Required material for the class includes Tina!, the latest greatest hits compilation released to coincide with her current tour. Although the collection purports to be an overview of her impressive career, many of the tracks represent her 80s comeback. The hits you'd expect are included, all digitally remastered: “What's Love Got to Do with It,” “Better Be Good to Me,” and “Private Dancer,” among others. A pleasant surprise is “What You Get Is What You See,” a late-80s minor hit that injects country twang into her bluesy sound. Conspicuously absent is the catchy single “Typical Male” from her Break Every Rule album.

The 90s and 2000s are less apparent on Tina!, largely overlooking her last two albums — the underrated Wildest Dreams and Twenty Four Seven. Instead, the James Bond theme “Goldeneye” and “I Don't Wanna Fight” (from her successful biopic What's Love Got to Do with It) remain the lone singles from this period. Other quality tracks could have been included such as “Something Beautiful Remains” “Missing You” (her cover of the John Waite classic), and “In Your Wildest Dreams,” all from Wildest Dreams, and “When the Heartache Is Over” from Twenty Four Seven. When releasing a hits collection by a major artist like Turner, however, fans will inevitably complain that their favorite singles were unjustly omitted.

Still, crucial early singles are strangely missing. While “River Deep, Mountain High” and “Nutbush City Limits” are present, why is the 1993 version of “Proud Mary” substituted for the original Ike & Tina classic? Other Ike & Tina funk workouts that should be heard include their stellar covers of “Get Back” and “Honky Tonk Woman.”

Despite its limitations, Tina! effectively demonstrates how Turner encapsulates rock as much — even more — than soul. Her 1989 track “Steamy Windows,” with Turner's snarling vocals featured over electric guitar and piano, illustrates this fusion. Even more so, her classic rendition of “Acid Queen” shows that she could rock right along with Pete Townshend, Roger Daltrey, and other major male musicians.

Unlike previous hits collections, this one features rare live tracks and two brand new songs. The most impressive live track is her cover of Robert Palmer's “Addicted to Love,” recorded at Camden Palace in London in 1986. She does Palmer's classic proud, drawing out the raw sexuality of the song as the band plays a blistering arrangement. More than any other track, this one perfectly captures the energy and grittiness of Turner's concerts.

The two new tracks, “I'm Ready” and “It Would Be A Crime,” probably won't chart as well as in her 80s heyday. Still, they fit in nicely with the rest of the songs, although the latter features a surprisingly heavy electronic backing. Even more amazing is that Turner's voice has lost none of its luster.

Any greatest hits compilation begs the question: is it worth purchasing when you already have many of the tracks? True, previous collections still exist, although some of them may not feature the extensive remastering of this latest one. If you are a casual Tina Turner fan, or even a new one, Tina! serves as a satisfactory overview of her legendary career. Like any 101 course, it offers a basic introduction to her music, perhaps spurring on the listener to further explore her catalog. For the longtime fan, other than the two new tracks, it may not be worth the upgrade. Some of the live tracks can be found elsewhere. However, if you would like newly remastered versions of major singles, Tina! may appeal to you.

Regardless of your level of fandom, Tina! provides a reintroduction to some of her greatest work. Any reminders of her uniqueness and raw talent are definitely welcome

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