Greatest Hits Volume 1 (Lyric Street, 2008)

Rascal Flatts chose the holiday season to release their first greatest hits CD. Therefore, this singles set also has three Christmas songs tacked on for good measure. And much like with Rascal Flatts' overall repertoire, this collection plays it extremely safe. The act that originally turned the emotional heat up high with I Melt (also included within) goes straight for the heartstrings for the winter longing of White Christmas and the unfulfilled attachment expressed via I'll Be Home for Christmas.

Looking at its non-seasonal material, many of these songs still stand up relatively well. Those obsessed with The Office may fondly recall Michael's enthusiastic singing of Life Is a Highway, perhaps the best road song since On the Road Again. Prayin' for Daylight, this combo's breakthrough hit single, is also still an upbeat delight. Furthermore, Bless the Broken Road is simply a great song, case closed.

When Rascal Flatts first hit the scene, they appeared to be little more than Nashville's answer to the boy band movement, which was still in full swing back in 2000. Obviously, however, this group has proven to have much more staying power than most of those other "boys." They received that daylight first prayed for, and then some.