Typical is the header for this review because it really is typical Stevie Wonder---AMAZING--- Lots of the old ones but they dont feel old because they are still played some much. This is the one for a little trip down memory lane.

While we've all heard these songs before, they were an absolute joy to listen to collected here. Actually, our 16 year old son took time out from modernist offerings (rap, etc., etc.,) and became aware of Stevie Wonder due to his interest in Barack Obama. Our new Prez captured the imagination of youth much like JFK, and as a result our son asked who was this Stevie Wonder guy? After much laughter about my age [I barely remember John Kennedy's inaugural, though 11/22/63 seems like yesterday] his mom amd I explained that Stevie's been around awhile; the three of us then became huge Barack supporters, worked tirelessly for the election, and then kissed the horses and went off into the sunset. Or something like that. (Channelling Hunter S. Thompson, mea ulpa, mea culpa.........)

Stevie Wonder is a musical genius. If you like music, you'll love this CD.

Coveting Stevie Wonder's 'Musiquarium' all these years, I now justly feel guilty for getting this fabulous collection at such a cheap price.

Nevertheless, a collection without Stevie is one bereft, so I am happy to have his greatest hits to play in my car and in my MP3 player.

The essential of essentials: For upbeat soul songs, no one can beat his list: "Uptight," "I Was Made to Love Her," and "Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I'm Yours". Each is a splendid, toe-tappin' soul delight. Gems such as "Sir Duke" (a tribute to Duke Ellington) and "Master Blaster (Jammin')" (a tribute to Bob Marley) are tokens from his masterpieces 'Song in the Key of Life,' and 'Hotter Than July'. On the softer side, he excels just as well on "My Cherie Amour" "You Are the Sunshine of My Life," and "I Just Called to Say I Love You" (Just listen to the way he incorporates the seasons and Zodiac in this deceptively simple tune.)

All the rest come from classic albums, including 'Talking Book,' and 'Innervisions,' so you know this terrific set of twenty-one songs is only a sampler. I saw Stevie Wonder in the Summer of 1988 and took in one of the greatest concerts in my life. Enjoy! :>)

omg, i am a big Stevie Wonder fan, i grew up with his music, i think this cd is the best one, it has a little bit of all his music, from when he first started, to recent music..

This is a great CD with all of Stevie's solid hits, with the exception of "Isn't She Lovely". This was the only disappointment for me. Every other song is a step in the musical history of this great artist.

I am a big fan of Stevie Wonder but I don't entirely agree with what songs make up the Definitive Collection.

Weren't those the days? When artists wrote great songs. They don't write like that these days. Wish they still did. Awesome collection of his classics.

I've never considered myself a Steve Wonder fan, but I absolutely love this CD! I never get tired of listening to it. Honestly, I didn't realize how many of his songs I liked until I got this collection. You won't be disappointed.

Track One features a young Stevie performing live. It is was a GREAT unexpected surprise. I hadn't ever heard it before. If you're a Stevie fan, then you HAVE TO add this to your collection. It is the DEFINITIVE COLLECTION after all!

What is there not to like about Mr. Stevie Wonder? My favortie? I wish.

This CD is a must for anyone who enjoys Stevie Wonder. The first track when he was a teenager performing live is awesome.

For the person who has not purchased each and every single record that this marvelous human being has made (there must only be three or four such people on the planet)this compilation is perfect.

Or maybe you've always wanted to go back and replace your vinyl and cassettes with the crisp,pure sound of compact discs but it is too expensive. I had begun to do just that and then this boxed set came out. I was very, very pleased with all the songs. EXCELLENT BOXED SET.

Bad sound quality throughout, especially on the earlier works.
Ended up selling it off.

This album has my whole family singing and dancing in the kithcen - even my 5 year old belts out "Signed Sealed Delivered, I'm Yours!".

An album to buy and enjoy!

...the worst quality ever. My wife and I were shocked to find this CD that had nearly all of our very favorite songs by one of the greatest musicians ever. My wife was the first to spin it on the portable CD player the following morning. She complained that the recording was pretty bad. I chalked it up to the fact she was listening to it from a low-tech device and thought nothing of it. However, when I put in my computer to make a disc for the car, it had become abundantly clear that it was the disc, not the CD player. There is a constant hiss in the background and much of the music is sort of muffled. It just basically lacks the clarity you'd expect. Isn't it the standard to clean this stuff up before making a CD these days? It should be! I mean, if they'll clean up and remaster inferior artists (no need to name names) then why would Universal Music Company slap this dog together and throw it out there without any regard for quality? The answer of course is love of mammon. Well I think its disrespectfull of Stevie Wonder and those who enjoy great music.
Its hard for me to give any Stevie Wonder album only 2 stars, but hopefully this would make at least one person reconsider buying this particular CD. If it was most other artists it would have been 1 star for a coaster like this.

My husband was saying how much he loved Stevie Wonder, so I ordered this for his birthday, he listens to it cranked all the way up and of course singing along...it's a very good CD...many of his hits, if you are a fan this is a good one to have in your collection.

So many of the early hits that I grew up with are in this collection. They brought back a lot of memories. I do believe my favorite Stevie song is "Sir Duke" mainly because of the arrangement. There are new songs to me in this collection which I have come to enjoy, but it is his top 40 songs from the 60's and 70's that really get my toes tapping and get me humming along. A great collection for the casual Stevie Wonder fan.

When it comes to great albums, Stevie Wonder has really delivered as one of the most definitive artists in Motown history. His reflections are shown respectfully with his 2002, The Definitive Collection handles as a delightful re-introduction and a well-detailed retrospective of one of the most innovative artists of all time. The songs here are all remastered well, and shows as a fantastic single disc record. There are a lot of great tracks that are just upbeat and make you want to get up and dance from Uptight, and Sir Duke, to elegant and beautiful ballads like You Are The Sunshine Of My Life, and the elegantly crafted Overjoyed, and the Oscar-winning I Just Called To Say I Love You. This is a great album for you to download to your MP3 player. I absolutely recommend this if you haven't yet bought your first Stevie Wonder album, or if you're a true die hard fan.

Songs: B 1/2+

Overall: B+

mr. wonder is the best. he makes these scumbags who sing today sound
like garbage. good thing the brother can't see to witness the no class acts of today, not all are bad but most are sad.

some of the songs I had not heard. But my favorite song was on this cd so I purchased it.

This is the essential collection of Stevie Wonder. This CD provides a great cross section of the many talents of Stevie Wonder from his early days to his experiments with funk and jazz. Nearly every song sounds different in style and form because of the breadth and depth of SW's career. Great addition to the CD collection of you're a Stevie fan and you want a single representation of his fantastic career.

You know, with Mr. Wonder we reach for superlatives and we slap them down on paper and looking back on it we realize that the meaning of our impression is deeper yet. Listening to this retrospective of his best hits I was dazzled at how many there were, how many I remembered, how many years ago it all started and how the purity just carries on. While there is a substantial pool of anger, resentment and rage amongst African Americans and many choose to vent their spleen in their music, Stevie Wonder chose a different path. Perhaps it is just a reflection of the love in his being, but his music always keeps pointed to a positive message, even when he is lamenting the scourge of ghetto life.

This master musician, singer, songwriter and story teller has no peer who eclipses his place. He has given us funk so hot you just have to get up and gyrate on the floor lest you fall off your chair. He has given us love songs so tender that dozens of other singers have sung them to great acclaim for their own careers. It is not an exaggeration to say that with this genius, his reach has never extended beyond his abilities. They go hand in hand, his ability to manifest his deepest creativity is unimpeded. A person cannot be without this compilation and say that they have surrounded themselves with the best of American Afro funk, jazz and pop. It only remains for us to wait for more music to fill up the already substantial opus that he has created. A greater joy in music is hard to come by. Essential.

This CD is good sample of the great Stevie Wonder. The CD worth the amount paid and remind me some nice songs. If you like Steve Wonder buy it!

I loved the whole cd ,and think it is worth every penny. I run a dj service and get all kinds of comments on my music. At the last wedding I was told that they had not heard some of the songs in a long time and they loved it. Big D

This is a great find. It has all the old songs I remember and more. I will treasure it forever.

This is another in the list of CD's in my collection that you wouldn't expect a metalhead to have. I mean, the guy who runs Black Sabbath's website - liking Stevie Wonder?!? To be honest, before I bought this, when I thought of Stevie Wonder, I thought of three things. First, he's blind. Second, Eddie Murphy used to parody him on Saturday Night Live. Third, his song "Superstition", which I loved. That was it.

In April 2007, my stepfather died, and due to that, I had to head over to Men's Wearhouse to buy a suit for the funeral. While I was in there, I was getting fitted, and a song came on. I thought it was Will Smith's "Wild Wild West" from the (bad) movie of the same name. However, as it went along, I realized "Hey, that's not Will Smith". Listened some more, and said "That sounds like Stevie Wonder". Turns out it was, it was his song "I Wish". I was quite amazed. Not only did Will lift the main "riff", there was a lot of the same song structure. I then realized I was quite deficient in Stevie Wonder music.

Then I listened to it. I was quite amazed at how much of Stevie Wonder's music I actually knew! As I listened to more of the music, I realized I knew just about all of this stuff, just not by name. To be honest, when I sat down to listen, I thought this would be one of these knee jerk purchases I make, which I later go "Why did I buy this?" Not this one, I enjoyed it a lot, especially the more I realized I knew. It's hard to quantify his music - some might say "funk", but that doesn't seem right. I just know it's good music. Worth picking up.

I have been playing this CD non-stop since purchasing it and it reminded me of Stevie's talent, how much I love his music, and how much he has been a part of African American music history and the soundtrack to growing up. The only way to make it better for me would be to add "As", "Ribbon in the Sky" and "Knocks me off my feet".

I love this CD. All the top songs from over the years.

Stevie Wonder: The Definitive Collection contains great songs by Stevie Wonder that will bring back great memories for us all. Stevie's music shines throughout this CD; it's no wonder that his songs often shot to the very top of the R&B, Pop and Adult Contemporary charts all at the same time!

The CD opens with "Fingertips (Part 2)." Although I was frustrated that the track starts in the middle of the action, this number gives us proof that from the very start Stevie Wonder possessed superstar talent. His rapport with his audience is excellent judging by the way they cheer for Stevie and their back and forth chanting with him is great, too. They even laugh along with Stevie when he becomes somewhat mischievious on the harmonica. The band's backup for Stevie works very well.

The stunning and remarkable songs are presented in chronological order on this CD; but of course in my opinion some numbers work even better than others. Some of the wonderful tracks on this CD include the relentlessly upbeat and romantic "I Was Made To Love Her" with Stevie's great harmonica intro and singing; the musical arrangement just couldn't be better for this ballad. Stevie sings of his undying love for his woman. "For Once In My Life" continues in this same vein; Stevie celebrates his new love for a lady and he knows intuitively that they will stay together forever. Love those tambourines--and how's about Stevie's harmonica playing once again?

"My Cherie Amour" gives us a more mellow number about a man's unrequited love for a woman; Stevie sings this without a superfluous note. The drums, percussion and strings infuse the melody with a certain romatic style I rarely hear. Awesome! On the other hand, "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" offers Stevie the chance to sing about his giving his heart to a woman he truly loves after he has taken too much time to make up his mind. The melody is infectiously catchy and the backup chorus works well on "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours."

"Higher Ground" has a beat that showcases an angry side of Stevie Wonder; and "You Haven't Done Nothin'" lets Stevie rail against then-president Nixon. "Boogie On Reggae Woman" has a sensuality to it that makes you remember it almost instantly after you've heard it for the very first time. "I Wish" lets Stevie reflect on the more carefree days of youth; and "Sir Duke" represents a fine tribute to the African American artists who came before Stevie.

"Overjoyed" uses the piano, strings and Stevie's voice as instruments to create a very special, romantic and intimate ballad. This number displays the depth of Stevie's love for his woman. "Overjoyed" is one of the most beauitful love songs I've heard--ever. Stevie sings of his painstaking, difficult search for the woman who will be his perfect soulmate for the rest of his life. He also tries to encourage his one true love to see things the way he does. You will be moved by this ballad.

The CD ends just as it began: "Part-Time Lover" has a distinct pop flavor to it just like "Fingertips (Part 2)." Stevie sings of his relationship with a woman who has feelings for him--but she may not be completely free to live with Stevie.

The liner notes include great art work with pictures of Stevie; and Harry Weinger contributes an essay based on an interview with DJ Scott Regan. You get the song credits, too.

Unfortunately, something irks me about this CD. I cannot conceive of a "definitive collection" of Stevie Wonder's hits on a single CD. Many songs should have been added onto a second CD to make this collection truly complete. For example, where's "Isn't She Lovely" from Songs In The Key Of Life? What about "All In Love Is Fair?" Where are "Lately" and "Happy Birthday" from Hotter Than July? What about "Ribbon In The Sky?" I could go on; but you get my point. I have to take off at least one star for this; I had a hard time deciding but I think I will make this a four star review.

Overall, this remains a great CD, especially for the casual fan who wants a lot of the very best of Stevie Wonder on a single CD. True blue fans will pick this one up; but they will be more satisfied still with Stevie Wonder CD sets including the four CD set entitled At the Close of a Century.

Thank you, Stevie Wonder!

This might be the best "best of" album I have ever had. Truly an album full of hits.

This collection of songs was put together so well. It truly has all of Stevie Wonder's greatest hits and is wonderful to listen to!

What could be bad? Great collection of classic Stevie Wonder. I love it.

WOW! This CD rocks! No other way to put it. I mean I always heard Superstition and You Are The Sunshine of My Life and such but man! Fingertips really shows you that Stevie really is the 12-yr-old boy wonder!!!!
Sometimes I just put that song on repeat and just be amazed!!!

Every other track is either 4 stars, 5 stars, or more!!!

A MUST BUY!!! (steal, borrow and burn, whatever you need to do to get your hands on this piece of gold!!!!)

I was familiar with Stevie Wonder's work through the radio, never owned anything of his. I was looking for an album that would get me a solid introduction to this artist. I was very happy with this C.D. The songs go chronologically, they encompass a wide range of styles and they are well digitalized.
This album certainly made me realise the truly astonishing power of this musician. Gorgeous melody line, intricate orchestration, virtuosity in voice, harmonica, piano, superb composition. You can enjoy the songs at many different levels. What a brillant artist, what a good selection of songs.