Sony/BMG released this double-set on January 29, 2007. The Essential was also released as a 3 CD set, then again a few months later as a single CD edition.
The intention of this set was to help promote the re-release of the entire catalogue of albums by The Alan Parsons Project.
To help kicks things off and get the momentum rolling The Avenue Online hosted a polling where we asked fans to submit their Top 3 APP songs. The results of that voting lead directly led to final selection of the track list. For the first time ever, the fans got to pick the songs!
DISC ONE
The Raven vocal: Alan Parsons (EMI vocoder), Leonard Whiting
(The System Of) Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether vocal: John Miles
To One In Paradise vocal: Terry Sylvester (4:46)
I Robot instrumental
I Wouldn't Want To Be Like You vocal: Lenny Zakatek
Some Other Time vocal: Peter Straker and Jaki Whitren
Day After Day (The Show Must Go On) vocal: Jack Harris
What Goes Up vocal: David Paton
The Eagle Will Rise Again vocal: Colin Blunstone
In The Lap of Gods instrumental
Lucifer instrumental
Damned If I Do vocal: Lenny Zakatek
Games People Play vocal: Lenny Zakatek
Time vocal: Eric Woolfson
The Turn Of A Friendly Card Suite:
i. The Turn Of A Friendly Card (Part One) vocal: Chris Rainbow
ii. Snake Eyes vocal: Chris Rainbow
iii. The Ace Of Swords instrumental
iv. Nothing Left To Lose vocal: Eric Woolfson
v. The Turn Of A Friendly Card (Part Two) vocal: Chris Rainbow
DISC TWO
Sirius Instrumental
Eye In The Sky vocal: Eric Woolfson
Silence And I vocal: Eric Woolfson
Old And Wise vocal: Colin Blunstone
Mammagamma instrumental
Prime Time vocal: Eric Woolfson
Ammonia Avenue vocal: Eric Woolfson
Don't Answer Me vocal: Eric Woolfson
Let's Talk About Me vocal: David Paton
Days Are Numbers (The Traveller) vocal: Chris Rainbow
No Answers Only Questions vocal: Eric Woolfson Previously unreleased track!
Stereotomy vocal: John Miles
Limelight vocal: Gary Brooker
La Sagrada Familia vocal: John Miles
Standing On Higher Ground vocal: Geoff Barradale
FAN VOTING RESULTS
The track selection was based on votes submitted by the fans. Below is the final voting results:
| RANK | SONG |
| 1 | Old And Wise |
| 2 | Eye In The Sky |
| 3 | Silence And I |
| 4 | La Sagrada Familia |
| 5 | I Robot |
| 6 | The Turn Of A Friendly Card Suite |
| 7 | Time |
| 8 | The Raven |
| 9 | To One In Paradise |
| 10 | The Tell-tale Heart |
| 11 | The Cask of Amontillado |
| 12 | Lucifer |
| 13 | Don't Answer Me |
| 14 | Ammonia Avenue |
| 15 | Standing On Higher Ground |
| 16 | Some Other Time |
| 17 | iv. Nothing Left To Lose |
| 18 | Games People Play |
| 19 | In The Lap of Gods |
| 20 | Don't Let It Show |
| 21 | Damned If I Do |
| 22 | Sooner Or Later |
| 23 | I Wouldn't Want To Be Like You |
| 24 | Shadow of a Lonely Man |
| 25 | Sirius |
| 26 | Where's The Walrus? |
| 27 | The Eagle Will Rise Again |
| 28 | Psychobabble |
| 29 | Limelight |
| 30 | Breakdown |
| 31 | Day After Day |
| 32 | May Be A Price To Pay |
| 33 | Days Are Numbers (The Traveller) |
| 34 | A Dream Within A Dream |
| 35 | Prime Time |
| 36 | Let's Talk About Me |
| 37 | Closer To Heaven |
| 38 | One More River |
| 39 | Winding Me Up |
| 40 | The Gold Bug |
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