The Essential Barbra Streisand is a two-disc compilation album of Barbra Streisand (her first career-retrospective) released by Sony BMG as part of their Essentials series. Released in January 2002, and drawing from four decades of her work, it includes all but one of her top-ten hits, and most of her top-forty hits. The album was particularly well-received as it reviewed most of her career - throughout its 38 songs, there are 26 albums represented. In addition, it includes two previously unreleased songs - "Someday My Prince Will Come" and a rendition of "You'll Never Walk Alone". The album was a big hit. It also went Platinum in the UK and Australia.
The essential is one the best selling worldwide from Sony BMG's "The Essential" collection, with 2.5 million copies sold worldwide.
Following the 2008, number 1 success of the album Love is the answer, that album reached number 78 in the UK, 7 years after its official release.
1-1. A Sleepin' Bee
1-2. Cry Me A River
1-3. I Stayed Too Long At The Fair
1-4. Lover, Come Back To Me
1-5. People
1-6. My Man
1-7. Second Hand Rose
1-8. He Touched Me
1-9. Don't Rain On My Parade
1-10. Happy Days Are Here Again
1-11. On A Clear Day (You Can See Forever)
1-12. Stoney End
1-13. Since I Fell For You
1-14. What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life?
1-15. The Way We Were
1-16. All In Love Is Fair
1-17. Lazy Afternoon
1-18. Love Theme From "A Star Is Born"
1-19. My Heart Belongs To Me
1-20. You Don't Bring Me Flowers
1-21. The Main Event/Fight
1-22. No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)
2-1. Woman In Love
2-2. Guilty
2-3. Comin' In And Out Of Your Life
2-4. Memory
2-5. Papa, Can You Hear Me?
2-6. A Piece Of Sky
2-7. Putting It Together
2-8. Not While I'm Around
2-9. Send In The Clowns
2-10. Somewhere
2-11. All I Ask Of You
2-12. Children Will Listen
2-13. As If We Never Said Goodbye
2-14. I Finally Found Someone
2-15. Tell Him
2-16. I've Dreamed Of You
2-17. Someday My Prince Will Come
2-18. You'll Never Walk Alone