Master Series is the title of a line of greatest hits albums, released in European countries primarily by PolyGram International, as well as A&M Records, Deram Records, FFRR Records, Mercury Records, and Polydor Records. In addition, some albums were reissued by Universal Music Group under the Universal Masters Collection and Millennium Edition titles.
Four Master Series series of albums were released: from 1987–1990, 1996–1998, 1998–1999, and from 2003 onwards.
The covers of each series are visually unified:
1987 series: Black background, "Master Serie" in a sans-serif typeface, the artist's name in a script typeface, a prominent red stripe, and a photo.1996 series: Black background, the artist's name in a serif typeface, and a collage of photos.1998 series: White background, "Master Series" in a script typeface, the artist's name in a sans-serif typeface, and a photo.2003 series: A large photo crossfading into a black background with the artist's name in a serif typeface, and "Master Serie" set against a red glow.The 1996 series represented various bands in eclectic genres (such as new wave) with relatively small followings, and the 1998 series included hard rock/progressive rock musicians and bands. These series are branded with the international title Master Series. The French title Master série is used to brand the more traditional line with a strong focus on European pop singers, which are frequently issued in multiple volumes. Each subsequent series also reissued some albums from the previous series.
Daniel Balavoine Volume 1(1986) – Master SerieDaniel Balavoine Volume 2(1992) – Master SerieBarbara Volume 1 – Master SerieBarbara Volume 2 – Master SerieGeorges Brassens Volume 1 – Master SerieGeorges Brassens Volume 2 – Master SerieGeorges Brassens Volume 3 – Master SerieMike Brant – Master SerieJacques Brel Volume 1 – Master SerieJacques Brel Volume 2 – Master SerieAlain Bashung – Master SerieJane Birkin – Master SerieFrida Boccara – Master SerieJacques Brel – Master SerieJean-Michel Caradec (1989) – Master SerieChristophe – Master SerieMichel Delpech – Master SerieJacques Dutronc – Master SerieFrançois Feldman (1994) – Master SerieJean Ferrat Volume 1 (1988) – Master SerieJean Ferrat Volume 2 (1990) – Master SerieNino Ferrer – Master SerieClaude François Volume 1 – Master SerieClaude François Volume 2 – Master SerieSerge Gainsbourg – Master SerieDaniel Guichard – Master SerieJohnny Hallyday Volume 1 – Master SerieJohnny Hallyday Volume 2 (1990) – Master SerieJean-Luc Lahaye – Master SerieBernard Lavilliers – Master SerieMaxime Le Forestier (1987) – Master SerieGuy Marchand – Master SerieMelina Mercouri – Master SerieYves Montand – Master SerieNana Mouskouri Volume 1 – Master SerieNana Mouskouri Volume 2 – Master SerieGeorges Moustaki – Master SerieClaude Nougaro Volume 1 – Master SerieClaude Nougaro Volume 2 – Master SerieClaude Nougaro Volume 3 – Master SerieEdith Piaf – Master SerieSerge Reggiani – Master SerieRenaud – Master SerieNicole Rieu – Master SerieDemis Roussos – Master SerieWilliam Sheller – Master SerieMort Shuman Volume 1 – Master SerieMort Shuman Volume 2 (1991) – Master SerieYves Simon (1988) – Master SerieAlan Stivell (1990) – Master SerieTri Yann(1986) – Master SerieBoris Vian – Master Serie1991 Jimmy Somerville – Master Series10cc – Master Series1996 ABBA – Master Series1997 ABC – Master SeriesWolfgang Ambros – Master Series1997 Joan Armatrading – Master Series1996 The Allman Brothers Band – Master Series1997 Army of Lovers – Master Series1997 Big Country – Master Series1997 Burt Bacharach – Master Series1996 Bananarama – Master Series1997 Berlin – Master Series1998 Maria Bill – Master Series1996 Black – Master SeriesElkie Brooks – Master Series1996 Sam Brown – Master Series1996 Jimmy Somerville – Master Series (reissue)1997 Camel – Master Series1998 Peter Cornelius – Master Series1996 Dexys Midnight Runners – Master SeriesYvonne Elliman – Master Series1998 Rainhard Fendrich – Master SeriesBill Haley – Master Series1998 Ludwig Hirsch – Master Series1997 Joe Jackson – Master Series1997 The Jam – Master Series1996 Tom Jones – Master Series1996 Level 42 – Master Series1997 Liza Minnelli – Master Series1998 The Moody Blues – Master SeriesNana Mouskouri – Master Series (reissue)1996 The Neville Brothers – Master Series Iggy Pop – Master SeriesDemis Roussos – Master Series (reissue)The Rubettes – Master SeriesScorpions – Master SeriesThe Small Faces – Master Series1998 Squeeze – Master SeriesSTS – Master SeriesDonna Summer – Master Series1998 Visage – Master Series1998 Waterloo & Robinson – Master SeriesBruce Willis – Master Series1998 Georg Danzer - Master Series1998 Kurt Ostbahn - Master Series1998 Stefanie Werger - Master Series1998 Arik Brauer - Master Series1998 ABBA – Master Series (reissue)Graeme Allwright – Master SeriesAnge – Master SerieDaniel Balavoine – Master Serie (reissue)Bananarama – Master Series (reissue)Visage – Master SeriesBarbara – Master Serie (reissue)1999 Barclay James Harvest – Master SeriesBrigitte Bardot – Master SerieThe Barron Knights – Master SeriesAcker Bilk – Master SeriesJane Birkin – Master Serie (reissue)Georges Brassens – Master SerieJacques Brel – Master Serie (reissue)Roy Buchanan – Master Series1999 Kim Carnes – Master SeriesMirek Černý – Master Serie1998 Dio – Master SeriesJean Ferrat – Master Serie (reissue)Serge Gainsbourg – Master Serie (reissue)France Gall – Master SerieGodley & Creme – Master SeriesJohnny Hallyday – Master Serie (reissue)Engelbert Humperdinck – Master Series1999 Joe Jackson – Master Series (reissue)1998 Tom Jones – Master Series (reissue)Kool & the Gang – Master SerieJean-Luc Lahaye – Master Serie (reissue)Bernard Lavilliers – Master SerieEnrico Macias – Master SerieThe Mamas & the Papas – Master SeriesGuy Marchand – Master Serie (reissue)Melina Mercouri – Master Serie (reissue)1998 John Miles – Master SeriesEddy Mitchell – Master SerieJeanne Moreau – Master SerieNana Mouskouri – Master Series (reissue)Georges Moustaki – Master SerieNicoletta – Master SerieRobert Palmer – Master SeriesEdith Piaf – Master Serie (reissue)Pink Fairies – Master SeriesThe Platters – Master SeriesCozy Powell – Master SeriesRenaud – Master SerieSerge Reggiani – Master Serie (reissue)Nicole Rieu – Master Serie (reissue)The Righteous Brothers – Master SeriesDemis Roussos – Master Serie (reissue)The Sensational Alex Harvey Band – Master SeriesThe Shadows – Master SeriesMort Shuman – Master Serie1998 Status Quo – Master SeriesAlan Stivell – Master Serie (reissue)1998 The Style Council – Master SeriesTaxmeni – Master Series1998 Thin Lizzy – Master SeriesHervé Vilard – Master Serie1998 Rick Wakeman – Master SeriesRoger Whittaker – Master SeriesWolfgang Ambros – Millennium Edition2000 Joan Armatrading – Millennium EditionBurt Bacharach – Millennium EditionBlack – Millennium EditionElkie Brooks - Millennium EditionLudwig Hirsch – Millennium EditionJohn Miles – Millennium Collection2003 ABBA – Master Serie (reissue)Daniel Balavoine – Master Serie (reissue)Barbara – Master Serie (reissue)Brigitte Bardot – Master Serie (reissue)Gilbert Bécaud – Master SerieJane Birkin – Master Serie (reissue)Georges Brassens – Master Serie (reissue)Jacques Brel – Master Serie (reissue)Jan de Wilde – Master SerieJean Ferrat – Master Serie (reissue)Serge Gainsbourg – Master Serie (reissue)Kool & the Gang – Master Serie (reissue)Bernard Lavilliers – Master Serie (reissue)Enrico Macias – Master Serie (reissue)Eddy Mitchell – Master Serie (reissue)Jeanne Moreau – Master Serie (reissue)Nana Mouskouri – Master Serie (reissue)Georges Moustaki – Master Serie (reissue)Nicoletta – Master Serie (reissue)Florent Pagny – Master SerieEdith Piaf – Master Serie (reissue)Serge Reggiani – Master Serie (reissue)Renaud – Master Serie (reissue)André Rieu – Master SerieTino Rossi – Master SerieDemis Roussos – Master Serie (reissue)Michel Sardou – Master SerieAlan Stivell – Master Serie (reissue)Herve Vilard – Master Serie (reissue)