Featured Album
- NOV 1, 1965
- 34 Songs
- The Supremes A' Go-Go · 1966
- Merry Christmas (Expanded Edition) · 1965
- Merry Christmas (Expanded Edition) · 1965
- Where Did Our Love Go · 1964
- More Hits by The Supremes · 1965
- Merry Christmas · 1965
- Diana Ross & The Supremes: The No. 1's · 1997
- Where Did Our Love Go · 1964
- Where Did Our Love Go (40th Anniversary Edition) · 1964
- I Hear A Symphony (Expanded Edition) · 1965
Essential Albums
- The mid-1960s were a revolutionary time for The Supremes: The group had a string of giant singles (“Where Did Our Love Go,” “I Hear a Symphony,” “You Can’t Hurry Love,” “You Keep Me Hangin’ On”); landed the cover of Time magazine; and traded their sweaters and tennis skirts for sequined gowns—outfits with a televisual glamour that refined America’s idea of how Black performers could present themselves. Add to that the passing of the Civil Rights Act in 1964, which helped make concrete a push for racial equity—or at least the beginnings of racial equity— that had been growing for years. As Mary Wilson later put it, they became divas and citizens at the same time. Like most Motown artists, The Supremes were more of a singles group than an album one. But 1966’s Supremes A’ Go-Go presented something like a unified statement. With the exception of “Hang On Sloopy,” “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’,” and the new “You Can’t Hurry Love,” all these songs had been hits for other Motown artists within the previous few years: “This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You),” “Baby I Need Your Loving,” “Money (That’s What I Want),” etc. Though the group always had soul, The Supremes projected a delicacy and calm that distinguished them from other Motown artists: Listen to the way Diana Ross glides through Smokey Robinson’s “Get Ready,” or The Supremes’ almost ethereal take on the Four Tops’ “Shake Me, Wake Me (When It’s Over).” And while “You Can’t Hurry Love” was the revelation, the rest of the album cemented The Supremes at their peak. It was the first time an all-female group had a No. 1 album. Now when they shopped for dresses, Wilson said, not only were they not bothered by store clerks, they were given private appointments. Progress comes in waves.
- The Supremes' second album captures the trio in sparkling hit-making form. Opening with the foot-tapping soul of "Where Did Our Love Go," the collection is a sing-along blast of pop-friendly '60s R&B, with the yearning "Baby Love" quickly followed by the exuberant "When the Love Light Starts Shining Through His Eyes." Tales of young romance and crushes abound, as the songwriting team of Holland-Dozier-Holland serve up smashes for Diana Ross and her troupe.
- 1976
- 1975
Artist Playlists
- Motown's definitive girl group elevated romance to soaring drama.
- The Motown icons covered surprising new ground in the '70s.
Compilations
More To Hear
- The Supremes’ Hollywood Walk of Fame star still shines.
- The ’60s soul classics that inspired Elton John.
About The Supremes
Motown’s premier girl group lent their voices to many of the biggest hits of the ’60s for the label. Formed in 1959 as The Primettes—the sister act to the Detroit vocal act The Primes—the group, which would go on to have Florence Ballard, Diana Ross, and Mary Wilson as its members until 1967, began performing around the Motor City and became renowned for dazzling live vocals. The trio signed to Motown in 1961 and changed their name to The Supremes, and although their early recording efforts stalled on the charts, linking up with the songwriting and production team Holland-Dozier-Holland led to them minting No. 1 smashes like “Where Did Our Love Go,” “Baby Love,” and “Stop! In the Name of Love.” Ballard left in 1967 and The Supremes were rechristened with Ross as leader; she departed in 1970, with Wilson remaining the only original Supremes member through rotating lineups until the group’s dissolution in 1977.
- GENRE
- R&B/Soul