The Best of Hootie & The Blowfish (1993-2003)

The combination of Darius Rucker’s baritone growl, his bandmates’ sunshine-bright riffing, and joyful harmonizing helped Hootie & The Blowfish become one of the premier pop-rock bands of the ‘90s. This compilation collects songs from their first 10 years in the national spotlight, including the stirring “Hold My Hand,” which marries stretched-out blues-rock to a gospel-tinged chorus, and the good-humored jangle of “Only Wanna Be with You.” Covers of Led Zeppelin, Bill Withers, and David Gates reveal the group’s varied influences.