Double Albums/CDs, curse or blessing?


For no good reason, I have been thinking about the worth of double albums or cds that bands release. The only two that I can come up that make sense are the Who's Tommy and Pink Floyd's The Wall. These are obviously rock opera type albums that hang together. Excluding Greatest Hits which might make sense, are there others doubles that people think of highly?

Most other double albums (double cds more so) I am familiar with would have been much better if only the best material had made it onto a single disc. Examples in my view would be Red Hot Chili Peppers Stadium Arcadium, Guns N Roses Use Your Illusion I & II (at least they are sold separately).

While it may make the bands more money to issue doubles, I think that it generally cheapens the brand.

What do fellow agoners think?
dokosan
My list would include:

Al Kooper Live: Soul of a Man

Dan Fogelberg The Innocent Age

Umphrey's McGee The Best Show on Earth

Chicago II and III

Will the Circle be Unbroken
This reminds me of an interview I saw recently with Paul McCartney. The subject came up about how the White Album could've been the Beatles 'Greatest' record had they edited it down to one disc. At which point Paul basically rolls his eyes, shrugs his shoulders and sez; "Yeah I've heard that, but we're talkin' about the Beatles fookin' White album!
It depends on the singer or group, the Definitive Collection, Best Of The Best Double Cd by santana is a blessing
Second's to Loomis for "Exile On Main Street" and Smholl for "The River". Both are solid throughout, IMO.
Plenny of em' would probably have more impact if pared down. Alot of times a single cd is as long as a 2 album set so comparisons can get blurry. A few that I'm glad got released as double albums:
Kraan/ Live
Allman Brothers/ Live At Fillmore East
Zappa/ Roxy and Elsewhere
Amon Duul II/ Tanz der Limminge
Rory Gallagher/ 1974 Irish Tour
Gentle Giant/ Playing the Foole (wish the cd sounded better).
Humble Pie/ Rocking the Fillmore
Zappa/ Live in New York
Hendrix/ Electricladyland
Captain Beefheart/ Trout Mask Replica
Scorpions/ Tokyo Tapes
Zappa/ Joes's Garage II & III
Miles Davis/ Agharta
Soft Machine 3/ (bummer on the recording quality)
Volker Kriegel/ Missing Link