- Artist: Marc Bolan & T. Rex
- Rating:
- Release Date: November 05, 2002
- Type: Compilation (best of)
- Genre: Rock
Review
T. Rex is worthy of a great box set, but The Essential Collection isn't it. Bypassing all of Bolan's earlier folk work, the set has no cohesion -- it's just a bunch of tracks piled together haphazardly. "Jeepster," not "Bang a Gong (Get It On)," is the only track from Electric Warrior to make the box, leaving their best record woefully underrepresented; instead, the box concentrates on the spottier records from the mid-'70s. Ultimately, The Essential Collection does a disservice to T. Rex. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music GuideSimilar Albums
Greatest Hits, Best of Sweet [Capitol 1993], Changesbowie, Raw Power, Glitterbest: 20 Pre Punk 'n' Glam Tyerrace Stompers, 20th Century Boy: The Ultimate Collection, Taking Tiger Mountain (By Strategy), Live in NYC - 1975: Red Patent Leather, Best of David Bowie 1974/1979, Profile: The Ultimate Sparks Collection, New York Tapes: 1972-1973, Hoople, Platinum Collection, Fun HouseTracks
CD 1
| Track Title | Composers | Performers | Time |
| Jeepster | Marc Bolan | T. Rex | |
| Metal Guru | Marc Bolan | T. Rex | |
| Rock On | Marc Bolan | T. Rex | |
| Ballrooms of Mars | Marc Bolan | T. Rex | |
| Solid Gold Easy Action | Marc Bolan | T. Rex | |
| Spaceball Ricochet | Marc Bolan | T. Rex | |
| Highway Knees | Marc Bolan | T. Rex | |
| Left Hand Luke | Marc Bolan | T. Rex | |
| Buick Mackane | Marc Bolan | T. Rex | |
| Main Man | Marc Bolan | T. Rex | |
| London Boys | Marc Bolan | T. Rex |
CD 2
| Track Title | Composers | Performers | Time |
| Telegram Sam | Marc Bolan | T. Rex | |
| 20th Century Boy | Marc Bolan | T. Rex | |
| Born to Boogie | Marc Bolan | T. Rex | |
| Rapids | Marc Bolan | T. Rex | |
| Electric Slim and the Factory Hen | Marc Bolan | T. Rex | |
| Mad Donna | Marc Bolan | T. Rex | |
| Truck on (Tyke) | Marc Bolan | T. Rex | |
| Dandy in the Underworld | Marc Bolan | T. Rex | |
| Light of Love | Marc Bolan | T. Rex | |
| The Groover | Marc Bolan | T. Rex | |
| Teen Riot Structure | Marc Bolan | T. Rex |
CD 3
| Track Title | Composers | Performers | Time |
| Children of the Revolution | Marc Bolan | T. Rex | |
| The Soul of My Suit | Marc Bolan | T. Rex | |
| Dance in the Midnight | Marc Bolan | T. Rex | |
| Sunken Rags | Marc Bolan | T. Rex | |
| Think Zinc | Marc Bolan | T. Rex | |
| Dreamy Lady | Marc Bolan | T. Rex | |
| Celebrate Summer | Marc Bolan | T. Rex | |
| Crimson Moon | Marc Bolan | T. Rex | |
| Chrome Sitar | Marc Bolan | T. Rex | |
| Till Dawn | Marc Bolan | T. Rex | |
| Spaceball Ricochet [Live, Acoustic] | Marc Bolan | T. Rex | |
| Jeepster [Live, Acoustic] | Marc Bolan | T. Rex | |
| Cosmic Dancer [Live, Acoustic] | Marc Bolan | T. Rex | |
| Main Man [Live, Acoustic] | Marc Bolan | T. Rex | |
| Ballrooms of Mars [Live, Acoustic] | Marc Bolan | T. Rex | |
| Mystic Lady [Live, Acoustic] | Marc Bolan | T. Rex | |
| Girl [Live, Acoustic] | Marc Bolan | T. Rex | |
| Baby Strange [Live, Acoustic] | Marc Bolan | T. Rex |
