Platinum Hits 2000

Performer: Various Artists
Engineer: David Frazer; Chipman Verspek; Robb Williams; Brian Frye; Stephen Dent; Kevin Crouse; Luke Ebbin; Mark Endert; Nick Bracegirdle
Distributor: Sony Music Distribution (

Notes: Producers include: Lauryn Hill, KC Porter, Cory Rooney, R. Kelly, Poke & Tone. Personnel: Darren Hayes (vocals, background vocals); Bryan Adams (vocals); Walter Afanasieff (keyboards, synthesizer, programming, drum programming); Luke Ebbin (programming); Mai Huggins, Maurice Joshua (background vocals). Audio Mixers: Manny Marroquin; Dave Way; Errol Brown ; Storm Jefferson; Jermaine Dupri; Maurice Joshua; Mick Guzauski; Mike Shipley; Nick Bracegirdle; Phil Tan; Richard Travali; Russ Fowler; Tony Maserati. Audio Remixers: Pablo Flores; Javier Garza; Jay Denes; Maurice Joshua. Recording information: Additional Locations; Backbeach Recording Studio; Bearsville Sound Studios, Bearsville, NY; Chung King Studios, New York, NY; EMI Studios, Santa Monica, CA; Hartman Way Sound Studios, West Hills, CA; KrossWire Studios, Atlanta, GA; Marley Music, Inc., Kingston, Jamaica; Orphan Studios; Right Track Studios, New York, NY; Sony Music Studios, New York, NY; Southern Living At Its Finest, Atlanta, GA; SouthSide Studios, Atlanta, GA; Sugarhill Recording Studio, Houston, TX; The Hit Factory, New York, NY. Arrangers: Darren Hayes; Lauryn Hill; Walter Afanasieff. At a time when record companies are joining forces to produce million-selling hits anthologies like the Now and Totally Hits series, Columbia Records goes it alone on this compilation, which demonstrates that the venerable label has scored successes in a variety of genres and on several charts in the last year or so. (Perhaps it should be described here as the Columbia Records label group, since it includes such imprints as Ruffhouse, Track Masters, So So Def, C2, and Xtravaganza.) Country music is excluded -- in the music business, that's a separate entity -- but Platinum Hits 2000 (the title is a gross exaggeration, of course) covers a wide range, from hip-hop to folk-rock, demonstrating not only Columbia's diversity, but also the label's ability to generate hits for disparate performers. Seven Top Ten pop hits are featured, among them the chart-toppers "Doo Wop (That Thing)," by Lauryn Hill (a bit long in the tooth, dating back to August 1998) and "Say My Name," by Destiny's Child. There are also six Top Ten R&B hits, four of which hit number one -- "Say My Name," Maxwell's "Fortunate," Jagged Edge's "Let's Get Married," and Lil' Bow Wow's "Bounce with Me," which fortuitously hit the top of the chart the week Platinum Hits 2000 was released and prior to the issuance of the artist's own album containing it. Among the other notable tracks on the album are Will Smith's entertainingly boastful rap "Freakin' It," Jessica Simpson's teen pop anthem "I Wanna Love You Forever," Mary Mary's gospel-soaked breakthrough "Shackles (Praise You)," Shawn Mullins' sardonic hit "Lullaby," and the British dance-pop sensation "Don't Give Up," by Chicane featuring an unrecognizable Bryan Adams on vocals. Such stylistically conflicting recordings manage to work together on the same compilation largely because of a lot of dance remixes that keep the beat going no matter the kind of music and because of clever sequencing that, like a good club/dance set, may cause the listener to reconsider a song previously dismissed. In reality, there's nothing tying these tracks together but the big record label they come from, and yet the album hangs together, which is an accomplishment. ~ William Ruhlmann This pop compilation appears pretty much as advertised; a collection of chart-burners from some of the heaviest hitters in circa-2000 pop. As such, it accurately represents the state of said scene, including Latin pop (Marc Anthony, heartthrob Ricky Martin), rock (Splender), soul (Maxwell), rock (Splender), and pure pop (Savage Garden). PLATINUM HITS 2000 makes the stylistic transitions seem surprisingly smooth. The slinky R&B/pop of female harmony group Destiny's Child gives way to Martin's pumped-up rhythmic syncopation. The Spanish-language slow jams of Son By 4 lead almost seamlessly into alt-rocker Shawn Mullins' power-ballad "Lullaby." The fact that many of the cuts here are radio edits, as opposed to album versions, just serves to further create a kind of virtual-Top 40 radio experience for the listener.

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