New UMG "Icon" Compilatiions Including Motown, Diana, Michael

[milven]

SANTA MONICA, CA, Mar 06, 2012 [[MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- With a wealth of iconic artists and music in its catalog, Universal Music Enterprises [[UMe) introduces its latest collections in the highly successful ICON series. These hits compilations will be released on March 6, 2012, and feature songs from Dean Martin, Diana Ross, Gary Allan, Michael Jackson, Tracy Byrd and Fall Out Boy, plus special ICON collections for the legendary Motown label featuring some of their biggest acts, including the Temptations, the Supremes, the Jackson 5, Four Tops, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye and Smokey Robinson & the Miracles.

Diana Ross - ICON [[1 CD) With a remarkable career spanning over 40 years, Diana Ross has proven herself the consummate music artist as well as one of the most iconic female singers of all time. Beginning in the sixties as lead singer of the world-renowned singing group the Supremes, and as a solo performer, Ms. Ross achieved the unprecedented feat of twelve number one singles in the U.S.A., rivaled only by the Beatles for the position of the biggest hit group of that generation. In 1970, Ms. Ross moved to a solo career and for more than three decades has continued to produce an endless stream of chart singles and sold-out tours.

Diana Ross - ICON features 11 of Diana Ross's biggest solo hits including her No. 1 chart- topping singles "Touch Me In The Morning," "Theme From Mahogany [[Do You Know Where You're Going To)," "Love Hangover," "Upside Down" and her timeless duet with Lionel Richie "Endless Love."

This year Diana Ross received a GrammyCopyright Lifetime Achievement Award, firmly cementing her status as one of the great artists of our time.

Track Listings: 1) Reach Out And Touch [[Somebody's Hand) 2) Ain't No Mountain High Enough 3) Remember Me 4) Touch Me In The Morning

5) Theme From Mahogany [[Do You Know Where You're Going To) 6) Love Hangover 7) The Boss 8) Upside Down 9) I'm Coming Out 10) It's My Turn 11) Endless Love

Michael Jackson - ICON [[1 CD) Michael Jackson was one of the most beloved entertainers and profoundly influential artists of all-time, leaving an indelible imprint on popular music and culture. Already an icon as lead singer of the Jackson 5, he started his illustrious solo artist career at the early age of 13 with hit Motown albums such as 'Got To Be There,' 'Ben' and 'Forever Michael.' Michael Jackson - ICON features his biggest Motown songs including his No. 1 smash hit "Ben," his rendition of "Rockin' Robin," which reached No. 2 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B Singles charts, and his top 5 hits "Got To Be There," "I Wanna Be Where You Are" and "Just A Little Bit Of You."

During his extraordinary career, Michael Jackson sold an estimated 750 million records worldwide, won 13 GrammyCopyright Awards, received the American Music Award's Artist of the Century Award and is one of a handful of artists to be inducted twice into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Jackson's sound, style and dance moves inspired subsequent generations of pop, soul, R&B and hip-hop artists.

Track Listings: 1) Got To Be There 2) I Wanna Be Where You Are 3) Rockin' Robin 4) People Make The World Go 'Round 5) With A Child's Heart 6) Happy [[Love Theme From "Lady Sings The Blues") 7) Ben 8) We're Almost There 9) Just A Little Bit Of You 10) One Day In Your Life 11) Music And Me

Various - Motown ICON [[1-CD & 2-CD Set) This year marks Motown's 53rd anniversary and Universal continues its year-long celebration of this iconic label with the release of both a single and double-disc edition of ICON: Motown Classics. Featured are some of Motown's biggest hits as recorded by some of the label's legendary acts. The single-disc version of Motown Classics features 11 No. 1 Motown R&B and Pop hits including the Marvelettes' 1961 hit "Please Mr. Postman," Smokey Robinson & the Miracles' 1970 smash hit "The Tears Of A Clown," Four Tops' 1965 hit "I Can't Help Myself [[Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)" and Marvin Gaye's signature version of "I Heard It Through The Grapevine."

The 2-CD edition of ICON: Motown Classics is packed with select tracks from the single-disc version plus 14 additional Motown No. 1's and timeless singles including Marvin Gaye's hit "What's Going On," Stevie Wonder's 1968 hit "For Once In My Life," Michael Jackson's first hit as a solo artist, "Got To Be There," and the Temptations' first hit single and signature song, "My Girl."

As an irresistible force of social and cultural change, Berry Gordy's legendary Motown Records made its mark not just on the music industry, but society at large, with a sound that has become one of the most significant musical accomplishments and stunning success stories of the 20th century. The music created by its iconic artists communicated and brought together a racially divided country and segregated society, while touching all people of all ages and race around the world.

Track Listings [[1 CD): 1) Please Mr. Postman [Single Version] - the Marvelettes 2) Do You Love Me [Hit Version Stereo Mix 2005] - the Contours 3) Heatwave [Album Stereo Version] - Martha & the Vandellas

4) My Guy [Single Version] - Mary Wells 5) Where Did Our Love Go [Stereo] - the Supremes 6) My Girl [Single Stereo Version] - the Temptations 7) I Can't Help Myself [[Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch) [Album Stereo Version] - Four Tops 8) I Heard It Through The Grapevine [Album Stereo Version] - Marvin Gaye 9) I Want You Back [Album Version] - Jackson 5 10) The Tears Of A Clown [Album Stereo Version]- Smokey Robinson & the Miracles 11) Signed, Sealed, Delivered [[I'm Yours) [Album Version] - Stevie Wonder

Track Listings [[2 CD):

CD 1

1) Money [[That's What I Want) [Single Version] - Barrett Strong 2) Shop Around [Single Version] - the Miracles 3) Please Mr. Postman [Single Version] - the Marvelettes 4) Do You Love Me [Hit Version Stereo mix 2005] - the Contours 5) My Guy [Single Version] - Mary Wells 6) Dancing In The Street [Single Version] - Martha & the Vandellas 7) My Girl [Single Stereo Version]- the Temptations 8) Shotgun [Album Version] - Jr. Walker & the All Stars 9) Stop! In The Name Of Love [Stereo Version] - Supremes 10) I Can't Help Myself [[Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch) [Album Stereo Version] - Four Tops 11) The Tracks Of My Tears [Album Stereo Version] - the Miracles

CD 2

1) You Can't Hurry Love [Album Stereo Version] - the Supremes 2) Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing [Album Version] - Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell 3) I Heard It Through The Grapevine [Album Stereo Version] - Marvin Gaye 4) For Once In My Life [Album Version] - Stevie Wonder 5) I Want You Back [Album Version] - Jackson 5 6) The Tears Of A Clown [Album Stereo Version] - Smokey Robinson & the Miracles 7) Ain't No Mountain High Enough [Edit Version] - Diana Ross 8) What's Going On [Album Version] - Marvin Gaye 9) Just My Imagination [[Running Away With Me) [Album Version] - the Temptations

10) If I Were Your Woman [Single Version] - Gladys Knight & the Pips

11) Got To Be There [Single Version] - Michael Jackson

Universal Music Enterprises' ongoing and highly successful ICON series features greatest hits, signature songs and fan favorites from many of the most influential artists in music history. Each collection is specially priced offering unprecedented value to music fans.

SOURCE: Universal Music Enterprises

[Constantin]

Why record companies are so compilation-centered? Who doesn't have already those songs tons of times? Who would buy them when they can be easily found "elsewhere"?

[jobeterob]

Andy recently said on MJ's radio show that these compilations provide the dollars that allow them to release the deluxe editions of the Copa, Baby It's Me, Diana Ross 1976, Last Time I Saw Him, Let Yourself Go etc.

The public will lap the compilations up, especially with an artist like Diana that is somewhat in the limelight again due to the Lifetime Achievement Award and the touring. The hardcore fan, unless they are collecting everything, can skip it.

[skooldem1]

It should also be noted again, that these releases are not for the hardcore fans, only the casual fan/music lover.

More important is the fact that these record stores don't stock the older compilations after a certain amount of years. So the record companies every few years will release these "new" greatest hits compilations so that they are carried in these stores.

[jobeterob]

This series is being flogged through Walmart which is probably the reason they are charting.

[mr soul]

These CD's may not be for hardcore fans, it's the Motown completists I feels so sorry for, of which, thankfully I not one.

Bring on the "Jerry Butler Complete Motown Stereo Masters" & I'll order it now!

[thisoldheart]

how many compilation albums does it take to fix a lightbulb?

[jobeterob]

Endless compilations because the light bulbs keep burning out.

[thisoldheart]

good one, jobeterob!

[jobeterob]

For the people here on SD that want to see the reissues of Diana, the Supremes, and all the other Motown artists ~ the ticket to that is the release of compilations like the Icon series, particularly if they can be sold through a big retailer like Walmart and especially when they are released after mass media attention paid to tours and Lifetime Achievement Awards. Then they get additional sales.

As I recall, on MJ's radio show when Andy and George were on, they said they hope to do all the Ross and Supremes albums and hope they eventually get to Partners and Red Hot as well.