The Collection is a compilation album by Christian music singer Amy Grant, released in 1986 (see 1986 in music).
The Collection was the first compilation of Grant's music to be released, and it was issued after her crossover success in 1985 with the album Unguarded. The Collection spanned Grant's first decade in music, and featured the new songs "Stay for Awhile" and "Love Can Do", the former of which was a Top Twenty Adult Contemporary hit in the United States.
Release
The Collection was originally released in two different versions: a cassette version and an LP version. The LP version was directed to her newer fans, who knew her primarily for her Top 40 pop hit "Find a Way". The cassette version was directed to her older fans, who knew her for her Christian work as well as her secular work. The LP version contained ten tracks, and the cassette version contained fifteen tracks. In 1990, The Collection was re-released on CD with the 15 tracks featured on the cassette version, and two additional tracks, "Too Late" and "I'm Gonna Fly". Word Canada accidentally released the ten-track LP version to CD. The cover and tray art were that of the seventeen-track version causing confusion and recalls. They later issued the seventeen-track version as well. Of Grant's albums released prior to this compilation's release, Amy Grant (1977) and In Concert (1981) are the only albums that are not represented with songs included on this compilation. According to CCM Magazine, The Collection is the best-selling Christian music compilation album ever released, having sold in excess of 1 million copies.
An unauthorized reproduction of the album artwork (featuring Grant) was used for issue No. 15 of the Marvel Comics series Dr. Strange (1990). Apparently, the issue's artist was a fan of the singer and decided to use her likeness for a character in the story.
In 2007, The Collection was reissued and digitally remastered by Grant's new record label, EMI/Sparrow Records. The remastered edition is labeled with a "Digitally Remastered" logo in the 'gutter' on the CD front.
Track listing
LP version
Side A
Side B
Original cassette version
Side one
Side two
CD version
Personnel
- Amy Grant – lead vocals, backing vocals on "Stay for Awhile"
- Robbie Buchanan – keyboards
- David Gamson – keyboards
- Michael W. Smith – keyboards
- Shane Keister – keyboards on "Stay for Awhile"
- Steve Schaffer – Synclavier programming on "Stay for Awhile"
- Dann Huff – guitars
- Nathan East – bass
- Paul Leim – drums
- Paulinho da Costa – percussion
- Richard Page – backing vocals on "Stay for Awhile"
- Gary Chapman – backing vocals on "Love Can Do"
- Greg X. Volz – backing vocals on "Love Can Do"
- Chris Harris – backing vocals on "Love Can Do"
- Mark Heimermann – backing vocals on "Love Can Do"
Production
- Executive producers – Michael Blanton, Dan Harrell and Gary Chapman
- Producer – Brown Bannister
- Co-Producer on "Stay for Awhile" and "Love Can Do" – John Potoker
- Engineers – Sabrina Buchanek, Ed Goodreau and John Potoker
- Additional Engineering – J.T. Cantwell, Spencer Chrislu and Steve McMillan
- Mixed by Sabrina Buchanek and Ed Goodreau at Blue Jay Recording (Carlisle, Massachusetts) and Larrabee Sound Studios (North Hollywood, California)
- Mastered by Doug Sax at The Mastering Lab (Hollywood, California)
- Art direction and design – Kent Hunter
- Photography – Mark Tucker
Charts
Weekly charts
{| class="wikitable"
!Year
!Chart
!Position
|-
|1986
|The Billboard 200
|align="center"|66
|-
|1987
|Top Contemporary Christian
|align="center"|1
|}
End of year charts
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
!Year
!Chart
!Position
|-
|1986
|rowspan="6"|U.S. Billboard Inspirational Albums
| style="text-align:center;"|21
|-
|1987
| style="text-align:center;"|2
|-
|1988
| style="text-align:center;"|1
|-
|1989
| style="text-align:center;"|10
|-
|1990
| style="text-align:center;"|8
|-
|1991
| style="text-align:center;"|13
|}
End-of-decade charts
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Chart (1980–1989)
!Rank
|-
|US Billboard Top Contemporary Christian
|align="center"|1
|}
Certifications and sales
Accolades
GMA Dove Awards
{| class="wikitable"
!Year
!Winner
!Category
|-
|1988
|"Stay for Awhile"
|Short Form Music Video of the Year
|}