Crossroads (Eric Clapton album) explained

Crossroads
Type:box
Artist:Eric Clapton
Cover:Crossroads (Eric Clapton album).jpg
Recorded:1963–1987
Genre:Blues rock
Label:Polydor
Compiler:Bill Levenson
Prev Title:The Cream of Eric Clapton
Prev Year:1987
Next Title:Journeyman
Next Year:1989

Crossroads is a 1988 music collection box set of the work of Eric Clapton released by Polydor Records.[1] The set includes his work with the Yardbirds, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, Cream, Blind Faith, Delaney & Bonnie & Friends and Derek and the Dominos, as well as his solo career.

Several live or alternative studio recordings were previously unreleased. Anthony DeCurtis contributed the liner notes to the album, and The Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood painted the album's cover. Mitchell Kanner designed the package and, along with Michael Bays, art directed the package.[2] Crossroads was mastered by Greg Calbi and compiled by Bill Levenson.[3] The four-disc box set sold more than four million copies worldwide and was presented with six awards, including two Grammy Awards awarded in 1989. With high commercial success and positive critical response, this is Clapton's most-purchased box set to date.

Critical reception

The critics for Billboard magazine noted mostly the production work, besides the compilations track listing stating: "Compiler Levenson has unearthed some superb rarities for the set, and Anthony DeCurtis contributes intelligent annotation. Classy package and bounty of unheard material will attract Slowhand's legion of fans".[2] Rolling Stone journalist David Fricke really liked the boxed set and awarded the release an extremely rare five-star rating in April 1988. In his review for the American music website AllMusic, critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine presented the album with five out of five possible stars, rating the release as an AllMusic top album and notes:

Awards

YearCeremonyAwardResult
1988BillboardFirst Double Platinum-selling Box Set[4]
First Platinum-selling Box Set
Highest-charting Boxed Set[5]
1989Grammy AwardsBest Album Notes[6]
Best Historical Album[7]

Track listings

Vinyl release

Personnel

From Polydor's 1988 4 Compaq Disc Edition liner notes (835 261-2)

Disc One

Disc Two

Disc Three

Disc Four

Commercial success

Crossroads is Clapton's commercially most successful multi-disc boxed set, charting in both 1988 and 1989, selling a total of more than three million copies worldwide. In the United States, the 1988 box set was most successful. It peaked at number eight on Billboard magazines Top Pop Compact Disks chart in May 1988 and entered the magazines Top 200 albums chart at position 80. At that point, Clapton was the second artist ever to chart in the Top 100 field with a box set containing six discs, following Elvis Presley.[8] In its first week on chart, Crossroads was both the best- and fastest-selling box set, ever to be released, selling more than 240,000 copies in the first few weeks after its release in the United States. At that point, more than 120,000 copies which were sold were on CD formats, which was still quite rare at the time.[9] In 1988, the release topped the Top Pop Compact Disks chart and reached number 34 on the Billboard 200 top albums chart, where Crossroads stayed a total of 26 weeks on chart. In 2005, the compilation album was certified with a triple Platinum award by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), commemorating the sale of more than three million copies in the United States alone, making it Clapton's best-selling box set in the country. In 1988, the Clapton record was the 26th most-purchased Pop music CD in the United States. In Europe, the box set was a medium success, reaching the Top 20 in only two countries. In the Netherlands, the box set reached number 17 and stayed a total of nine weeks in the charts. Crossroads also reached number 25 on the worldwide albums chart in 1988.[9]

Chart positions

Weekly charts

Chart (1988–2016)Peak
position
Greek Albums (IFPI)[10] 44
Italian Albums (FIMI)[11] 29
US Top Pop Compact Disks (Billboard )[12] 1
Worldwide Albums (IFPI)25

Year-end charts

Notes and References

  1. Jean. Rosenbluth. Super Acts Take April Breather – Clapton, Clash Sets Among Highlights. Billboard Magazine. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.. 100. 14. 3, 75. 0006-2510. 2 April 1988. 28 November 2015.
  2. Bruce. Haring. Clapton's Cream: 73 Tracks – Poly Gram Issues 5-Hour Compilation / Album Reviews – New & Noteworthy. Billboard Magazine. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.. 100. 18. 19, 62. 0006-2510. 30 April 1988. 28 November 2015.
  3. Book: Schumacher, Michael. Crossroads: The Life and Music of Eric Clapton. 1st. 1995. Hyperion. New York City. 0-7868-6074-X. Chapter 12: Journeyman (1986–90). registration.
  4. Web site: Rock on the Net: Eric Clapton. Rockonthenet.com. Rock on the Net. 26 November 2015.
  5. Paul. Grein. Consistent Collins Captures No. 1 Slots; Linda Bonstadt Logs 10th Top 10 Album. Billboard Magazine. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.. 102. 1. 12. 0006-2510. 6 January 1990. 26 November 2015.
  6. Web site: Past Winners Search | GRAMMY.com. Grammy Awards. The Recording Academy. Type "Anthony DeCurtis" under Artist to see the results.. 26 November 2015.
  7. Web site: Stephen Thomas. Erlewine. Crossroads – Eric Clapton | Awards | AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. AllMusic. 26 November 2015.
  8. Paul. Grein. Chart Beat / Top Compact Disks Pop / Billboard 200 Albums. Billboard Magazine. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.. 100. 42. 0006-2510. 6, 46, 84. 7 May 1988. 27 November 2015.
  9. Clapton 'Crossroads' Fuels Unexpected Sales Mileage. Billboard Magazine. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.. 100. 23. 0006-2510. 6, 41, 78. 4 June 1988. 27 November 2015.
  10. Web site: Official IFPI Charts Top 75 Albums Sales Chart Week: 3/2016 . International Federation of the Phonographic Industry of Greece . 6 February 2016 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160206180350/http://www.ifpi.gr/charts_en.html . 6 February 2016 .
  11. Web site: Album – Classifica settimanale WK 27 (dal 2016-07-01 al 2016-07-07). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. it. 10 July 2016.
  12. Top Compact Disks Pop. Billboard Magazine. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.. 100. 20. 0006-2510. 43. 14 May 1988. 27 November 2015.
  13. No. 1 Awards. Billboard Magazine. Nielsen Business Media, Inc.. 100. 52. 0006-2510. 86. 24 December 1988. 27 November 2015.

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