Even if it seems like a last gasp for success, this CD is a great summation of the group's work up to this point. It provides proof that the group wasn't just the best of their breed (boy bands, that is), but that their best moments transcend the the recent bugglegum pop music boom.

"I Want It That Way," "As Long As You Love Me," and "Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)," are lovely, timeless pop ballads, featuring great vocal performances. The dance numbers, like "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" and "Larger Than Life," are clearly a product of modern music, but offer infectious rhythms that even early Bandstanders can dance to.

If most of the rest of the singles on this 13-track collection aren't quite as good as those afforementioned tunes (the midtempo "Show Me The Meaning Of Being Lonely" also certainly ranks with the Boys' best), they nevertheless are well-crafted. That the new single "Drowning" is the weakest track on the set may not bode well for the future however. But regardless of what the future holds for this group, this retrospective provides a strong look at what was popular in pop music around the turn of the century.


All hits, no filler   March 20, 2002
12 out of 13 found this review helpful

...BSBs THE HITS-CHAPTER ONE delivers. It includes all hits and no filler. Sure some of these songs have been played over and over but they're still great pop songs. The Backstreet Boys have really put out some great quality pop music over their first ...few albums. All of their best songs are captured here on this great CD!

The timeless "I want it that way", which is still one of my favorite songs. Also "quit playing games (with my heart)", "all I have to give", and "shape of my heart" are all great. This collection also includes the new track "drowning." I like it. It's very BSB except the intro sounds like O-town's "all or nothing." THE HITS also includes the radio version of "more than that."

This is a really awesome CD. BSB fan or not, you'll like it.


Fantastic...   November 27, 2005
Jayne Twoe (California, USA)
5 out of 5 found this review helpful

This album is, in my opinion, the best out of the Boys' collection. With hits like 'I Want It That Way', 'Larger Than Life', 'Shape of My Heart', and 'The Call', they win over even N'SYNC. Anyway, my ratings for each song are as follows:

I Want It That Way - 10/10: A wonderful love-pop song. And one of, if not the, most favorite.

Everybody(Backstreet's Back) - 8/10: A good song to dance funkily to, but not their best.

As Long As You Love Me - 8/10: Not one of my favorites, but it has a nice tune to slow-dance to.

Show Me The Meaning of Being Lonely - 9/10: A very nice tune, and yet another great slow-dancing song. :)

Quit Playing Games (With My Heart) - 8/10: An OK song. The chorus is nice, but the rest leaves me sort of bewildered.

All I Have To Give - 9/10: One of my absolute favorites. (And another slow-dance song)

Larger Than Life - 10/10: Amazing. Awesome song to listen to - no matter what mood you're in, it'll pick you right up. :D

I'll Never Break Your Heart - 5/10: A soft, slow, and sad song. My least favorite.

The Call - 10/10: A nice, brisk song with a tint of sexuality. Awesome!

Shape Of My Heart - 10/10: Another great slow-dancing song. It always warms my heart. :)

The One - 8/10: A great song, but nothing out-standing.

More Than That - 10/10: A fantastic song. I love the sound effects at the beginning that sound ethereal - it makes me feel like I'm flying threw the universe.

Drowning - 10/10: A great pop song. I love listening to it over and over.

Well, the ratings I have given these songs are how I perceive them, and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. Obviously, all the ones rated '10' are my favorites. *blushes* Happy listening!


Backstreet Boys--classic pop vocal group of the '90s.   November 24, 2002
5 out of 5 found this review helpful

The Backstreet Boys are argueably the best of their breed. As a long-time fan of theirs, now here comes along their first greatest hits album. Certainly they do not have as many hits as let's say, the Beatles, so why now? Well, a lot of artists come out with greatest hits collections even while they are still going fairly strong. Like Madonna, for example. 'The Immaculate Collection' came out in the early '90s, when she was still very popular and making music. Now she has two greatest hits collections...same could end up happening for the Backstreet Boys. Here are the track listings to 'The Hits--Chapter One':

1.) "I Want It That Way" ~ what can I say that hasn't already been said about this song? Truly a pop classic. One of my all-time favorite songs! From their 'Millennium' album. 5/5 stars

2.) "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)" ~ this song is not the radio edit version you hear on the radio...it's the music video version and album version. This is another true classic! 5/5 stars

3.) "As Long As You Love Me" ~ my personal favorite from their self-titled disc. Mid-tempo song that was huge in '98. 5/5 stars

4.) "Show Me The Meaning Of Being Lonely" ~ their best ballad ever. It is so sad and yet, so good! 5/5 stars

5.) "Quit Playin' Games (With My Heart)" ~ first hit ever for the Boys in the US. From their self-titled disc, another classic. 5/5 stars

6.) "All I Have To Give" ~ I really like this ballad from their self-titled album. The lyrics are sweet, but it's not one of their more popular songs. 4/5 stars

7.) "Larger Than Life" ~ more of a rockin' type of upbeat song, dedicated to their fans. The BSB love their fans so much--another reason to love THEM! 5/5 stars

8.) "I'll Never Break Your Heart" ~ another heart-felt ballad from the Boys off their self-titled disc. I really like this song, too. 4/5 stars

9.) "The Call" ~ something different from our Boys...a song about them cheating (which they'd never do in real life, I'm sure)! Like the beat of this song and the lyrics are cool, too. 4/5 stars

10.) "Shape Of My Heart" ~ from their 'Black & Blue' album, first single. I love this song. It sounds a lot like track number three, but it's still really good. 5/5 stars

11.) "The One" ~ another favorite from 'Millennium'. A very upbeat song and at one point on the song, Brian holds the notes very well. Love it. 5/5 stars

12.) "More Than That" ~ a very nice ballad from 'Black & Blue'. I really like this one, very R&B sounding. 4/5 stars

13.) "Drowning" ~ the only new song on this album, and is their latest single. I love it. It sounds like O-Town's song, "All Or Nothing", in the beginning, but that's only because both songs were written by the same guy, so of course they'd sound alike. 5/5 stars

The BSB have the best vocal harmonies and melodies I've ever heard in a boyband or vocal group. Very polished, solid sounding. A band who loves their fans as much as the Backstreet Boys do should get more fans just for that. Teenyboppers will not like the BSB because they have turned into more of an adult vocal pop group rather than the silly, little boybands we have now. They are doing more ballads than upbeat dance songs, which apparently, teenyboppers do not like. The BSB have started to write more of their own songs, produce their own albums, and have taken their music into their control, meaning they are not just doing something because their manager or record label tells them that they have to. As a long time fan of the Backstreet Boys, I have always been a fan and will always be one, and will not dismiss them when another, more popular band comes along, like a lot of BSB fans did with N Sync. I think the BSB deserves way more credit for their unique, original talent than what they get. Nick, Brian, Kevin, AJ, and Howie...keep up with your great work and I'll be looking forward to your next album! KPTBPA!

I highly recommend 'The Hits--Chapter One', by the Backstreet Boys.

Score:
100/100
A+


Chapter 1   November 10, 2001
Yoko Yang
10 out of 12 found this review helpful

I am a fan of good music. I listen to anything from Beatles to DMX and everything in between. So far only one group have really captivate me and that group (suprisingly enough) is the Backstreet Boys. These guys can really sing. They each have their own unique voice unlike any other groups out there, and their songs are just so ... beautiful (at least to me). The Hit Chapter 1 is a combo of all their hit singles in one CD(which I believe is a great idea), allow people to own the most well known songs from all the other CDs without having to spend more money on songs they don't like. Their newest single, Drowning, is by far the best song I've heard since Yesterday(from the Beatles) was released. They are by far the best music act out there today. Even if you don't like their songs or the image they represent, you should atleast try to understand and respect them for the hard work and dedication that they have given to all their fans all over the world. It might be hard for some people to understand, but I believe that with the release of Chpt.1, the future of Chpt.2 is as bright as sun shine.