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Review by William Ruhlmann: Every rock fan has probably, at one time or another, considered the idea of creating an "ultimate" rock collection. But, while there have certainly been commercial attempts to do the same thing, they have generally been hobbled by record labels unwilling to license their hits to somebody else. That problem was solved by the RIAA, which got the cooperation of the then-six major labels BMG, EMI, Polygram, Sony, Universal and Warner, and all of the artists they approached for this six-CD, 7?-hour collection, on the grounds that a portion of its proceeds would be used to fight record piracy. That hurdle overcome, the compilers defined "rock" as something that started with the British Invasion in 1964, and proceeded to pick 101 songs to create a 31-year sampler. In most cases, it's one song per artist, though a few have two each. Part of the fun is quibbling with the selections; for example, some of the major omissions among major artists include the Rolling Stones, James Brown, the Supremes, the Jackson 5 and Prince. Aside from a few exceptions, rock is mostly defined as music by white people. Rock is also defined primarily as mainstream and pop-oriented, and that's reflected in the heavy metal, new wave, and alternative selections. Nevertheless, the main problem with the set is not who was left out as much as it is what was left off. Secondarily, what was included as part of an "ultimate rock collection" is sometimes questionable, whether artists or individual song choices. But you can't put three rock fans in the same room (much less three rock critics) and not have immediate disagreement. All of the material on Gold and Platinum is demonstrably popular, and all of it is, at least, in the rock tradition. Gold & Platinum is simultaneously a massive achievement (the key word being "massive") and an enormous triviality (the key word being "triviality"). This, in a sense, is the way the record industry views rock music: as a collection of unrelated hits. Juxtaposing so many of them on the same album implies some relationship, but, especially on the later discs covering the '80s and the first half of the '90s, none is really apparent. Still, there's a lot of great music here.

Vol. 1 (1964-1970)
01. The Beatles - I Want to Hold Your Hand
02. The Beach Boys - Good Vibrations
03. Sonny and Cher - I Got You Babe
04. The Byrds - Eight Miles High
05. Bob Dylan - Just Like a Woman
06. Simon and Garfunkel - Sounds of Silence
07. Marvin Gaye - I Heard It Through the Grapevine
08. Van Morrison - Brown Eyed Girl
09. Creedence Clearwater Revival - Proud Mary
10. Elvis Presley - Suspicious Minds
11. Jefferson Airplane - Somebody to Love
12. The Doors - Hello, I Love You
13. Cream - Sunshine of Your Love
14. Jimi Hendrix - Foxey Lady
15. Big Brother and the Holding Company - Piece of My Heart
16. The Who - Pinball Wizard
17. Grateful Dead - Uncle John's Band
18. Crosby, Stills & Nash - Suite: Judy Blue Eyes
19. Santana - Black Magic Woman
20. Chicago - 25 or 6 to 4
Time: 75:43 Min

Vol. 2 (1971-1973)
01. Rod Stewart - Maggie May
02. Paul Simon - Kodachrome
03. Elton John - Crocodile Rock
04. Cat Stevens - Peace Train
05. Jackson Browne - Doctor My Eyes
06. Carol King - It's Too Late
07. Janis Joplin - Me & Bobby McGee
08. Stevie Wonder - Living For The City
09. Derek and the Dominos - Layla
10. Ringo Starr - It Don't Come Easy
11. Steve Miller Band - The Joker
12. Loggins & Messina - Your Mama Don't Dance
13. Steely Dan - Do It Again
14. Led Zeppelin - Misty Mountain Hop
15. Yes - Roundabout
16. Allman Brothers Band - Revival (Love Is Everywhere)
17. Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Lucky Man
18. Who - Won't Get Fooled Again
Time: 78:35 Min

Vol. 3 (1974-1979)
01. Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run
02. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Don't Do Me Like That
03. The Eagles - One of These Nights
04. Fleetwood Mac - Don't Stop 0
05. Paul McCartney & Wings - Band on the Run
06. Eric Clapton - I Shot the Sheriff
07. Boz Scaggs - Lido Shuffle
08. Peter Frampton - Baby, I Love Your Way
09. Daryl Hall & John Oates - Rich Girl
10. Jefferson Starship - Miracles
11. Queen - We Will Rock You
12. Boston - More Than a Feeling
13. Heart - Magic Man
14. Supertramp - The Logical Song
15. David Bowie - Fame
16. The Bee Gees - Jive Talkin'
17. The Cars - Just What I Needed
18. Aerosmith - Walk This Way
19. Bob Marley & the Wailers - Three Little Birds
20. Jimmy Buffett - Margaritaville
Time: 74:44 Min

Vol. 4 (1980-1984)
01. The Police - Every Breath You Take
02. Bruce Springsteen - Dancing in the Dark
03. Stevie Nicks with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - Stop Draggin' My Heart Around
04. John Cougar Mellencamp - Hurts So Good
05. Billy Joel - It's Still Rock and Roll to Me
06. The Go-Go's - We Got the Beat
07. The Pretenders - Back on the Chain Gang
08. George Harrison - All Those Years Ago
09. Journey - Don't Stop Believin'
10. Duran Duran - The Reflex
11. Wham! - Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go!
12. Cyndi Lauper - Girls Just Want to Have Fun
13. Blondie - Rapture
14. John Lennon - (Just Like) Starting Over
15. Tina Turner - Better Be Good to Me
16. REO Speedwagon - Take It on the Run
17. ZZTop - Legs
18. Michael Jackson - Human Nature
19. Phil Collins - In the Air Tonight
Time: 75:46 Min

Vol. 5 (1985-1988)
01. Dire Straits - Money for Nothing
02. Sting - If You Love Somebody Set Them Free
03. George Michael - Faith
04. Steve Winwood - Back in the High Life Again
05. INXS - Need You Tonight
06. Simple Minds - Don't You (Forget About Me)
07. U2 - With or Without You
08. Grateful Dead - Touch of Grey
09. Bruce Hornsby and the Range - The Way It Is
10. Van Halen - Why Can't This Be Love
11. Bryan Adams - Summer of '69
12. Def Leppard - Love Bites
13. Bon Jovi - Livin' on a Prayer
14. Huey Lewis and the News - The Power of Love
15. Genesis - Invisible Touch
16. Eurythmics - Would I Lie to You?
17. Michael Jackson - Dirty Diana
18. Janet Jackson - Control
Time: 75:40 Min

Vol. 6 (1989-1995)
01. Fine Young Cannibals - She Drives Me Crazy
02. Rod Stewart - Downtown Train
03. Madonna - Like a Prayer
04. B-52's - Roam
05. Bonnie Raitt - Something to Talk About
06. Elton John - The One
07. R.E.M. - Losing My Religion
08. Meat Loaf - I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)
09. Hootie and the Blowfish - Hold My Hand
10. Tears for Fears - Sowing the Seeds of Love
11. 10,000 Maniacs - These Are Days
12. Don Henley - The End of the Innocence
13. Sheryl Crow - All I Wanna Do
14. The Smashing Pumpkins - 1979
15. Dave Matthews Band - Ants Marching
16. Boyz II Men - End of the Road
Time: 76:16 Min