt. I love this Cd, & only hope some one decides to make a Dvd of this show, like they've done in the past with other Productions, using the original Cast, which is the best! This recording is soo much fun, Enjoy the beautiful duo voices of the most unlikely Bffs ever. Who's Glendaa the good's, change of self, centered loving heart, leads to a most wonderous result."
"I have now see this musical performed live three times - two times at the Oriental Theatre in Chicago and once in Indianapolis when Broadway Across America's touring company presented it. Many times the cast recordings seem to be average since the singers were chosen for a combination of vocal ability and theatrical talent -- not always the best singer gets the role."
"I saw Wicked on Broadway in September, and I just had to get this CD asap after watching the show."
"From the time Kristin Chenoweth as Glenda (GaLinda) The Good Witch enters stage Up in a giant bubble and Idina Menzel as Elphaba (The Green) The Wicked Witch shows up at Good Ol' Shiz, they top a superbly talented cast of this Tony Award winning Best Musical."
Best Classical
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"2014 saw them release their sophomore album The Rosary, and for a few years, I thought that was all they were going to release...NOPE! This gave people about a month to pick up this Christmas album. We Wish You a Merry Christmas. It's said in the music business that you haven't made it until you put out a Christmas album. There are many Christmas albums that flood the market every year that completely miss the point of Christmas, so it was refreshing to see this holy album be released that focuses on the real reason for the season. However, I also loved that there were titles on this album that I was unfamiliar with, as it helped broaden my catalog of great Christmas songs. Listening to this album in my car has been a relaxing endeavor, as it has helped me focus on Jesus with my commute to and from work."
"Beautiful."
"We have played this CD every day, and are sad to have to put it away until next year."
"Fantastic."
"This is one of the most beautiful Christmas CDs that I have ever heard."
"Heard of this album on the radio."
"Great choice of songs for the album."
"This CD was given to two of my friends!"
Best International
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"If you have a home theater with 5.1 Surround sound and an appreciation for the art of music and quality audio, you will LOVE this set."
"Bought it as a surprise for my mother to go along with a Bluetooth suitcase record player from Amazon as well."
"THE MOST GORGEOUS VINYL IN MY COLLECTION!!!"
"Great song."
"How can you go wrong with Bob Marley?!?"
"I love Bob Marley and this CD has lots of the old favorites."
"What can I say, It's one of my all time favorite artist and albums. Wore the last disk out."
"There is just something about Bob Marley's music and sound."
Best Rock
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Thanks, guys, for giving me a great listen, and as always with your albums, for giving me lyrics that make me think."
"It's a great album that gets better with each listen."
"I didn't much enjoy the album the 1st time period however after a few listens the album grew on me more and more."
"OMG Great U2 album..love this band but did not like their last album."
"Simply my favorite band for all time."
"Amazing!"
Best Gospel
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This is the first album by Mercy Me I have purchased in a long time and I was not disappointed."
"I bought this for everyone in my family."
"I absolutely LOVE this cd."
"I have been listening to the Amazon Prime Music Christian stations and will make a purchase when I come across a group I like."
"Mercy Me hit it out of the ballpark with this release and I have actually purchased this for friends as gifts because who doesnt need to be reminded we are not perfect and never shall be and hey... that is ok and here is why."
"Pretty good, but there was only about 4 out of the ten songs that was usable for my ministry."
"It's one of the best Mercy Me CDs to date.."Dear Younger Me" touched my soul and decisions I am facing in my life."
"The lyrics are really thoughtful and artful, and work perfectly with the music on every song."
Best Dance & Electronic
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Before exploring her latest release, however, I'd like to make a couple of observations that may help anyone new to her music. (Full disclosure: when it comes to seventh graders, it is hard to beat flesh-eating zombies who can flat out dance.). I have received several notes from parents thanking me for introducing them to Stirling (and to a lesser extent, The Piano Guys, 2Cellos and some others). In addition to Stirling, we have The Piano Guys, David Garrett, Bond, Vanessa Mae, 2Cellos, and others producing music that doesn't readily fit into any current node. To my ear, they have the same basic rhythm and sound, but seem richer in supportive percussion and orchestration. "Roundtable Rival" has terrific guitar rifts, reminiscent of AC/DC and other classic rock groups."
"I tried the CD on two (2) different sound systems to eliminate the receiver/CD player as the problem and I bought an identical CD from Amazon and it has the exact same issue."
"This is a great way to get both the CD and the digital format."
"This music grows on you."
"Violinist Lindsey Stirling has once again combined classical music with electronic music, and she even included some vocals on a couple of tracks on this album!"
"If I could only pick my favorite two songs, they would definitely be tracks 1 & 4. Overall the album is good, I wouldn't say that it's better than her debut album but if she created more ballad songs like tracks 1-5 with a little drama, it would be ah-mazing!"
Best Classic Rock
![Purple Rain [Explicit]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51WSAG1qvML._SS600_.jpg)
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"the classic hits are still timeless gems: 'let's go crazy', 'purple rain' (the best track on the album!"
"Nicer than the one I used to spin at the Skating rink."
"Love Prince."
"Prince, Freddy Mercury, and David Bowie all taught me how to begin celebrating my freaky, funky self, even if I didn't seem to belong anywhere."
"This is arguably the best Prince album of all time and is is definitely worth a place in anybody's vinyl collection."
"This is a great album, every single song."
"love Prince."
Best New Age
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Enya is the queen of her genre."
"Along with "And Winter came...", I purchased two other holiday music CD's - those of Sarah Brightman ("A Winter Symphony") and Loreena McKennitt ("A midwinter's night dream"), and I must say Enya's is my favorite one. "And Winter came..." introduces this musical experience with a piece without lyrics, just tranquil "white" music. Songs that I find outstanding are the self-created "White is in the winter night", an up-tempo song that simply invites singing along its tune."
"Cd sounds incredible!"
"All Enya albums are great."
"Gorgeous seasonal sounds."
"Great CD."
Best Jazz
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"This is worth it even if you are not a Charlie Brown fan (hard to believe) because of the incredible jazz talent of Guaraldi."
"Just be aware that 99% of them are strictly instrumental, I believe only 1 song has actual singing."
"Used to listen to this when I was a kid at Christmas time, and it’s still great to listen to I’m so glad I found it on Amazon!"
"Original songs magnificent!."
"If you're fond of the Christmas Charlie Brown cartoon video you'll love all the original music in this CD; a true classic."
"Nothing says "Christmas" more than "A Charlie Brown Christmas"."
"Who doesn't like Charlie Brown."
"Great album and a reasonable price (for brand new) and the green special edition is cool."
Best Miscellaneous
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I could get all excited about Kirstie and Avi nailing their leads ("Sleigh Ride" and "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" respectively) AND the fact that Kevin gets to sing several lines in "Mary..." I could rave over their original song "That's Christmas to Me" which is both beautiful and moving. But I won't......because that would take too much time that I could spend listening to this incredible album."
"I love Pentatonix so it was natural that I had to have "That's Christmas to Me"."
"My daughter, a dance teacher, told us about Pentatonix."
"I want to listen to Christmas music year round thanks to this awesome band!"
"Just downloaded the entire group of songs."
"I purchased and shipped it to 4 of my friends/family AND gave it as a white elephant gift last year for Christmas."
"I Love acapella."
"One of my favorite groups and my grandchildren want to hear it every time we get in the car - even in the heat of summer!"
Best Country
Design New Fashion Case.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Not sure what I'll do with the CD when it arrives, since I already downloaded all the music."
"Dying to play these, but bought them for a gift for my sister and I know she'll love it."
"2 Discs, 1 better than the 2nd."
"Just did not know it was recording of a live concert!"
"Great cds all his top hits."
"GREAT PRODUCT SHIPPED VERY QUICKLY NO BAD NEWS."
"Some good tunes but also some very bad ones."
"Purchased as a gift."