There have been scads of Patti LaBelle compilations throughout the years. If you take a glance at the lower left-hand corner of Anthology's cover, you can get some idea of where it stands in relation to all the others. The Philadelphia International logo, located in that spot, indicates that the set will be reliant upon LaBelle's few years spent at that label, which weren't - astonishingly enough - all that successful from a commercial standpoint.

"Every Home Should Have One" is a studio album by R&B/jazz singer Patti Austin. Released on Qwest Records in 1981, it includes the #1 hit duet with James Ingram, "Baby Come to Me", and the title track, "Every Home Should Have One", which peaked at #62 on the Billboard Hot 100. She also scored with "Do You Love Me?", a #24 R&B & #1 Dance Chart hit.

"Summertime Dream" is Canadian singer Gordon Lightfoot's 12th original album, released on the Reprise Records label in 1976. It peaked at #1 on the Canadian RPM national album chart, and #12 on the US Billboard pop chart. The album marked Lightfoot's commercial zenith in a remarkable period of popularity which had begun with the 1970 hit, "If You Could Read My Mind". He would never again achieve the same level of commercial success. The album shot to popularity on the back of the haunting ballad, "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald", which told the story of the final hours of SS Edmund Fitzgerald which had sunk on Lake Superior in November 1975. The song remains popular to this day and has been credited with making the sinking of Edmund Fitzgerald the most famous maritime incident in the history of the Great Lakes. "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" reached #1 in Canada on November 20, 1976. In the US, it peaked at #2 on the pop chart and #50 on the country chart while "Race Among the Ruins" peaked at #65 on the pop chart.

"A Very Merry Christmas" is Bobby Vinton's 9th studio album and first Christmas album, released in October 1964. Vinton had released a four-track Christmas EP which entered the charts the previous year, containing none of the tracks included on "A Very Merry Christmas". Due to Billboard editorial policy, it was held off the regular Top LPs chart, but reached #13 on the Christmas Albums chart. The album was reissued on CD in 1995, and again in 2015 as the expanded "A Very Merry Christmas: The Complete Epic Christmas Collection". There were two singles to come from this album: "The Bell That Couldn't Jingle" and "Dearest Santa".

"Soul Woman" is an incredible 80 track, 4CD album of the biggest and best finest female soul singers of all time. The fabulous collection spans decades, from the 60s anthems of Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin and Dusty Springfield (celebrating 50 years of 'Respect' and 'Son of a Preacher Man'), to the disco-infused sisterhood of Chaka Khan’s 1978 hit ‘I'm Every Woman’ and Diana Ross’ ‘I’m Coming Out’. In addition to classic soul and disco, there are legendary ladies from the nu-soul era: Mary J Blige, Mica Paris, Amy Winehouse.

"Meet the Temptations" is the debut studio album by the Temptations for the Gordy (Motown) label released in 1964. It includes most of the group's early singles, excluding only the first, "Oh Mother of Mine", and its b-side, "Romance Without Finance" (later included on a CD reissue of the LP); as well as the single "Mind Over Matter" (and its b-side "I'll Love You Till I Die"), in which the group is credited as The Pirates. The album consists entirely of previously released singles, including the group's first hit single, "The Way You Do the Things You Do".

"Here Comes the Night" is the 12th album by singer-songwriter Barry Manilow. The album was recorded at Sound City Recording Studios in Van Nuys, California. The United Kingdom release went by the title "I Wanna Do It With You". It was released in 1982, and it scored single Platinum.

"Brenda Russell" is the self-titled debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Brenda Russell, released on 25 July 1979 by A&M Records on the Horizon label. The album peaked at #20 on the Billboard R&B albums chart. The album was written almost entirely by Russell and produced by Andre Fischer, who was fresh off of a stint as drummer for Rufus. The single, "So Good So Right", reached ##8, 15 and 30 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary, Hot Soul Songs and Hot 100 charts, respectively.

David Bowie's first official compilation album, released in the wake of "Station to Station" and sharing that album's odd typography, "Changesonebowie" is a handy one-stop roundup of the last four years of hits, plus "Space Oddity" an American smash in 1973, but unavailable on a U.K. single since its first appearance in 1969. It soared to the top of the British chart, dragging Changesone with it the album eventually peaked at #2.

"How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye" is an album recorded by Dionne Warwick, her 6th for the Arista label. It was recorded during the spring of 1983 and was released that fall. The LP was originally issued as number AL 8-8104 in the Arista Catalog. Despite strong reviews, it was a commercial disappointment, stalling at #57 on Billboard's album chart. Two singles came from the album, "How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye?" (a duet with album producer Luther Vandross) which hit #4 Adult Contemporary and #27 on Billboard's Hot 100 and "Got a Date" which hit #45 on Billboard's R&B chart.

The Soul Music label's extensive Nancy Wilson reissue series continues with the singer's 20th and 21st albums for the Capitol label: The Sound of Nancy Wilson and Nancy. The first of the two, released in 1968, was led by the #24 Billboard R&B single "Peace of Mind" and a powerful ballad finale in "Black Is Beautiful." The latter, a more stylistically varied album released in 1969, boasts the #44 R&B single "You'd Better Go" and the brisk pop of "In a Long White Room." Both sets were produced by David Cavanaugh with arranging and conducting from Jimmy Jones. This is another loving, fan-pleasing release of long-out-of-print Wilson titles.

This two-albums-in-one pack brings us the best of Gary for those who are hardened fans of Spooky Tooth. True, he seduced the American public a few years later with his "Dream Weaver" single and album, but for many of us that road was a bit too commercial and clearly aimed at the American market. Well done, Gary, for you certainly deserved the recognition of a wider public. But what a pity your first two solo albums were largely ignored, and are so difficult to get hold of. They are hidden treasure. Both "Gary Wright's Extraction" and "Footprint" are fine albums.

It had been nine years since organist Jimmy Smith recorded for a major label when Bruce Lundvall approached him to make an album for Elektra Musician. Smith plays some unusual material (including Lionel Richie's "Endless Love" and the "Theme from M.A.S.H.") on this recording but swings everything and has a particularly strong supporting cast guitarist George Benson, Stanley Turrentine on tenor, bassist Ron Carter and drummer Grady Tate. A fine comeback date.

"Making Music" is the 4th studio album by American R&B singer Bill Withers. It was also released in the UK as Making Friends. "Making Music" was released in 1975 and is Withers' first album on Columbia Records due to Sussex Records folding in July 1975. The album charted at #7 on the R&B album charts. The album was released in the UK by CBS under the title of 'Making Friends' also in 1975.

"Dirty Mind" is the 3rd album by American recording artist Prince. It was released on October 8, 1980, by Warner Bros. Records as the follow-up to his self-titled second album, "Prince", (1979). It was produced, arranged, and composed entirely by Prince in his home studio in Minneapolis, Minnesota during May to June of 1980. "Dirty Mind" has been considered by critics as Prince's most creative and boldest album, setting the baseline for his artistic direction in the following years.