Last Motown Song

[Optimal Saint]

Random question that just popped in my head

Anyone know offhand what the last Motown single and album released before Berry Gordy sold was?

And I guess the first released under the new ownership?

[Ngroove]

Very end.

https://www.bsnpubs.com/motown/tmg.html

Motown-MCA ownership, I'd assume Jheryl Busby could not wait to bring out "Messages From the Boys" or "Today".

[TNSUN]

I wonder. What was the last song recorded at the Motown Hitsville Studio, Detroit, Michigan prior to the Motown Corporation relocation to Los Angeles, California?

[Clifton Miller]

The last single released before BG sold Motown Records appears to have been Brownmark's "I Can't Get Enough Of Your Love" [[Motown 1936) on May 5, 1988. Wilson Pickett's "Love Never Let Me Down" [[Motown 1938) was scheduled for release in early June that year, but cancelled due to the imminent sale. It then came out in November. The first Motown single under the new ownership was [[as you predicted) by the Boys, namely, "Dial My Heart," issued September 6, 1988.

[Ngroove]

I wonder. What was the last song recorded at the Motown Hitsville Studio, Detroit, Michigan prior to the Motown Corporation relocation to Los Angeles, California?

What others would say could be different, such as someone might say Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On", but I clearly remember, on my trip to the Motown Museum, the tour guide said that the last song recorded on Hitsville U.S.A. was the Commodores' "Machine Gun".

[Ngroove]

The last single released before BG sold Motown Records appears to have been Brownmark's "I Can't Get Enough Of Your Love" [[Motown 1936) on May 5, 1988. Wilson Pickett's "Love Never Let Me Down" [[Motown 1938) was scheduled for release in early June that year, but cancelled due to the imminent sale. It then came out in November. The first Motown single under the new ownership was [[as you predicted) by the Boys, namely, "Dial My Heart," issued September 6, 1988.

What!? While I am well aware, by the time he recorded for Motown, Pickett's voice was not so wicked anymore, but seriously? Motown shafted soul royalty, Wilson Pickett?

[jobeterob]

Well at least they eventually issued it although I guess it was not successful

[midnightman]

What others would say could be different, such as someone might say Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On", but I clearly remember, on my trip to the Motown Museum, the tour guide said that the last song recorded on Hitsville U.S.A. was the Commodores' "Machine Gun".

I had no idea MoWest Studios close that early. But I guess it made sense since when Marvin resigned in 1975, he was allowed to create his [[now legendary) studio in Hollywood.

Anyway, yeah I imagine it was from a random artist that just signed a one-off deal with Motown [[Brownmark). We know Motown, the label, would never be the same again after the deflections of Marvin & Diana.

[Ngroove]

I had no idea MoWest Studios close that early. But I guess it made sense since when Marvin resigned in 1975, he was allowed to create his [[now legendary) studio in Hollywood.

Anyway, yeah I imagine it was from a random artist that just signed a one-off deal with Motown [[Brownmark). We know Motown, the label, would never be the same again after the deflections of Marvin & Diana.

The real turning point year, my opinion, of Motown as a holder of as many big surviving signature legacy names as possible, was 1999; the Temptations and Stevie Wonder would still be making albums a bit longer, but 99' was the last year of Smokey Robinson's and Diana Ross' each Motown albums.