Producers include: Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson, Michael Masser.

Compilation producer: Diana Ross.

This is a collection of singles.

The Supremes: Diana Ross, Flo Ballard, Mary Wilson, Cindy Birdsong.

Additional personnel includes: The Temptations (vocals); The Four Tops (background vocals).

Producers include: Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson, Deke Richards.

Compilation producer: Harry Weinger.

Includes liner notes by Diane Weathers.

All tracks have been digitally remastered.

This is part of Motown Records' Ultimate Collection series.

Personnel: The Four Tops (background vocals).

Audio Remasterer: Kevin Reeves.

Arrangers: Paul Riser; Wade Marcus.

THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION is as all-encompassing as a single disc can be in cataloging a three-decade career (so far) that could be filed under any of a dozen or so branches of pop and R&B. (For the complete story, see the four-disc set FOREVER DIANA: MUSICAL MEMOIR.) A sort of Motown blend of Elvis Presley and Barbra Streisand, Diana Ross started out as a singer of amazing torch songs with the most sensual of all girl groups, the Supremes, and eventually became bigger than her name. Since then, she has been as willing to sing the most sentimental of ballads as to take on a new dance beat. And Ross has handled every move with class; she rarely sounds like a pop star stooping to latch onto a trendy new sound, but rather like a seasoned balladeer reaching for a new melody.

THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION starts with five Supremes classics, and then moves on to a solo career that included such disparate hits as the gorgeous MOR ballad "Theme From Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To?)" and the sublime disco treat "Upside Down." It also includes Frankie Knuckles' thoroughly '90s dance remix of the Supremes' "Someday We'll Be Together" (from 1994's DIANA EXTENDED: THE REMIXES), a song that brings both her career and this generous disc full circle.

Be assured that the title here is not remotely hyperbolic; in fact, it's hard to imagine a better single disc Supremes greatest hits collection. Every Supremes song you could conceivably want is here in chronological order, beginning with their first Top 40 hit, 1963's "When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes," to 1969's cleverly calculated farewell smash "Someday We'll Be Together."

All of them are in the original glorious mono. This compilation is also a pretty interesting time capsule look at various '60s pop styles; for example, in retrospect, it's hard to think of the Supremes as having ever been remotely psychedelic, but even they got a little trippy with songs like "The Happening" and "Reflections."