Rare earth elements (RE) are incorporated into a large variety of complex oxide phases to provide tailored mechanical, electrical, optical, and magnetic properties. Thermodynamics control phase stability, materials compatibility in use, corrosion, and transformation. This review presents, in one compilation, the thermodynamic properties of a large number of such materials and discusses systematic trends in energetics and the factors controlling stability. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.