HEART

Heart has been responsible for some of classic rock's most instantly recognizable and enduring ballads, especially such '70s-era cuts as "Dog and Butterfly," "Dream Boat Annie," and "Love Alive." But it was their '80s pop makeover period in which they scored their highest charting hit ballads, which is precisely what the 2001 compilation, Ballads: Greatest Hits, focuses on. If you're looking for ballads in the strictest sense, you may be left a bit bewildered, as Heart in the '80s managed to add quite a bit of bombast to their more tranquil material -- tracks such as "Alone," "What About Love," and "These Dreams" are more fittingly described as power ballads. Elsewhere, it's certainly a headscratcher as to why "Never" would be included -- it's definitely more of a rocker. While Ballads: Greatest Hits collects all of Heart's top '80s ballads, without any '70s selections included (which many longtime fans would argue was the better Heart era), it's far from definitive. ~ Greg Prato, AMG

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