Various Artists - Motown 40 Forever

Motown never tires of finding ways to repackage their history, but a 40th anniversary celebration is one of the better excuses they could have for releasing another multi-disc retrospective, such as the double-disc Motown 40 Forever. Unfortunately, devoting the first disc to classic '60s hits and isolating '80s and '90s singles works against the compilation -- it only illustrates that the first two decades of the label's history (particularly the very first decade) were much stronger creatively than the last two, especially since classic '70s singles are used on both discs. Taken individually, however, each disc is quite entertaining. The first contains such classics as "Shop Around," "Heat Wave," "My Guy," "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)," "What Becomes of the Broken-Hearted," "ABC," "My Cherie Amour," "Stop! In the Name of Love," "What's Going On," "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)," "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone," "Tears of a Clown," and "Dancing in the Street." It would have been nice if the disc was sequenced in chronological order, but it's still a blast. The second disc has its moments, too -- "Superfreak," "Let It Whip," "War," "Three Times a Lady," "Superstition," and "Let's Get It On" are terrific, while songs like "Rub You the Right Way" and "Somebody's Watching Me" are nice period pieces. The remix of the Jackson 5's "I Want You Back" is unnecessary, but it does little to dilute a thoroughly entertaining, if redundant, collection. ~ Leo Stanley, All Music Guide

Name Credits Alphonso Mizell Arranger, Producer Babyface Producer Bernard Edwards Producer Berry Gordy, Jr. Producer, Arranger Bob West Arranger Boyz II Men Performer Brian Holland Producer Clarence Avant Executive Producer Curtis Anthony Nolen Producer, Arranger David Harley Design, Art Direction David Irvin Art Direction, Illustrations, Design David Van De Pitte Arranger Dazz Arranger Dazz Band Performer DeBarge Performer Deke Richards Producer, Arranger Dennis Edwards Performer Dennis Lambert Producer, Arranger Diana Ross Performer Diana Ross & the Supremes Performer Ed Townsend Producer Eddie Kendricks Performer Edwin Starr Performer Eldra DeBarge Producer Frank Wilson Producer Freddie Perren Producer, Arranger Gene Griffin Producer George Jackson Executive Producer Gladys Knight & the Pips Performer Hal Davis Producer Henry Cosby Producer Iris Gordy Producer James Anthony Carmichael Producer Jermaine Jackson Producer, Performer Jimmy Jam Producer Jimmy Ruffin Performer Joe Porter Producer Johnny Bristol Producer Johnny Gill Performer Lamont Dozier Producer Leonard Caston Producer Lionel Richie Performer, Producer Martha Reeves Performer Marvin Gaye Performer, Producer Mary Wells Performer McDavid Henderson Illustrations Narada Michael Walden Arranger, Producer Nelson George Liner Notes Nickolas Ashford Producer Nile Rodgers Producer Norman J. Whitfield Producer Paul Jackson, Jr. Associate Producer, Arranger Paul Riser Arranger Peter Asher Producer Reggie Andrews Arranger, Producer Richard Morris Producer Rick James Arranger, Performer, Producer Rockwell Performer Sean "Puffy" Combs Executive Producer Shanice Performer Siedah Garrett Performer Smokey Robinson Producer Smokey Robinson & the Miracles Performer Stevie Wonder Performer, Arranger, Producer Tammi Terrell Performer Teddy Riley Producer Teena Marie Performer Terry Lewis Producer The Commodores Performer The Four Tops Performer The Jackson 5 Performer The Marvelettes Performer The Originals Performer The Temptations Performer Timmy Regisford Remixing Today Performer Valerie Simpson Producer William "Mickey" Stevenson Producer William Weatherspoon Producer