The Weekend Stream: November 22, 2025

Welcome to another edition of The Weekend Stream, The Second Disc’s review of notable catalogue titles (and some new ones, too!) making digital debuts. A real grab bag for you before the Thanksgiving holiday: cut songs from Broadway comedies, rarities from a ’60s soul/rock legend, an inexplicably remastered charity single, rare 12″ mixes and remastered jazz. Have a listen, won’t you?? Various Artists, Monty Python’s Spamalot (Original Broadway Cast Recording/20th Anniversary Edition) (Decca Broadway) (Apple / Amazon) Something to (always) look on the bright side of life over: a new reissue of the music…

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Review: Kenny Rogers, “Life Is Like a Song”

In the booklet to his new posthumous release Life Is Like a Song, the late Kenny Rogers is quoted: “Music is the greatest memory-maker you’ll ever encounter.  A song can lock you right into a memory for a lifetime.”  Rogers’ own music, whether “The Gambler,” “Through the Years,” “Lady,” “She Believes in Me,” “You Decorated My Life,” or “Islands in the Stream,” certainly proves that adage.  The Texas-born singer, who passed away in 2020 at the age of 81, blurred the lines between country and pop as he racked up 24 chart-toppers…

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Straight Into Love: Kenny Rogers’ Posthumous “Life Is Like a Song” Coming in June

Kenny Rogers released the 28th and final studio album of his lifetime with 2015’s Once Again It’s Christmas.  On June 2, UMe will celebrate the late superstar’s musical legacy with a posthumous release featuring eight previously unreleased tracks and two rarities.  Life Is Like a Song, coming on CD, vinyl, and digital formats, has been curated and executive produced by his widow Wanda Rogers.  It’s also Rogers’ first studio album to debut on vinyl in the U.S. since 1991. Life Is Like a Song is built around those eight never-before-heard recordings spanning…

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The Weekend Stream: November 12, 2022

Welcome to The Weekend Stream, a relaxing weekly review of notable digital-only catalogue titles.  There may be no CD or vinyl, but there’s plenty of great new/old music to usher you into the weekend. This week features a new version of a pop legend’s most recent compilation, great proto-Motown soul, an expanded version of Robert Glasper’s breakout album, Bon Jovi in Spanish(?) and a heap of early Christmas gifts. Check it out! Elton John, Diamonds (Deluxe) (Virgin/EMI) (iTunes / Amazon) Elton John’s 2017 compilation has been a considerable chart mainstay since its…

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The Weekend Stream: October 30, 2021

While The Second Disc prides itself on connecting people to reissues and box sets they can keep on their shelves, it’s no secret that listening audiences are also digital – catalogue music lovers, too – and our passion is connecting people to music from the past that they might adore. So we’ve introduced a new feature: The Weekend Stream, which focuses on hidden gems that recently made it to digital channels that might make your playlists a little brighter! The Temptations, Emperors of Soul: The Rarities (Motown/UMe) (iTunes / Amazon / Spotify)…

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The Weekend Stream: September 11, 2021

While The Second Disc prides itself on connecting people to reissues and box sets they can keep on their shelves, it’s no secret that listening audiences are also digital – catalogue music lovers, too – and our passion is connecting people to music from the past that they might adore. So we’ve introduced a new feature: The Weekend Stream, which focuses on hidden gems that recently made it to digital channels that might make your playlists a little brighter! Aaliyah, Aaliyah (Blackground/EMPIRE) (iTunes / Amazon / Spotify) The Blackground Records digital rollout…

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Dance Out of My Head: Demon Collects Shep Pettibone Mixes from Whitney, Elton, Lionel, More on New Box Set

Producer-DJ Arthur Baker has brought his magic touch to recordings by everybody from Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen to Tina Turner and Diana Ross, turning pop, rock, and R&B hits into dance floor-fillers.  Now, Baker is looking back and taking stock of his fellow Dance Masters with a new series from Demon Music Group.  Arthur Baker Presents Dance Masters: The Shep Pettibone Master Mixes is an expansive salute from one legendary remixer to another.  Available on 4 CDs (47 songs in one box set) or 2 LPs (32 tracks across two releases),…

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The Weekend Stream: July 2, 2021

While The Second Disc prides itself on connecting people to reissues and box sets they can keep on their shelves, it’s no secret that listening audiences are also digital – catalogue music lovers, too – and our passion is connecting people to music from the past that they might adore. So we’ve introduced a new feature: The Weekend Stream, which focuses on hidden gems that recently made it to digital channels that might make your playlists a little brighter! And today’s is a bit super-sized, bringing together releases from this week, last…

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The Weekend Stream: May 15, 2021

While The Second Disc prides itself on connecting people to reissues and box sets they can keep on their shelves, it’s no secret that listening audiences are also digital – catalogue music lovers, too – and our passion is connecting people to music from the past that they might adore. So we’ve introduced a new Saturday feature: The Weekend Stream, which focuses on hidden gems that recently made it to digital channels that might make your playlists a little brighter! Various Artists, Philadelphia International Records: The Tom Moulton Remixes (Philadelphia International Records/Legacy)…

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The Weekend Stream: April 17, 2021

While The Second Disc prides itself on connecting people to reissues and box sets they can keep on their shelves, it’s no secret that listening audiences are also digital – catalogue music lovers, too – and our passion is connecting people to music from the past that they might adore. So we’re introducing a new Saturday feature: The Weekend Stream, which focuses on hidden gems that recently made it to digital channels that might make your playlists a little brighter! Lionel Richie, Louder Than Words: Deluxe Edition (Mercury/UMe) (iTunes / Amazon / Spotify) After…

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Release Round-Up: Week of August 29

Here’s your Release Round Up for the week ahead. Various Artists, Country Music — A Film By Ken Burns: The Soundtrack (Legacy Recordings) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.) 5CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 2CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 2LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada 1CD: Walmart.com Filmmaker Ken Burns has tackled many subjects over the years, from the Civil War to baseball. His documentaries have garnered numerous awards over the years. In 2001, he took an in-depth look at the genre…

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Release Round-Up: Week of August 16

Welcome to this week’s Release Round-Up! Various Artists, Cadillac Baby’s Bea & Baby Records: The Definitive Collection (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada) Earwig Music has one of the year’s most intriguing box sets and most significant historical excavations – a beautiful 124-page, 4-CD hardcover tome chronicling in words and music the story of Narvel Eatmon, a.k.a. Cadillac Baby, and his Chicago label Bea & Baby Records. From 1959-1989, the label and its various imprints (among them Key, Keyhole, Miss, and Ronald) championed the Windy City music scene with an…

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Shop Around: “Motown: Greatest Hits” Arrives From Universal U.K.

Back in March, we filled you in about Universal Japan’s plans for Motown’s 60th anniversary campaign, which included a series of reissues and a 3-CD, 60-song collection.  We recently reviewed the U.S.’ reissue of the definitive Motown: The Complete No. 1s box set.  Now, the U.K. is getting into the act with a different 3-CD, 60-song anthology of its own. Motown: Greatest Hits arrives on August 16.  Like the Japanese set, it boasts 60 classics from the label on three CDs, but the selection is largely different and, naturally, tailored to the…

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Return To West Grand Boulevard: ‘Motown: The Complete No. 1s’ Box Gets Expanded Reissue

For its 60th anniversary year, Universal Music Enterprises has begun reminding fans that “Motown Did It First“; now, the label that launched The Sound Of Young America is revisiting a box set that was released in celebration of its 50th anniversary a decade ago. Motown: The Complete No. 1s is being reissued and expanded on June 28. Motown: The Complete No. 1s featured more than 200 international chart-toppers, plus a handful of bonus masters that went to No. 1 through cover versions or samples. And the packaging was a delight: the discs…

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Motown Did It First: Japan’s Motown 60 Campaign Reissues Supremes, Temptations, Four Tops, Gladys, Martha, Brenda, and More

Motown Did It First! That’s the campaign slogan for Universal Japan’s ongoing program celebrating the venerable label’s 60th anniversary.  And indeed, the influence of Motown – still the most successful African-American-founded record label of all time – can’t be underestimated when considering the current music scene. A number of physical releases have already been released in Japan to mark the anniversary, most of which are available as affordable imports and include titles not commonly available on the CD format. This first wave of titles is anchored by the compilation Motown 60, featuring…

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The Boss: Diana Ross Celebrated with New Digital Compilation

Usually it takes 60 years to get to a diamond anniversary, but what’s a few years early to celebrate Diana Ross! The R&B legend will be honored with a lifetime achievement award at the American Music Awards on November 19, and a new digital compilation will be released that weekend (Friday, November 17) to get the celebration started. Diamond Diana: The Legacy Collection is a breezy 15-track non-chronological trip through Miss Ross’ unprecedented career. Focusing primarily on her solo years, the set does feature one track with The Supremes (“You Can’t Hurry…

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Reissued Commodores LP is Stacked, and That’s a Fact

Four decades ago, Southern funk band the Commodores established their place in the pop-soul pantheon with their self-titled fifth album. Now, Universal Music Enterprises is revisiting the album in a brand new way, as an expanded vinyl set. Commodores continued the Tuskegee, Alabama-bred group’s ascendancy, balancing hip dance tracks with sweet balladry. The alpha and omega of these styles featured co-lead singer/drummer Walter Orange, trumpeter William King and bassist Ronald LaPread leading the group on the funky “Brick House,” while Lionel Richie’s tender, almost country-style “Easy” (with a delicate piano hook from…

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What’s Going On: “Motown 25” Comes To DVD In New Box Set, Highlights DVDs

On the evening of March 25, 1983, the Pasadena Civic Auditorium was alive with the sound of music – the Sound of Young America, to be more specific.  Motown Records was celebrating its 25th anniversary, and producer Suzanne de Passe wasn’t pulling any stops.  “Once in a lifetime” was as overused in 1983 as it is today, but the galaxy of stars assembled by de Passe couldn’t be described any other way: Diana Ross and the Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Lionel Richie and the Commodores, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Stevie Wonder, Mary…

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Morales Preps the (Dance) Sound of Young America on “Club Motown”

Calling all ’80s Motown fans! Universal’s U.K. arm has issued a double disc set of 20 classic club mixes from the label, curated by noted remixer John Morales. Motown of course crafted the sound of young America throughout the ’60s and created some deeply affecting funk and soul in the ’70s, but the ’80s was still a prolific time, thanks to popular R&B/dance acts including Rick James and DeBarge as well as established acts like The Temptations and Commodores frontman Lionel Richie. Morales and partner Sergio Munzibal, the “M+M” mixing team, turned…

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Friday Feature: “White Nights”

Quick! What’s the last big hit you can name from a soundtrack? It’s not easy, is it? The world of music and movies used to be so intertwined, with chart-topping hits spinning off of blockbuster movies like nobody’s business. 1984 was a great year for that, with Purple Rain, Footloose, Ghostbusters and even The Woman in Red yielding high-selling, award-winning singles. Today, though? The most recent soundtrack hit I can think of might be Kelly Clarkson’s “Breakaway,” and nobody remembers it came from the soundtrack to 2004’s The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement before Clarkson put…

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