[2] Tony Peters from Iconfetch says: "Most music today is consumed through lousy quality ear buds or computer speakers.

[5] Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic says: "That means that this collection does indeed have almost everything of note, from the big Raspberries hits 'Go All the Way' and 'Overnight Sensation (Hit Record),' through the '70s solo smashes 'All by Myself' and 'Never Gonna Fall in Love Again,' through those late-'80s sensations 'Hungry Eyes' and 'Make Me Lose Control.'"

David Luhrssen from Shepherd Express wrote: "The real surprise on The Essential Eric Carmen is the opening 1969 track from his first recording act, "Cyrus Erie," with its excellent approximation of the mid-'60s Beatles' sound.

[6] The Second Disc says: "The first track on Legacy Recordings' new double-disc anthology The Essential Eric Carmen (Arista/Legacy 88883745522) is titled, appropriately enough, "Get the Message."

And the message relayed by its 30 nuggets comes through loud and clear: whether as power pop prince, classically-inspired MOR balladeer or nostalgic yet contemporary eighties rocker, Eric Carmen had the goods.