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‘Buttered Popcorn’: How The Supremes could have sounded without Diana Ross
The article looks back at ‘Buttered Popcorn’, an early Supremes single from the group’s pre-fame years, to explore how differently the Motown act might have sounded had Diana Ross not become their defining lead voice. Released in the early 1960s before the group’s breakthrough, the track featured a different member on lead vocals, offering a glimpse of an alternative musical direction that never materialised once Ross was pushed to the forefront by Motown boss Berry Gordy. The piece is of interest to soul and Motown fans as a reminder that The Supremes' now-iconic sound was not inevitable but the result of specific creative and commercial decisions.
The article situates ‘Buttered Popcorn’ within the group's formative period, when The Supremes were still finding their identity and had yet to achieve the run of hits that made them one of the best-selling girl groups in history. It highlights how Motown's eventual decision to centre Ross as lead singer reshaped the group's trajectory, sidelining other members' vocal contributions and setting the template for the polished pop sound that followed.
In short
- Article revisits The Supremes’ early single ‘Buttered Popcorn’.
- Track featured a lead vocalist other than Diana Ross.
- Explores how Motown’s choice to feature Ross reshaped the group.
Explained simply
The Supremes were an American girl group that went on to become one of the best-selling groups in music history. Before achieving major fame, they recorded an early single called "Buttered Popcorn" in the early 1960s featuring a different member on lead vocals instead of Diana Ross.
Diana Ross eventually became the face and lead singer of the group, a choice made by Berry Gordy, the powerful head of Motown Records. This decision fundamentally shaped the group's sound and direction, pushing Ross to prominence whilst sidelining other members' vocal contributions.
"Buttered Popcorn" offers a glimpse into what The Supremes might have sounded like under different circumstances, suggesting the group's sound was shaped by specific commercial and creative choices rather than being inevitable. The track is of interest to fans of soul and Motown music as a reminder that major artistic legacies can hinge on the decisions of influential figures within record companies.