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Greatest Hits
R&B / Soul · 1977

Greatest Hits

The Miracles

A sprawling double-LP chronicle of soul's evolution, moving from raw street-corner doo-wop to the shimmering, poetic pop that built the Motown empire.

1977 · Tamla

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This is the sound of a revolution in its infancy. Greatest Hits from the Beginning is not just a collection of singles: it is a historical document of Smokey Robinson and the Miracles refining the DNA of American pop. It moves from the street-corner harmonies of the late 1950s into the sophisticated, rhythmically driving Sound of Young America. The album captures a specific tension between the grit of rhythm and blues and the polish of the emerging Motown hit factory.

Moments Worth Listening For
The sudden, sharp intake of breath before the first chorus of You've Really Got A Hold On Me.
The gritty, call-and-response energy of Mickey's Monkey that feels like a live block party.
The transition from the raw doo-wop of Bad Girl to the polished pop of Shop Around.
Smokey's impossibly high, sustained note at the climax of Who's Lovin' You.
Where This Album DepartsEach spoke is a trait. The orange shape shows where this album pulls away from — or holds to — the rest of the artist’s catalogue. Tap for more.

How does Greatest Hits sound next to the rest of The Miracles's catalogue?

Love Romantic+0.7σ

The writing leans a touch further into love romantic than the rest of the catalogue.

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