They’re not an 18th century, royally-appointed tea company. They’re not a 1920’s breakfast staple (Get them crabapples out of your head! Start your day the right way, with a bowl of Hall & Oates!). Nor are they a 1950’s American schoolbook publisher (Hall & Oates Present Our Amazing World: Its People and Places).

What they are, in fact, is the most successful singing duo of all time. And although everyone refers to Messrs. H & O by their abbreviated appellation, their official name on every album reads, in full, Daryl Hall & John Oates.

The pair met under unusual musical circumstances in Philadelphia in the 1960’s at a battle of the bands. Unfortunately, their meeting was not soundtracked by melodious tones, but rather the crack of gunshots as an actual battle broke out between rival gangs. Daryl and John introduced themselves when they both ran to and escaped in a nearby service elevator, immediately bonding over shared musical tastes and fear.

Hall and Oates became fast friends, then roommates, and eventually, musical partners, singing a mix of R&B, pop, and folk. Their career in the 1970’s moved in fits and starts, alternating between low-selling albums and occasional big (but mostly moderate) hits, and by the end of the decade it looked like they would never fully realize their potential.

The 1980’s, however, would realize everything.

Hall & Oates moved themselves and their recording operation from mellow Los Angeles to edgy New York, but even more importantly, they took over the production reins for the first time. Daryl and John now controlled all aspects of the sound. They also became a true band, no longer utilizing different session players for every record, and with this set lineup of regular backing musicians (many of whom would play in the Saturday Night Live house band), the duo finally found the perfect blend of soul and rock & roll, all wrapped up with the energy and modernism of new wave. Along with their smooth vocals, Hall’s good looks, and Oates’s mustache, the battle-hardened, longtime friends would own the rest of the decade.

So if you insist on knowing my bliss, well, here’s all you need to know:

The Essential Collection All the hits in one convenient location, from the 70’s blue-eyed soul of “She’s Gone” and “Rich Girl” to the 80’s standards “You Make My Dreams Come True” and “Private Eyes.” Hall & Oates grew up steeped in Philly soul and R&B and nobody else managed to sound classic and contemporary in quite the same way. Other compilations will get you 98% of what you need but miss out on one or two key tracks. The Essential Collection does not misrepresent itself with its title. And if you like that initial rush of Top 10 hits but want to explore their minor to moderate hits and key album tracks, check out the double-length The Essential Daryl Hall & John Oates (confusingly, it’s a similar title but extra essential and without the Collection part).