Is The Very Best of Johnny Mathis a good place to start with Johnny Mathis?

Yes, The Very Best of Johnny Mathis is recommended as a starting point for new Johnny Mathis listeners. Mathis’s floating tenor moves through orchestral ballads and polished pop with an intimacy that softens even the grandest arrangements. Released in 2006, this compilation looks back across a career that began with Johnny Mathis’s 1956 debut album. It brings his late-1950s breakthrough recordings into conversation with later material, including his 1978 duet with Deniece Williams and a cover of Toni Braxton’s “Unbreak My Heart.”

Who is The Very Best of Johnny Mathis for?

The Very Best of Johnny Mathis works well if you're into steady melodic journey throughout, romantic ambiance for intimate moments and nostalgic reflections on love.

How many songs are on The Very Best of Johnny Mathis?

The Very Best of Johnny Mathis has 22 tracks, running approximately 72 minutes.

Released 20 years ago

The Very Best of Johnny Mathis

Johnny Mathis · 2006

72 min · 22 tracks · pop music

Mathis’s floating tenor moves through orchestral ballads and polished pop with an intimacy that softens even the grandest arrangements.

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Top tracks — play these first

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Chances Are — Mathis’s unhurried phrasing gives this early hit its air of private confession, even as the orchestral setting places it squarely in the era of lush pop balladry.
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Misty — His reading of the Erroll Garner standard lets the melody unfold with a gentle looseness that connects his pop ballad style to his jazz roots.
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Too Much, Too Little, Too Late Start here — Deniece Williams’s voice meets Mathis’s in a duet about a relationship ending, bringing a late-1970s soul-pop sheen to the compilation.
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The Twelfth of Never — A compact early ballad built around an impossible promise, it shows how Mathis can make an extravagant declaration sound carefully controlled.

Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

57 /100

Foothills

Higher than 6% of albums we've rated

This compilation highlights Mathis's vocal strengths but lacks cohesive flow due to its extensive tracklist.

What we noticed

Several tracks are arranged with lush orchestration, emphasizing the emotional weight of the lyrics and melodies.
The first half of the album maintains a consistent tempo, while the latter half introduces a few more upbeat selections, creating a slight shift in energy.

Composition 25% of the score: 6/10
Craft 20% of the score: 7/10
Durability 25% of the score: 5/10
Distinctiveness 18% of the score: 6/10
Sequencing 12% of the score: 4/10

Influence 4/10

Known within its scene. 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

steady melodic journey throughout
romantic ambiance for intimate moments
nostalgic reflections on love
for late-night listening
lush ballads for relaxation

Maybe skip if you

prefer upbeat, fast-paced tracks
seek experimental soundscapes

Where this album fits

In the catalog: Starting Point — A comprehensive overview of Mathis's beloved songs for new listeners.
Themes: cinematic romance· smooth ballads· nostalgic love songs
Career context: Released in 2006, this compilation looks back across a career that began with Johnny Mathis’s 1956 debut album. It brings his late-1950s breakthrough recordings into conversation with later material, including his 1978 duet with Deniece Williams and a cover of Toni Braxton’s “Unbreak My Heart.”
Stylistic neighbors: Perry Como· Frank Sinatra· Nat King Cole