Kenny Loggins

If you ever doubted Kenny Loggins' contribution to the rock canon, this will rectify that. The Essential is a history lesson in the career of an artist that almost single-handedly invented soft rock. And while that may seem a dubious accomplishment, listening to the 35 tracks collected here -- Loggins' solo efforts as well as seven Loggins and Messina tunes -- will show how irresistible and enduring his hits are, from the rough innocence of "Your Mama Don't Dance" to the uplifting narrative of "Danny's Song" to the winsome "I Believe in Love" and the addictive "Footloose."