SARAH MCLACHLAN – CLOSER: THE BEST OF SARAH MCLACHLAN

On October 7th, 2008, multi-platinum Arista recording artist Sarah McLachlan will release the first best-of collection of her long and illustrious career. Closer: The Best Of Sarah McLachlan contains 14 classic tracks personally selected by the artist from her award-winning catalog, as well as two newly recorded and previously unreleased songs, "U Want Me 2" and "Don't Give Up On Us," working with her longtime producer Pierre Marchand. Additionally, a deluxe 2-CD version will be available, which will include the 16-song album plus a bonus disc of additional songs from Sarah's discography.

Since joining Arista two decades ago, every one of Sarah McLachlan's studio and live albums and videos have been certified gold, platinum, or multi-platinum by the RIAA, starting with Touch (1988) and Solace (1991), both gold sellers. Her 1994 breakthrough, Fumbling Towards Ecstasy (triple-platinum) was followed by the digitally enhanced multimedia version of The Freedom Sessions (1995, gold). Sarah's landmark fifth album, the 8x-platinum Surfacing (1997), contained two Grammy Award-winning tracks, as "Building a Mystery" won for Best Female Pop Vocal, and "Last Dance" was voted Best Pop Instrumental. 1999's triple-platinum Mirrorball, and its platinum long-form video counterpart, were both culled from that year's Lilith Fair tour, and spun off Sarah's third Grammy-winning performance, as "I Will Remember You" won for Best Female Pop Vocal. The double-platinum Afterglow followed in 2003, and received a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Album, while its opening track, "Fallen" was nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal. 2007's Wintersong, was the #1 best seller on the Holiday Album charts that year, was nominated for a Grammy for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album, and was certified Platinum, marking her 15th release to be certified gold, platinum, or multi-platinum by the RIAA.

Here are some of the highlights of Closer: The Best Of Sarah McLachlan:

-- "Good Enough," "Possession" - Both tracks are culled from Sarah McLachlan's third Arista album, Fumbling Towards Ecstasy (released 10/22/1993), her commercial break­through and first Billboard Top 50 chart entry. "... McLachlan never flinches, never takes the easy route of cliché and formula. This care and attention given to her art allows each song to stand strong individually, making the whole an extraordinary collection." (AllMusic.com)

-- "Building A Mystery" -- Taken from the Diamond-certified (10X-platinum) album Surfacing (released 7/15/1997), which entered the Billboard chart at Number Two, "Building A Mystery" won the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal. ("Last Dance," a second track from Surfacing not included on the new collection, was voted Best Pop Instrumental.)

-- "I Will Remember You" -- Sarah McLachlan founded the legendary Lilith Tour in 1997 and her quadruple-platinum album, Mirrorball (released 6/15/1999), was recorded live during the 1999 tour. "I Will Remember You" from Mirrorball earned Sarah her third career Grammy Award, again in the category of Best Female Pop Vocal.

-- "Fallen" -- The opening track from Sarah's double-platinum album Afterglow (released 11/4/2003), which reached Number Two on the Billboard Top 200. "Fallen" was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal. In addition, Afterglow was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album.

-- "U Want Me 2," "Don't Give Up On Us" -- Composed by Sarah McLachlan and co-produced by Sarah and Pierre Marchand, these new recordings will be a special treat for fans who eagerly await the follow-up to Afterglow, Sarah's last album of all-original material.