Archive » Top 100 Soul/R&B Songs

This page contains 107 entries posted under the "Top 100 Soul/R&B Songs" category.

Monday September 01

#1: Donny Hathaway 'A Song for You'

 

There are so many songs that could've been chosen to be #1 on our countdown. So many songs that would've satisfied both the masses and the staff. So many songs that would've made you dance, or cry, or just sing...

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Friday August 29

Looking Back On the Top 100 Soul/R&B Countdown

 

I'm so glad we've had this time together....And so marks the final days of our Top 100 Soul/R&B Songs countdown. Some of you are probably curious about the list's methodology, and I'm here to tell you. We didn't just rank...

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Thursday August 28

#2: Prince 'Adore'

 

Prince's "Adore" was never released officially as a single, yet like so many of our Top Soul/R&B Songs, it nevertheless staked a place in our worlds and continues to hold a special place in our hearts. "Adore" was the first...

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Wednesday August 27

#3: Michael Jackson: 'Rock With You'

 

Who would you rather rock with? Michael or Janet? Oh snap! I thought we were in the middle of another Battle of the Beats, but we're actually on #3 of our top 100 R&B/Soul Songs countdown. This is my last...

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Tuesday August 26

#4: The Gap Band 'Yearning for Your Love'

 

OK, my peoples. The time has come for us to stop messin' around. We've reached the countdown's final four, and today's entry, "Yearning for Your Love" by The Gap Band, is one of those signature songs that takes you back...

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Monday August 25

#5: Maxwell 'Ascension (Don't Ever Wonder)'

 

Any frequent visitor to SoulBounce knows that if there is one artist who is in constant rotation on this site, it would have to be Maxwell. We live and breathe this man around these parts. So it should come...

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Friday August 22

#6: Mary J. Blige 'Real Love'

 

If I were to sit here and rattle off all of the Mary J. Blige songs that I love, we'd be here for quite a while. But if I had to narrow it down to a favorite, then that's easy....

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Thursday August 21

#7: Faith Evans 'Soon As I Get Home'

 

When Faith Evans' self-titled freshman release debuted in 1995, she had a lot to contend with. The Mary J. Blige comparisons ran unchecked, due in part to her involvement in My Life (she co-wrote a few tracks including "Everyday It...

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Wednesday August 20

#8: Boyz II Men 'I'll Make Love to You'

 

As you can probably tell by now, this is not your mama's countdown. We're only three songs into the top 10, and already there's been a surprise, with undoubtedly more to come. And while we've dared to stay away from...

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Tuesday August 19

#9: Meshell Ndegeocello 'Outside Your Door'

 

"Outside Your Door" by Meshell Ndegeocello has had a long and storied history. While we were all grooving and loving and wishing for a rainy night to play this with our lovers, it is alleged that Brian McKnight lifted the...

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Monday August 18

#10: Luther Vandross 'Never Too Much'

 

What would the top 10 of our Top 100 Soul/R&B Songs countdown be without the inclusion of Luther Vandross? Although this is his final appearance on the countdown, what an appearance it is with one of the most beloved tracks...

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Friday August 15

#11: Rufus & Chaka Khan 'Sweet Thing'

 

Sometimes it really bugs me how so many seem to overlook the pure genius and mastery of Rufus and Chaka Khan. It's almost like they get lost in the discussion, particularly Chaka herself, when we're all reminiscing about the likes...

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Thursday August 14

#12: Stevie Wonder 'As'

 

The world probably needs more upbeat, celebratory love songs. (The world needs more love in general, but that's another entry for another blog for another day.) Stevie Wonder is a wide-ranging, nuanced writer and producer, able to wrench tears of...

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Wednesday August 13

#13: Stevie Wonder 'Ribbon in the Sky'

 

Picture it: Queens, 1982. An eighth grader named Charles takes the stage at an I.S. 59 assembly and proceeds to blow a young Harlem away with his rendition of the then-new Stevie Wonder song, "Ribbon in the Sky." Two things...

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Tuesday August 12

#14: Minnie Riperton 'Inside My Love'

 

Richard Pryor once joked that Minnie Riperton's voice could bring a man to his knees (and I'm trying to say this is the nicest way possible). Minnie's voice was one honed by operatic training and sweetened like honey wine. Despite...

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Monday August 11

#15: The Isley Brothers 'Between the Sheets'

 

It's not like we haven't already waxed poetic about the brothers Isley during the course of this countdown. It simply goes without saying that "Between the Sheets" is their most popular joint, strictly by virtue of the generations introduced to...

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Friday August 08

#16: Soul II Soul 'Back to Life'

 

The most interesting thing to me about Soul II Soul's "Back To Life" is the fact that it is actually a sort of a sad love song. If the lyrics, sung so heartily and perfectly by Caron Wheeler, had been...

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Thursday August 07

#17: Al Green 'Love And Happiness'

 

Love is...love is an indescribable feeling right? Maybe for many of us, but somehow Al Green was able to sing about its power just right. Not only was he able to describe make-up love so well ("Someone's on the phone...

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Wednesday August 06

#18: Guy 'I Like'

 

To say there is something about this song that I like would be a gross understatement. The truth is, I love everything about Guy's "I Like," which happens to be the group's third (THIRD!) song in this countdown's top 30--and...

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Tuesday August 05

#19: Al Green 'Let's Stay Together'

 

What can I possibly say about this song that hasn't already been said? That it's Al Green's signature song? Check. That it represents Al's interpretation of the "Memphis sound" but with 1970's smoothness? Check. That it is a testament to...

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Monday August 04

#20: Earth Wind & Fire 'Love's Holiday'

 

Would you mind if we left the past 79 songs of our Top 100 R&B and Soul Countdown with this beautifully crafted song by Earth Wind & Fire? Would you mind if Maurice White was able to coax this tune...

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Friday August 01

#21: DeBarge 'I Like It'

 

Isn't it funny how, in this day and age of "no homo," it's somehow acceptable to wear a pink fur or ride around in a pink SUV (Cam'ron), but most of our soul singers these days are known for singing...

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Thursday July 31

#22: Mint Condition 'Breakin' My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes)'

 

There were some great male R&B groups born in the late '80s and early '90s. Whether it was New Jack Swing, new-jack swagger, well-made love songs or incredible harmonies, they all brought something different to the table. And then there...

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Wednesday July 30

#23: Prince and the Revolution 'Purple Rain'

 

It goes without saying that "Purple Rain" by Prince and the Revolution is one of the most iconic songs, albums and movies of all time. If you weren't a Prince fan before 1984, then you surely became one that summer...

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Tuesday July 29

#24: Mary J. Blige 'My Life'

 

A long time ago, before Mary J. Blige's My Life passed into becoming a classic--her defining moment, the R&B album by which we gauge all succeeding R&B albums, the album that we play on repeat to get over that trifling...

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Tuesday July 29

Get The SoulBounce Top 100 Soul/R&B Songs On iTunes

 

We are now in the homestretch of the SoulBounce Top 100 Soul/R&B Songs countdown. Songs 50-26 showcased a range of songs and artists from the last 30 years that your SoulBounce Editors and our esteemed panel chose amongst our...

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Monday July 28

#25: Guy 'Groove Me'

 

Somebody out there may disagree with the following statement, but I'm going to say it anyway: "Groove Me" changed the direction of music when it was released in 1988, a year heralded by many as the best year for music...

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Friday July 25

#26: New Edition 'Can You Stand The Rain'

 

Okay, okay, okay. So, what do you do when an '80s boy band with crossover appeal loses one of its members amidst rumors involving drug use, said member reemerges a few years later to become a bigger star than anyone...

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Thursday July 24

#27: Jill Scott 'A Long Walk'

 

Someone once asked me why I love Jill Scott. I didn't even have to think before answering. I love her for her distinct, luscious vocals and infinity-octave range that provide color commentary for her lyrical play-by-play. I love that...

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Wednesday July 23

#28: Maze featuring Frankie Beverly 'Before I Let Go'

 

For those who think that "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing" is the Black National Anthem, I hate to break it to you but you've been hoodwinked and bamboozled. As quiet is kept, there's another song that really holds that distinction:...

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Tuesday July 22

#29: Guy 'Piece of My Love'

 

What did Aaron Hall just say? If you are anything like me, then back in 1988 you may have found yourself asking that very question the first time you heard "Piece of My Love" from Guy's debut album, Guy. The...

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Monday July 21

#30: Jodeci 'Forever My Lady'

 

The '90s brought a wave of Black male R&B groups into our collective consciousness that many acts of today attempt to emulate but lack that It Factor. One of these groups who had It and will forever be remembered, revered...

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Friday July 18

#31: Aaliyah 'Rock the Boat'

 

The good news is Aaliyah made our countdown again, but today's entry, "Rock the Boat," makes it a little more bittersweet. Aaliyah's genre-pushing, self-titled third album, debuted with the futuristic and sexy "We Need a Resolution" produced by Timbaland....

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Thursday July 17

#32: Bobby Womack 'If You Think You're Lonely Now'

 

I want to dedicate this song to all the lovers tonight... So starts Bobby Womack's hit slow jam, "If You Think You're Lonely Now." This song has all of the ingredients for a hearty helping of classic soul love gumbo....

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Wednesday July 16

#33: Janet Jackson 'That's the Way Love Goes'

 

It goes without saying that "That's the Way Love Goes" is one of Janet Jackson's most R&B-sounding singles. What strategic timing on the part of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, to urge the label to go with something that was romantic,...

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Tuesday July 15

#34: Erykah Badu 'Otherside of the Game'

 

I make no secret of my extreme dislike for Baduizm. Maybe at the time of its release, I'd have been accused of not really being conscious or patient enough to buy what Erykah Badu was selling thematically. But that so wasn't the...

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Monday July 14

#35: Bobby Caldwell 'What You Won't Do for Love'

 

Stop me if you've heard this one before: An artist completes an album, listens to it, and decides that something's missing. So before submitting it to the record company, they go into the studio, mess around with some tracks and...

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Friday June 27

#36: Hall & Oates 'Sara Smile'

 

Today's countdown entry is "Sara Smile", the single that put Philly blue-eyed soulsters Daryl Hall and John Oates, better known as Hall & Oates, on the rhythm and blues radar. Their first album with RCA, after a less than...

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Thursday June 26

#37: D'Angelo 'Me And Those Dreamin' Eyes of Mine'

 

Brown Sugar changed my life. Better yet, it helped to define my life. At the time it was released, I was a twenty-year-old hot thang who had just made the transition from Timberlands and sneakers on my feet to sandals...

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Wednesday June 25

#38: Erykah Badu 'Next Lifetime'

 

"Next Lifetime" has always conjured up pleasant memories for me. This is mostly because, maybe I too went through a headwrap phase when she exploded on the scene in 1997. Or maybe it's because I was in a bit of...

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Tuesday June 24

#39: After 7 'Ready or Not'

 

Melvin and Kevon Edmonds have a lot in common with their superstar middle brother Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds. Just like the multiple award-winning songwriter/producer, they carved a niche for themselves by concentrating on catering to the ladies with their lyrics. Along...

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Monday June 23

#40: Xscape 'Who Can I Run To'

 

Xscape was one of those '90's girl groups that I was somewhat always reluctant to admit to liking. Why? Mainly because what they lacked in sophistication, they more than made up for with their singing ability. Not just one of...

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Friday June 20

#41: Quincy Jones 'The Secret Garden'

 

Growing up, I never understood what Quincy Jones did. It never made sense to me how he would release albums with his picture on the covers and name on the records when he sang nary a song. No one...

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Thursday June 19

#42: Janet Jackson 'The Pleasure Principle'

 

Picture a seven-year-old nOva knowing the words to Janet Jackson's "Pleasure Principle" verbatim but not knowing what any of those words meant, namely "principle"--which wasn't the guy whose office I was often called into in those days. I would later...

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Wednesday June 18

#43: TROOP 'Spread My Wings'

 

Confession time: I kinda like the Jordin Sparks/Chris Brown duet "No Air." (Come on. You can admit that you like it, too. It's cool. We're all friends.) It's just a good R&B song that happens to be written by Steve...

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Tuesday June 17

#44: Whitney Houston 'All the Man That I Need'

 

During the course of this countdown, we've already deemed Luther Vandross the King of the Remake. However, if we were to crown a Queen, then that honor would have to go to Whitney Houston. Whitney's been known to tackle a...

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Monday June 16

#45: Ready For The World 'Love You Down'

 

Ready for the World was a group that was before its time. Sure, their Jheri curls, outfits and funked-up R&B grooves screamed 1980s. However, it was a cut from their second long-player, Long Time Coming, that shows that they...

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Friday June 13

#46: Groove Theory "Tell Me"

 

When Groove Theory's "Tell Me" dropped at the end of the summer of 1995, it shocked just about everyone with its sweet simplicity. I say "sweet" because Amel Larrieux's voice sounded almost as though it may have been barely audible...

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Thursday June 12

#47: TLC 'Baby, Baby, Baby'

 

In a year that also saw releases by SWV and Mary J. Blige, TLC was part of a New Jill renaissance. The colorful baggy clothes, the obnoxious accessories, and preponderance of prophylactics presented (gotta love that alliteration) a new image...

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Wednesday June 11

#48: Teddy Pendergrass 'Love T.K.O.'

 

"Let it go!" That's the falsetto fallout that serves as the proverbial knockout punch on the 1980 Teddy Pendergrass hit "Love T.K.O." But have you ever listened closely to the rest of the lyrics, which serve as the body blows?...

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Tuesday June 10

#49: Luther Vandross 'A House is Not a Home'

 

We've covered this before. Whenever Luther Vandross blesses a remake, it becomes his ("Always and Forever" notwithstanding). However, when Luther chose to remake "A House is Not a Home" in 1981 for his debut album, Never Too Much, it was...

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Monday June 09

#50: Marvin Gaye 'I Want You'

 

I'm kinda geeked right now because Marvin's "I Want You" is my favorite track by him. All you "Sexual Healing" and "Let's Get it On" cheerleaders need to fall back! That said, who could make the unmentionables drop quicker than...

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Monday June 09

Get The SoulBounce Top 100 Soul/R&B Songs On iTunes

 

It seems like just yesterday when we started our Top 100 Soul/R&B Songs countdown, but we are already halfway through. With the 50th song premiering today, we are presenting the SoulBounce Sampler on iTunes featuring songs 75 through 51 from...

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Friday June 06

#51: The Isley Brothers 'For the Love of You Pts. 1 & 2'

 

Is it any wonder that the end of the first half of the SoulBounce Top 100 Soul/R&B Songs and the second appearance of The Isley Brothers on our list is with their classic cut "For the Love of You Pts....

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Thursday June 05

#52: Jackson 5 'Never Can Say Goodbye'

 

I shake my head each time I hear The Jackson 5's "Never Can Say Goodbye" on my iTunes. Not because I don't think it's a great song. I do. In fact, it's a classic. It's not even the fact that...

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Wednesday June 04

#53: Luther Vandross 'Superstar'

 

Today's Top 100 entry should come with a disclaimer directed at anyone unfortunate enough to have their songs remade, reinterpreted or even referenced by the late, great Luther Vandross: To all of you, I'm sorry, but Luther owns your material....

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Tuesday June 03

#54: Teena Marie 'I Need Your Lovin''

 

A bit of disclosure: Despite the fact that many of you will disagree with me, I actually like Teena Marie's "I Need Your Lovin'" more than party starter "Square Biz." While Miss Teena must have surely known that "Square Biz" would be...

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Monday June 02

#55: Teena Marie 'Square Biz'

 

Let's just get this out of the way off the top: Contrary to popular belief, Teena Marie was not the first female to rap on a record. In fact, she wasn't even the first white female to do so. Nope,...

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Friday May 30

#56: Lenny Williams 'Cause I Love You'

 

As lead singer of the group Tower of Power, Lenny Williams enjoyed a sprinkling of hits during his tenure with the funk outfit. But it wasn't until he returned to his solo career in the mid-'70s that his star really...

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Thursday May 29

#57: The Isley Brothers 'Footsteps in the Dark'

 

There's a reason this song was straight jacked by Ice Cube with no variation. Although "Footsteps In The Dark" was a groove meant initially for Quiet Storm sets, there's something about the mood it creates that causes heads to nod...

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Thursday May 29

How the Top 100 Countdown Works (or, 'Know Your Role, Part Deux')

 

It seems we have once again reached a point where the matter of how the Top 100 Soul/R&B songs list was compiled needs to be addressed. I began this series of posts because I wanted us, the SB Team, to...

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Wednesday May 28

#58: Sam Cooke 'A Change Is Gonna Come'

 

If there was ever an anthem for the times that we are living in now, it is Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come." Although the song exemplified the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, with the possibility of...

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Tuesday May 27

#59: Chaka Khan 'What Cha' Gonna Do For Me'

 

Perhaps the best thing about Chaka Khan's version of "What Cha' Gonna Do For Me" is the sass she brings to the track, an element sorely lacking in Average White Band's take. It's hard not to take her seriously during...

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Monday May 26

#60: Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes 'If You Don't Know Me By Now'

 

It's pure coincidence that Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes' "If You Don't Know Me by Now" appears on the countdown on Memorial Day. Promise. But the fact that both the song and the holiday encourage, no, implore you to...

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Friday May 23

#61: L.T.D. 'Love Ballad'

 

Formed in Greensboro, North Carolina in the late '60s the group L.T.D., short for Love, Togetherness and Devotion, didn't hit their stride until the mid-'70s. The year was 1976 and the group was three albums deep into their career when...

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Thursday May 22

#62: Marvin Gaye 'What's Going On'

 

Some time ago, a writer equated Sade's voice as being capable of calming even the most hyperactive, cranky child. If there was ever a song that could soothe a savage beast, it would be Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On." Despite the...

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Wednesday May 21

#63: Marvin Gaye 'Let's Get It On'

 

There's no denying that Marvin Gaye was a talented yet tortured soul. His upbringing at the hands of his abusive, cross-dressing, preacher father led him to teeter on the edge between the sanctified and the sinful throughout his life and...

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Tuesday May 20

#64: Gladys Knight & The Pips 'Midnight Train to Georgia'

 

After initially being recorded as a single by Cissy Houston in 1972, Gladys Knight & the Pips took a stab at "Midnight Train to Georgia" in 1973--their second single since leaving Motown for Buddah Records. Their "stab" wound up winning...

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Monday May 19

#65: Mtume 'Juicy Fruit'

 

By the 1980s, subtlety in soul music had gone the way of the dinosaur. Artists like Prince and Rick James pushed the envelope and people's buttons with their explicit lyrics and antics, but there were other artists who tested the...

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Friday May 16

#66: The Gap Band 'Outstanding'

 

It goes without saying that if it were not for this track that provided the backdrop for many trips down memory lane, Charlie Wilson would not have been able to stage his late '90's comeback. "Outstanding" is one of those...

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Thursday May 15

#67: Michael Jackson 'I Can't Help It'

 

This is the Michael Jackson so many of us long for. It should come as no surprise that Stevie Wonder was involved in "I Can't Help It," a track that has seen remakes and reiterations by Davina, Mary J. Blige,...

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Wednesday May 14

#68: Stevie Wonder 'Overjoyed'

 

This will be the third time Stevie is mentioned on our countdown and is it any wonder (zing)? He's probably the greatest songwriter of our time. Few (and this includes his peers) are able to reach into a listener's soul...

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Tuesday May 13

#69: Mary J. Blige 'Love No Limit'

 

To say that I'm a big Mary J. Blige fan would be an understatement. If you look back to 1992 and everyone else that was thriving at that time, then look at today, who's still standing? Growing Pains did 629k...

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Monday May 12

#70: Sade 'Stronger Than Pride'

 

When Sade debuted in 1984 with their instant classic Diamond Life, theirs was a sound and look that was unlike anything in the musical landscape at that time. They were instantly labeled a jazz band, but it many have been...

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Friday May 09

#71: Refugee All-Stars Featuring Lauryn Hill 'The Sweetest Thing'

 

You may remember the song "The Sweetest Thing" as just one of the many gems from the 1997 Love Jones motion picture soundtrack. I remember this song as the first time I actually thought Lauryn Hill was sexy. I mean,...

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Thursday May 08

#72: Rufus & Chaka 'Do You Love What You Feel?'

 

What would our countdown be without this little ditty produced by one Quincy Jones? Rufus & Chaka's "Do You Love What You Feel" can still turn a party out, coming in with a bpm of 120 that allows DJs to...

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Wednesday May 07

#73: Aaliyah 'One In A Million'

 

Hooking up with Timbaland was easily the smartest move Aaliyah Dana Haughton ever made. If Age Ain't Nuthin' but A Number was for the Jeeps, then One in A Million was for the Ninjas. "If Your Girl Only Knew" was...

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Tuesday May 06

#74: Wham! Featuring George Michael 'Careless Whisper'

 

On a countdown like this, where we're committed to listing our favorite soul and R&B tracks, a song like "Careless Whisper" is a must.  Not only because it's straight rhythm and blues, but also because it epitomizes what the genre...

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Monday May 05

#75: Keith Sweat "Right And A Wrong Way"

 

Despite Keith Sweat being known for whining his way through many songs, let's all revisit 1987, the year when his Make It Last Forever LP hit shelves. The Harlem NYC native along with fellow Harlemite Teddy Riley on production introduced...

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Monday May 05

Get The SoulBounce Top 100 Soul/R&B Songs On iTunes

 

SoulBounce is proud to present the first 25 songs from our Top 100 Soul/R&B Songs countdown on iTunes. Featuring music from an array of artists such as Stevie Wonder, Bobby Brown, Alicia Keys, Sheila E., The O'Jays and Mary J....

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Friday May 02

#76: Stephanie Mills 'I Have Learned to Respect the Power of Love'

 

Most people that have heard Brooklyn-born Stephanie Mills sing respect the fact that she is a professional soul singer. Her resume demands as much. Let's peek, shall we? She got started in show business at the tender age of nine...

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Thursday May 01

#77: Teddy Pendergrass 'Close The Door'

 

Teddy Pendergrass has been making quite a few appearances on SoulBounce lately, and I promise it's not because of my overt fascination with him. Teddy was always the man you could count on to get your parents into the right...

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Wednesday April 30

#78: DeBarge 'Love Me In A Special Way'

 

If there's one thing that is a staple in soul music, it's the singing family act. From the Jacksons to the Sylvers to the Emotions to the Pointer Sisters, the family that sings together can make some beautiful music....

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Tuesday April 29

#79: Marvin Gaye 'Sexual Healing'

 

Marvin Gaye was first known as a sensitive singer, then a political singer, then a sexy singer. The progression from political to sexy was not as abrupt as it may initially seem, since Marvin had racked up many admirers since the...

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Monday April 28

#80: Stevie Wonder 'Superstition'

 

1972's "Superstition", from the Talking Book album, is one of the first songs written by Stevie Wonder that marked a change in the legendary music maker's sound -- from Motown pop to a more personal style.  Here is when we...

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Friday April 25

#81: Roberta Flack 'Killing Me Softly With His Song'

 

The name Roberta Flack conjures up thoughts of her numerous classic duets with friend and frequent partner Donny Hathaway (and later Peabo Bryson), but the biggest songs of her career were actually her solo hits "The First Time Ever...

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Thursday April 24

#82: Stevie Wonder 'Rocket Love'

 

Stevie Wonder, it seems, has always had a penchant for describing worlds that neither he nor any of us, ever truly have the opportunity to witness. His Journey Into The Secret Life of Plants personified the life of flora in...

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Wednesday April 23

#83: The O'Jays 'Cry Together'

 

In the 1970s The O'Jays were unstoppable. The trio, consisting of Eddie Levert, Walter Williams and William Powell who was later replaced by Sammy Strain after he was stricken with cancer, scored hits throughout the decade and had behinds bumping...

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Tuesday April 22

#84: Marvin Gaye 'Inner City Blues'

 

Marvin Gaye had enjoyed a stellar career as a singer on Motown label for many years before he released What's Going On in 1971. This landmark album signaled a departure for Gaye, as he was more often associated with a smooth...

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Monday April 21

#85: D'Angelo 'Brown Sugar'

 

Before the pornographic revealing music video, before the drug issues that led to the munchies and way before the extended wait for new music, Michael Eugene Archer, professionally known as D'Angelo, stepped onto the soul music scene and changed the...

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Friday April 18

#86 Sheila E. 'The Glamorous Life'

 

One of the most interesting stories surrounding 1984's "The Glamorous Life" is the fact that the song Sheila E. made famous wasn't even intended for her. Prince wrote the song for the girl group Apollonia 6, but after learning that...

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Thursday April 17

#87 Tevin Campbell 'Can We Talk'

 

There is a short list of artists that can boast having music mogul Quincy Jones as a mentor. Tevin Campbell is on that list. It was Q who brought little Tevin to the attention of the music masses back in...

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Wednesday April 16

#88 Toni Braxton 'How Many Ways'

 

"How Many Ways" was the sixth and final single released from Toni Braxton's self-titled debut CD. I loved the track because it really gave us a peek at tiny Toni's powerhouse voice. It's no surprise that Braxton herself co-wrote...

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Tuesday April 15

#89: New Edition 'If It Isn't Love'

 

The year was 1987. Due to pressure from the record label, Bobby Brown had just been voted out of the group. Ralph Tresvant started mumbling about following Brown out the door and going solo. The group we all knew and...

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Monday April 14

#90: Alicia Keys 'You Don't Know My Name'

 

Alicia Keys first caught my attention when I saw her performance on a BET Christmas special where she performed a reworked version of "Little Drummer Boy." It was obvious to anyone who saw that performance that this girl barely out...

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Friday April 11

#91: Anita Baker 'Sweet Love'

 

Thank God for second chances, because without one we may have never been blessed with "Sweet Love" from the one and only Anita Baker. After getting her start with the group Chapter 8 in the late '70s and charting...

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Thursday April 10

#92: Bilal 'Soul Sista'

 

When Bilal first stepped on the scene with his debut single "Soul Sista," everyone just about lost their minds. Not only was the song a concoction of warm, velvety lusciousness, but the video was dripping with ooey, gooey love....

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Wednesday April 09

#93: Third World 'Now That We've Found Love'

 

As Butta and myself have made mention of on this site, remakes of American pop hits by international artists is nothing new, especially when it comes to reggae music. Third World's "Now That We've Found Love" was not only...

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Tuesday April 08

#94: Michael Jackson 'Thriller'

 

Something like this could only happen in the 80's. A song about things "lurking in the dark" and cold, evil breath on your neck. Sexy! "Thriller" is partly responsible for contributing to our perception of Michael Jackson's freakish nature, and...

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Monday April 07

#95: SWV 'Weak'

 

What would our countdown be without one of SWV's best-loved if not known classics? "Weak" was sweet, melodic and no one knew the words! I can submit that most of us back then just made up the chorus as we...

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Friday April 04

#96: The S.O.S. Band 'Take Your Time (Do It Right)'

 

The S.O.S. Band will not only go down as one of the few bands in history to be able to bring a family reunion gathering to its feet, but for producing some of the most beloved R&B songs from...

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Thursday April 03

#97: Whitney Houston 'I Will Always Love You'

 

It's no exaggeration that Whitney Houston is one of the most beloved entertainers of her generation. Is it any wonder why so many people are pulling for the embattled singer to make a comeback? We want to see and...

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Wednesday April 02

#98: Bobby Brown 'My Prerogative'

 

What would SoulBounce's Top 100 Soul/R&B countdown be without the King of R&B, Bobby Brown? Coming in at #98 is his highness with his number one hit "My Prerogative."After quitting the security of New Edition and releasing a mediocre...

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Tuesday April 01

#99: Mariah Carey 'Vision of Love'

 

Since nOva pulled a fast one yesterday to kick off the Top 100 Soul/R&B countdown, it's only fair we play a slow one on Day 2 of what promises to be a list full of surprises. Before there were...

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Monday March 31

#100: Mary J. Blige 'Be With You'

 

Although I have certain suspicions as to how this song ended up on our Top 100 Soul/R&B songs countdown (mainly having to do with the song's title, easily confused with a certain single from The Breakthrough) I have no complaints....

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Monday March 31

The SoulBounce Top 100 Soul And R&B Songs Countdown Begins Today

 

A few weeks ago SoulBounce announced that we would be counting down our favorite Soul/R&B songs, and today is the day when we will begin! After some top-secret discussions and serious number crunching we've narrowed down the choices from...

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Wednesday February 06

SOULBOUNCE IS COUNTING DOWN OUR TOP 100 SOUL AND R&B SONGS!

 

It's coming very soon. Some of you have already heard whispers about it. Love suggested it. SoulBounce Editors and Bouncers came together for a top secret roundtable and came up with our favorite Soul/R&B songs of all time. It was...

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