For a spell during the '80s, it seemed like many forgot that Lionel Richie wasn't always a solo artist, but began as a member of the Commodores. The group of six Alabama college chums would go on to become one of the world's leading funk and R&B artists of the '70s, and their penchant for heartwarming ballads only broadened their fan base. With countless compilations of the group surfacing over the years, 1995's The Very Best of the Commodores is a fine choice for a single-disc set, doing a fine job of collecting all the hits and a few best-known album tracks. Weighing in at a hefty 20 tracks, all facets of the band are covered ? a funk band that could give the big guns a run for their money ("Machine Gun," "Brick House," "The Zoo"), more laid-back fare ("Zoom," "Nightshift"), and perhaps what the band would become most well-known for ? tender ballads that showcased Richie ("Easy," "Sweet Love," "Three Times a Lady," "Oh No"). There are other more extensive Commodores collections on the market (2001's Anthology), but for a succinct collection that manages to include all the hits, The Very Best of the Commodores is "it."