John Duff puts his clothes back on and serves up his greatest hits

On Friday, September 27, uber-talented singer John Duff, who we recently had a chance to chat with, is releasing his highly anticipated concept album, Greatest Hits Deluxe Edition, a body of work that redefines what it means to create a classic in today’s music landscape.

The album presents a collection of “hits” from an artist who never existed, weaving together elements of American popular music from the 1950s through the 1970s. While the themes and language are modern, the soul of the album pays tribute to the golden eras of music.

For John, the album represents a creative breakthrough. Having gained attention in recent years with provocative music videos and overtly gay-themed songs, he began to feel that his brand was overshadowing his true talents as a songwriter, director, and vocalist. “I was starting to feel boxed in,” he acknowledges, “and I have always hated boxes. I found it difficult to get producers to follow my lead in LA. They wanted to push me in a direction they thought was ‘cool,’ but I’ve never been interested in being cool. My primary interest is in being creative.”

John and producers Eren Cannata and Koil PreAmple took a deep dive into the music that shaped the singer-songwriter John is today. The resulting album has been influenced by artists wo inspired John, including Janis Joplin, The Temptations, The Beach Boys, Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, and so many others.

The end result is a sound that defies easy categorization. While it nods to the great pop writers of the past, such as Burt Bacharach, Phil Spector, and Berry Gordy, it refuses to be pigeonholed into any one genre. Some might label it “theatrical,” but Duff contends that’s a product of today’s music landscape, where Broadway is dominated by jukebox musicals. He challenges listeners to ask themselves: “If Tina Turner released ‘Proud Mary’ today, what genre would it be?”

John Duff Greatest Hits — Photo courtesy of John Duff

Ultimately, Greatest Hits Deluxe Edition is a tribute to Duff’s parents, his younger self, and the artist he might have become had he followed their advice more closely. Its title carries a sense of playful irony, feeling both audacious and fitting for the project’s retro inspirations and its lead single, “Prove Me Wrong,” serves as its thesis statement, reflecting Duff’s longing for romance and complexity while critiquing the current state of the music industry.

The already released singles “Be Your Girl,” “Forgotten How to F*ck,” “Hoe is Life” as well as Duff’s next chart topper, “Clothes Back On,” explore themes of longing, desire, action, failure, and surrender, while also incorporating Duff’s signature tongue-in-cheek style.

John has a history of embracing personas in his music as they allow him to explore various facets of his identity and experiment with different aspects of his personality. He considered releasing Greatest Hits Deluxe Edition under a pseudonym inspired by his grandfather’s boxing persona, Young Bobby Burns, but decided to keep his own name for the album because Greatest Hits Deluxe Edition is not just a milestone in his career; it marks a significant evolution in his artistry. The confidence he’s gained through this process has been transformative. “If I can write songs like this, I can do anything,” he says.

John Duff’s “Greatest Hits Deluxe Edition” releases Friday, September 27. It is being distributed by Vydia and will be available on Apple Music, Spotify, and all digital platforms. Follow John Duff on Facebook and Instagram @ iamjohnduff

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