Ultimate Collection
Smokey Robinson and the Miracles' 25-cut disc is the single most  impressive one of Motown'sUltimate Collectionseries (which features 17  artists). Combining Smokey's endlessly inventive twists on romance (good and  bad) with the Miracles' handful of straight-up party hits, it showcases one of  American pop's most sure-footed and touching acts. The frontman's prowess as  singer, writer, and producer lights up each of these single mixes;  less-celebrated tracks like "My Girl Has Gone," "(You Can) Depend on Me," and  "The Love I Saw in You Was Just a Mirage" stand as tall as the many oldies-radio  staples featured here. (For much more, including "Mirage's" unstoppable flip  side, "Come Spy with Me," check out the four-disc35th Anniversarybox set.)  Robinson and his collaborators, both in and out of the group, regularly injected  undeniable emotion into their creamy constructions, making for a stack of tracks  that remain as relevant as the contemporary creations of fansLennon-McCartneyandBob Dylan.--Rickey Wright