CD-Charts Position 141
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Characters

CD-Charts > Music > Motown
by: Stevie Wonder

Release Date October 01, 1999
The 80s were never very kind to Stevie Wonder. After his run of Grammy Award winning, mega selling 70s albums, success didn't come as easily in the 80s. It could have been down to Mr Wonder losing his "genius"; it could've been down to him being tired - he'd released albums at a furious rate - or, and I believe this is what it actually is - he'd discovered the world's appetite for 80s synth-pop! So, leaving his 70s work aside, let's examine 'Characters' against the environment in which it was released. Yes, it is very heavy on the synth' sound, but most of the biggest albums of the 80s were: Michael Jackson's 'Bad', Janet Jackson's 'Control', Madonna's 'First Album'. It seems that Stevie just wanted to play along with the rest of the pop kids ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 142
Average Rating:

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The Millennium Collection: the Best of the Funk Brothers

CD-Charts > Music > Motown
by: Funk Brothers

Release Date February 09, 2004
Although they had played on thousands of records for Motown, until the documentary film Standing In The Shadows Of Motown in 2002 few had heard of the Funk Brothers by name, and even fewer knew the names of the master musicians who did so much to create the identity of Motown from the snake pit at the Hitsville Studio in Detroit throughout the sixties. Until Marvin Gaye insisted on having them credited on his album What's Going On in 1970, their names had apparently never even appeared on a Motown sleeve.

Names like bandleader and keyboard player Earl Van Dyke, bassist James Jamerson, guitarists Robert White, Joe Messina and Eddie Willis, and drummers Benny Benjamin, Pistol Allen and Uriel Jones, to mention a few, are gradually seeping ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 143
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John Lennon's Jukebox

CD-Charts > Music > Motown
by: Various Artists

Release Date March 08, 2004
When you realise what was missed off this one in favor of stuff that could be seen as unnecessary the question is whats the point?
The most garish mistake is to include the live recording by the Miracles which would never have been on any jukebox.
I also can't see why Lennon would have preferred the cover of Some other guy-by another Liverpool group who Decca actually SIGNED after learning the lessons of a year earlier to the superior original by Richie Barret.Theres no problem licensing an Atlantic recording in any case as the track is on one of the Leiber Stoller compilations.
At the moment though its the only way you can obtain the Timmy Shaw song-an artist unknown even on Wikipedia!

CD-Charts Position 144
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Hitsville USA: The Motown Singles Collection 1959-1971

CD-Charts > Music > Motown
by: Various Artists

Release Date November 22, 1999
well-assembled box set containing just some of Motown's most golden and definitive classics. Nobody knew Motown Records was going to take off in the way it did. Berry Gordy intended to use his artists to break down the then racial barriers, intending to encapsulate a golden and distinct sound that would not only please a black audience but would too appeal to whites. Berry Gordys visions for the company paid off. Key artists like Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson and Stevie Wonder attracted a huge following from both blacks and whites.

Seemingly echoing the restrictions of ghetto life in Detroit (which is where Motown began) was the effective, bluesey Money (Thats What I Want) by Barret Strong, Motowns debut release. There is a raw, ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 145
Average Rating:

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Soul Legends

CD-Charts > Music > Motown
by: Four Tops

Release Date August 07, 2006
well-assembled box set containing just some of Motown's most golden and definitive classics. Nobody knew Motown Records was going to take off in the way it did. Berry Gordy intended to use his artists to break down the then racial barriers, intending to encapsulate a golden and distinct sound that would not only please a black audience but would too appeal to whites. Berry Gordys visions for the company paid off. Key artists like Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson and Stevie Wonder attracted a huge following from both blacks and whites.

Seemingly echoing the restrictions of ghetto life in Detroit (which is where Motown began) was the effective, bluesey Money (Thats What I Want) by Barret Strong, Motowns debut release. There is a raw, ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 146
Average Rating:

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Talking Book

CD-Charts > Music > Motown
by: Stevie Wonder

Release Date January 01, 1993
talking book this is a classic soul album i love it and play it quite regually its cool it features two known songs you are the sunshine of my life,superstition and lots of other good songs which aint recoginised so much radios have a habit of playing 2 or 3 songs by one artist all radio stations are guilty of it eg queen bohemian rhapsody,youre my best friend,dont stop me now and sometimes we will rock you but theres plenty of other fab songs by queen eg innuendo,these are the days of our lives,somebody to love and more i like a winters tale too off the made in heaven album fab!! but they do this with any artist play certain songs thats why i get bored by radio stations rather go and put my own cds on!! if i listen too radio its radio2 mark radcliffe and ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 147
Average Rating:

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The Complete Motown Singles, Volume 3 - 1963

CD-Charts > Music > Motown
by: Various Artists

Release Date November 20, 2006
Motown in its early days before the rot set in at the end of the decade.Here is the label signing up a stack of unknowns because the money made from 1961 had made it possible-the Miracles,the Marvelettes and Mary Wells.
This was the year that more hitmakers were added to propagate the legend which by now had the Beatles and the Stones in their corner.
Berry Gordy was nearly as keen to sign up white singers as black ones and Bunny Paul had been a one time Hot Boppin' Girl-an early exponent of RnR in the wake of Ella Mae Morse.Appantly he had Loretta Lynn in mind re the songs Come and get these memories-which Martha & the Vandellas did in the end
The Valadiers who open this set were a white group who were one of the earliest to attempt a black ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 148
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Innervisions

CD-Charts > Music > Motown
by: Stevie Wonder

Release Date January 01, 1993
While the conventional wisdom has "Songs in the Key of Life" as SWs best album, I found it to be a little long winded, with too many tracks running out of ideas/steam long before their end,

On Inner Visions IMHO, we find him with a collection of songs which hang together beautifully, which is perfectly paced, and without a duff track. The familiar hits need no introduction, and those which never made a single release are as strong.

When this album was released, Stevie was pushing the boundaries , developing the synthesiser sound he had pioneered on Music of my Mind" and "Talking Book", taking Soul music (and music in general in fact) to new places.

If you are in any way a fan of modern R & B, you need this album to find ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 149
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Soul Cellar Vol.2: Peter Young Presents a Further Selection of Funky Soul Favourites

CD-Charts > Music > Motown
by: Various Artists

Release Date August 14, 2006
A great selection of rare, hard to find, long forgotten gems, northern soul, jazz funk, ballads but all classy and a must for any soul music fan. P.Y. - start working on number three!

CD-Charts Position 150
Average Rating:

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Best Of Smokey Robinson

CD-Charts > Music > Motown
by: Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

Release Date March 18, 1996
A great selection of rare, hard to find, long forgotten gems, northern soul, jazz funk, ballads but all classy and a must for any soul music fan. P.Y. - start working on number three!