The Rokstarr Collection is the first compilation album

Compilation album

A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...

 by English R&B

Contemporary R&B

Contemporary R&B is a music genre that combines elements of hip hop, soul, R&B and funk.Although the abbreviation “R&B” originates from traditional rhythm and blues music, today the term R&B is most often used to describe a style of African American music originating after the demise of disco in...

 artist Taio Cruz

Taio Cruz

Taio Cruz is a British singer-songwriter, record producer, occasional rapper, and entrepreneur. In 2008, he released his debut album Departure, which Cruz wrote, arranged and produced himself. It achieved initial success in the UK and earned him a MOBO Award nomination...

. It was released on 20 September 2010. According to Cruz's official site the album combines "the biggest hits of Taio’s debut album ‘Departure’ and recent album ‘Rokstarr’". The album includes all of Cruz's singles from his first two studio albums, excluding "No Other One

No Other One (song)

"No Other One" is a single by Taio Cruz, the second single from his album Rokstarr. It was released on November 30, 2009. The song peaked at #42 on the UK Singles Chart, making it the lowest charting single from the album.-Reception:...

". The album also includes album tracks and the American version of "Break Your Heart

Break Your Heart

"Break Your Heart" is a song by English singer-songwriter Taio Cruz. The song serves as the lead single from his second studio album Rokstarr. It was written by Cruz and Fraser T. Smith and produced by Smith. It was first released in the UK on 20 September 2009, followed by a release in the United...

", featuring Ludacris

Ludacris

Christopher Brian Bridges , better known by his stage name Ludacris, is an American rapper and actor. Along with his manager, Chaka Zulu, Ludacris is the co-founder of Disturbing tha Peace, an imprint distributed by Def Jam Recordings...

. Island Records

Island Records

Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...

 added the video advertisement for the collection to their YouTube

YouTube

YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....

 account on 18 August 2010. The album was also a success on the charts of the Billboard Hot 100

Billboard Hot 100

The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...

, Canadian Hot 100

Canadian Hot 100

The Canadian Hot 100 is a music singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine which ranks songs in Canada. The chart debuted in the Billboard issue dated June 16, 2007 and was made available for the first time via their online services on June 7, 2007...

 and also reached the number-one spot on the Australian charts. On 26 September 2010, The Rokstarr Collection debuted at number 16 on the official UK Albums Chart

UK Albums Chart

The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...

, becoming Cruz's third consecutive top 20 album.

Background

Speaking to Nesta McGregor of the BBC Newsbeat, Cruz explained the reasoning behind the album release: "The producer is also releasing a greatest hits collection, which he admits is "insane" after only having released two albums. I've been so fortunate to release so many singles. I've got six singles off the first album and another five singles off this new album, so there's definitely a lot of records that people will have heard before but not necessarily known that it was me. But they liked the song."

Critical Reception

The Rokstarr Collection received a mixed reception from critics. Pip from 'Entertainment Focus' gave the compilation a positive reception. Pip said "[the compilation] brings together the biggest smashes if Taio's career in one hit-packed album. The sheer weight of hits offers further proof that pound for pound, Taio Cruz is right up there as one of the handful of guaranteed hit maker/writer/artist/producers currently working in pop music." However, Ruth of 'Female First' was less impressed, the review, she called the release "ambitious". She said that "although 'Dynamite' has shifted 1.5 million unites across the pond AND his debut US single 'Break Your Heart' has gone on to sell over 5 million worldwide, can anyone name five Taio Cruz tracks? Not only that, but the CD only has 15 songs on there, one which is on TWICE… come on Taio, who are you trying to kid?"

Track listing

Charts

Chart (2010)	Peak position
UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...	16
UK R&B Chart UK R&B Chart The Official UK R&B Chart is a forty-position R&B/Hip-Hop chart compiled by The Official UK Charts Company. Although the chart does not receive any airplay, its compilation is viewed on BBC Radio 1's website and publications such as ChartsPlus and Music Week...	2

Release history

Region	Release date	Format	Label
United Kingdom	20 September 2010	CD, digital download	Island Records