80's R&B Personified in 10 Classic Tracks

null · Jan 18, 2025

Using a combination of production, sound, lyrics, style and more these tracks together capture the quintessential essence of the 89's.

60's, 70's, 90's and 00's coming soon.

Timestamped at the most representative classic part.

1. Full Force - Temporary Love Thing

reason: heavy production. style.

2. SOS Band - The Finest

reason: spoken intro. strike a pose pause at start. jam and lewis programmed drums.

3. Change - Mutual Attraction

reason: classic heavy 80's sound

4. D Train - You're the one for me

reason: non-stop momentum coupled with heavy electronic sound + strong chant overlaid vocal style

5. Evelyn King - I'm in Love

reason: heaving driving bass. strong vocals.

6. Shannon - Let the music play

reason: over produced half house / half soul. crescendo chorus.

7. SOS Band - Just be good to me

reason: opening synth is pure 80's distilled

8. Clinton - Atomic Dog

reason: funk

9. Chaka Khan - I feel for you

reason: percussion heavy, rap infused, chaka vocals, breakdance - turbo and ozone.

10. Camei - Word Up

reason: 80's funk and glam. that synth. the snare. the vocals. the horns. one of a kind cameo.

... hmmmm

honourable mentions

Taadow · Jan 18, 2025

Fair…but:

1. You don’t have no Minneapolis chit (barr the Jam & Lewis tracks) - The Time, Ready For The World, The Jets…
1B. …matter of fact - there is a profound lack of actual instrument bands on you list.
That’s probably why the saxophone died after the 80s.
2. Freddie Jackson was the biggest R&B artist in the 80s and you don’t have him on here.
3. I would take “Just Be Good To Me” off and replace it with “You Dropped A Bomb On Me” to make the same point.
4. New Edition changed the world of music in the 80s
5. If you was gonna have a Change song, it should’ve been “A Lover’s Holiday”
6. Where’s Roger/Zapp?
7. 8 & 10 are basically the same lane
8. Jeffrey Osborne “Woo Woo Song (Should Be Mine)” should be on this bih
9. 80s = Crack. You don’t have the unofficial song of Crack; Dazz Band - “Let It Whip”
10. Where your New Jack Swing cuts? That was about ‘87

Point Blank - 80s R&B was too diverse to sum it up in 10 tracks.

null · Jan 18, 2025

Taadow said:
Point Blank - 80s R&B was too diverse to sum it up in 10 tracks.

this list sums up what was unique to the 80's. the 80's sound.

not the entirety or full range of the 80's.

80's == heavy production, drum machines, synth rock rnb, the clothes, strong vocals, full modern instruments came online (guitars, keyboards)

Taadow said:
Fair…but:
1. You don’t have no Minneapolis chit (barr the Jam & Lewis tracks) - The Time, Ready For The World, The Jets…
1B. …matter of fact - there is a profound lack of actual instrument bands on you list.
That’s probably why the saxophone died after the 80s.
2. Freddie Jackson was the biggest R&B artist in the 80s and you don’t have him on here.
3. I would take “Just Be Good To Me” off and replace it with “You Dropped A Bomb On Me” to make the same point.
4. New Edition changed the world of music in the 80s
5. If you was gonna have a Change song, it should’ve been “A Lover’s Holiday”
6. Where’s Roger/Zapp?
7. 8 & 10 are basically the same lane
8. Jeffrey Osborne “Woo Woo Song (Should Be Mine)” should be on this bih
9. 80s = Crack. You don’t have the unofficial song of Crack; Dazz Band - “Let It Whip”
10. Where your New Jack Swing cuts? That was about ‘87

maybe there is room for a gap/time/zapp tune. what tho ...?

agree there could have been slower tunes but are those tunes a unique 80's sound? not really. maybe david peaston.

but IMO not strong enough.

luthers early stuff was 70's. hie later stuff and freddie were not much different to the 90's ballads.

alex's production was true 80's but his songs weren't top 10 worthy.

on the funk side i added tho.

80's R&B Personified in 10 Classic Tracks

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Taadow

The StarchBishop™️

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