Diana Ross & The Supremes Pt.1

Diana Ross and the Supremes

“Record-breaking Success in the Guinness Book of Records”

  

The group's first number one album
on the UK Official Pop Albums Chart

Did you know that Diana Ross and the Supremes are the only Motown Records recording act to have three number one compilation and greatest hits albums on the Official UK Pop Albums Chart? They were also the first act to have a number one single for the label in the UK with “Baby Love”, week-ending 19^th November 1964 (2 weeks). The single achieved similar success by reaching the number one positions on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart, week-ending 31^st October 1964 (4 weeks) and on the Cash Box Pop Singles Chart, week-ending 14^th November 1964 (2 weeks).The group’s first “Greatest Hits” compilation album peaked at number one, week-ending ^11th February 1968 (3 weeks) on the UK Official Pop Albums Chart and again on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart, week-ending 28^th October 1967 (5 weeks). 

The group's  second UK compilation album at
 number one in the UK Official
Pop Albums Chart

The group’s second greatest hits package or compilation album “Diana Ross and the Supremes Join The Temptations” reached the number one position on the Official UK Pop Albums Chart week-ending 9^th February 1969 (4 weeks). The album made it to number one on the Billboard R&B and Soul Albums Chart week-ending 21^st December 1968 (4 weeks).

The group's second compilation became tremendous success in collaboration with The Temptations 

                       ©Signaturesoundsonline2013-2016

The Year Was 1965: Significant Events in Motown’s History Pt. 3

The Four Tops
 performing live

The next all-black male vocal group to top the charts was The Four Tops who knocked The Supremes off the top position with their thunderous performance of the single “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch).” The track exploded with a bang when it was released by Motown Records. It peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart week-ending 19^th June 1965 (2 weeks). It is one of those songs that define “The Sound Of Young America,” all within two minutes and 43 seconds! Before the group had their first number one, Holland-Dozier-Holland had produced a song entitled “Baby I Need Your Loving” which was The Four Top’s first Top Twenty single which peaked at number eleven on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart. It has become another classic.




Holland-Dozier and Holland in
the studio with The Supremes

The Supremes

Holland-Dozier-Holland were certainly on a roll when they surprised everyone with a sixth consecutive number one for The Supremes with “I Hear a Symphony.” The song displaced The Rolling Stones single “Get Off Of My Cloud” week-ending 20^th November 1965 (2 weeks). That very same week Chess Records’ “Soul Queen” Fontella Bass was at number four with “Rescue Me.” Another song was released from the album “I Hear a Symphony” entitled “My World Is Empty Without You.” It was the first single by The Supremes not to peak at number one on any singles chart listings in America. The recording style of the single was completely different from its predecessor with musical instrumentation sounding extremely gothic from a bygone era sometime in the 1500s in Europe. Earl Van Dyke’s Hammond organ sound configuration was made to sound like a liturgical pipe organ and reflected the trend towards baroque pop music during the mid-1960s. The song peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart for two weeks in February 1965 and reached number ten on the Billboard Hot Rhythm and Blues Singles Chart.





                                                ©Signaturesoundsonline2013-2016