Honestly, if you were alive in 1964 and turned on a radio, you weren't just hearing music. You were hearing a revolution wrapped in sequins and high-gloss production. People talk about the British Invasion like it was the only thing happening, but three girls from Detroit—Diana, Mary, and Flo—were busy matching The Beatles beat for beat. When you look at the tracklist of any Diana Ross and the Supremes greatest hits collection, you're not just looking at a list of oldies. You’re looking at the literal blueprint for every modern pop diva from Whitney to Beyoncé.
They weren't always the "Queens of Motown," though. For a long time, people at the label called them the "no-hit Supremes." Imagine that. They released nearly a dozen singles that went absolutely nowhere before "When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes" finally cracked the code. Once they hit, they didn't just climb the charts; they owned them.
The 1967 Double LP That Changed Everything
In August 1967, Motown did something smart. They took every ounce of momentum the group had and poured it into a two-LP set simply titled Greatest Hits. This wasn't some cash-grab compilation. It was a victory lap. It was also the very first time the world saw the name "Diana Ross and the Supremes" on an album cover instead of just "The Supremes."
That name change was a big deal. It signaled the end of an era. Behind the scenes, Florence Ballard—the woman who actually started the group—was being pushed out. By the time the album hit the shelves, she was gone, replaced by Cindy Birdsong. But if you look at that 1967 cover, Flo is still there. She sang on every single one of those tracks. The album reached number one on the Billboard 200 and stayed there for five weeks, which was almost unheard of for a "girl group" back then.
What’s wild is the sheer density of hits on that record. We're talking about ten number-one singles in a three-year span.
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- "Where Did Our Love Go"
- "Baby Love"
- "Stop! In the Name of Love"
- "Come See About Me"
- "Back in My Arms Again"
These aren't just songs. They are cultural touchstones. You know the "Stop!" hand gesture? That came from a backstage rehearsal where the choreographer told them to just put their hands up to keep things simple. Now, decades later, people still do it at weddings when the DJ drops the needle.
Beyond the "Cookie-Cutter" Soul Label
Some critics back in the day tried to say the Supremes were too "pop" or too "polished." They called the Motown sound "assembly line music." Sure, Berry Gordy had a system. He had the songwriting trio of Holland-Dozier-Holland (H-D-H) writing the hits, the Funk Brothers playing the instruments, and Maxine Powell teaching the girls how to walk and talk like royalty.
But you can't fake the feeling in Diana Ross’s voice on a track like "My World Is Empty Without You." It’s desperate. It’s haunting. It’s definitely not "cookie-cutter."
As the sixties rolled on, the hits started getting weirder—in a good way. Take "Reflections" from 1967. It starts with this trippy, oscillating electronic sound that felt like it belonged in a sci-fi movie. This was Motown’s answer to the Summer of Love. They were moving away from the "baby-baby" lyrics and into something more psychedelic and anxious. Then you have "Love Child" in 1968. That song was a massive risk. It dealt with poverty and out-of-wedlock birth, topics that were basically taboo for a group that was supposed to be the "clean-cut" face of Black America. It went straight to number one, proving that the Supremes could be socially conscious without losing their groove.
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Why 20 Golden Greats is the One Everyone Remembers
If you grew up in the UK or Australia in the late 70s, you probably didn't have the 1967 double LP. You had 20 Golden Greats. Released in 1977, this thing was a monster. It spent seven weeks at the top of the UK charts.
The marketing for it was everywhere. It basically reintroduced Diana Ross and the Supremes to a whole new generation that was currently obsessed with disco and punk. It showed that while trends come and go, a perfect three-minute pop song is eternal. This version of the Diana Ross and the Supremes greatest hits is often the one collectors hunt for because the tracklist is so tight. It trims the fat and just delivers the heavy hitters.
The Mystery of the Last Number One
The final song on most "complete" collections is "Someday We'll Be Together." It’s a beautiful, soaring farewell. But here’s the secret: it’s barely a Supremes song. Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong don't even sing on it.
The backing vocals were actually done by session singers because Diana was already halfway out the door to start her solo career. Berry Gordy wanted one last "Supremes" hit to bridge the gap. It worked. The song hit number one in late 1969, perfectly closing the book on the decade. It feels like a hug and a goodbye at the same time.
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Which Version Should You Actually Listen To?
If you’re looking to dive into the catalog today, it can be confusing. There are hundreds of compilations out there. Literally hundreds. Motown has repackaged these songs more times than I can count.
- The 1967 Greatest Hits: Best for the "classic" feel and the original mono mixes that sound punchier on old speakers.
- The Anthology (1974 or 2001 version): This is for the deep divers. It includes the "no-hit" era songs and some of the post-Diana tracks with Jean Terrell.
- The Number 1s: Simple. Effective. If it didn't top the charts, it’s not here.
- Gold (2005): Probably the best "all-arounder" for modern streaming. The remastering is clean without losing the soul.
The Actionable Insight: How to Listen Properly
Don't just shuffle these songs on a tiny phone speaker. You lose the "Wall of Sound" that Motown worked so hard to build. If you want to really understand why this group mattered, do this:
- Find the Mono Mixes: The stereo mixes from the 60s often panned the vocals to one side and the drums to the other. It sounds thin. The mono mixes—the ones they actually made for AM radio—are where the power is.
- Listen for the Bass: James Jamerson played bass on most of these tracks. He’s the unsung hero. On "You Can't Hurry Love," his bassline is doing more work than the entire rest of the band combined.
- Watch the Performance: Go to YouTube and find their 1964 performance of "Come See About Me" on the TAMI Show. Watch the precision. The dresses. The eye contact. You'll see immediately why they were the biggest stars in the world.
The Diana Ross and the Supremes greatest hits isn't just a nostalgia trip. It’s a masterclass in songwriting, branding, and pure vocal charisma. These women broke the color barrier in Vegas, they appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show 17 times, and they gave a voice to a generation of women who were told to "stop" but decided to keep going instead. To get the most out of their legacy today, start with the 1967 Greatest Hits tracklist and follow the evolution from simple pop to the complex, soulful sounds of the late 60s. You'll hear exactly how they paved the way for every superstar that followed.