Now That's What I Call Music 16 (by Various Artists, Hip-hop)

NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL MUSIC! 16 contains a couple of terrific songs that happen to be huge hits, but we've all heard "Hey Ya!" so many times by now that its only purpose in this context is to make the others sound weak by comparison.

The song order is as thoughtless as ever: Dreary ballads by Britney Spears and Jessica Simpson, the two least capable singers on the album, are next to each other, a terrible setup for Hoobastank's "The Reason," also a ballad. Dead center in the mix, this sequence alone will send all but the most diehard fans either to snoozeland or the "skip" button.

The predictable hip-hop and pop tracks that follow are familiar and unremarkable, cheerfully misogynistic and mostly danceable. Things pick up somewhat at the end with a couple of interesting choices: "Heaven" by Los Lonely Boys boasts a wonderfully bluesy lead vocal, and "Redneck Women" by Gretchen Wilson is catchy and fun, one of the few country hits to be included in this series. Despite a couple of gems, all of which would be easy to find elsewhere, this compilation is pretty weak. It might be more fun to find some more interesting dance tunes and make your own compilation.