The Doors - The Best of the Doors - Atmos / 5.1 Blu-ray spatial release

In the sprawling world of classic rock music, "The Best of the Doors" stands out, not simply because it's an unparalleled anthology, but because it tries very, very hard to be a masterpiece in its own right. Released in 1985, this double album ambitiously claims to encapsulate the best of The Doors, a band that, in case you hadn't heard, was huge in the late '60s.

For those sleeping under a rock, The Doors were an American rock band known for their poetic lyrics, psychedelic sound, and the charismatic, often controversial, antics of lead singer Jim Morrison. This collection, therefore, has the unenviable task of distilling the essence of the band’s music into just 19 tracks spread across two compact discs when originally released. These 19 tracks apparently are meant to summarize the whole Doors experience, because who really needs deep album cuts when one can have all the radio hits back-to-back?

The album kicks off with “Break on Through (to the Other Side),” since this is the perfect way to start by selecting the first track from their debut album. It’s followed by a predictable lineup of hits like “Light My Fire,” “Hello, I Love You,” and “L.A. Woman.” The selection is so safe, it's almost radical! So, one won’t find any tracks that are revolutionary here, the collection sticks to many popular radio hits of course closing with “The End.” This is the distilled version of The Doors, refined for easy consumption like a fine, vintage wine that’s been repackaged into a convenient box with a plastic spout. Then again, one is likely to find comfort in such a mainstream highlight.

It is worthy to note that the band paid attention to recording details, which became lusher with each subsequent album. Now, decades later audiophiles can experience their most well known songs on a single Blu-ray edition featuring Dolby Atmos and DTS HD Master Audio 5.1 surround and stereo mixes by original engineer Bruce Botnick. I must joke that the production team has cleaned up every track leaving one to wonder whether the raw energy of the original recordings has been polished out of existence, those who lived back in the day will get my drift.

In reality die-hard Doors aficionados likely already own the previous Perception DVD box set with 5.1 surround mixes of every album. However, with the addition of the Dolby Atmos mixes, this Blu-ray is compelling for collectors and certainly a perfect choice for the casual fan. Overall “The Best of the Doors” is the kind of album one plays when they want to skip the inconvenience of exploring their less accessible material.

This edition released April 26, 2024.

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 About the Author

Wesley is a lifelong music enthusiast. He started his career in the recording industry in New York City as an audio engineer, producer, and studio manager. Subsequently he toured across America as a guitarist with the short-lived band Land's Crossing. After many years in the technology sector and amassing a substantial vinyl and CD collection, he delved into immersive audio and created Hi-Res Edition to share with other listeners about the sound quality and discrete mixes available on many formats. He recently upgraded his system to 5.1.4 Dolby Atmos and continues to seek out and share about the best sounding releases.