Released: September 20
For decades, it’s been said that few artists can carve an enduring career under a mononymous stage moniker – and none have pulled it off quite as spectacularly as Cher has in the 60 years since she began her recording career.
It was in 1964 that the US star emerged as one-half of Caesar and Cleo, which later renamed as Sonny and Cher and took the world by storm with a run of hit records such as Baby Don’t Go, The Beat Goes On, and the iconic I Got You Babe.
It’s true that the previous year she performed background vocals on Darlene Love’s Christmas (Baby Please Come Home), for which the two reunited in 2023 on a remake for Cher’s own holiday LP, which delivered her latest chart smash DJ Play A Christmas Song, the closing number on the main ‘Forever’ album.
Spanning 60 years and documenting the highs and lows of a career that’s seen the diva embark upon an unrelenting rollercoaster ride, ‘Forever’ is unquestionably the most cohesive account of the performer’s repertoire to date, bringing together 21 stone cold classics from 27 studio albums, with the ‘Forever Fan’ expanded version adding 19 extra songs – singles, album tracks and deep cuts – that delve deeper into Cher’s vast legacy.
Naturally, all of the classics appear; the main record mirrors Cher’s legendary live shows, packing early favourites like Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves, Dark Lady and The Way Of Love, ‘80s staples I Found Someone, If I Could Turn Back Time and Heart Of Stone, ‘90s anthems such as Strong Enough, All Or Nothing and the mighty Believe, plus 21st Century hits Song For The Lonely, Woman’s World and You Haven’t Seen The Last Of Me.
For an artist with 80 official singles to their name – that’s not counting promo releases and guest appearances – a collection such as this is never going to be whole, but the appeal of ‘Forever’ is the consistent strength of the material, some of which that, in its 60 year history, will undoubtedly be less familiar to more casual listeners.
Such is the same of the bonus, digital-only material; look no further than the taster track A Woman’s Story, which was recorded in 1974 and was never released on an album, receiving a single-only release as a 45” vinyl back in the day. It sits alongside gems such as Still from her self-released 2000 album ‘not.com.mercial’, I Paralyze and I’d Rather Believe In You – both of which make their digital debuts – and Move Me from the Gregg Allman duet album ‘Two The Hard Way’ (1977), casting a different perspective on the usual greatest hits formula.
It means, of course, that there are omissions, the most glaring of which is her 1973 US chart-topper Half-Breed. A conscious move due to changing attitudes towards the term, it’s symbolic of Cher’s constant evolution, changing not only with the times but in line with her own personal growth, and the mutual respect that exists between the artist and her fans, that’s transcended decades.
With glorious remastering and a few surprises along the way, such as the full 6:40 album version of Take Me Home exclusively on digital platforms, it’s a remarkably strong collection that could have been double the length and still void of filler, and a fitting celebration of the undisputed Goddess of Pop.
