When you talk about "blue-eyed soul," you usually end up at Steve Winwood. Honestly, the guy is a bit of a freak of nature. He was 14 years old when he joined the Spencer Davis Group, sounding like a grizzled, world-weary R&B veteran twice his age. By the time most kids were figuring out how to pass their driving tests, he was already defining the sound of British rock. Revolutions: The Very Best of Steve Winwood is the record that tries to bottle that lightning. It’s not just another greatest hits cash-grab; it's a massive, multi-decade roadmap of a guy who couldn't stop evolving.
Most people know the hits. You've heard "Higher Love" in a grocery store or "Gimme Some Lovin'" in basically every movie trailer from the 90s. But the Revolutions: The Very Best of Steve Winwood compilation, specifically the 2010 release, digs into the stuff that makes him a musician's musician. It covers the psychedelic folk of Traffic, the short-lived supergroup fire of Blind Faith, and the slick, synth-heavy pop of his solo years.
The Weird History of the Tracklist
Here is something kinda annoying about this album: the version you get depends entirely on where you live. If you bought the US single-disc version, you're getting a tight 17-track set. But if you’re in Europe or looking at the deluxe box set, the whole thing expands into a four-disc monster.
The single-disc version is basically the "essentials" package. You get the 2010 radio edit of "Spanish Dancer"—which, fun fact, swaps the original synthesizers for acoustic guitars—and the mandatory inclusion of "Valerie." It’s actually a really smart way to see how the "boy genius" from Birmingham turned into the guy who won Record of the Year at the Grammys.
👉 See also: The Real Story Behind I Can Do Bad All by Myself: From Stage to Screen
Why This Compilation is Different
A lot of "Best Of" albums feel like a disjointed playlist. Revolutions: The Very Best of Steve Winwood feels more like a story. You start with the raw, garage-rock energy of the Spencer Davis Group. "Keep On Running" and "I'm a Man" still sound incredibly punchy. The remastering on this 2010 set really brought out the "propulsive muscularity" of those early tracks, as some critics noted at the time.
Then you hit the Traffic era. This is where it gets trippy. Traffic was Winwood’s "let's see what happens if we mix jazz, folk, and rock" phase. Tracks like "Dear Mr. Fantasy" and "The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys" are sprawling. In fact, "Low Spark" is over 11 minutes long on some versions of this collection. That’s a bold move for a "Greatest Hits" album, but you can't really summarize Winwood without that jazz-inflected weirdness.
The Solo Reinvention
The third act of the album is where things get controversial for some purists. After Traffic dissolved, Winwood basically became a one-man band. On the 1980 masterpiece Arc of a Diver, he played every single instrument. Every drum beat, every bass line, every synth pad—all him.
✨ Don't miss: Love Island UK Who Is Still Together: The Reality of Romance After the Villa
The 80s were huge for him, but they were also a complete sonic shift.
- "While You See a Chance" (1980) – The moment he mastered the synthesizer.
- "Higher Love" (1986) – The Chaka Khan-assisted mega-hit that made him a global superstar.
- "Roll With It" (1988) – A return to his R&B roots, but with that glossy 80s production.
Some people think he got too "pop" during this time. But if you listen to "Spanish Dancer" or "Arc of a Diver," there’s still a lot of soul there. It’s just wrapped in a different package.
What Most People Get Wrong
There is a common misconception that Steve Winwood just "went pop" for the money in the 80s. If you listen to the deeper cuts in the Revolutions: The Very Best of Steve Winwood box set, like "Vacant Chair" or "Dirty City" (which features Eric Clapton on guitar), you realize he was still experimenting. He was just doing it within the context of the technology available.
🔗 Read more: Gwendoline Butler Dead in a Row: Why This 1957 Mystery Still Packs a Punch
Another weird detail? The version of "Gimme Some Lovin'" on most of these collections is often the "film mix" or a later remaster, not always the raw mono version from 1966. For some fans, that’s a dealbreaker, but the 2010 remasters generally sound great on modern speakers.
Is it Worth Getting?
If you're a casual fan, the single CD is faultless. It hits all the high notes. If you're a nerd like me who wants to hear the evolution of a kid who was literally compared to Ray Charles at age 15, you need the four-disc version. It includes tracks like "Shanghai Noodle Factory" and deep Traffic cuts that show off his flute and organ skills.
Steve Winwood's career is basically a history of modern music. He was there for the British Invasion, the psychedelic explosion, the birth of the supergroup, and the MTV era. This album is the only place where you can hear all those versions of him in one sitting.
How to Experience This Album Properly
Don't just shuffle it. The chronological order is actually important here.
- Listen for the Voice: Winwood’s voice barely ages. It gets a little more textured, but that high, soulful tenor is the thread that connects a 1965 blues cover to a 2008 track like "Dirty City."
- Check the Credits: It's wild to see the names he worked with—Eric Clapton, Jim Capaldi, Will Jennings.
- Compare the Mixes: If you can find the original Arc of a Diver vinyl, compare those tracks to the 2010 remasters. The newer ones are definitely louder, but they catch some of the subtle organ work you might have missed before.
If you're looking to actually build a physical collection, try to track down the UK import of the single disc or the original box set. The US versions are fine, but the international tracklistings often feel a bit more "complete" regarding his early British hits. Once you’ve finished this retrospective, the best next step is to go back and listen to the full John Barleycorn Must Die album by Traffic—it’s where his transition from "pop star" to "artist" really solidified.