This Definitive Collection from Arista Records remains the gold standard for Air Supply compilations. Released in 1999 and digitally remastered by Al Quaglieri, this 18-track set captures the duo's peak era of "Yacht Rock" and soft rock dominance with pristine clarity. Why This Edition Matters
While the 1983 Greatest Hits was a massive 5x Platinum success, The Definitive Collection expands on that legacy by including eight additional singles and the rare original Australian version of "Lost in Love". In FLAC format, the lush harmonies of Russell Hitchcock and Graham Russell are preserved without the lossy compression of standard MP3s, making it an essential pickup for audiophiles. Core Tracklist
The collection features all of their Top 40 hits, including:
"Lost in Love" – The breakout track that defined their sound. "All Out of Love" – Their most recognizable power ballad.
"Making Love Out of Nothing at All" – The Jim Steinman-produced epic.
"Even the Nights Are Better" – A Billboard AC chart-topper. "The One That You Love" – Their signature #1 hit. Critical Reception
Reviewers at AllMusic note that the collection "more than lives up to its title's promise," serving as the ideal entry point for both casual listeners and dedicated collectors. Audiophile discussions on forums like Steve Hoffman often highlight the improved dynamics and presence found in these 1999 remasters compared to earlier pressings.
The compilation Air Supply: The Definitive Collection serves as the quintessential anthology for the British-Australian soft rock duo, capturing the peak of their global popularity between 1980 and 1983. For audiophiles, the FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) format of this collection is the gold standard, as it preserves every nuance of Russell Hitchcock’s high-tenor vocals and Graham Russell’s lush orchestral arrangements without the data loss found in standard MP3s. A Legacy of Soft Rock Excellence
Formed in 1975 after meeting in a production of Jesus Christ Superstar, Graham Russell and Russell Hitchcock defined the "power ballad" era. By the early 1980s, they had achieved a historic run of seven consecutive Top Five hits on the Billboard Hot 100, a feat that rivaled the Beatles. The Definitive Tracklist
Released in 1999, The Definitive Collection includes 18 tracks that cover the duo's most critical work. Key highlights included in the collection are:
The 1999 release of Air Supply: The Definitive Collection remains the most comprehensive gateway into the lush, harmonized world of the Australian soft-rock duo. Spanning eighteen tracks, it improves upon the massive 1983 Greatest Hits by adding eight essential singles and a rare original Australian version of "Lost in Love". A Pure Listening Experience: Why FLAC?
For audiophiles, securing this collection in FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Compression) is the gold standard. Air Supply’s signature sound—defined by Graham Russell’s intricate songwriting and Russell Hitchcock’s soaring, operatic tenor—relies on high-frequency clarity and dynamic range.
The Benefit: Unlike MP3s, which strip away "inaudible" data to save space, FLAC preserves 100% of the original CD's audio data.
The Soundstage: FLAC allows the "wall of sound" production on tracks like "Making Love Out of Nothing at All" (produced by Jim Steinman) to breathe, ensuring the thundering drums and layered harmonies don't sound "mushy" or compressed. Tracklist Highlights
The collection covers the duo's dominant run from 1980 to 1985:
The Chart-Toppers: Includes their only US #1 hit, "The One That You Love". Air Supply - The Definitive Collection -FLAC-
Top 5 Essentials: "Lost in Love" (#3), "All Out of Love" (#2), and "Every Woman in the World" (#5).
The Power Ballads: "Making Love Out of Nothing at All" (#2) and "Even the Nights Are Better" (#5).
Deep Cuts: Features later hits like "Just As I Am" and "I Can Wait Forever". The "Definitive" Verdict
The Definitive Collection - Album by Air Supply - Apple Music
Air Supply’s The Definitive Collection, released in 1999, remains the gold standard for experiencing the duo's reign over the 1980s soft rock charts. Consisting of 18 remastered tracks, this compilation captures the peak era of Russell Hitchcock’s soaring tenors and Graham Russell’s songwriting. The Sonic Experience in FLAC
For audiophiles, the FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) format is the ideal way to preserve the 1999 digital remasters. Unlike compressed formats, FLAC retains the full dynamic range of the original Arista masters, ensuring that the lush orchestral arrangements in "Making Love Out of Nothing at All" and the intricate harmonies of "All Out of Love" are heard with crystal clarity. Essential Tracklist
The collection includes every one of the band's Top 40 singles, spanning their dominant period from 1980 to 1985.
The Foundation: Includes the major hits "Lost in Love," "All Out of Love," and "Every Woman in the World".
The Power Ballads: Features the Jim Steinman-produced epic "Making Love Out of Nothing at All" and "The One That You Love".
The Rarities: A standout inclusion is the Original Australian Version of "Lost in Love," which offers a more acoustic, raw perspective on their breakthrough hit compared to the polished international radio edit. Why This Collection?
While later compilations exist, The Definitive Collection is widely praised by reviewers at AllMusic as the most "listenable item in their catalog" because it avoids filler and focuses strictly on the songs that defined the duo's legacy. It effectively serves as a time capsule for the melodic, high-production pop that earned Air Supply over 100 million in worldwide record sales. Air Supply - Definitive Collection (CD) - eBay
This report covers Air Supply's "The Definitive Collection," a comprehensive compilation of the British-Australian duo’s most iconic soft rock hits. The following details are based on the 1999 Arista remastered release. Album Overview Artist: Air Supply Original Release Date: August 24, 1999 Primary Label: Arista Records Genre: Soft Rock / Pop
Audio Quality (FLAC): As a lossless digital format, FLAC provides CD-equivalent quality (typically 16-bit/44.1kHz), preserving the full dynamic range of the 1999 digital remasters. Tracklist (18 Tracks)
This 18-track compilation features 17 digitally remastered hits and the original Australian version of "Lost In Love". Key tracks include "All Out Of Love," "The One That You Love," and "Making Love Out Of Nothing At All". Critical Reception & Performance Making Love Out of Nothing at All
For audiophiles and casual listeners alike, Air Supply - The Definitive Collection -FLAC- represents the peak of high-fidelity soft rock. This compilation, originally released in 1999, serves as the ultimate archive of the duo's 1980s dominance, preserving Russell Hitchcock’s soaring tenor and Graham Russell’s melodic craftsmanship in a bit-perfect digital format. The Significance of the "Definitive Collection" This Definitive Collection from Arista Records remains the
While Air Supply released a successful Greatest Hits in 1983, The Definitive Collection is widely considered superior due to its expanded 18-track list and modernized mastering. It includes all nine tracks from the original 1983 collection plus eight additional singles and a rare alternate version of their breakthrough hit.
Remastering Excellence: This collection was remastered by Sean Brennan at Battery Studios, utilizing original master tapes and late-90s digital-to-analog conversion technology to create a richer, cleaner sound than earlier CD pressings.
Comprehensive Coverage: It captures the duo's meteoric rise with Arista Records, featuring every major Top 5 hit that defined the "soft rock" era. Why FLAC is the Ideal Format
Seeking this collection in FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) is a deliberate choice for serious collectors. Unlike lossy formats like MP3, which strip away higher frequencies to save space, FLAC is a lossless compression method. FLAC (Lossless) MP3 (Lossy) Audio Quality Identical to original CD/Master Reduced detail and clarity Compression Efficient (50-70% of WAV size) High (90% reduction) Artifacts None; bit-perfect Potential "shimmer" loss in highs Metadata Excellent (Artwork/Tags)
For a band like Air Supply, known for lush orchestral arrangements and crystal-clear vocal harmonies, the FLAC format preservation ensures that no nuance is lost during digital playback. Essential Tracklist Highlights
The collection features 18 tracks that defined a decade of romantic ballads:
Lost in Love: Their international breakthrough, reaching No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.
All Out of Love: An enduring anthem of longing with iconic harmonies.
The One That You Love: Their only No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.
Making Love Out of Nothing at All: An epic power ballad written and produced by Jim Steinman.
Even the Nights Are Better: A staple of early 80s adult contemporary radio.
I Can Wait Forever: Originally featured on the Ghostbusters soundtrack.
Lost in Love (Original Australian Version): A unique inclusion for fans wanting to hear the band's earlier, raw sound from their 1979 release Life Support. Air Supply - The Definitive Coll - Amazon.com Music
In the pantheon of soft rock, few duos have achieved the interstellar staying power of Graham Russell and Russell Hitchcock. Known collectively as Air Supply, they didn’t just write songs; they wrote anthems for heartbreak, longing, and undying devotion. From the soaring crescendo of "Lost in Love" to the devastating melancholy of "All Out of Love," their catalog is the soundtrack to a million mixtapes.
For the discerning listener, however, MP3s and streaming compression rob these pristine ballads of their dynamic richness. This is where Air Supply - The Definitive Collection -FLAC- enters the conversation. This specific format of this specific compilation represents the gold standard for experiencing the duo's legendary vocal interplay and lush orchestration. Option A: Digital Storefronts (Highest Quality)
In this article, we will break down why The Definitive Collection is the essential Air Supply album, why FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) is the non-negotiable format for this material, and where this digital treasure fits into the history of 70s and 80s adult contemporary music.
If you turned on a radio between 1980 and 1985, you heard them. With their sweeping orchestral arrangements, heart-on-sleeve lyrics, and melodies that could stop traffic, Air Supply defined an era of romantic soft rock. Fronted by the soaring tenor of Russell Hitchcock and the songwriting genius of Graham Russell, the Australian duo crafted some of the most enduring ballads in pop history.
For years, fans have listened to these classics through crackly vinyl or heavily compressed streaming services. But for the true audiophile, there is only one way to experience the emotional depth of this duo: Air Supply - The Definitive Collection in FLAC.
Here is why this lossless release deserves a spot in your high-fidelity library.
If you download a 128kbps MP3 of "The One That You Love," you are hearing a ghost of a song. If you listen to the FLAC version of The Definitive Collection , you are hearing the ghost singing.
Final Score:
Where to find it: Search Qobuz or your local audiophile torrent tracker (where legal) using the exact string: Air Supply - The Definitive Collection -FLAC-. Ensure the log file shows a "100% CDDA" extraction if via torrent, or buy directly from HDTracks.
Rediscover Air Supply. Not as nostalgia, but as high-fidelity art.
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Air Supply has released dozens of "Greatest Hits" packages. Labels have repackaged "Lost in Love" hundreds of times. However, Air Supply - The Definitive Collection (typically released by Arista/BMG in the mid-late 2000s) stands apart for three specific reasons.
Most old Air Supply CDs from the 80s sound thin. The 2005-2010 remasters found on The Definitive Collection feature dynamic range compression that is aggressive enough for radio, but not so brick-walled that it destroys the transients. This is crucial for FLAC conversion.
Both Tidal (HiFi tier) and Apple Music (Lossless tier) stream in ALAC (Apple Lossless), which is equivalent to FLAC. You can search the exact album there. However, streaming does not give you a local file to archive.