Kylie Minogue "Ultimate Kylie"

Ultimate Kylie is the second major greatest hits album by Australian recording artist Kylie Minogue, and her first greatest hits released under her contract with Parlophone, her record company between 1999-2015. The compilation was released in many different formats including a two-disc edition and a deluxe double disc with a bonus DVD. A separate compilation DVD with the same name, was released to accompany the audio versions. The album includes two new tracks; its lead single, "I Believe in You", and the second single, "Giving You Up". A third track, "Made of Glass", was recorded for the album but not used; it was included on the physical releases of "Giving You Up".

Ultimate Kylie was commended by contemporary critics who noted the musical and credible progression from the start of her career; some critics criticized the earlier material. The album reached the top ten in the United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland, Greece, and Germany, while it charted in several other territories including Spain, Sweden, and New Zealand. The album was certified platinum by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) for one million shipments throughout Europe. "I Believe in You" debuted inside the top ten in several countries worldwide, while "Giving You Up" charted moderately in some regions. The compilation was promoted through the Showgirl: The Greatest Hits Tour in 2005. After Minogue was diagnosed with breast cancer, she cancelled the tour and was resumed with another leg in 2006.

This compilation was superseded by 2019's Step Back in Time: The Definitive Collection with only three tracks not being included on that 2-CD set.

Ultimate Kylie is Minogue's ninth greatest hits album, and her first compilation through Parlophone. The release follows her eight previous greatest hits albums, The Kylie Collection (1988), Greatest Hits (1992), Hits+ (2000), Confide in Me (2001), Greatest Hits 87–97 and its re-release (2002 and 03), Greatest Hits: 87–99 (2003), and Artist Collection (2004). Greatest Hits and Hits+ are her only compilations released through her signed labels; Greatest Hits was released through her 1987-1992 record label, PWL, and Hits+ was released through her 1993-1998 record label, Deconstruction Records. Ultimate Kylie is her first greatest hits album under her contract with Parlophone; her final greatest hits release through the contract was The Albums 2000–2010 (2011). On Minogue's website, she shared her thoughts on the release:

Since my first hit, I can’t believe how quickly time has passed. This collection is very dear to me and holds a lifetime of memories. There is nothing like time to give you a sense of perspective and I hope the listener gets as much enjoyment out of these tracks as I do. I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to experiment throughout the years and that my fans have embraced the need in me to try new approaches. I am just as excited about the new tracks featured here as I am about all the others on the record. At this point in my career, I am happy to celebrate the past and look forward to the future.

On 22 November 2004, Ultimate Kylie was released as a standard two-disc set. Three versions were issued; the standard two-disc set, and a digital release through Amazon.com and iTunes Store; as of May 2011, the digital release has been removed from digital stores. The third format was a triple-disc package, with the original two-discs and a bonus DVD, including music video content; this was released in Australia through HMV stores in 2006. A DVD with the same name was released which included several music videos of Minogue that have never appeared on a DVD before. It includes the completed video of the single "I Believe in You", but no video of "Giving You Up" was produced at the album and DVD's release.

"I Believe in You" was released as the lead single from the compilation. Premiered on radio stations on 14 October 2004, it was released in the United Kingdom on 6 December 2004. "I Believe in You" reached the number two position in the region, only behind "Do They Know It's Christmas?" by Band Aid. It also peaked within the top ten in Australia, Austria, Denmark, Italy and Ireland, also becoming her best entry on Billboard's Hot Dance Club Songs chart, after "Slow".

It was announced that "Giving You Up" would be released as the second and last single from the compilation. It was released as a single on 28 March 2005 in the United Kingdom. It peaked at number six on the singles charts, giving Minogue her 30th top ten hit. It also reached the top ten in Australia, Scotland and Spain, and the top twenty in Denmark, Finland and Ireland.

Track listing

Disc one

1. "Better the Devil You Know" (from Rhythm of Love, 1990) 3:53
2. "The Loco-Motion" (7" mix; from Kylie, 1988) 3:14
3. "I Should Be So Lucky" (from Kylie, 1988) 3:24
4. "Step Back in Time" (from Rhythm of Love, 1990) 3:04
5. "Shocked" (DNA 7" mix featuring Jazzi P; from Rhythm of Love, 1990)  3:09
6. "What Do I Have to Do" (7" mix; from Rhythm of Love, 1990) 3:33
7. "Wouldn't Change a Thing" (from Enjoy Yourself, 1989) 3:14
8. "Hand on Your Heart" (from Enjoy Yourself, 1989) 3:51
9. "Especially for You" (with Jason Donovan; from Ten Good Reasons, 1989) 3:56
10. "Got to Be Certain" (from Kylie, 1988) 3:19
11. "Je Ne Sais Pas Pourquoi" (from Kylie, 1988) 4:01
12. "Give Me Just a Little More Time" (from Let's Get to It, 1991) 3:06
13. "Never Too Late" (from Enjoy Yourself, 1989)   3:21
14. "Tears on My Pillow" (from Enjoy Yourself, 1989) 2:29
15. "Celebration" (from Greatest Hits, 1992) 3:57

Total length: 51:35

Disc two

1. "I Believe in You" 3:21
2. "Can't Get You Out of My Head" (from Fever, 2001) 3:49
3. "Love at First Sight" (from Fever, 2001) 3:57
4. "Slow" (from Body Language, 2003) 3:13
5. "On a Night Like This" (from Light Years, 2000) 3:33
6. "Spinning Around" (from Light Years, 2000) 3:27
7. "Kids" (with Robbie Williams; from Light Years, 2000) 4:20
8. "Confide in Me" (Radio Edit; from Kylie Minogue, 1994) 4:26
9. "In Your Eyes" (from Fever, 2001) 3:18
10. "Please Stay" (from Light Years, 2000) 4:04
11. "Red Blooded Woman" (from Body Language, 2003) 4:20
12. "Giving You Up" 3:30
13. "Chocolate" (Radio Edit; from Body Language, 2003) 4:01
14. "Come into My World" (Single Version; from Fever, 2001) 4:06
15. "Put Yourself in My Place" (Radio Edit; from Kylie Minogue, 1994) 4:11
16. "Did It Again" (Radio Edit; from Impossible Princess, 1997) 4:14
17. "Breathe" (Radio Edit; from Impossible Princess, 1997)  3:40
18. "Where the Wild Roses Grow" (with Nick Cave; from Murder Ballads, 1996) 3:57

Total length: 69:26

Kylie Minogue "Fever"

Fever is the eighth studio album by Australian singer Kylie Minogue, released on 1 October 2001 internationally by Parlophone. The album was later released in the United States on 26 February 2002 by Capitol Records and was Minogue's first album release in the region since her second studio album Enjoy Yourself (1989). Minogue worked with writers and producers such as Cathy Dennis, Rob Davis, Richard Stannard, Julian Gallagher, TommyD, Tom Nichols, Pascal Gabriel and others to create the disco and Europop-influenced dance-pop album. Other musical influences of the album range from synth-pop to club music.

Four singles were released from the album. Its lead "Can't Get You Out of My Head" was released in September 2001 and became a massive commercial success, peaking atop the charts of 40 countries and selling more than six million copies worldwide. The song, which is often recognised as Minogue's signature song, is her highest selling single as of present and one of the best-selling singles of all time. Follow-up singles "In Your Eyes" and "Love at First Sight" also performed well on charts internationally. The last single "Come into My World" won the Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording in 2004. All four singles charted within the top 10 in Australia and the United Kingdom, with "Can't Get You Out of My Head" peaking at number one in both countries. To promote the album, Minogue embarked on her seventh concert tour, the KylieFever2002 tour.

Upon its release, Fever received positive reviews from music critics, many of whom praised its production and commercial appeal. Likewise, the album was a commercial success, peaking at number one on the charts of countries like Australia, Austria, Germany, Ireland and the UK. In the US, the album peaked at number three on the US Billboard 200 chart, becoming Minogue's biggest album in the country. The album was certified seven-times platinum in Australia by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), five-times platinum in the UK by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), and platinum in the US by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Fever won the International Album at the 2002 Brit Awards awards show ceremony. In Australia, Fever was the thirteenth best selling album of the decade.

In 1998, Minogue was dropped from her label Deconstruction following the poor commercial performance of her sixth studio album Impossible Princess. She instead signed on to Parlophone and released her seventh studio album Light Years. The disco and Europop-inspired album was a critical and commercial success, and was later certified four times-platinum in Minogue's native country Australia for shipment of 280,000 units, and platinum in the UK for shipment of 300,000 units. "Spinning Around" was released as the lead single off the album and was a commercial success, attaining a platinum certification in Australia for shipment of 70,000 units, and a silver certification in the United Kingdom for shipment of 200,000 units. She promoted the album by embarking on the On a Night Like This tour.

Soon after, Minogue began work on her eighth studio album Fever. On the album, she collaborated with producers and writers such as British singer-songwriter Cathy Dennis, who co-wrote two songs out of the three she co-produced, Rob Davis, who co-produced and co-wrote three songs, and Richard Stannard and Julian Gallagher, who co-produced and co-wrote six songs ("Love At First Sight", "In Your Eyes", "Love Affair" , "Boy" , Rendezvous At Sunset,and "Music Will Always Love You"). In the vein of Light Years, Fever is a disco and dance-pop album that contains elements of adult contemporary and club music. The album was recorded at studios such as the Biffco Studios in Dublin, Hutch Studios in Chicago, Olympic Studios in London and Stella Studios.

Fever was released by Parlophone on 1 October 2001, in Australia, the United Kingdom, and other European countries. In the United States, the album was released by Capitol Records on 26 February 2002, and was Minogue's first album to be released in the country since her second studio album Enjoy Yourself (1989). Thus, Minogue was reintroduced to the US after nearly 13 years of inactivity in the region. A special edition of the album, containing a previously unreleased track entitled "Whenever You Feel Like It", was released on 19 November 2002.

Minogue's close friend and stylist William Baker, collaborated with graphic designer Tony Hung to create the artwork's concept of electro-minimalism. On the cover, which was photographed by Vincent Peters, Minogue is seen "bound by a microphone cord, literally tied to her craft" and dressed in white leotard designed by Fee Doran, under the label of Mrs Jones, and shoes made by Manolo Blahnik. In her 2012 fashion retrospective book Kylie / Fashion, Minogue commented on the album's theme, saying: "The whole campaign was so strong, sure, ice cool. Willie's [William's] styling was incredible and [Peters'] photography made for a second amazing album cover with him." A new cover was issued for the US version of the album and features a close-up of Minogue biting on a bracelet. The US version cover also served as one of two CD single covers for second single of the album, "In Your Eyes".

Minogue launched the KylieFever2002 concert tour to promote the album. The tour was split in seven acts and "Can't Get You Out of My Head", "Come Into My World", "Fever", "In Your Eyes", "Love at First Sight" and "Burning Up" were the songs from the album to be included on the setlist. For the performances, Minogue wore "skimpy" and skin-tight outfits, and was often seen wearing a glittering silver bikini and skirt coupled with silver boots. The outfits were designed by Italian luxury industry fashion house Dolce and Gabbana, and Minogue went through a total of eight costume changes during the tour. The performances that took place at the Manchester Evening News Arena, England, were filmed for inclusion in the live DVD for the concert tour entitled KylieFever2002: Live in Manchester, which was released on 18 November 2002. The DVD was certified platinum in Canada for sales of 10,000 units, gold in Germany for sales of 25,000 units, and double-platinum in the United Kingdom for shipments of 100,000 units.

Track listing

1. "More More More" 4:40
2. "Love at First Sight" 3:57
3. "Can't Get You Out of My Head" 3:49
4. "Fever" 3:30
5. "Give It to Me" 2:48
6. "Fragile" 3:44
7. "Come into My World" 4:30
8. "In Your Eyes" 3:18
9. "Dancefloor" 3:23
10. "Love Affair" 3:47
11. "Your Love" 3:47
12. "Burning Up" 3:59

Total length: 45:27