# Sessions (compilation series)

Sessions is a series of DJ mix albums, each album normally by a different DJ who also compiles the tracks, released by the London-based electronic dance music label Ministry of Sound. Alongside The Annual, it is one of Ministry of Sound's better-known compilation album series.

## History

The Ministry of Sound record label began in 1993, and the first release on it was The Sessions Volume One, a 12-track mix compiled and mixed by Tony Humphries. It was critically acclaimed and more Sessions were released to critical acclaim and even charted higher in the UK Compilation Chart. Sessions 5, by Masters at Work, was the first double album in the series and every volume since has either been a double or triple album. In 1995, 1997, 1999 (and two later editions in 2003, and one in 2011) is the Late Night Sessions series. The first edition from 1995 was mixed by DJ Harvey. In about 2000, the Sessions series was a joint release between Ministry of Sound and Defected Records. This lasted for volumes 10-15. Volume 12 was the last of the original series of Sessions. It had become more of an Defected release than a Ministry of Sound release evidenced by the fact the Ministry of Sound's logo wasn't even present on the twelfth Sessions cover. Volumes 13, 14 and 15 actually didn't feature a number in the title.
After focusing on the spin-off series Chillout Sessions, which ran initially for 8 volumes between 2001 and 2003 (plus a 9th volume in 2006), Ministry of Sound "rebooted" the Sessions series with a brand new album released in 2005. This was the entirely live recording from Tim Sheridan and Smokin' Jo. This rebooted Sessions lasted for fifteen volumes until 2007. The last five albums of the 15 in this reboot had the issue number as a suffix to the title. 2007 also saw the release of Sessions Summer 2007. Another Summer edition was released in 2009. Various other Sessions were released such as Funky House Sessions.

### Spin-offs

The Chillout Sessions series is perhaps the best-known "spin-off" to the series, beginning in early 2001 when Ministry of Sound started get digital mixers to mix their albums as opposed to big-name DJs like Tall Paul, Pete Tong or Paul Oakenfold.

## Series overview

Note: These refer to the albums released in the UK under the Ministry of Sound label, and not any of the alternate releases from other countries or labels (unless it's Defected Records)
All releases that are a jointed release between MOS and Defected are mentioned in the notes sections.

### Main series (UK)

| Year | Title | DJ/compiler | UK Comp. Chart position | Notes |
| 1993 | The Sessions Volume One | Tony Humphries | 16 | The first ever DJ mix album. Also the first album released on Ministry of Sound's label. |
| 1994 | The Sessions Volume Two | Paul Oakenfold | 6 | First Released Paul Oakenfold DJ mix. |
| 1994 | The Sessions Volume 3 | Clivilles & Cole | 8 | Also released across Europe |
| 1995 | Sessions 4 | C.J. Mackintosh | 9 | Last single-disc album in the series. |
| 1995 | Late Night Sessions | DJ Harvey | – | Not the same album as the Late Night Sessions released in 2003 or 2011 |
| 1995 | The Sessions Volume 5 | Masters at Work | 15 | First double album in the series |
| 1996 | Sessions Six | Frankie Knuckles | 8 | Disc 1 is Song Disc, Disc 2 is Track Disc. |
| 1997 | Sessions Seven | David Morales | 4 | Allmusic rating: |
| 1997 | Late Night Sessions II | X-Press 2 | – | |
| 1997 | Sessions Eight | Todd Terry | 11 | Allmusic rating: |
| 1998 | Sessions Nine | Erick Morillo | 17 | |
| 1999 | Late Night Sessions III | Farley & Heller | 49 | |
| 2000 | Sessions Ten: Subliminal Sessions | Erick Morillo, Harry "Choo Choo" Romero, José Nunez | 18 | First album in the series mixed by multiple DJs. |
| 2001 | Sessions Eleven: The R-Senal Sessions | Roger Sanchez | – | First release on the Defected label. |
| 2001 | The Chillout Sessions | ? | 1 | First of the Chillout Sessions |
| 2001 | Sessions Twelve: The Magic Sessions | Little Louie Vega, Tony Humphries and Tedd Patterson | 36 | Only some copies featured the Ministry of Sound logo. Released with Defected Records. |
| 2001 | The Chillout Session 2 | ? | 2 | |
| 2001 | Ibiza Chillout Session | ? | 12 | |
| 2001 | Kings of Tomorrow Sessions | Sandy Rivera | 43 | Released with Defected Records. |
| 2002 | Defected Sessions | Full Intention and Smokin' Jo | – | Released with Defected Records. |
| 2002 | The Chillout Session Ibiza 2002 | Alex Macnutt | 4 | Allmusic rating: |
| 2002 | Soulfuric Sessions | Jazz 'N' groove | – | Final release with Defected Records. |
| 2002 | The Chillout Session 2003 - Winter Collection | Dave 'Deadly Turner' | 20 | |
| 2003 | Late Night Sessions | ? | 9 | Not the same album as the Late Night Sessions released in 2003 or 2011. Allmusic rating: |
| 2003 | The Chillout Session Summer Collection 2003 | Alex Macnutt (compiler) Steve Canuento, Dipesh Parmer (mix producers) | 10 | |
| 2003 | The Chillout Session Ibiza Sunsets | ? | 11 | Disc one is As the Sun Sets, Disc two is After Sunset. Allmusic rating: |
| 2003 | Late Night Sessions Autumn Collection | ? | 28 | |
| 2003 | The Very Best of Chillout Session | ? | 48 | "Best of" for the Chillout Sessions. |
| 2004 | Saturday Sessions | John Carter & Mark Hughes | ? | Artwork is similar to the Australian Sessions series. |
| 2005 | Funky House Sessions | Dipesh Parmar | 5 | |
| 2005 | Sessions $^$$ | Smokin Jo and Tim Sheridan | – | First release in the June 2005 – present revival |
| 2005 | Sessions $^$$ | Derrick Carter | – | |
| 2006 | The Chillout Session | Unknown | 15 | Not the same album as that of the 2001 release. Liner notes list producer, mixer and compiler ("This album was brought to you by ...") Individual roles not specified. |
| 2006 | Sessions $^$$ | Steve Angello | – | |
| 2006 | Funky House Sessions 06 | ? | 2 | |
| 2006 | Sessions $^$$ | DJ Sneak | – | |
| 2006 | Sessions $^$$ | Josh Wink | – | |
| 2006 | Sessions $^$$ | Mark Farina | – | |
| 2006 | Sessions $^$$ | Seamus Haji | – | |
| 2006 | Sessions $^$$ | Axwell | – | Disc one is The Club, disc two is The Villa. |
| 2006 | Sessions $^$$ | Cajmere vs Green Velvet | – | |
| 2006 | Sessions $^$$ | Andy Cato | – | Final "$" album |
| 2007 | Sessions 11 | Fedde le Grand | – | The numbering system returned on this album at volume #11 The volumes 1-10 in this system were the Sessions $^$$ albums. |
| 2007 | Electro House Sessions | Unknown | 3 | Subtitled The Sound of Electro House. |
| 2007 | Sessions 12 | Mark Knight | – | |
| 2007 | Funky House Sessions 07 | ? | 2 | |
| 2007 | Sessions 13 | D. Ramirez | – | |
| 2007 | Sessions 14 | Sebastian Ingrosso | – | Contains a hidden track. |
| 2007 | Sessions Summer 2007 | Seamus Haji, Dave Spoon, Chris Coco | ? | |
| 2007 | Sessions 15 | N.Y.N.C. Project | – | |
| 2007 | Sessions 16 | Harry "Choo Choo" Romero | – | The final album of the 16-part Sessions series of 2005–2007. |
| 2008 | Sessions 8.1 | Meat Katie | | |
| 2009 | Summer Sessions | ? | 4 | Disc 1 is Summer Dance, Disc 2 is Summer Funk, Disc 3 is Summer Chill. |
| 2009 | The Chilled House Session | ? | 13 | |
| 2011 | Chilled House Session 2 | ? | 40 | |
| 2011 | Late Night Sessions | ? | ? | Not the same album as the 1995 or 2003 albums. |
| 2012 | Chilled House Session 3 | ? | ? | |
| 2012 | Saturday Sessions | TBC | TBC | Released 14 May 2012. |

### Australian albums

| Year | Title | DJ/compiler | ARIA Position (Dance album chart) |
| 2001 | The Chillout Session (Same as UK release) | | - |
| 2001 | The Chillout Session 2 | | 1 |
| 2002 | The Chillout Sessions 3 | | 1 |
| 2003 | Chillout Sessions 4 | | 1 |
| 2003 | Late Night Sessions | Mark Dynamix | 7 |
| 2003 | House Sessions | Grant Smillie & Tim McGee | 8 |
| 2004 | The Chillout Session: Summer Collection 2004 | | 1 |
| 2004 | Chillout Sessions 5 | | 1 |
| 2004 | Sessions One | John Course & Mark Dynamix | 1 |
| 2004 | Chillout Sessions 6 | | 1 |
| 2005 | Chillout Sessions 7 | | 1 |
| 2005 | Sessions Two | John Course & Mark Dynamix | 1 |
| 2005 | Kid Kenobi Sessions | Kid Kenobi | 6 |
| 2005 | Chillout Sessions 8 | | 1 |
| 2006 | Sessions Three | John Course & Goodwill | 1 |
| 2006 | Chillout Sessions 9 | | 3 |
| 2007 | Sessions Four | John Course & Dirty South | 1 |
| 2007 | Kid Kenobi Sessions 2007 | Kid Kenobi | 4 |
| 2007 | Electro House Sessions | Tommy Trash & The Stafford Brothers | 1 |
| 2007 | Chillout Sessions 10 | | 2 |
| 2008 | Electro House Sessions 2 | Tommy Trash & The Stafford Brothers | 1 |
| 2008 | Sessions Five | The Potbelleez & Goodwill | 1 |
| 2008 | Chillout Sessions XI | | 1 |
| 2009 | Ministry of Sound Sessions Six | Goodwill, Tommy Trash & Dirty South | 1 |
| 2009 | Chillout Sessions XII | | 3 |
| 2010 | Electro House Sessions 3 | Klaas & The Only | 3 |
| 2010 | Sessions Seven | Stafford Brothers, Tommy Trash & Steve Aoki | 1 |
| 2010 | Chillout Sessions XIII | | 2 |
| 2011 | Electro House Sessions 4 | Timmy Trumpet & Rob Pix | 2 |
| 2011 | Sessions Eight | Sam La More & Tommy Trash | 1 |
| 2011 | Chillout Sessions XIV | | 4 |
| 2012 | SessioNZ (New Zealand exclusive released by Ministry of Sound Australia) | General Lee & Daniel Farley | - |
| 2012 | Electro House Sessions Vol. 5 | The Only & Rob Pix | 3 |
| 2012 | Sessions Nine | Timmy Trumpet & Tom Piper | 1 |
| 2012 | Chillout Sessions XV | | - |
| 2013 | Sessions 10 | Timmy Trumpet & Scndl | - |