Your top 10 musical box sets ?

Whats your top 10 musical box set; no matter what kind of music!

Can you explain why is your top 10?

Regards and thank you

 

The Stone Roses box set for the debut was fantastic considering the price (120 euro)
I own the ‘uber’ Achtung Baby (400!!!)
It’s an impressive set, but doesn’t deliver the same bang for your buck as the Roses one.

 

1. The Beach Boys Smile
1. The Beach Boys 30 yrs Good Vibes
2. Genesis Archive 70-75
3. Neil Young Archives
4. Pink Floyd Shine On
5. Johnny Cash Complete Columbia Recording
6. Elvis Complete Recordings
7. Rolling Stones 64-69 vinyl
8. Have A Nice Decade Rhino 70s
9. Monkees Music Box
10. Pet Sounds Sessions

Loaded with my favorite things.

 

These two boxes carry my favorite mastering's of early albums.
My other 8 favorites can be found on the umpteen other favorite 'box set' threads

 

Guided by Voices- Suitcase: Failed Experiments and Trashed Aircraft
Guided by Voices- Suitcase 2: American Superdream Wow
Guided by Voices- Suitcase 3: Up We Go Now
Guided by Voices- Suitcase 4: Captain Kangaroo Won the War
Guided by Voices- Hardcore UFOs: Revelations, Epiphanies and Fast Food in the Western Hemisphere
Guided by Voices- Box
The Jam- Direction, Reaction, Creation
Beatnik Filmstars- A Box of Light Entertainment
The Cure- Join the Dots (B-sides and Rarities 1978-2001, the Fiction Years)
Public Image Limited- The Public Image is Rotten (Songs From the Heart)

 

I have selections from the Cash complete columbia, the best sound ever, in my opinion better than the 24 bits!

Ps. Rolling Stones mfsl lp are best but i dont listen to vinyl

 

Good stuff(forum members), keep it coming

 

I just got the
Elvis complete RCA album collection, so i'm pretty stoked about that. Many other great sets, but that is foremost on my mind at the moment

 

If book style sets are allowed then here goes in no particular order...

The Allman Brothers Band - The 1971 Fillmore East Recordings

Miles Davis - The Complete Columbia Album Collection
Miles Davis - The Cellar Door Sessions 1970
Miles Davis - Miles at the Fillmore 1970: The Bootleg Series Volume 3

The Jimi Hendrix Experience Purple Velvet Box Set

Pink Floyd - The Dark Side Of The Moon & Wish You Were Here Immersion Box Sets

Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble - Complete Epic Recordings

Various Artists - American Epic: The Collection
Various Artists - And This Is Maxwell Street

 

Dave Swarbrick - Swarb! Forty Five Years Of Folks Finest Fiddler
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Playback.
Louis Armstrong - The Complete Masters 1925-45
Bing Crosby - CBS Radio Recordings 1954-56
Martin Carthy - The Carthy Chronicles
Fairport Convection - Come All Ye - The First 10 Years
The Ian Campbell Folk Group - The Complete Transatlantic Recordings
Charlie Parker - Complete Savoy & Dial Sessions
Stephen Stills - Carry On
KISS - Box Set


I love the Jethro Tull sets as well but not yet sure which is my favourite

 

These are a mere ten that go "above and beyond", and are personal favorites that I routinely open up and enjoy:

1. Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - The Beatles (2017 50th Anniversary Box)
2. The SMiLE Sessions - The Beach Boys (Super Deluxe Box)
3. The Pet Sounds Sessions - The Beach Boys (Vertical Deluxe Box)
4. The RCA Collection - Elvis Presley (Discography Collection)
5. That's The Way It Is - Elvis Presley (Super Deluxe Box)
6. Led Zeppelin II - Led Zeppelin (Super Deluxe Box)
7. Led Zeppelin IV - Led Zeppelin (Super Deluxe Box)
8. Coda - Led Zeppelin (Super Deluxe Box)
9. Old School 1964-1974 - Alice Cooper (Super Deluxe Desk Set)
10. RAM - Paul McCartney & Linda McCartney (Paul McCartney Archive Collection Super Deluxe Box)

And so many more!

Especially if I turn the focus to "period sets" or box sets that are a retrospective, as opposed to the above boxes, which are mostly devoted to an album.

 

I can't pick a top ten.
Do You Have A Favourite Vinyl & CD Boxset

 

1. NUGGETS
2. NUGGETS II
3. NUGGETS III

 

Genesis archive 67-75
Beach Boys 30 years Good Vibrations
Beach Boys Made in California
Beach Boys SMiLE
Beach Boys Pet sounds 30th
Velvet Underground Peel slowly and see
Walker Brothers Everything under the sun
Those three Elvis Unsupassed masters ones

 

Status Quo - From The Makers Of.
Springsteen - Live 1975/85.

 

Umm...Star Time!, James Brown

Best box ever...

 

Miles Davis - The Columbia Years (1955 to 1985). Consummated my love for Davis' music after being seduced by Bitches Brew. It also served as my gateway to more traditional jazz.

World Party - Arkeology. Five(!) discs of previously unreleased material. An veritable embarrassment of riches.

John Foxx - The Virgin Years 1955-1985. Contains all four of Foxx's albums from the 80's plus an additional disc of bonus tracks, along with a copious helping of bonus tracks accompanying each of the four original albums.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience (The Purple Box). I bought this bad boy on vinyl (eight records) upon its release. Not all of it is great, and some of the material had previously been released. But it's Hendrix. No small thing!

The Doctors of Madness - A Perfect Past. A terrific three discs of the Doctor's (somewhat) difficult to obtain three albums, all fortified with bonus tracks. Terrific packaging too.

Lee Perry - Arkology. If Bob Marley is the face of Jamaican music, 'Scratch' is the brains.

Lee Perry & the Upsetters - Ape-ology. Two cd set comprised of three albums of Lee Perry at the height of his powers.

The Funk Box - various artists. I bought this on a whim. Glad I did. Especially recommended for the obscure funk tunes found within. https://www.amazon.com/Funk-Box/dp/B000050MGO

Lynyrd Skynyrd - s/t three cd box set. It's been years since I've listened to this. However, because it was the first box set I purchased, it has sentimental value.

The Necks - Necks Box. Compiles eight Necks albums in a convenient and affordable package.

 

OK...top 10.

Art Ensemble - 67/68...the beginnings of the Art Ensemble of Chicago before they went to Paris
Albert Ayler - Holy Ghost...amazing box of unreleased material which almost doubled the amount of AA out there. And superbly packaged.
Bix Beiderbecke - The Bix Beiderbecke Story...a Proper box release that has the essential Bix
Ornette Coleman - Beauty Is A Rare Thing...everything that he recorded for Atlantic and still exists. A whole lot more than just the acclaimed albums
Bob Dylan - Bootleg Series 1-3...first indications that we were in for a treat of unreleased Dylan.
King Crimson - The Great Deceiver...redundant now given major box sets since but a revelation at the time of what a force the live KC of 73/74 was
Charley Patton - Screamin' and Hollerin'...superbly packaged set of the essential Patton.
Various Artists - Anthology of American Folk Music...hugely influential in the early 60s and a major source of old American folk/blues/country
Various Artists - Best of Broadside...more a book than a box but a major compilation of radical and protest songs from 60s to 80s
Miles Davis - Quintet 65-68...the story of one of the most talented jazz groups of all time

 

Hard to narrow it down to ten:

Elvis Presley: Platinum - Fantastic career retrospective comprised of carefully selected masters, choice alternate takes, home demos, rehearsals, and live tracks. No Presley box set captures such an expansive view of his diverse artistry the way this collection does. Various songs have been recycled and upgraded in sound, but this is still a great collection.

Elvis Presley: Today, Tomorrow & Forever - An intriguing chronological collection comprised of mostly alternate takes and a few live tracks. Another extraordinary exploration of Elvis' creative process. An underrated collection, but essential for Elvis enthusiasts.

Grateful Dead: So Many Roads - A neat overview of the band's career and various eras of live work chronologically presented. There were rare gems all over this collection at the time of its release. Still a great collection of music showcasing the band's brilliance.

Jimi Hendrix: The Jimi Hendrix Experience (Purple Box) - Not a perfect outtakes collection, but one filled with incredible performances. Filled with archival treasures. Still one of the best things Experience Hendrix ever issued.

The Allman Brothers Band: The 1971 Fillmore East Recordings - Legendary recordings. All the music recorded from the acclaimed At Fillmore East album in one place.

Miles Davis & John Coltrane: The Complete Columbia Recordings - Miles and Coltrane, that is all that needs to be said. Not really "complete," but what an incredible musical journey with two giants.

Bill Evans: The Last Waltz - Who would have thought Bill Evans would still be at the top of his game at the very end? A wonderful collection of music recorded just a week prior to his death.

Derek & The Dominos: Layla And Assorted Love Songs (Super Deluxe) - The 20th anniversary collection was in the running, but this is an outstanding collection containing a remaster of the original mix, the Johnny Cash Show recordings and the 2nd album outtakes, and the wonderful In Concert on CD.

Bob Dylan: Bootleg Series Volume 8, Tell Tale Signs (3 Disc Version) - Almost went with The Basement Tapes (Complete), but I love this period of Bob's work. The only downside is that there are not additional discs of music from this period.

The Beach Boys: Made In California - Maybe not as good as the Good Vibrations set, but the rarities are so good here. A great career retrospective loaded with well-loved masters, outtakes and live tracks. A wonderful collection.

 

Duchess of Coolsville-Rickie Lee Jones
The Chain: 25 Years of Fleetwood Mac
Crossroads-Eric Clapton
The Byrds (1990 Box set)
One Hell of A Ride-Willie Nelson

Intersections-Bruce Hornsby
Songbook-Gordon Lightfoot
Nashville Rebel-Waylon Jennings
30 Years of Maximum R n B-The Who
Rolling Stones Singles Collection - The London Years

 

Playback-Tom Petty/Heartbreakers
Yesyears
Crossroads 2: Live in the Seventies-Eric Clapton
Linda Ronstadt
Sgt. Pepper 50th Anniversary (any edition)

Tracker (Super Deluxe Edition)-Mark Knopfler
Return of the Hofner Blue Notes-Chris Rea
Nat King Cole (1990 4-cd Capitol set)
Capitol Albums sets 1 & 2 - The Beatles
Pirate Radio - The Pretenders

 

Complete Stax/Volt Singles
Big Ol’ Box of New Orleans
Birth of the Cool - Ray Charles
Beatles Mono Box Set
Atlantic Rythym and Blues
Chess Blues
Nuggets Box Set
Loud, Fast, and Out of Control - The Wild Sounds of 1950s Rock
Stiff Records Box Set
The Complete Buddy Holly (1979 6 record vinyl box set)

 

Have A Nice Decade: The '70s Pop Culture Box
My Lives - Billy Joel
Play Me: The Complete UNI Studio Recordings PLUS - Neil Diamond
A Taste of Strawbs
Time Traveler - The Moody Blues

SRV
Stages - Neil Diamond
Biograph - Bob Dylan
The Anthology...So Far - Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band (live 3-cd set)
Paul Simon: 1964 - 1993

Some of my nominations in this & prior posts are dated, and that's good IMO. They represent all that was great at the time of release, portraying the artist's best output at the time with outtakes, live, and alt. versions, plus the state of the art in compiling and editing material for inclusion, while developing artwork and essays.