Is The Ultimate Hits Collection a good place to start with Johnny Mathis?

Yes, The Ultimate Hits Collection is recommended as a starting point for new Johnny Mathis listeners. Mathis’s velvety tenor floats above sweeping orchestras as romantic pop standards give way to the softer grooves of later decades. Released in 1998, this compilation looks back on a career that began with Mathis’s Columbia recordings in the 1950s. It reaches from early hits such as “Chances Are” to his 1978 duet with Deniece Williams and a live London performance of “99 Miles From L.A.”

Who is The Ultimate Hits Collection for?

The Ultimate Hits Collection works well if you're into smooth romantic ballads for evenings, steady pacing for reflective moments and timeless melodies for nostalgic vibes.

How many songs are on The Ultimate Hits Collection?

The Ultimate Hits Collection has 18 tracks, running approximately 58 minutes.

The Ultimate Hits Collection

Johnny Mathis · 1998

58 min · 18 tracks · pop music

Mathis’s velvety tenor floats above sweeping orchestras as romantic pop standards give way to the softer grooves of later decades.

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Top tracks — play these first

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Wonderful! Wonderful! Start here — establishes the sonic palette early
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Chances Are — Mathis’s measured phrasing and the gently swelling orchestration make his 1957 breakthrough sound intimate despite its formal arrangement.
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Misty — His reading of the jazz standard turns its floating melody into a lush pop ballad, with the voice lingering delicately over the orchestra.
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Wild Is the Wind — The film song gives Mathis room for a more dramatic delivery, building tension through sustained notes and orchestral sweep.
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Too Much, Too Little, Too Late — The duet with Deniece Williams places Mathis in a late-1970s soft-soul setting; their contrasting voices give the breakup song its conversational pull.
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99 Miles From L.A. (Live From London) — The live closing selection shifts the collection from studio polish to performance, giving Mathis space to stretch the song’s long-distance yearning.

Elevation

Our rating, out of 100 — and why.

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

57 /100

Foothills

Higher than 6% of albums we've rated

The collection highlights Mathis's vocal strengths but lacks a cohesive narrative across its varied tracks.

What we noticed

Several songs include extended instrumental intros or outros, allowing the orchestration to take center stage before Mathis's vocals enter.
The tracklist includes multiple live recordings, which introduce variations in arrangement and performance style compared to studio versions.

Composition 25% of the score: 6/10
Craft 20% of the score: 7/10
Durability 25% of the score: 5/10
Distinctiveness 18% of the score: 6/10
Sequencing 12% of the score: 4/10

Influence 4/10

Known within its scene. 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

smooth romantic ballads for evenings
steady pacing for reflective moments
timeless melodies for nostalgic vibes
sing-along favorites with friends
melodic journey through love themes

Maybe skip if you

seekers of fast-paced energy
prefer modern, upbeat tracks

Where this album fits

In the catalog: Starting Point — This compilation showcases Mathis's most recognizable hits, ideal for new listeners.
Themes: 1950s crooner nostalgia· romantic balladry
Career context: Released in 1998, this compilation looks back on a career that began with Mathis’s Columbia recordings in the 1950s. It reaches from early hits such as “Chances Are” to his 1978 duet with Deniece Williams and a live London performance of “99 Miles From L.A.”
Stylistic neighbors: Perry Como· Frank Sinatra· Nat King Cole