25 YEARS OF #1 HITS: ARISTA and ATLANTIC RECORDS: 50 YEARS [2-CD Set]

A couple weeks ago I posted a review of Arista: A 15 Year History of Rock (you can read it here) and said I had another Arista anthology around here somewhere. I found 25 Years of #1 Hits: Arista and I also found Atlantic Records: 50 Years.

Arista: A 15 Year History of Rock was a mediocre collection of hits. My favorite song on 25 Years of #1 Hits: Arista is Annie Lennox’s haunting “Why.” I love everything Sarah McLachlan sings. It’s hard to believe “A Rose is Still a Rose” was a #1 hit.

Whitney Houston’s “It’s Not Right But It’s Okay” dominated the local radio stations back in 1999. Houston won the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for this song.

Atlantic Records: 50 Years is a much superior compilation of songs. From Sixties classics like Wilson Pickett’s “In the Midnight Hour” to Seventies songs like The Rolling Stones’ “Brown Sugar” to Eighties songs like “Stop Dragging’ My Hear Around” by Stevie Nicks with Tom Petty these 2 CDs are full of hits most of us will recognize. Clearly Atlantic Records outperforms Arista!

How many of these songs do you remember? Any favorites here? GRADES: ARISTA: C, ATLANTIC: A

1SantanaMaria Maria (Spanglish Version)4:17
2Whitney HoustonIt’s Not Right But It’s Okay (Club 69 Mix) Remix – Club 694:19
3Annie LennoxWhy4:54
4Sarah McLachlanAdia (Live)3:55
5Aretha FranklinA Rose Is Still A Rose (Love To Infinity Rhythm Mix) Remix – Love To Infinity4:01
6MonicaFor You I Will (Exclusive Live Track)4:01
7LFO*–Summer Girls (Exclusive Live Track)3:21
8Deborah CoxNobody’s Supposed To Be Here (Exclusive Live Track)3:51
9WestlifeSwear It Again (Exclusive Live Track)2:57
1-1The CoastersYakety Yak1:50
1-2Ray CharlesWhat’d I Say6:28
1-3Bobby DarinMack The Knife3:06
1-4Ben E. KingStand By Me2:55
1-5Wilson PickettIn The Midnight Hour2:38
1-6Sonny & CherI Got You Babe3:09
1-7Percy SledgeWhen A Man Loves A Woman2:52
1-8Aretha FranklinRespect2:23
1-9Sam & DaveSoul Man2:41
1-10Otis Redding(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay2:41
1-11Cream (2)Sunshine Of Your Love4:12
1-12Crosby, Stills & NashSuite: Judy Blue Eyes7:25
1-13Led ZeppelinWhole Lotta Love6:09
1-14The Rolling StonesBrown Sugar3:49
2-1Derek & The DominosLayla7:06
2-2YesRoundabout8:31
2-3ChicLe Freak3:34
2-4Sister SledgeWe Are Family3:35
2-5Stevie Nicks With Tom PettyStop Draggin’ My Heart Around4:02
2-6Phil CollinsIn The Air Tonight4:58
2-7ForeignerI Want To Know What Love Is5:04
2-8Bette MidlerWind Beneath My Wings4:19
2-9Tori AmosSilent All These Years4:12
2-10Brandy (2)Baby5:13
2-11Hootie & The BlowfishHold My Hand4:16
2-12JewelWho Will Save Your Soul4:03

25 thoughts on “25 YEARS OF #1 HITS: ARISTA and ATLANTIC RECORDS: 50 YEARS [2-CD Set]

  1. Jerry+House

    Looking at the Arista album, I’m channeling Dany glover in the LETHAL WEAPON films: “I’m too old for this [stuff].”

    The Atlantic set is much better. The first album is pure gold, and I recognize half the songs on the second. Maybe I’m not too old for some of this [stuff].

    Reply
  2. Fred Blosser

    Oldster that I am, I don’t recognize any of the Arista tracks. The Atlantic CD has several nostalgic favourites from my high school and college days–Sonny & Cher, Sam & Dave, Otis, CSN, Derek & the Dominoes. If you know where to find a Time Machine to go back to 1965-71 and escape Trump II, I’ll buy a ticket. If there is a god, I’ll never hear any Hootie & the Blowfish ever again.

    Reply
  3. Jeff Meyerson

    Years ago, when I had all vinyl records, I had THE ATLANTIC SOUL YEARS 1948-1973, a collection from their first 25 years. La Vern Baker, Brook Benton, The Bobbettes, Booker-T & the MGs, Ruth Brown, Solomon Burke, Clarence Carter, Ray Charles, The Chords, The Clovers, The Coasters, The Drifters, King Floyd, Arentha, Ivory Joe Hunter, Wilson Picket, Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Percy Sledge, The Spinners, Joe Tex, Big Joe Turner, Chuck Willis Betty Wright, Sticks McGee.

    Now that was music. I think the liner notes had Jerry Wexler talking about various records.

    Of the current choices, the Atlantic is the pick, obviously. I think 7 of the songs were on my collection too.

    Reply
    1. george Post author

      Jeff, THE ATLANTIC SOUL YEARS 1948-1973 is a classic! I might have it around here somewhere. What I miss with most contemporary CDs is informative liner notes. Most of them are just photos and hype.

      Reply
      1. george Post author

        Todd, Diane is always “suggesting” I get rid of stuff–books, CDs, vinyl records, etc. Right now, I’m up to almost 3000 books dispatched in 2024. Thousands to go…

  4. wolf

    Totally agree with Fred and Jeff!
    So many fond memories re Atlantic records from my time at school in the 50s – and listening to them on AFN (American Forces Network) while German radio stations only played Kitsch.
    I’ve surely written already about What’d I Say being the first record I bought – Those were the days …

    Reply
  5. Deb

    No doubt as to the superiority of the Atlantic collection. There’s a really good documentary about Arif Mardin, co-founder of Atlantic Records. I highly recommend it if you can find it.

    Reply
  6. Todd Mason

    Thing is, while Arista might’ve had more disposable pop in the ’70s and certainly the ’80s than Atlantic did if we dig back into the late ’50s, Atlantic was mostly de-emphasizing jazz by the ’70s, and Arista was doing some wonder albums in that direction. Happily, some Bestselling artists could still have their records released by Atlantic, such as the Modern Jazz Quartet, but a whole lot of the major innovators of the ’70s into the ’80s, from Anthony Braxton on over, were on Arista.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *