Riff magazine list diana's album in top 100

Riff Magazine [[never heard of it) is publishing a Top 108 albums of 2021. Today, they published the list from 95 tp 83 on line and Diana' album is Number 93 in Top 108 Best Albums of 2021.

I guess they will list a few each day til they get to number one. Here is what they say about Diana.


Welcome back to RIFF’s year-end album roundup! If you’re joining us just now, you’re here early enough to catch up on Part one.

Like the rest of our massive seven-part series, Part 2 is as musically diverse as West Oakland, which might explain why Weezer and Diana Ross appear alongside Femi and Made Kuti [[if you don’t know much about Fela Kuti, here’s your chance to learn), as well as San Francisco’s ZHU. My Morning Jacket lives here, as do Bleachers. Let’s get into it!





93. Diana Ross
Thank You – Decca – Sara London

Diana Ross’ last album came in 1999, making Thank You particularly special. Produced by a strong team of musicians including Jack Antonoff, Ross reminds us all why she’s considered one of the most acclaimed musicians alive with her solid songwriting abilities. The structure and composition of every song here is both extraordinarily catchy and polished. The melodies are fun and fit well with Diana Ross’ current vocal range. Instrumentally, the tunes are filled with Motown and disco callbacks, like glossy horns and smooth, groovy percussion on songs like “All is Well” or “I Still Believe.” Even if quarantine has made you a bit curmudgeonly cynical, Ross’ passion for positivity shines through in a heartfelt way.

https://riffmagazine.com/year-in-rev...-2-diana-ross/

Never heard of this blog [[can't really be called a magazine) or half the artists they mention.

Solid song writing abilities......Hmmm.

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Originally Posted by Ollie9

Solid song writing abilities......Hmmm.

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that was exactly my thought when I read that. Things that make you want to go "Hmmm" :)

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Ross reminds us all why she’s considered one of the most acclaimed musicians alive with her solid songwriting abilities.

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Lol. Aside from this statement, I agree with the article.

A nice and appropriate review; thanks for finding. I find it especially nice that what seems to be a younger- and alt-music publication mentioned Diana's album.

Nice to see this! For those who may not be aware, Ms Ross is credited as a co-writer for 9 of the tracks on her Thank You album.

Best 108 albums? How many albums were released in 2021? 109? Lol.

About Riff Magazine:

RIFF is the “why” in music journalism. We approach music coverage differently. Started by newspaper, TV and radio journalists to pick up the slack left behind by crumbling traditional media but without disposing its find-the-story-at-all-costs doggedness and respect for language, RIFF’s unique mission is to tell the best story, to influence opinion and to cultivate talent. Our editorial management team is composed of journalists, many with names you may recognize. Our contributors are musicians and music industry veterans who know what they’re talking about. RIFF also cultivated a training ladder with San Francisco State University, giving journalism students real-world experience. Our operations team comes from the tech world, engaging our audience in new, innovative ways. RIFF is run by newspaper veterans Roman Gokhman and Daniel J. Willis [[Oakland Tribune, San Jose Mercury News, Contra Costa Times).

https://riffmagazine.com/about-riff/

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Originally Posted by Ollie9

Solid song writing abilities......Hmmm.

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Are you forgetting "Work That Body"?

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Originally Posted by johnjeb

Are you forgetting "Work That Body"?

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Not at all. I remember Diana being quite candid when talking about working with Ray Chew and how she would throw in the odd suggestion. Financially it makes good business sense, but does not a songwriter make methinks.

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Originally Posted by Ollie9

Not at all. I remember Diana being quite candid when talking about working with Ray Chew and how she would throw in the odd suggestion. Financially it makes good business sense, but does not a songwriter make methinks.

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Yeah, I was gonna say that it’s probably a fair assumption that Paul Jabara did most of the heavy lifting on that one.

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Originally Posted by sansradio

Yeah, I was gonna say that it’s probably a fair assumption that Paul Jabara did most of the heavy lifting on that one.

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To be sure.
I would imagine it’s the same with the new album. Diana makes a few suggestions as to what she would like sing about, possibly coming up with a line or two. The songwriters then do their stuff.
It’s a great way of including yourself in any royalty payments.

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Originally Posted by Ollie9

Not at all. I remember Diana being quite candid when talking about working with Ray Chew and how she would throw in the odd suggestion. Financially it makes good business sense, but does not a songwriter make methinks.

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I was being a bit facetious. I don't recall any songs written by her since WTB. I agree that it was a bit of an overreach for the reviewer to state she has strong writing skills. [[I can't comment about songs from her current album as I am expecting a copy from Santa.)

I do remember an interview, at the time, in which she spoke about her collaboration on WTB. She was quite honest in her assessment of her songwriting abilities. One of the few interviews where I felt she was truly genuine and sweet and not scripted or defensive.

I'm glad Diana's album is ranking among the best for some. She deserves every accolade and acknowledgement that comes her way, no matter how obscure.

These writing credits have been going on forever, way back to the days of Al Jolson who added his name to writing credits of - I believe - a Gershwin tune. It was a guaranteed hit if Jolson sang it

Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann wrote You've Lost That Loving Feeling. When Phil Spector joined in with the writing, he added "gone, gone, gone, whoa, whoa, whoa" to the end of the chorus, took a writing credit and got royalties.

There are tons of stories like this, including one for Why Do Fools Fall In Love.

Doncha love the music business ? :)

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Originally Posted by johnjeb

I was being a bit facetious. I don't recall any songs written by her since WTB. I agree that it was a bit of an overreach for the reviewer to state she has strong writing skills. [[I can't comment about songs from her current album as I am expecting a copy from Santa.)

I do remember an interview, at the time, in which she spoke about her collaboration on WTB. She was quite honest in her assessment of her songwriting abilities. One of the few interviews where I felt she was truly genuine and sweet and not scripted or defensive.

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I thought you might, but wasn’t quite sure lol. You must be thinking of the same interview as myself.
Off the top of my head, i think she gets writing credits for “So Close”, “Back To The Future” and “I Hear The Voice Of Love. Perhaps also the “When You Dream” cd.
Not really enough for anyone to be clamouring for her services.

She has a writing credit for "Hope is an Open Window".

She also got credit as a song writer for a song with Paul Jabara called “Ladies Hotline” for the Weather Girls. https://youtu.be/jRMWTwkE_-s
She also is credited for the song “Where did we go wrong” from Forever Diana box set.
https://youtu.be/CsuRWHTwztg And “Its wonderful Life” from the box set. https://youtu.be/7OAu5W9fE-w

She also has a writing credit on “Swept Away”. She wrote the spoken intro.

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Originally Posted by milven

These writing credits have been going on forever, way back to the days of Al Jolson who added his name to writing credits of - I believe - a Gershwin tune. It was a guaranteed hit if Jolson sang it

Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann wrote You've Lost That Loving Feeling. When Phil Spector joined in with the writing, he added "gone, gone, gone, whoa, whoa, whoa" to the end of the chorus, took a writing credit and got royalties.

There are tons of stories like this, including one for Why Do Fools Fall In Love.

Doncha love the music business ? :)

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Wasn't Berry known to do this as well?

I had no idea Diana had "so many" writing credits to her name. Very interesting. I think the only one I knew about was "Work That Body" and "Ladies Hotline", thanks to an SD thread some time ago.

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Originally Posted by marybrewster

Wasn't Berry known to do this as well?

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I don't know, but probably there were instances. I guess if you even suggest a hiccup in the song, that you can then get a writing credit.

I just read an interesting article about Barrett Strong and his Motown hit, "MONEY". There has been a long time dispute between Barrett, Berry and Motown as to writing credits on the song. Writing credits have been added and writing credits have been taken away from the song through the years. Barret's has been taken away. He is eighty now, and dispute is probably still going on.

Who should actually get credit is a little confusing, but it's a good read. Check it out here

https://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/01/a...-he-wants.html

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Originally Posted by RanRan79

I had no idea Diana had "so many" writing credits to her name. Very interesting. I think the only one I knew about was "Work That Body" and "Ladies Hotline", thanks to an SD thread some time ago.

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Didn't Diana co-write I Am Me from SE and Girls from Ross'83 or have these been disproven? I also thought she wrote Turn Me Over but was glad to see I was wrong. :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by lucky2012

Didn't Diana co-write I Am Me from SE and Girls from Ross'83 or have these been disproven? I also thought she wrote Turn Me Over but was glad to see I was wrong. :rolleyes:

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In the recent reissues for SE and ROSS, Diana is still listed as a co-writer for I AM ME and GIRLS.

According to J. Randy, the writers of I AM ME had asked Diana for some financial assistance and she suggested they write her a song instead She wasn't totally happy with it and changed some things. But they scored big since it was released both on the album, as well as on the b-side of MUSCLES.

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Originally Posted by milven

I don't know, but probably there were instances. I guess if you even suggest a hiccup in the song, that you can then get a writing credit.

I just read an interesting article about Barrett Strong and his Motown hit, "MONEY". There has been a long time dispute between Barrett, Berry and Motown as to writing credits on the song. Writing credits have been added and writing credits have been taken away from the song through the years. Barret's has been taken away. He is eighty now, and dispute is probably still going on.

Who should actually get credit is a little confusing, but it's a good read. Check it out here

https://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/01/a...-he-wants.html

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Interesting article that I remember reading some time ago.

Another interesting twist: in the book SAM AND DAVE: AN ORAL HISTORY, Sam Moore says that he wrote MONEY.

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Originally Posted by reese

Interesting article that I remember reading some time ago.

Another interesting twist: in the book SAM AND DAVE: AN ORAL HISTORY, Sam Moore says that he wrote MONEY.

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Ahhhhh Money .....that's what they want .... with no apologies ....
Motown , pop music ... records..... radio ...etc....it all owes its roots to capitalism .....:cool:

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Originally Posted by milven

These writing credits have been going on forever, way back to the days of Al Jolson who added his name to writing credits of - I believe - a Gershwin tune. It was a guaranteed hit if Jolson sang it

Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann wrote You've Lost That Loving Feeling. When Phil Spector joined in with the writing, he added "gone, gone, gone, whoa, whoa, whoa" to the end of the chorus, took a writing credit and got royalties.

There are tons of stories like this, including one for Why Do Fools Fall In Love.

Doncha love the music business ? :)

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Yes, it was far more common for powerful men in the music industry to add their names to a song, due to adding a word or two...far less common for women to do this, or for them to even get their fair credit at all. Another example is Georgia Dobbins' writing of Please Mr. Postman. It is said she wrote the entire song herself but others received a co-writing credit for changing some insignificant words.

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Originally Posted by lucky2012

I also thought she wrote Turn Me Over but was glad to see I was wrong. :rolleyes:

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I though so to lucky, but it seems to depend on where you look as to whether Diana was co-writer.
A Mr Steve Goldstein who is listed as writing songs for film soundtracks is certainly co if not sole writer.
I don’t own the cd so am unable to check.