Collections from Jimi Hendrix [ tickets ], Stevie Ray Vaughan [ tickets ], the Eagles [ tickets ], Freddie Mercury, Rick Nelson and Dion lead this year's group of box sets, a species that historically experiences a boost in sales during the holiday season.

The Hendrix estate mines the vaults with "The Jimi Hendrix Experience" (Experienced Hendrix/MCA), a 4-CD set that features 56 tracks of previously unreleased material. The set comprises rehearsals, outtakes, alternate studio jams, live tracks and snippets, many of which are never-before-heard versions of Hendrix classics.

Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble's "SRV" (Epic/Legacy) contains three CDs and one DVD. The collection houses 54 tracks, including 36 unissued performances, some of which are from rare TV and radio appearances. Also contained are duets with Jeff Beck, Johnny Copeland and Albert King.

The Eagles "1972-1999 Selected Works" (Elektra) is a 4-CD collection featuring three discs of previously released songs, and a fourth disc comprising 12 live songs from the group’s 1999 New Year's Eve concert in Los Angeles.

Freddie Mercury’s posthumous "The Solo Collection" (EMI Import) European release is a whopping 10-CD, 2-DVD collection that includes the Queen [ tickets ] frontman’s solo albums, singles, soundtrack material, interview disk and a 120-page book. The American version, “Solo” (Hollywood), is condensed to three CDs comprising two of his solo albums--"Mr. Bad Guy" and "Barcelona"--and a seven-track EP.

Rick Nelson's "Legacy" (Capitol) 4-CD set houses 100 songs spanning from 1957-1985, and features previously unissued tracks and two Christmas songs. Classic material from Nelson’s family TV show, "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet," is also included.

Dion's "King of New York Streets" (The Right Stuff) comes on three CDs featuring 65 tracks that include rare and unreleased material from Dion & the Belmonts as well as solo work. The set’s liner notes are penned by noted music journalist Dave Marsh.

Other box sets:

Rock / Pop / Mainstream:

The Grateful Dead - "Ladies and Gentlemen The Grateful Dead" (Grateful Dead/Arista): 4 CDs, 42-tracks from the Dead's last appearance at New York's famed Fillmore East, April 1971.

Genesis - "Archive #2 - 1976-1992" (Atlantic) - 3-CD set includes two discs of non-album tracks, B-sides, rare 12" mixes and one CD of live tracks taken from 1998's 4-CD set "Archive 1967-75."

Los Lobos - "El Cancionero: Mas Y Mas (En La Historia de la Banda Del Este de Los Angelos)” (Warner Archives/Rhino) - 4 CDs, 86 tracks, 10 previously unreleased; includes solo and side projects, tribute cuts and an unreleased live cut with Sheryl Crow.

America - "Highways - 30 Years of America" (Warner Archive/Rhino) - 3 CDs, 64 tracks, includes previously unissued demos and alternate tracks.

Little Feat - "Hotcakes & Outtakes: 30 Years of Little Feat" (Warner Archive/Rhino) - 4 CDs, 82 tracks; one CD (25 tracks) includes demos and studio outtakes from the Lowell George era.

Electric Light Orchestra - "Flashback" (Epic/Legacy) - 3 CDs, 53 songs, seven of which have never been released. Repeats some of Epic's 1990 3-CD box "Afterglow."

Elton John - "to be continued" (MCA) - 4-CD set is a straight reissue of the 1990 box of rarities and unreleased tracks. It has not been updated.

Elvis Presley - "Peace in the Valley--The Complete Gospel Recordings" (RCA) - 3 CDs, 87 tracks from 1956-77. Home recordings to live performance on "The Ed Sullivan Show.” Includes Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins on some tracks.

Magnetic Fields - "69 Love Songs" (Merge) - 3 CDs. Also available individually.

Dusty Springfield - "Simply Dusty" (Mercury import) - 4 CDs, 98 songs (16 top 20 singles) and lots of tributes to the late Rock and Roll Hall of Fame singer.

Free - "Song of Yesterday" (Island import) - 5 CDs full of alternate takes and alternate mixes plus a complete concert that was abridged for "Free Live." Includes a 60-page booklet.

Various Artists - "The Immediate Singles Collection" (Seruel.Castle import) - 6 CDs, 152 tracks from late-‘60s acts including Small Faces, Nico, Fleetwood Mac, Humble Pie, the McCoys, Rod Stewart.

Samhain - "Box Set" (EviLive) - Heavy metal icon Glenn Danzig's project between the Misfits and Danzig; 4 CDs include remastered tracks, unreleased tracks and double-live CD from 1985-86. Includes 8-page comic book.

The Posies - "At Last, At Least" (Not Lame) - 4 CDs, 64 previously unreleased tracks. Includes demos, live recordings and "what nots," 1987-1998.

Davie Bowie - "Bowie at the Beeb 1968-1972" - 3 CDs showcase rare performances of classic tracks from BBC shows. The third CD features a Bowie concert at the BBC Radio Theatre show recorded this summer.

Faust - "The Wumme Years (1970-73)" (Recommended ReR/FBI) - 5 CDs from this German progressive rock group.

Guided by Voices - "Suitcase - Failed Experiments & Trashed Aircraft" (Rcord Hit/Rockathon) - 4 CDs, 100 tracks.

The Monkees - "Headquarters Sessions: (Rhino/Handmade) - 3 CDs, 84 tracks include 60 previously unreleased songs and complete original mono mixes.

The Cult - "Rare Cult" (Beggar's Banquet import) - 6 CDs, 90 studio tracks, 78 of which were never released in the U.S. and 48 were never released anywhere, as well as the complete, unreleased, 12-track "Peace" album.

The Kinks - "The EP Collection 2" (Castle import) - 10 CDs (EPs), 40 tracks from France, Sweden, Spain, and Mexico.

Golden Earring - "The Devil Makes Us Do It - 35 Years" (Universal TV import) - 4 CDs, 74 tracks. Includes some live selections and a treasure chest of unreleased songs.

Adam & the Ants - "Antbox" (Columbia import) - 3 CDs, 64 songs feature all 22 hits and 27 previously unreleased tracks.

Van der Graaf Generator - "'68-'78" (import) - 4 CDs from the Brit band; Peter Hammill's first group

Morrissey - "The CD Singles '88-'91" (EMI import) - 10 CDs (EPs), 33 tracks.

Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band - "The Anthology - So Far" (Purple Pyramid/Cleopatra import) - 3CDs, 47 tracks from all five of the former Beatle’s tours, some previously released in America on Rykodisc over the past 10 years.

The Osmond Family - "The All-Time Greatest Hits of the Osmond Family" (Curb) - 3 CDs, 53 tracks include Marie Osmond and Donnie & Marie solos.

Various Artists - "Masters At Work: The 10th Anniversary Collection Part One 1990-1995” (BBE) - 4 CDs, 36 songs featuring Masters at Work, Tito Puente, Simply Red, Martha Wash, and others.

Various Artists - "Masters At Work: The 10th Anniversary Collection Part Two 1996-2000” (BBE) - 4 CDs, 32 tracks featuring Indio, Luther Vandross, Incognito, George Benson, Kenny Lattimore, and others.

Jazz:

Miles Davis & John Coltrane - "The Complete Columbia Recordings" (Columbia/Legacy) - 6 CDs, includes "Kind of Blue," "'Round About Midnight," "Milestones," and "Someday My Prince Will Come," plus 18 previously unreleased tracks (90 minutes).

Johnny Hodges - "The Complete Verve Johnny Hodges Small Group Sessions" (Verve) - 6 CDs.

Louis Armstrong - "The Complete Hot Five and Seven Recordings" (Columbia/Legacy) - 4 CDs, 89 tracks. Includes rare sessions 1925-29.

Charlie Parker - "The Complete Savoy and Dial Studio Recordings (1944-48)" (Savoy/Atlantic) - 8 CDs featuring Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Max Roach, Errol Ganner, Milt Jackson, Bud Powell, JJ Johnson and others.

Various Artists - "Rhapsodies in Black: Music and Words from the Harlem Renaissance" (Rhino) - 4 CDs, 85 tracks including artists ranging from Louis Armstrong, Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday and Duke Ellington to Chuck D, Eartha Kitt, Lou Rawls, and Angela Bassett.

Various Artists - "Ken Burns Jazz - The Story of America's Music" (Columbia/Legacy) - 5 CDs from the PBS-TV special "Jazz." The 94 tracks include jazz artists such as Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Herbie Hancock, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, Charles Mingus, Benny Goodman and Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra.

Bill Evans Trio - "The Last Waltz" (Milestone) - 8 CDs never before released. Includes the final recordings live at the Keystone Korner (San Francisco) in September 1980. Features 65 standard and original tracks.

Sonny Rollins - "The Freelance Years - The Complete Riverside & Contemporary Recordings" (Riverside) - 5 CDs, 57 compositions; includes some alternate takes from 1954-58.

Thelonious Monk - "The Complete Prestige Years" (Prestige) - 3 CDs, 33 selections include some alternate takes, early 1950's.

Michel Petrucciani - "Concerts Inedits" (Dreyfus) - 3 CDs, 24 selections from the late pianist in solo, duet and trio performances from 1993-94.

Richard Galliano - "Concerts Inedits" (Dreyfus) - 3 CDs, 30 selections from the French accordionist in solo, duet and trio performances from the late '90s.

Donald Byrd & Pepper Adams - "The Complete Blue Note Donald Byrd & Pepper Adams Studio Sessions" (Mosaic) - 4 CDs.

Elvin Jones - "The Complete Blue Note Elvin Jones Sessions" (Mosaic) - 8 CDs.

Woody Herman - "The Complete Woody Herman Capital Sessions" (Mosaic) - 6 CDs.

Miles Davis -"The Complete Davis Featuring John Coltrane" (Mosaic) - 9 CDs

Lee Morgan-Wayne Shorter - “The Complete Vee Jay Lee Morgan-Wayne Shorter Sessions" (Mosaic) - 6 CDs.

Max Roach - "The Complete Mercury Recordings of Max Roach" (Mosaic) - 7 CDs.

Horace Parlan - "The Complete Blue Note Horace Parlan Sessions" (Mosaic) - 5 CDs, 8 LPs.

Gerald Wilson - "The Complete Pacific Jazz Recordings of Gerald Wilson and His Orchestra" (Mosaic) - 5 CDs.

Various Artists - "The Columbia Jazz Piano Mood Sessions" (Mosaic) - 7 CDs with Ahmad Jamal, Earl Hines, Art Tatum, Erroll Garner, Teddy Wilson, and others.

Tito Puente - "The Complete RCA Recordings" (RCA) - 6 CDs, 108 tracks featuring Ray Barreto, Willie Bobo, Mongo Santamaria, Doc Severinsen and Johnny Pacheco.

Theatrical:

Various Artists - "Reprise & Musical Repertory Theatre" (Reprise) - 4 CDs - "Finnian's Rainbow," "Kiss Me Kate," "South Pacific," and "Guys and Dolls." Features performances by Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Sammy Davis, Jr., Dean Martin, the McGuire Sisters and more.

Blues:

Etta James - "The Chess Box" (MCA/Chess) - 3 CDs, 72 tracks from 1960-1976. Features 13 rarities and 10 previously unreleased tracks.

Buddy Guy - "Vanguard Sessions: The Complete Vanguard Recordings (Vanguard) - 3 CDs including three previously released studio albums ("This Is Buddy Guy," "A Man and the Blues," and "Hold That Please!"), plus a few previously unreleased live tracks.

Mississippi John Hurt - "Vanguard Sessions: The Complete Studio Recordings" (Vanguard) - 3 CDs feature three previously released LPs ("The Immortal Mississippi John Hurt," "Last Sessions," and "Today"). No extra tracks.

Big Mama Thornton - "The Complete Vanguard Recordings" - (Vanguard) - 3 CDs include two previously released CDs ("Jail" and "Sassy Mama!") plus seven unreleased songs.

R&B:

Various Artists - "The Funk Box" (Hip-O) - 4 CDs, 55 tracks, 50 artists including James Brown, Parliament/Funkadelic, Kool & the Gang, Curtis Mayfield, Marvin Gaye, the Gap Band, Rick James, the Commodores, Ohio Players; some 12" mixes are included.

Sam Cooke - "The Man Who Invented Soul" (RCA) - 4 CDs, 96 tracks, many on CD for the first time and includes complete "Night Beat" and "Live at Harlem Square Club" albums.

The Supremes - "The Supremes: Their Whole Story, 1960-1977" (Motown) - 4 CDs, 88 tracks, dozens of rarities and previously unreleased songs and mixes. Some boxes also include a limited-edition, live bonus CD, which contains 11 live tracks from the original group.

Whitney Houston -"The Unreleased Mixes" (Arista)--4 LPs (8 extended club mixes, one per side). Includes "Greatest Love of All," "I'm Your Baby Tonight" and "I Will Always Love You."

Johnnie Taylor - "Lifetime" (Styx) - 3 CDs, 65 songs, some previously unissued and alternate takes; a retrospective of Taylor's soul, blues and gospel from 1956-1999 including his work with the Highway Q.C.'s and The Soul Stirrers.

Various Artists - "Old School Funk Box Set" (Thump/Universal) - 3 CDs, 42 tracks from the O'Jays, Midnight Star, the Whisperers, Shalamar, Lakeside and others.

Various Artists - "The Stax Story" (Stax) - 4 CDs, 98 songs from artists such as Otis Redding, Albert King, Isaac Hayes, Booker T & the MG's, Staples Singers and others.

Country:

Johnny Cash - "Love God Murder” (Columbia/America/Legacy) - Each volume is available separately; brief liner notes by June Carter Cash ("Love"), Bono ("God"). and Quentin Tarrantino ("Murder").

The Carter Family - "In The Shadows of Clinch Mountain" (Bear Family-import) - 12 CDs from Victor, Arc, Decca, APS, Columbia and Bluebird labels; many tracks on CD for the first time.

Hank Williams Jr. - "The Bocepheus Box - The Hank Williams Jr. Collection 1979-1999" (Curb) - 3 CDs, 65 tracks. The 1992 box expanded with some newer tracks.

Oldies:

Various Artists - "The Doo Wop Box III" (Rhino) - 4 CDs, 102 songs. Contains hits, should-have-been hits, celebrity picks (Tim Hauser, Keith Richards, Dion, Quincy Jones, George Carlin, Robert Plant), modern day doo-wop. Seminal doo-woppers include the Cleftones, the Del Vikings, the Dominoes, the Harptones and others.

Various Artists - "The Encyclopedia of Doo Wop" (Collectibles) - 4 CDs, 100 songs, 496-page book, all packaged in a wooden box.

Various Artists - "The Official American Bandstand Library of Rock & Roll" (Q/Atlantic) - 8 CDs, 120 tracks from the '50s, '60s, '70s and '80s in chronological order.

Various Artists - "Casey Kasem Presents America's Top 10 Through the Years" (Top Sail/Warner Special Projects) - 5 CDs, 100 songs from the '50s, '60s, '70s. '80s and '90s in a leatherette case.

Novelty:

Various Artists - "Brain in a Box: The Science Fiction Collection" (Rhino) - 5 CDs, 113 tracks. Includes movie themes, TV themes, pop, incidental/lounge and novelty, and features some songs by Jefferson Airplane, the Tornados, B-52's, They Might Be Giants, and Nilsson all boxed in a 3-D replica of the human brain.

New Age:

Mannheim Steamroller - "Fresh Aire Collector's Box" (Fresh Aire) - All nine Fresh Aire CDs packaged in a wooden box.

Roots:

Various Artists - "Arhoolie Records 40th Anniversary Collection: 1960-2000 - The Journey of Chris Strachwitz" (Arhoolie) - 5 CDs, 105 blues, Tex-Mex, Cajun, country, zydeco and Latin tracks with Jesse Fuller, Lightin' Hopkins, Beausoleil, Big Joe Williams, Charlie Musselwhite.

Folk:

Various Artists: - "The Best of Broadside 1962-1988" - (Smithsonian Folkway) - 5 CDs, 89 songs including Bob Dylan, Phil Ochs, Pete Seeger, Tom Paxton, Eric Anderson, Malvina Reynolds, Janis Ian, and Buffy Sainte-Marie.

Vocalists:

Frank Sinatra - "Concerts" (Capitol) - 16 CDs feature all 15 of Sinatra's Capitol albums on CD plus "The Tone Poems of Colors Concept" only available on CD in this set. A 96-page hardcover booklet is included.

Rosemary Clooney - "The Songbook Collection" (Concord) - 6 CDs, 62-track collection of individual CDs featuring Clooney covering Cole Porter, Irving Berlin, Ira Gershwin, Johnny Mercer and Rogers, Hart & Hammerstein.

The Four Freshmen - "The Complete Capitol Four Freshmen Sessions April, 1950-July, 1960" (Mosaic) - 9 CDs.

Various Artists - "The Crooners" - (Rad-x import) - 8 CDs, one each from Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Dean Martin, Al Martino, Andy Williams, Sammy Davis, Jr., Nat King Cole and Perry Como.

Kids:

Various Artists - "Schoolhouse Rocks" (Kid Rhino) - 4 CDs, 52 tracks packaged in a special metal lunch box featuring vibrantly animated characters. From the '70s Saturday morning ABC-TV show with all genres of music featuring multiplication rock, grammar rock, science rock, America rock, and more.