Motown Chartbusters is a series of compilation albums first released by EMI under licence on the Tamla Motown label in Britain. In total, 12 editions were released in the UK between 1967 and 1982. Volumes 1 and 2 were originally called British Motown Chartbusters; after this the title Motown Chartbusters was used.
Background Early Motown Records releases in Britain were not on the Motown label, but were issued on the London, Fontana, Oriole and Stateside labels. In 1964, Motown's first number 1 in Britain was "Baby Love" by the Supremes, released on EMI's Stateside label. "Where Did Our Love Go" by the Supremes, and "My Guy" by Mary Wells were amongst other big hits in the same year, also on Stateside. The first release on the Tamla Motown label was "Stop In The Name Of Love" by the Supremes, in March 1965.
By 1964, Motown had accumulated enough British hits for EMI to release a greatest hits album, A Collection of Tamla Motown Big Hits.A Collection of Tamla Motown Big Hits at Discogs.com] Over the next few years, several more compilations were released, including six in the series 16 Original Big Hits. In 1967, the label issued the first of the Motown Chartbusters series. Although the series comprised mainly hit singles by various Motown artists, the albums also included other recordings that had not been hits in Britain and many significant single hits were excluded from the series. Later albums in the series failed to include any of the top ten singles achieved by Stevie Wonder, or any of his releases. Minor hits were sometimes included in place of bigger hits, most notably for the Jackson 5 and Michael Jackson. Because of Motown's policy of re-issuing tracks on single on a regular basis, there are some anomalies in the inclusion of tracks. Jimmy Ruffin's 'What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?' is included in both Volume 1 and Volume 9, as it was a UK hit single twice. Mary Wells' hit 'My Guy' features on Volume 7, released in 1972, after it had been a substantive reissue hit, despite being first released in 1964 and similarly 'Baby Love' is included on Volume 9, as it had been re-issued in 1974, ten years after it first charted in the UK for The Supremes.
The original albums were made by EMI under licence from Motown. EMI also made 8-track cartridge recordings of the early releases. In total, 12 editions were released in the UK, spanning 15 years from 1967 to 1982.
The first nine albums were Top 15 UK Albums Chart entries, whereas the later albums from 10 to 12 did not chart. The second volume of British Motown Chartbusters rose to No. 8 in January 1970. In the same year, Volume 3 spent six weeks at the No. 2 position, eventually reaching No. 1. Volumes 4 and 5 also hit No. 1. In 1971 Volume 6 went to No. 2 and, in 1972 and 1973, both Volumes 7 and 8 went to No. 9.
The series was the most successful set of compilation albums in terms of sales until the release of the Now That's What I Call Music series began in the mid-1980s. A compilation album, Now That's What I Call Motown, was released on the Universal Motown label.
The series was re-issued by the budget label Spectrum, starting in 1997. The clear differences between the two releases are the logos on the disc and cover: the original release has the Tamla Motown logo; the re-release has the Motown logo.
After its success in the UK, Motown went on to release variants of the compilation format in other counties such as the United States and Australia. There were also various releases on the same type of platform, such as Motown Chartbusters, 150 Hits of Gold and boxed sets.
British Motown Chartbusters
Motown Chartbusters Volume 1
First released in October 1967 as British Motown Chartbusters. It was re-released on the Spectrum label, and renamed Motown Chartbusters Volume 1
Track Listing "Blowin' in the Wind" – Stevie Wonder "You Keep Me Hangin' On" – The Supremes "Standing in the Shadows of Love" – The Four Tops "It Takes Two" – Marvin Gaye & Kim Weston "When You're Young and in Love" – The Marvelettes "(I Know) I'm Losing You" – The Temptations "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" – Jimmy Ruffin "The Happening" – The Supremes "7-Rooms of Gloom" – The Four Tops "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)" – Jr. Walker & the All Stars "I'm Ready for Love" – Martha & the Vandellas "Love Is Here and Now You're Gone" – The Supremes "Gonna Give Her All the Love I've Got" – Jimmy Ruffin "I Was Made to Love Her" – Stevie Wonder "Take Me in Your Arms and Love Me" – Gladys Knight & the Pips "Jimmy Mack" – Martha & the Vandellas
Charts Chart (1967) Peakposition UK Albums (OCC) 2 Chart (1986) Peakposition UK Albums (OCC) 25
Certifications Telstar release
Universal Music release
Motown Chartbusters Volume 2
First released in November 1968 as British Motown Chartbusters Volume 2. It was re-released on the Spectrum label, and renamed Motown Chartbusters Volume 2
Track Listing
"Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" – Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell "Reflections" – Diana Ross & the Supremes "If You Can Want" – Smokey Robinson & the Miracles "You Keep Running Away" – The Four Tops "I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)" – The Temptations "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" – Gladys Knight & the Pips "I'm Wondering" – Stevie Wonder "I've Passed This Way Before" – Jimmy Ruffin "Some Things You Never Get Used To" – Diana Ross & the Supremes "Gotta See Jane" – R. Dean Taylor "Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day" – Stevie Wonder "You're My Everything" – The Temptations "Honey Chile" – Martha Reeves & the Vandellas "If I Were a Carpenter" – The Four Tops "I Second That Emotion" – Smokey Robinson & the Miracles "If I Could Build My Whole World Around You" – Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
Charts Chart (1968) Peakposition UK Albums (OCC) 8
Motown Chartbusters Volume 3
First released in November 1969.
Track Listing
"I Heard It Through the Grapevine" – Marvin Gaye "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" – Diana Ross & the Supremes and the Temptations "My Cherie Amour" – Stevie Wonder "This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)" – The Isley Brothers "I'll Pick a Rose for My Rose" – Marv Johnson "No Matter What Sign You Are" – Diana Ross & the Supremes "I'm in a Different World" – The Four Tops "Dancing in the Street" – Martha Reeves & the Vandellas "For Once in My Life" – Stevie Wonder "You're All I Need to Get By" – Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell "Get Ready" – The Temptations "Stop Her on Sight (S.O.S.)" – Edwin Starr "Love Child" – Diana Ross & the Supremes "Behind a Painted Smile" – The Isley Brothers "(I'm a) Road Runner" – Jr. Walker & the All Stars "The Tracks of My Tears" – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
Charts Chart (1970) Peakposition UK Albums (OCC) 1
Certifications
Motown Chartbusters Volume 4
First released in October 1970.
Track Listing "I Want You Back" – The Jackson 5 "The Onion Song" – Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" – The Four Tops "Up the Ladder to the Roof" – The Supremes "I Can't Get Next to You" – The Temptations "Too Busy Thinking About My Baby" – Marvin Gaye "Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday" – Stevie Wonder "Someday We'll Be Together" – Diana Ross & the Supremes "ABC" – The Jackson 5 "Never Had a Dream Come True" – Stevie Wonder "Farewell Is a Lonely Sound" – Jimmy Ruffin "Do What You Gotta Do" – The Four Tops "I Second That Emotion" – Diana Ross & the Supremes with the Temptations "Cloud Nine" – The Temptations "What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)" – Jr. Walker & the All Stars "Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)" – Diana Ross
Charts Chart (1970) Peakposition UK Albums (OCC) 1
Certifications
Motown Chartbusters Volume 5
First released in April 1971.
Track Listing "The Tears of a Clown" – Smokey Robinson & the Miracles "War" – Edwin Starr "The Love You Save" – The Jackson 5 "Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)" – The Temptations "It's All in the Game" – The Four Tops "Heaven Help Us All" – Stevie Wonder "It's Wonderful" – Jimmy Ruffin "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" – Diana Ross "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours" – Stevie Wonder "Stoned Love" – The Supremes "Abraham, Martin and John" – Marvin Gaye "Still Water (Love)" – The Four Tops "Forget Me Not" – Martha Reeves & the Vandellas "It's a Shame" – The Motown Spinners "I'll Be There" – The Jackson 5 "I'll Say Forever My Love" – Jimmy Ruffin
Charts Chart (1971) Peakposition UK Albums (OCC) 1
Certifications
Motown Chartbusters Volume 6
First released in October 1971.
Track Listing
"I'm Still Waiting" – Diana Ross "I Don't Blame You at All" – Smokey Robinson & the Miracles "We Can Work It Out" – Stevie Wonder "Never Can Say Goodbye" – The Jackson 5 "These Things Will Keep Me Loving You" – The Velvelettes "Indiana Wants Me" – R. Dean Taylor "River Deep – Mountain High" – The Supremes & the Four Tops "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)" – The Temptations "Nathan Jones" – The Supremes "A Simple Game" – The Four Tops "Heaven Must Have Sent You" – The Elgins "It's Summer" – The Temptations "Remember Me" – Diana Ross "Mama's Pearl" – The Jackson 5 "(Come 'Round Here) I'm the One You Need" – Smokey Robinson & the Miracles "Just Seven Numbers (Can Straighten Out My Life)" – The Four Tops
Charts Chart (1971) Peakposition UK Albums (OCC) 2
Motown Chartbusters Volume 7
First released in November 1972.
Track Listing "Automatically Sunshine" – The Supremes "Just Walk in My Shoes" – Gladys Knight & the Pips "Rockin' Robin" – Michael Jackson "Take a Look Around" – The Temptations "You Gotta Have Love in Your Heart" – The Supremes And The Four Tops "If You Really Love Me" – Stevie Wonder "Surrender" – Diana Ross "Ain't No Sunshine" – Michael Jackson "Superstar (Remember How You Got Where You Are)" – The Temptations "Bless You" – Martha Reeves & the Vandellas "Floy Joy" – The Supremes "Walk in the Night" – Jr. Walker & the All Stars "Doobedood'ndoobe, Doobedood'ndoobe, Doobedood'ndoo" – Diana Ross "Festival Time" – The San Remo Golden Strings "My Guy" – Mary Wells "Got to Be There" – Michael Jackson
Charts Chart (1972) Peakposition UK Albums (OCC) 9
Motown Chartbusters Volume 8
Track Listing "Superstition" – Stevie Wonder "Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)" – Gladys Knight & the Pips "Law of the Land" – The Temptations "Take Me Girl, I'm Ready" – Jr. Walker & the All Stars "Skywriter" – The Jackson 5 "Touch Me in the Morning" – Diana Ross "The Look of Love" – Gladys Knight & the Pips "Morning Glow" – Michael Jackson "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" – The Temptations "Let's Get It On" – Marvin Gaye "Bad Weather" – The Supremes "Ben" – Michael Jackson "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" – Stevie Wonder "Hallelujah Day" – The Jackson 5 "Way Back Home" – Jr. Walker & the All Stars "Help Me Make It Through the Night" – Gladys Knight & the Pips
Charts Chart (1973) Peakposition UK Albums (OCC) 9
Certifications
Motown Chartbusters Volume 9
First released in October 1974.
Track Listing "All of My Life" – Diana Ross "Higher Ground" – Stevie Wonder "Dancing Machine" – The Jackson 5 "My Mistake (Was to Love You)" – Diana Ross & Marvin Gaye "Spinnin' and Spinnin'" – Syreeta "Keep on Truckin'" – Eddie Kendricks "There's a Ghost in My House" – R. Dean Taylor "Just My Soul Responding" – Smokey Robinson "Last Time I Saw Him" – Diana Ross "You Are Everything" – Diana Ross & Marvin Gaye "He's Misstra Know-It-All" – Stevie Wonder "Baby Love" – Diana Ross & the Supremes "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" – Jimmy Ruffin "Living for the City" – Stevie Wonder "Love Me" – Diana Ross "Boogie Down" – Eddie Kendricks "Machine Gun" – Commodores
Charts Chart (1974) Peakposition UK Albums (OCC) 14
Motown Chartbusters Volume 10
First released in November 1979.
Some of the later releases were stamped in red vinyl.
Track Listing "Three Times a Lady" – The Commodores