Forever Came Today

February 29, 1968 marked a distinct turning point for The Supremes with the release of "Forever Came Today." This single served as the final collaboration between the group and their longtime hit-making team, Holland-Dozier-Holland, before the songwriters left Motown amid contract disputes. Diana Ross anchors the track with a soulful vocal performance that steers the band away from their earlier dance-focused sound toward a more mature, orchestral pop style. Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong weave harmonies around her lead, creating a lush arrangement that prioritizes emotional resonance over the driving rhythms fans had come to expect.

Commercially, the song performed well but broke the group's streak of consecutive number-one hits. It climbed to number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached number 2 on the R&B chart, while peaking at number 28 in the UK. Since music videos did not exist in this era, the trio promoted the record through live television appearances, including a notable spot on The Ed Sullivan Show. The B-side of the single was titled "Time Changes Things," rounding out a release that signaled the end of an era for Motown.

Seven years later, the melody found a second life when The Jackson 5 recorded a disco-inflected cover version in 1975. Their rendition achieved significant success, reaching number 6 on the Billboard R&B chart and number 36 on the Hot 100. The group brought fresh energy to the classic track during a live performance on The Carol Burnett Show in January 1976, introducing the song to a new generation of listeners. Both the original Supremes recording and the Jackson 5 cover remain available on major streaming platforms today. [edit]