Village People is an American disco group known for its on-stage costumes and suggestive lyrics in their music. The group was originally formed by French producers Jacques Morali and Henri Belolo and lead singer Victor Willis following the release of the debut album Village People, which targeted disco's large gay audience. The group's name refers to Manhattan's Greenwich Village, with its reputation as a gayborhood. The characters were a symbolic group of American masculinity and macho gay-fantasy personas. As of January 2020, Willis is the only original member of the group.

True to its name, The Village People's The Album Collection 1977-1985 includes the complete discography from the infamous sextet, issued primarily on the Casablanca and later RCA Victor labels. A total of nine albums are featured, including the double-disc Live and Sleazy. All discs are packaged in miniature replicas of their original album sleeves; both Live and Sleazy and 1980's Can't Stop The Music retain their original gatefold designs. However, there are almost no bonus tracks, save for a remix of 1985's "Sex Over The Phone" included when the group's final original album was issued on CD nearly 15 years later. (This means "America," the closing track for In The Street, the American edition of 1982's Fox On The Box, is missing in action. A 3CD compilation, released under Edsel sublabel Crimson's Gold product line, offered some rare 12″ versions that this set unfortunately lacks.)