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The Supremes waren van 1959 tot 1977 een Amerikaanse dames-popgroep die bij vele liefhebbers van soulmuziek bekend is, alsook bij het grote publiek. De groep was een van de boegbeelden van het Motown-geluid in de jaren zestig en had veel commercieel succes. In de jaren 1965-1969 behoorden ze tot de populairste muziekgroepen in Amerika en Europa. Samen met The Temptations, The Four Tops, Martha & The Vandellas en andere zwarte popgroepen leverden ze een belangrijke bijdrage aan de wereldwijde doorbraak van de Afro-Amerikaanse rhythm-and-bluesmuziek.

De oorspronkelijke groepsleden waren Florence Ballard, Diana Ross, Mary Wilson en de al vroeg vertrokken Betty McGlown, die werd opgevolgd door Barbara Martin die evenmin lang bleef. Cindy Birdsong was jarenlang lid van de groep, waarvan later ook Jean Terrell, Lynda Laurence, Scherrie Payne en Susaye Greene deel uitmaakten.

Bekende nummers van The Supremes waren onder andere Where Did Our Love Go, Baby Love (waarmee ze als eerste damesgroep een nummer 1-hit in Engeland hadden), Stop! In the Name of Love, Back in My Arms Again, You Can't Hurry Love, You Keep Me Hangin' On, Love Is Here And Now You're Gone en The Happening.

The Supremes were an American girl group formed in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959 as the Primettes. A premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and the most successful American vocal band, with 12 number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100. Most of these hits were written and produced by Motown's main songwriting and production team, Holland–Dozier–Holland. Their breakthrough is considered to have made it possible for future African-American R&B and soul musicians to find mainstream success. Billboard ranked the Supremes as the 16th greatest Hot 100 artist of all time.

Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson, Diana Ross, and Betty McGlown, the original members, were all from the Brewster-Douglass public housing project in Detroit. Forming as the Primettes, they were the sister act to the Primes (with Paul Williams and Eddie Kendricks, who went on to form the Temptations). Barbara Martin replaced McGlown in 1960, and the group signed with Motown the following year as the Supremes. Martin left the group in early 1962, and Ross, Ballard, and Wilson continued as a trio.

During the mid-1960s, the Supremes achieved mainstream success with Ross as lead singer and Holland–Dozier–Holland as its songwriting and production team. In 1967, Motown president Berry Gordy renamed the group Diana Ross & the Supremes, and replaced Ballard with Cindy Birdsong. In 1970, Ross left to pursue a solo career and was replaced by Jean Terrell, and the group's name was reverted to the Supremes. During the mid-1970s, the lineup continued to change with Lynda Laurence, Scherrie Payne and Susaye Greene joining until the group, 18 years after its formation, disbanded in 1977.