Top tracks — play these first
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You Really Got Me Start here — This track is often credited with helping to shape the sound of hard rock, featuring its iconic power chord riff that inspired generations of guitarists.
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Waterloo Sunset — With its lush instrumentation and poetic lyrics, this song captures a moment of serene beauty and longing, showcasing Ray Davies' mastery of storytelling.
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Lola — A groundbreaking narrative about gender identity and desire, 'Lola' remains one of The Kinks' most enduring hits, illustrating their knack for controversial yet relatable themes.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
This compilation effectively showcases The Kinks' melodic strengths but lacks a cohesive narrative due to its nature as a collection.
What we noticed
- Each track is presented in its original form, maintaining the distinct production styles from different eras of The Kinks' discography.
- Composition 25% of the score
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8/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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7/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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6/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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4/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- catchy melodies for sing-alongs
- dynamic mix of energy levels
- short bursts of nostalgia
- social commentary with wit
- for lively gatherings
Maybe skip if you
- long, immersive listening experience
- slow-paced reflective moments
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Starting Point — A comprehensive overview that introduces new listeners to The Kinks' essential tracks.
- Themes
- British working-class life· gender identity exploration
- Career context
- Released in 2014, The Essential Kinks compiles tracks from the band’s prolific career, spanning their early garage rock days to their later forays into more complex songwriting. At this point, The Kinks were celebrated as pioneers of British rock, having influenced countless genres and artists since their formation in the early 1960s.
- Stylistic neighbors
- The Who· The Yardbirds· The Rolling Stones
Tracklist
Disc 1
- 1 You Really Got Me Start here 2:13
- 2 Stop Your Sobbing 2:05
- 3 All Day and All of the Night 2:21
- 4 Tired of Waiting for You 2:30
- 5 Nothin' In This World Can Stop Me From Worryin' 'Bout That Girl 2:43
- 6 Ev'rybody's Gonna Be Happy 2:15
- 7 A Well Respected Man 2:41
- 8 Dedicated Follower of Fashion 3:00
- 9 Who'll Be the Next in Line 2:01
- 10 Set Me Free 2:11
- 11 See My Friends 2:44
- 12 Sunny Afternoon 3:35
- 13 Dead End Street 3:21
- 14 Death of a Clown 3:12
- 15 Autumn Almanac 3:12
- 16 David Watts 2:37
- 17 Waterloo Sunset 3:17
- 18 Days 2:52
- 19 The Village Green Preservation Society 2:47
- 20 Do You Remember Walter? 2:24
- 21 Picture Book 2:35
- 22 Victoria 3:38
- 23 Apeman 3:51
- 24 Strangers 3:18
- 25 20th Century Man 4:01
- 26 Supersonic Rocket Ship 3:30
- 27 Celluloid Heroes (U.S. single version) 4:45
Disc 2
- 1 Here Comes Yet Another Day 3:54
- 2 You Don't Know My Name 2:34
- 3 Till the End of the Day (live 1972) 2:00
- 4 One of the Survivors 4:03
- 5 Sweet Lady Genevieve 3:27
- 6 Everybody's a Star (Starmaker) 2:59
- 7 Life on the Road 5:01
- 8 Sleepwalker 4:04
- 9 Life Goes On 5:01
- 10 A Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy (single version) 4:00
- 11 Father Christmas 3:41
- 12 (Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman 3:36
- 13 Lola (live 1979) 4:45
- 14 Where Have All the Good Times Gone (live 1979) 2:17
- 15 Better Things (single version) 2:59
- 16 Destroyer 3:47
- 17 Come Dancing 3:55
- 18 Don't Forget to Dance 4:39
- 19 Do It Again 4:09
- 20 Living on a Thin Line 4:14
- 21 Scattered 4:10
If this landed
Records by other artists that run on the same instinct.
Quadrophenia
The Who
Explores British youth culture with anthemic rock and sharp social commentary.
Setting Sons
The Jam
Combines power pop energy with themes of working-class life and personal struggle.
Parklife
Blur
Features vibrant melodies and keen observations on British life, blending humor with social critique.
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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