The Supremes discography


American girl group The Supremes has released 29 studio albums, four live albums, two soundtrack albums, 32 compilation albums, four box sets, 66 singles and three promotional singles. The Supremes are the most successful American group of all time, and the 26th greatest artist of all time on the US Billboard charts; with 12 number-one songs on the Billboard Hot 100 and three number-one albums on the Billboard 200. The Supremes were the first artist to accumulate five consecutive number-one singles on the US Hot 100 and the first female group to top the Billboard 200 albums chart with The Supremes A' Go-Go. In 2017, Billboard ranked The Supremes as the number-one girl group of all time, publishing, 'although there have been many girl group smashes in the decades since the Supremes ruled the Billboard charts, no collective has yet to challenge their, for lack of a better word, supremacy.' In 2019, the UK Official Charts Company placed 7 Supremes songs—"You Can't Hurry Love", "Baby Love", "Stop! In the Name of Love", "Where Did Our Love Go?", "You Keep Me Hangin' On", "Come See About Me" and "Stoned Love" —on The Official Top 100 Motown songs of the Millennium chart, which ranks Motown releases by their all-time UK downloads and streams.
In 2020, Insider.com named The Supremes "the best-selling vocal group to date", after Ebony estimated The Supremes' record sales at 50 million in 1980 and Euronews reported total sales exceeding 100 million records in 2014. This would make the group one of the best-selling music artists of all time. However, Motown refused to submit their books for industry audit, until the 1980s, years after the group disbanded. As such, The Supremes' first certifications include; the Anthology compilation album, which peaked at number 66 on the US Billboard 200 and was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America on January 21, 1986; and the Love Supreme compilation, which peaked at number ten on the UK Albums Chart and was certified Silver by the British Phonographic Industry on January 27, 1989. To put this into perspective, the group's first hits compilation, Greatest Hits, topped both the US and UK albums charts upon release. Despite selling over one million copies in the US, with 89 total weeks on the Billboard 200; and being the UK's fourth "longest-reigning Top 40 girl group album ever", with a total of 60 weeks in the top 40; Greatest Hits is not certified by either the RIAA or BPI.

Overview

The Supremes (1960–1967)

After several non-charting releases, the Supremes made their first appearance on the US Hot 100 in August, 1962 with "Your Heart Belongs to Me". They released their debut album, Meet The Supremes, featuring the singles, "I Want a Guy", "Buttered Popcorn", "Your Heart Belongs to Me" and "Let Me Go the Right Way". The Supremes' second studio album Where Did Our Love Go featured their first three consecutive number-ones and million-sellers in the US; "Where Did Our Love Go", "Baby Love" and "Come See About Me"; as well as the international hit, "When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes". "Where Did Our Love Go" sold over 2 million copies in the US alone.
This was followed by the albums A Bit of Liverpool, The Supremes Sing Country, Western and Pop and We Remember Sam Cooke. Their sixth studio album, More Hits by The Supremes, contained the million-sellers "Stop! In the Name of Love" "Back in My Arms Again", and "Nothing but Heartaches". In 1965, they released the live album The Supremes at the Copa alongside their seventh studio album, Merry Christmas. The Supremes' eighth studio album, I Hear a Symphony, features two million-sellers; the title track, and "My World Is Empty Without You". The Supremes A' Go-Go, their ninth studio album, contains the million-seller "You Can't Hurry Love". Their tenth studio album, The Supremes Sing Holland–Dozier–Holland, featured the million-sellers "You Keep Me Hangin' On" and "Love Is Here and Now You're Gone". Included in the Greatest Hits compilation was the million-selling single "The Happening".

Diana Ross & the Supremes (1967–1970)

Diana Ross & the Supremes released the million-seller "Reflections" and "In and Out of Love" from their twelfth studio album, Reflections. Their fourteenth studio album, Diana Ross & the Supremes Join the Temptations featured the Platinum single, "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me". This was followed by the single "Love Child", which sold 2 million copies by the end of 1968 in the US alone. In 1968, they released their first soundtrack album, TCB. In 1969, they released the albums Let the Sunshine In andTogether, a collaboration with The Temptations. The group's eighteenth studio album, Cream of the Crop, was the last released with Diana Ross. It contains "Someday We'll Be Together"; the single was certified Platinum.

The Supremes (1970–1977)

As The Supremes, with Jean Terrell as lead singer, they released three studio albums in 1970: Right On, ''The Magnificent 7, and New Ways but Love Stays. Touch includes the single, "Nathan Jones"; it became a million-selling single. Floy Joy was their twenty-fifth studio album; the single of the same name was the twentieth million-selling single by the group. After a two-year hiatus, with original member Mary Wilson, they released their twenty-seventh studio album The Supremes. High Energy, their twenty-eighth studio album, featured the group's last US top 40 hit, "I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do the Walking". Mary, Scherrie & Susaye is the twenty-ninth and final studio album by The Supremes, featuring their last single to hit the US Hot 100, "You're My Driving Wheel".

Other albums

TitleYearNotes
The Supremes Sing Ballads & Blues1963The Supremes Sing Ballads & Blues was assigned a catalog number in late 1963 and given a projected release date. Although it was not released, several of the tracks originally recorded for it appeared on the album The Supremes Sing Country, Western and Pop in spring 1965.
Live, Live, Live!1965Live, Live, Live!, a combination of live concert recordings, was scheduled for release on Motown 625 in early 1965. Although no official track list is available, the live set from the expanded fortieth anniversary edition of the Where Did Our Love Go album features tracks that were slated for inclusion on the album. The Where Did Our Love Go anniversary edition liner notes indicate the possibility of tracks from the Motortown Revue in Paris were also considered.
There's a Place for Us1965There's a Place for Us, an album of pop standards, was originally scheduled to be released in the summer of 1965 to tie into the Supremes' groundbreaking debut appearance at the Copacabana nightclub in New York. It was ultimately shelved in favor for a live album of their Copacabana engagement which included many songs originally on the album. The album eventually saw a release as an expanded volume in 2004, 39 years after it was completed.
A Tribute to the Girls1965A Tribute to the Girls was an album Motown planned for the group to record in 1965 featuring songs made famous by girl groups of the time; however it was never completed. Several tracks were featured on the expanded release of There's a Place for Us.
Around The World with The Supremes1965Around The World with The Supremes was an album Motown intended to showcase the group singing famous international songs such as "Sukiyaki," "Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport" and "Nel blu dipinto di blu." 11 instrumental tracks were recorded, but the album was never completed as vocals were never added.
Pure Gold1966Pure Gold, an album of greatest hits-like material, was planned for release in May 1966, but was cancelled.
Live at the Roostertail1966Live at the Roostertail, a live concert recorded on September 26, 1966, has a significantly different set list to the earlier The Supremes at the Copa, but was shelved. Motown considered a mix of the album featuring songs from the Roostertail show with songs recorded at the 1965 Copacabana engagement but not included on the live album. The set features a medley of songs from their I Hear a Symphony album, which was similarly performed on The Ed Sullivan Show in addition to "More (Theme from Mondo Cane)". The set is also notable for containing the last recorded performances of "Make Someone Happy" and "People". Two tracks from the album, "You Can't Hurry Love," and "Group Introductions," were released in 2000 on a bonus disc included with certain copies of The Supremes box set. The complete show was released in 2012 on the expanded edition of the I Hear A Symphony album.
The Supremes and the Motown Sound: From Broadway to Hollywood1967The Supremes and the Motown Sound: From Broadway to Hollywood was intended for release in early 1967, but no formal track listings for the album were produced despite an album worth of tracks were recorded. It is widely believed that the album would have been based around the group's then-current number one single, "The Happening." Tracks for the album were recorded in Los Angeles and featured songs made popular on Broadway or in Hollywood films. Earlier vaulted material, notably from the featured recordings from the There's a Place for Us, sessions were also considered for inclusion.
Live at the Copa1967Live at the Copa, a live recording of concerts between May 19–20, 1967 is notable as one of the last to feature Florence Ballard. The set features a rare live recording of "My Favorite Things", in addition to the number-one hit "The Happening" and a medley of “Thoroughly Modern Millie,” “Second Hand Rose” and “Mame” which were previously only available on Live at London's Talk of the Town, featuring Cindy Birdsong in Ballard's place. Three tracks from the album, "Somewhere," "Group Introduction" and "You're Nobody 'til Somebody Loves You," were released on the second disc of The Supremes box set. The complete set, composed of the best takes from both shows, was released on the 2018 expanded edition of The Supremes Sing Holland-Dozier-Holland.
Live at the Roostertail1967Live at the Roostertail, a live concert recorded on August 27, 1967, remains largely unreleased due to problems with the master tape. It was the first live recording to feature Cindy Birdsong. Two tracks from the album, "You Keep Me Hangin' On," and "Reflections," were released with certain limited copies of The Supremes box set, on a bonus disc titled In Person - An Evening With The Supremes.
Diana Ross & the Supremes Sing Disney Classics1968Diana Ross & the Supremes Sing Disney Classics was an album featuring covers of songs from films produced by Walt Disney Productions. Recordings for the album began in 1967 with Florence Ballard and continued with her replacement, Cindy Birdsong. Songs recorded for the album, have appeared on the 1986 compilation series 25th Anniversary as well as The Never-Before-Released Masters. "Chim Chim Cher-ee", "A Spoonful of Sugar", and "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" still remain unreleased.
Some Things You Never Get Used To1968Some Things You Never Get Used To was a 1968 album named after the single. The album was shelved when the single failed to make the impact expected. The proposed track list was: Side One: "Some Things You Never Get Used To", "Heaven Must Have Sent You", "He's My Sunny Boy", "Come On and See Me", "Can I Get a Witness" and "You've Been So Wonderful to Me". Side Two: "My Guy", "It's Not Unusual", "Just a Little Misunderstanding", "Uptight (Everything's Alright)", "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" and "Blowin' in the Wind". Several of the songs on side one, including the single, appeared on Love Child, "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" on Let the Sunshine In and "Blowin' in the Wind" on Cream of the Crop. The remaining unreleased tracks were later included on the compilation albums 25th Anniversary, Vol. 2 and Let the Music Play: Supreme Rarities.
Promises Kept1971Promises Kept, a 1971 set by the "New Supremes" produced by Clay McMurray, Bobby Taylor, Ashford & Simpson, and others. Despite a wealth of recordings, an official track list was never finalized and the Supremes were instead assigned to work on Floy Joy with Smokey Robinson as producer. Some of the Promises Kept songs appear on the 2000 Supremes box set and the 2002 70s Anthology. Thirteen other tracks from the sessions are also included in The Supremes box set This Is the Story: The '70s Albums, Vol. 1 – 1970–1973: The Jean Terrell Years.
Untitled Stevie Wonder Album1973Stevie Wonder wrote and produced "Bad Weather", described as 'their most innovative single to date', with hopes the song would return the group back to the top of the charts. However, despite positive critical reception, the song only peaked at number 87 on the Billboard Hot 100, though it peaked within the top 40 of the UK Singles Chart. Disappointed, Wonder complained to Motown President Ewart Abner, who promised the company would "get on it" but subsequently Wonder's plans to record an album with The Supremes were scrapped. Including "Bad Weather", Stevie Wonder wrote and produced three songs for The Supremes. Lynda Laurence would later recall the group recorded six songs.