Word of a new Destiny’s Child hits collection spurred a slew of stories across music sites yesterday.

I don’t know why everyone was losing their breath over Playlist, due in October. It’s simply the latest in a budget best-of series from Sony artists past and present, including Cyndi Lauper, The Bangles, Bob Dylan, Dixie Chicks, and Five For Fighting. One-third of Destiny’s Child, Kelly Rowland, even received the Playlist treatment last year to zero fanfare. (Poor Kelly.)

Moreover, comparing the tracklisting of 2005’s #1s with the new Playlist, there’s little difference between these Destiny’s Child compilations. The former offered three new songs, including Beyoncé’s “Check on It,” while the latter skips those for “So Good” and “Illusion.” Not exactly headline worthy, though #1s is conspicuously absent from iTunes.

The Playlist series really works best for artists whose output was overlooked beyond one or two hits, or whose Sony-associated discography is limited. Take Amerie (or Ameriie), for example.

Amerie’s funky R&B workout, “1 Thing,” was one of 2005’s best singles, reaching #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in spite of its inclusion in the Will Smith film, Hitch. “1 Thing” also proved unfortunately prophetic, becoming the singer’s sole top 10 hit to date and the last time she reached the top 40. But as Amerie’s own Playlist proves, “Take Control,” the first single from her 2007 album, Because I Love It, had all the makings of another hit. Why it wasn’t a contender is a mystery to me.

Co-written by Cee-Lo Green — with credit given to Hall And Oates’ “You Make My Dreams Come True,” which I don’t hear in the track at all — “Take Control” is cut from a similar funky cloth as “1 Thing.” Amerie’s single had no takers in the U.S., missing the Hot 100 completely and managing just #66 on the R&B chart, but “Take Control” did reach #10 in the UK.

Consider the evidence below, and you’ll know who got it right:

Destiny’s Child and Amerie do share a connection. Rich Harrison, who worked closely with Amerie on her first two albums (including “1 Thing”), co-wrote and produced Kelly Rowland’s “Can’t Nobody,” plus several songs for Beyoncé, most famously “Crazy In Love.”

Purchase Amerie – “Take Control” via iTunes, Amazon MP3.