By Taylor Long

When it comes to having a highly individualized and recognizable sound, no one succeeded quite like Huey Lewis & The News. If you’ve ever heard one of their songs, you’re probably able to identify the sound of all the rest. This is both an advantage and a disadvantage-both sides of which can be seen on Time Flies: The Best Of.

Since the sound of each song is so similar, you’ll find that the opening chords will determine whether a song is a hit or a miss-if you don’t find yourself sucked in by the beginning of the chorus, you’ll probably hit the skip button.

If “Heart Of Rock ‘n’ Roll” doesn’t put you in a great mood, stop. There is no future for you and Huey Lewis. Otherwise, you’re in for one of the most fun listening experiences you can have.

Fronted by a man that, sadly, the younger part of our generation will probably recognize as “that guy who sang ‘Cruisin” with Gwyneth Paltrow in Duets,” Huey Lewis & The News did something that pop bands are generally terrible at: they appealed to men. The main reason for this is the group’s persona and lyrics, which accurately capture the average man. For instance, on the so-catchy-it-hurts hit, “Power Of Love,” where love is attractive because it doesn’t harm your wallet: “don’t need no money / don’t take fame / don’t need no credit card to ride this train.”

There are countless enjoyable hits here, like the sexy “Heart & Soul,” the laughably cheesy but good “Doin It’ (All For My Baby)” and “Stuck With You,” which suggests that couples are “stuck” if they live together and have the same friends. And what would a Huey Lewis & The News compilation be without “I Want A New Drug”?

The only injustice committed is leaving out “Hip To Be Square,” one of their biggest hits. Another questionable omission is “Back In Time,” from Back To The Future. Instead, we get a live edition of “Trouble In Paradise,” and four newer songs; but putting new songs on a “Greatest Hits” collection is still a weird idea.

In the spring, there’s nothing quite like a little cheesy pop to complete the mood-so grab Time Flies: The Best Of and soon you’ll be smiling like a middle-aged man in a bar with a 20-something model on his arm.

The Chronicle gives “Time Flies