For anyone building a Doors collection, start with:

"People Are Strange", "Love Me Two Times", "When the Music's Over".

Recording this album was torturous; the band famously failed to capture the 17-minute epic "Celebration of the Lizard" in the studio. Instead, they pivoted to shorter, punchier rock songs. This album finally gave the band their only #1 single.

For new listeners, compilations are a great entry point.

| Year | Title | Best For | |------|-------|-----------| | 1997 | (4 CDs) | The ultimate deep dive: rarities, outtakes, demos, and hits | | 2000 | The Best of The Doors (2 CDs) | Perfect for casual listeners; includes all singles | | 2007 | The Very Best of The Doors (1 CD) | Single-disc hits collection | | 2011 | A Collection of the Singles (2 CDs) | All A and B sides from 1967–1971 |

: Their first US #1 album, shifting toward a softer, more melodic tone with "Hello, I Love You" and "Love Street".

Morrison’s swan song and perhaps the band's most cohesive artistic statement. Post-Morrison Era