Qobuz

Christmas compilation from the ACT Music label made especially for QOBUZ.

Music from Michael Jackson, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, Aretha Franklin, and more – 100 tracks in all.

Considered one of the best vocalists of the 80/90s, Whitney Houston sold more than 200 million albums worldwide. "The Voice", as she was known, made her way through the decades from pop to R'n'B with great success. She passed away on February 11, 2012.

Blondie is perhaps the quintessential new wave band: an art-pop group who made the leap from punk to the Top 40, polishing their spiky curves while simultaneously broadening their musical purview beyond trashy AM pop to encompass disco, reggae, and hip-hop. They brought underground sounds into the mainstream with a sly, knowing wink and the incandescent star power of Debbie Harry, the lead singer who co-led the group with guitarist Chris Stein. Blondie's blend of girl-group pop and garage rock first took hold in the U.K., when "Denis" and "(I'm Always Touched by Your) Presence, Dear" reached the Top Ten in 1978, but when the group collaborated with Mike Chapman – a producer who was a powerhouse in glam – they crafted Parallel Lines, a sleek, modernist masterpiece anchored by the glitter-ball pulse of "Heart of Glass." Parallel Lines turned Blondie – and especially Harry – into superstars and the number one singles came furiously in the next two years.

Singing drummer (or drumming singer?) Phil Collins, born January 30, 1951, first earned recognition as a member of the prog rock group Genesis. While still a member of Genesis, Collins began a wildly successful solo career, releasing his first album Face Value, featuring the hit single "In the Air Tonight," in 1981. Collins would follow with a string of soulful pop hits that would make him a ubiquitous radio presence, including: "Against All Odds," "Easy Lover" (a duet with Earth, Wind and Fire's Philip Bailey), his cover of the Supremes' "You Can't Hurry Love," "Sussudio," and "Don't Lose My Number."

Genesis spread their music over four decades. Founded originally by singer Peter Gabriel, they quickly gained a following and began to ride the wave of progressive rock. Peter Gabriel later left to begin a brilliant solo career, he was replaced by drummer Phil Collins as the group continued to be very successful. Collins also later left the group to start his own impressive solo journey, but Genesis kept going and continued producing music. Genesis have a rich discography with many famous tracks, which are full of variation and complex changes in structure and tempo. They were also able to write simpler songs which took them to the top of the Charts without affecting their ambitions style. Take a stroll through the different stages of one of the biggest bands ever with this Genesis playlist. Photo © Genesis 1974

In celebration of Mick Jagger's 80th birthday, we invite you to rediscover another aspect of the Rolling Stones singer's career through his solo albums and his many duets and collaborations with David Bowie, Peter Tosh, Tina Turner, Dave Stewart, The Chieftains and many others.

Soft Cell could have been nothing more than a one-hit wonder after their hit "Tainted Love," the Gloria Jones cover that would accompany them throughout their career. The duo revealed, however, that they had much more to offer on their 1981 debut album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, which included the tracks "Bedsitter" and "Say Hello, Wave Goodbye." The three Soft Cell albums released in 1981 and 1984 all reached the Top 20 in the UK. Nevertheless, Marc Almond and David Ball decided to end the band amicably in 1984. The duo reformed in the early 2000s and released the album Cruelty Without Beauty two years later, which, due to lack of success, led to a second split in 2005. But in 2018, Soft Cell once again returned to the fold with a tour, followed by the album Happiness Not Included which saw them return to the UK Top 10 and, more importantly, to a critical success not seen since the 1980s.

After Welcome to the Black Forest (The Sounds of MPS), a magnificent compilation in 24-bit Hi-Res quality released exclusively for Qobuz in February 2022, highlighting the variety of MPS Records' eclectic catalogue, now comes Reunion in the Black Forest - The Sounds of MPS Vol. II! With this second volume, also available exclusively on Qobuz, the German label founded in 1968 by Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer proves yet again the breadth of its repertoire. Jazz-rock, swing, hard bop, Latin jazz, vocal jazz - nothing is missing from this compilation. It features Oscar Peterson on a brilliant live version of “On a Clear Day (You Can See Forever)” and other equally legendary pianists such as Red Garland, Chick Corea and Monty Alexander (the stunning “Monticello” kick starts the compilation with a 5-star rhythm section featuring Eugene Wright on bass and Bobby Durham on drums).Another gem from Reunion in the Black Forest is the languorous “Candlelight” by Joe Henderson's quartet with Chick Corea, Ron Carter and Billy Higgins, as well as a swinging cover of The Beatles' “Hey Jude” by Ella Fitzgerald. For those with a taste for real groove, “Au Right” by a youthful George Duke (a 1971 recording when Californian keyboardist was only 25!) promises to excite even the most conservative listener. The 20 tracks on this compilation are a musical delight.