Is Super Hits a good place to start with Miles Davis?

Yes, Super Hits is recommended as a starting point for new Miles Davis listeners. A curated collection of Miles Davis's signature tracks blending modal jazz with smooth, emotive melodies and intricate improvisation. Released in 2001, 'Super Hits' serves as a retrospective compilation during Miles Davis's later years, following his influential work in the 1960s. This album showcases some of his most iconic recordings, capturing the essence of his innovative contributions to jazz, especially after a long hiatus from recording in the late 1980s until his passing in 1991.

Who is Super Hits for?

Super Hits works well if you're into evening relaxation with smooth melodies, captivating trumpet solos that linger and reflective moments during quiet time.

How many songs are on Super Hits?

Super Hits has 8 tracks, running approximately 48 minutes.

Super Hits

Miles Davis · 2001

48 min · 8 tracks · jazz

A curated collection of Miles Davis's signature tracks blending modal jazz with smooth, emotive melodies and intricate improvisation.

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Top tracks — play these first

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So What Start here — 'So What' exemplifies modal jazz with its distinctive call-and-response structure, showcasing Davis's innovative trumpet lines that invite improvisational exploration.
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Summertime — This rendition of 'Summertime' transforms Gershwin's classic into a hauntingly beautiful piece that reflects Davis's ability to blend genres and evoke deep emotion.
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Human Nature — 'Human Nature' highlights Davis's later style, merging smooth jazz influences with introspective melodies that resonate with listeners beyond the jazz community.

Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.

Instrumental

73 /100

Alpine

Higher than 96% of albums we've rated

This compilation highlights Davis's varied styles and strong compositions but lacks the cohesive narrative of a studio album.

What we noticed

The album features eight tracks, all of which are instrumental and showcase Davis's trumpet work over various jazz styles.
Each track is distinct in its arrangement, with some like 'So What' employing modal structures while others like 'Summertime' lean into more traditional jazz forms.

Composition 25% of the score: 8/10
Craft 20% of the score: 9/10
Durability 25% of the score: 7/10
Distinctiveness 18% of the score: 8/10
Sequencing 12% of the score: 6/10

Influence 6/10

Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.

Is this for you?

Good fit if you like

evening relaxation with smooth melodies
captivating trumpet solos that linger
reflective moments during quiet time
intimate gatherings with soft background

Maybe skip if you

seeking high-energy party tracks
prefer instant gratification over patience

Where this album fits

In the catalog: Deep Cut — A collection of classic tracks, but not a primary entry point for new listeners.
Themes: modal jazz evolution· posthumous legacy
Career context: Released in 2001, 'Super Hits' serves as a retrospective compilation during Miles Davis's later years, following his influential work in the 1960s. This album showcases some of his most iconic recordings, capturing the essence of his innovative contributions to jazz, especially after a long hiatus from recording in the late 1980s until his passing in 1991.
Stylistic neighbors: John Coltrane· Herbie Hancock· Wayne Shorter