Forever Diana: Musical Memoirs

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Forever Diana: Musical Memoirs
Box set by Diana Ross
Released	October 5, 1993
Recorded	1962–1993
Genre	Pop, Soul, Disco
Label	Motown
Diana Ross chronology
Stolen Moments: The Lady Sings... Jazz and Blues (1993) Forever Diana: Musical Memoirs (1993) One Woman: The Ultimate Collection (1993)
Singles from Forever Diana: Musical Memoirs
"The Best Years of My Life" Released: November 9, 1993

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Music Week	[2]

Forever Diana: Musical Memoirs is a four-CD box set of recordings by American singer Diana Ross released on October 5, 1993 by Motown Records.

In addition to all of her eighteen #1 hits, the seventy-eight track set contained five previously unreleased tracks.

Disc 1 collects Ross' greatest hits with The Supremes from 1962 to 1969, disc 2 covers her early solo career from her eponymous debut album through to the 1978 soundtrack The Wiz, disc 3 her disco era hits with Chic and her recordings for the RCA label up until 1985's "Chain Reaction", all in chronological order. Disc 4 mainly features tracks from Ross' then most recent studio albums Workin' Overtime (1989) and The Force Behind the Power (1991) together with five newly recorded tracks as well as three previously unreleased live recordings.

While Forever Diana: Musical Memoirs undoubtedly is the most comprehensive retrospective of Ross' career to date, with its seventy-seven tracks and a total running time of near 300 minutes, the box set received mixed reviews from both fans and music critics on its release, mainly for omitting a number of her greatest hits and signature tunes from the 1970s and 1980s - including no tracks from either 1983's Ross or 1987's Red Hot Rhythm & Blues - but also for using edited 7" versions of both "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" and "Love Hangover" instead of the original full-length album versions that have been featured on a number of other best of compilations issued by Motown Records/Universal Music both before and since. Additional controversy erupted due to the faulty mastering of the Mono singles featured on the album, resulting in uneven sound quality that was so disappointing, Motown had to recall the first pressings.

There is an error on many of the pressings of Disc 2. Instead of the listed track "Surrender", the track that was actually included is "I Can't Give Back The Love I Feel For You", which was a track featured on the 1971 album Surrender.

The box-set was duly promoted with her New York Times Best Seller autobiography, Secrets of a Sparrow. The album art by Michel Comte' was also used as the cover art of her autobiography. Merchandising items including a retail stand-up and posters were cross marketed at record stores and book stores concurrently. Diana also held a couple of rare book signings at Harrods in London and Barnes & Noble on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. According to Billboard magazine, "Forever Diana: Musical Memoirs" has sold 73,000 US copies since its release. It peaked at #88 on the Top R&B Albums chart.