Another few batches of Universal's eye-rolling ICON series are on the way - and while they offer a few genuine surprises, there's a lot, perhaps even more than usual, to shake one's head over.
The big surprise right off the bat is that the mid-price compilation series will now chronicle not only Universal-controlled catalogue artists, but EMI-controlled ones as well. This is hardly a surprise, given the past year's big story of music business restructuring that's leaving the world with three major music labels including a Universal/EMI conglomerate.
But the budget compilation idea is nothing new for EMI artists - and frustratingly, ICON is starting off by covering those EMI artists with more than enough compilations to go around, including The Beach Boys, Poison and Pat Benatar. While we have a few surprises to go around on the Universal side of the ICON list - Liberace and Captain & Tennille are prime examples on the "didn't see that coming" list - there's very little new or exciting in these batches. (The ICON entry for Bon Jovi is, in fact, a clone of the band's 1994 compilation Cross Road with the cover art poorly repurposed.)
The only real boon for collectors is the ICON title for Go-Go's frontwoman (and recent acquisition by Demon Music Group) Belinda Carlisle, whose set will feature a brand-new recording, "Sun," her first recording to hit U.S. stores in 15 years.
These new batches kick off tomorrow with five EMI-controlled gospel artists (including Amy Grant, whose biggest pop hits were ironically on Universal's A&M label). Another 15 follow the next week, and two more (Jimmy Cliff and Bon Jovi) follow the week after that. And they're all yours to consider after the jump.
March 12
Steven Curtis Chapman, ICON (Sparrow 121732, 2013)
- Dive
- The Great Adventure
- For the Sake of the Call
- Not Home Yet
- Speechless
- I Will Be Here
- Cinderella
- Fingerprints of God
- Where We Belong
- More to This Life
- Heaven in the Real World
Tracks 1, 5 and 8 from Speechless (Sparrow, 1999)
Tracks 2 and 9 from The Great Adventure (Sparrow, 1992)
Track 3 from For the Sake of the Call (Sparrow, 1990)
Track 4 from Greatest Hits (Sparrow, 1997)
Tracks 6 and 10 from More to This Life (Sparrow, 1989)
Track 7 from This Moment (Sparrow, 2007)
Track 11 from Heaven in the Real World (Sparrow, 1994)
Gaither Vocal Band, ICON (Spring House 465222, 2013)
- Alpha and Omega
- He Touched Me
- Yes, I Know
- I Believe in a Hill Called Mount Calvary
- My Lord and I
- A Few Good Men
- Let Freedom Ring
- The Baptism of Jesse Taylor
- Lovin' God & Lovin' Each Other
- The King is Coming
- Mary, Did You Know?
Amy Grant, ICON (Sparrow 358962, 2013)
- Baby, Baby
- Every Heartbeat
- I Will Remember You
- Simple Things
- House of Love (with Vince Gill)
- Takes a Little Time
- I Will Be Your Friend
- That's What Love is For
- Happy
- Cry a River
- Somewhere Down the Road
Tracks 1-3 and 8 from Heart in Motion (A&M, 1991)
Tracks 4 and 9 from Simple Things (A&M, 2003)
Track 5 from House of Love (A&M, 1994)
Tracks 6-7 and 10-11 from Behind the Eyes (A&M, 1997)
Newsboys, ICON (Sparrow 121712, 2013)
- He Reigns
- Million Pieces (Kissin' Your Cares Goodbye)
- Shine
- Take Me to Your Leader
- Joy
- Breakfast
- Entertaining Angels
- It is You
- I'm Not Ashamed
- Beautiful Sound
- Lord (I Don't Know)
Track 1 from Adoration: The Worship Album (Sparrow, 2003)
Tracks 2, 8 and 11 from Thrive (Sparrow, 2002)
Track 3 from Going Public (Star Song, 1994)
Tracks 4 and 6 from Take Me to Your Leader (Star Song, 1996)
Track 5 from Shine: The Hits (Sparrow, 2000)
Track 7 from Step Up to the Microphone (Sparrow, 1998)
Track 9 from Not Ashamed (Star Song, 1992)
Track 10 from Love Liberty Disco (Sparrow, 1999)
CeCe Winans, ICON (Sparrow 126552, 2013)
- Alone in the Presence
- His Strength is Perfect
- Great is Thy Faithfulness
- Alabaster Box
- It Wasn't Easy
- For Love Alone
- More - BeBe & CeCe Winans
- The Garden - BeBe & CeCe Winans
- Come On Back Home
- I Am
- Everlasting Love
Tracks 1-3 from Alone in His Presence (Sparrow, 1995)
Track 4-5 from Alabaster Box (Wellspring, 1999)
Track 6 from CeCe Winans (Wellspring, 2001)
Track 7 from For Always: The Best of CeCe Winans (EMI Gospel, 2010)
Track 8 from Still (Malaco, 2009)
Tracks 9-11 from Everlasting Love (Atlantic, 1998)
March 19
Trace Adkins, ICON (Capitol Nashville 284072, 2013)
- Honky Tonk Badonkadonk
- Rough & Ready
- (This Ain't) No Thinkin' Thing
- You're Gonna Miss This
- More
- Songs About Me
- Then They Do
- I'm Tryin'
- I Left Somethin' Turned On At Home
- Hot Mama
- Ladies Love Country Boys
Tracks 1 and 6 from Songs About Me (Capitol Nashville, 2005)
Tracks 2 and 10 from Comin' On Strong (Capitol Nashville, 2003)
Tracks 3 and 9 from Dreamin' Out Loud (Capitol Nashville, 1996)
Track 4 from American Man: Greatest Hits Volume II (Capitol Nashville, 2008)
Track 5 from More... (Capitol Nashville, 1999)
Track 7 from Greatest Hits Collection Volume 1 (Capitol Nashville, 2003)
Track 8 from Chrome (Capitol Nashville, 2001)
Track 11 from Dangerous Man (Capitol Nashville, 2008)
Alien Ant Farm, ICON (Geffen/UMe B0018134-02, 2013)
- Movies
- These Days
- Smooth Criminal
- Sarah Wynn
- Glow
- Forgive & Forget
- Around the Block
- Drifting Apart
- Sticks and Stones
- What I Feel is Mine
- Attitude
Tracks 1, 3, 9 and 11 from ANThology (DreamWorks, 2001)
Tracks 2, 4-5 and 8 from TruANT (DreamWorks, 2003)
Tracks 6-7 and 10 from Up in the Attic (New Door/El Tonal/UMe, 2006)
The Beach Boys, ICON (Capitol 284082, 2013)
- Good Vibrations
- Fun, Fun, Fun
- Little Deuce Coupe
- Wouldn't It Be Nice
- Help Me, Rhonda
- God Only Knows
- California Girls
- I Get Around
- Dance, Dance, Dance
- Be True to Your School
- Surfer Girl
Track 1 from non-LP single (Capitol, 1966). Later released on Smiley Smile (Capitol, 1967)
Track 2 from Shut Down Volume 2 (Capitol, 1964)
Tracks 3 and 11 from Surfer Girl (Capitol, 1963)
Tracks 4 and 6 from Pet Sounds (Capitol, 1966)
Tracks 5 and 9 from The Beach Boys Today! (Capitol, 1965)
Track 7 from Summer Days (and Summer Nights!!) (Capitol, 1965)
Track 8 from All Summer Long (Capitol, 1964)
Track 10 from Little Deuce Coupe (Capitol, 1963)
Pat Benatar, ICON (Capitol 284092, 2013)
- Heartbreaker
- Hit Me with Your Best Shot
- We Belong
- Fire and Ice
- Love is a Battlefield
- Shadows of the Night
- Treat Me Right
- Little Too Late
- You Better Run
- Hell is for Children
- Invincible
Track 1 from In the Heat of the Night (Chrysalis, 1979)
Tracks 2, 7 and 9-10 from Crimes of Passion (Chrysalis, 1980)
Track 3 from Tropico (Chrysalis, 1984)
Track 4 from Precious Time (Chrysalis, 1981)
Track 5 from Live from Earth (Chrysalis, 1985)
Tracks 6 and 8 from Get Nervous (Chrysalis, 1982)
Track 11 from Seven the Hard Way (Chrysalis, 1985)
Blink-182, ICON (Geffen/UMe B0018144-02, 2013)
- All the Small Things
- Josie
- Feeling This
- Adam's Song
- Dammit
- What's My Age Again?
- The Rock Show
- Down
- First Date
- Stay Together for the Kids
- I Miss You
Tracks 1, 4 and 6 from Enema of the State (MCA, 1999)
Tracks 2 and 5 from Dude Ranch (Cargo Music/MCA, 1997)
Tracks 3, 8 and 11 from Blink-182 (Geffen, 2003)
Tracks 7 and 9-10 from Take Off Your Pants and Jacket (MCA, 2001)
Chris Cagle, ICON (Capitol Nashville 284122, 2013)
- Country by the Grace of God
- My Love Goes On and On
- What a Beautiful Day
- I Breathe In, I Breathe Out
- Miss Me Baby
- Wal-Mart Parking Lot
- Laredo
- What Kinda Gone
- No Love Songs
- My Life's Been a Country Song
- Chicks Dig It
Tracks 1-2, 4 and 7 from Play It Loud (Virgin Records Nashville, 2000)
Tracks 3 and 11 from Chris Cagle (Capitol Nashville, 2002)
Tracks 5-6 from Anywhere But There (Capitol Nashville, 2005)
Tracks 8-10 from My Life's Been a Country Song (Capitol Nashville, 2008)
Glen Campbell, ICON (Capitol Nashville 284132, 2013)
- Rhinestone Cowboy
- Wichita Lineman
- Galveston
- I Wanna Live
- By the Time I Get to Phoenix
- Gentle on My Mind
- Try a Little Kindness
- Country Boy (You Got Your Feet in L.A.)
- Dreams of the Everyday Housewife
- Bonaparte's Retreat
- These Days
Tracks 1 and 8 from Rhinestone Cowboy (Capitol, 1975)
Tracks 2 and 9 from Wichita Lineman (Capitol, 1968)
Track 3 from Galveston (Capitol, 1969)
Track 4 from Hey Little One (Capitol, 1968)
Track 5 from By the Time I Get to Phoenix (Capitol, 1967)
Track 6 from Gentle on My Mind (Capitol, 1967)
Track 7 from Try a Little Kindness (Capitol, 1970)
Track 10 from Houston (I'm Comin' to See You) (Capitol, 1974)
Track 11 from Meet Glen Campbell (Capitol, 2008)
Captain & Tennille, ICON (A&M/UMe B0017935-02, 2013)
- Love Will Keep Us Together
- Muskrat Love
- The Way I Want to Touch You
- You Never Done It Like That
- Lonely Night (Angel Face)
- Come In from the Rain
- Shop Around
- Can't Stop Dancin'
- Happy Together (A Fantasy)
- You Need a Woman Tonight
- Do That to Me One More Time
Tracks 1 and 3 from Love Will Keep Us Together (A&M, 1975)
Tracks 2, 5 and 7 from Song of Joy (A&M, 1976)
Tracks 4 and 10 from Dream (A&M, 1978)
Tracks 6 and 8 from Come In from the Rain (A&M, 1977)
Tracks 9 and 11 from Make Your Move (A&M, 1979)
Belinda Carlisle, ICON (Geffen/UMe B0017945-02, 2013)
- Sun
- Heaven is a Place on Earth
- I Get Weak
- Shades of Michaelangelo
- Leave a Light On
- Circle in the Sand
- Mad About You
- Summer Rain
- (We Want) The Same Thing
- Do You Feel Like I Feel?
- Live Your Life Be Free
Track 1 is a new recording
Tracks 2-3 and 6 from Heaven on Earth (MCA, 1987)
Tracks 4-5 and 8-9 from Runaway Horses (MCA, 1989)
Track 7 from Belinda (I.R.S., 1986)
Tracks 10-11 from Live Your Life Be Free (MCA, 1991)
Everclear, ICON (Capitol 287642, 2013)
- Santa Monica
- Heartspark Dollarsign
- Everything to Everyone
- I Will Buy You a New Life
- Father of Mine
- One Hit Wonder
- Wonderful
- AM Radio
- When It All Goes Wrong Again
- Brown Eyed Girl
- Volvo Driving Soccer Mom
Tracks 1-2 from Sparkle and Fade (Capitol, 1995)
Tracks 3-6 from So Much for the Afterglow (Capitol, 1997)
Tracks 7-8 and 10 from Songs from an American Movie, Vol. 1: Learning How to Smile (Capitol, 2000)
Tracks 9 from Songs from an American Movie, Vol. 2: Good Time for a Bad Attitude (Capitol, 2000)
Track 11 from Slow Motion Daydream (Capitol, 2003)
Liberace, ICON (UMe, 2013)
- Theme from "New York, New York"
- Rhapsody in Blue
- The Entertainer
- Claire de Lune
- Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1
- Send in the Clowns
- Strangers in the Night
- Dream of Love (Liebestraum)
- How Insensitive
- Warsaw Concerto
- I'll Be Seeing You
New Found Glory, ICON (Geffen/UMe B0018003-02, 2013)
- My Friends Over You
- Hit or Miss
- All Downhill from Here
- Head On Collision
- Failure's Not Flattering
- It's Not Your Fault
- Dressed to Kill
- I Don't Wanna Know
- Understatement
- Better Off Dead
- Truth of My Youth
Tracks 1, 4 and 9 from Sticks and Stones (Drive-Thru/MCA, 2002)
Tracks 2, 7, and 10 from New Found Glory (Drive-Thru/MCA, 2000)
Tracks 3, 5, 8 and 11 from Catalyst (Drive-Thru/Geffen, 2004)
Track 6 from Coming Home (Geffen, 2006)
Poison, ICON (Capitol 284142, 2013)
- Talk Dirty to Me
- I Won't Forget You
- Nothin' But a Good Time
- Fallen Angel
- Every Rose Has Its Thorn
- Your Mama Don't Dance
- Unskinny Bop
- Something to Believe In
- Ride the Wind
- Life Goes On
- Stand
Tracks 1-2 from Look What the Cat Dragged In (Enigma, 1986)
Tracks 3-6 from Open Up and Say...Ahh! (Enigma, 1988)
Tracks 7-10 from Flesh & Blood (Enigma/Capitol, 1990)
Track 11 from Native Tongue (Capitol, 1993)
Andre Rieu, ICON (UMe B0018008-02, 2013)
- The Beautiful Blue Danube
- What a Wonderful World
- Strauss & Co. (Medley)
- Radetzky March
- Voices of Spring
- Edelweiss
- When the Saints Go Marching In
- Vienna, Vienna Just You
- Send in the Clowns
- You Are My Heart's Delight
- Emperor Waltz
- Amazing Grace
Something Corporate, ICON (Geffen/UMe B0018004-02, 2013)
- If You C Jordan
- Space
- Punk Rock Princess
- I Woke Up in a Car
- Drunk Girl
- Me and the Moon
- Letters to Noelle
- Konstantine
- Cavanaugh Park
- Wait
- Hurricane
Tracks 1, 3-5, 9 and 11 from Leaving Through the Window (Drive-Thru/MCA, 2002)
Tracks 2 and 6 from North (Drive-Thru/Geffen, 2003)
Tracks 7 and 10 from Played in Space: The Best of Something Corporate (Geffen, 2010)
Track 8 from Songs for Silent Movies EP (Drive-Thru/MCA, 2003)
March 26
Bon Jovi, ICON (originally released as Cross Road - Mercury 314 526 013-2, 1994 - reissued Island/UMe B0018064-02, 2013)
- Livin' on a Prayer
- Keep the Faith
- Someday I'll Be Saturday Night
- Always
- Wanted Dead or Alive
- Lay Your Hands on Me
- You Give Love a Bad Name
- Bed of Roses
- Blaze of Glory - Jon Bon Jovi
- In These Arms
- Bad Medicine
- I'll Be There for You
- In & Out of Love
- Runaway
Tracks 1, 5 and 7 from Slippery When Wet (Mercury, 1986)
Tracks 2, 8 and 10 from Keep the Faith (Mercury, 1992)
Tracks 3-4 are recordings exclusive to this compilation
Tracks 6 and 11-12 from New Jersey (Mercury, 1989)
Track 9 from Blaze of Glory (Mercury, 1990)
Track 13 from 7800° Fahrenheit (Mercury, 1985)
Track 14 from Bon Jovi (Mercury, 1984)
Jimmy Cliff, ICON (Island/UMe B0017417-02, 2013)
- You Can Get It If You Really Want
- Vietnam (Single Version)
- Wild World
- Many Rivers to Cross
- Wonderful World, Beautiful People (Single Version)
- Give a Little, Take a Little
- Hello Sunshine
- Sufferin' in the Land
- Hard Road to Travel
- Sooner or Later
- Time Will Tell
Track 1 from The Harder They Come (Island, 1972)
Tracks 2, 4-5, 7-8 and 11 from Jimmy Cliff (Trojan, 1969)/Wonderful World, Beautiful People (A&M (U.S.), 1970)
Track 3 from Wild World (Island, 1971)
Tracks 6 and 9 from Hard Road to Travel (Trojan, 1968)
Track 10 from Struggling Man (Island, 1973)
R.Todd Richards says
Told you the new Belinda track was on the way...! 🙂 As for the BoJo CROSSROAD reissue (ICON), it's not quite complete, as it's missing "Prayer'94" a slowed down acoustic based version of "Livin' On A Prayer". I don't know why I know this, save that I just saw a 3 hour show by the band here in Cleveland, and I've been diving through the discography a bit...
Play on!
TR
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Jason says
Looks like "Prayer '94" is replaced by "In These Arms".
Shaun says
Wow... The Jimmy Cliff one actually includes a track from The Harder They Come, but doesn't include the ICONic (heh) title track itself? That's just sad.
Dennis says
The Blink-182 one is simply the Greatest Hits compilation reduced from 19 down to 11 tracks that are now put onto the disc in a different order...