Latest Release
- DEC 16, 2023
- 7 Songs
- More Hits by The Supremes · 1965
- Where Did Our Love Go · 1964
- I Hear A Symphony · 1965
- The Supremes Sing Holland-Dozier-Holland · 1966
- Diana Ross & The Supremes: The No. 1's · 2003
- Where Did Our Love Go · 1964
- Diana Ross & The Supremes: The No. 1's · 1997
- Where Did Our Love Go · 1964
- Anthology · 1965
- Diana Ross & The Supremes: The No. 1's · 1997
Essential Albums
- The mid-1960s was 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 glamor 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.
Artist Playlists
- Celebrate the life and music of Supremes co-founder Mary Wilson (1944-2021).
- The Motown icons covered surprising new ground in the '70s.
More To Hear
- The Supremes’ Hollywood Walk of Fame star still shines.
- The ‘60s soul classics that inspired Elton.
About The Supremes
Hailing from Detroit, The Supremes helped define the Motown sound of the 1960s on their way to becoming the most successful American vocal group of all time. • Diana Ross, Florence Ballard, and Mary Wilson began singing together in 1959 as the Primettes, a quartet that soon signed with Motown Records, changed its name to The Supremes, and became a trio. • The Supremes rattled off a dozen No. 1 hits between 1964 and 1969, most of which featured the group’s definitive lineup: Ross, Ballard, and Wilson. • The group released nine singles before breaking through with “Where Did Our Love Go.” Written by Motown’s star team of Holland-Dozier-Holland, the song spent two weeks at No. 1 in August 1964—the first of four consecutive chart-toppers. • In 1967, as the hits continued to flow, the trio rebranded as Diana Ross & The Supremes. That same year, Cindy Birdsong replaced Ballard, who died in 1976. • Ballard’s departure coincided with a blip in the group’s commercial fortunes: between “Reflections” in 1967 and a cover of The Band’s “The Weight” in 1969, just six of the 11 singles released as Diana Ross & The Supremes reached the Top 20, and “Love Child” was the only No. 1 hit. • Though The Supremes were largely a singles-oriented group, a collaborative 1968 LP with another blockbuster Motown act, Diana Ross & the Supremes Join The Temptations, went to No. 2 on the albums chart. It was The Supremes’ second-highest-charting album after the No. 1 album The Supremes A’ Go-Go in 1966, and their only LP to go gold. • After one final chart-topping single, 1969’s “Someday We’ll Be Together,” Ross left the group for a solo career and was replaced by Jean Terrell. • A changing pop landscape and the loss of their marquee star hampered The Supremes in the ’70s. Their 1970 singles “Up the Ladder to the Roof” and “Stoned Love” were the group’s last songs to make the Top 10. • Birdsong left The Supremes in 1972, starting a cascade of personnel changes that continued until the group—then comprising Wilson, Scherrie Payne, and Susaye Greene—called it quits in 1977. • Though Ross performed “Someday We’ll Be Together” with Wilson and Birdsong on the 1983 TV special Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever, a full-scale reunion never materialized. Wilson died in February 2021.
- GENRE
- R&B/Soul