Graycap23 said:

MickyDolenz said:

Isn't this the same as Gap Band, Earth Wind & Fire, and Shalamar?

How is a solo act the same as as group act?

Because if I name a group, the solo is included. That's why I didn't name Michael & Jermaine Jackson. I don't really consider a solo album a different act, especially if it's a lead singer. It's not like they turned into a different person, lol. On the other side, if I said George Michael, then Wham! is included with that. But I would consider the Traveling Wilburys, Plastic Ono Band, Ringo & His All Starr Band, or Wings different acts from The Beatles. They're not exactly solo, but different bands.

OK, if ANY r&b subgenre is allowed, then I must say

MICHAEL JACKSON

(funk, r&b, soul, disco, funk-rock, dance, new jack swing)

unbreakable Number 1

the rest would be a list of the usual suspects: Stevie, Sly, Al, Prince, James, pretty predictable

[Edited 12/2/10 13:57pm]

I can't do a hundred, but here goes what I can do.

All of these artists I like, so last place does not mean the worst in my book and places after 20 are generally arbitrary, I pretty much kind of like them.

1. Prince (I am heavily biassed towards Prince, songs like Adore are truly some of the best R&B made by anyone period)

2. Stevie Wonder

3. James Brown

4. Marvin Gaye

5. Ray Charles

6. Little Richard

7. Chuck Berry

8. Jackie Wilson

9. Sam Cooke

10. Otis Redding

11. Al Green

12. The Temptations

13. Kool n the Gang

14. Aretha Franklin

15. Whitney Houston

16. Janet Jackson

17. Parliament/Funkadelic

18. Diana Ross/Supremes

19. The Four Tops

20. The Stylistics

21. The Isley Brothers

22. Gladys Knight and the Pips

23. Patty Labelle

24. Sam and Dave

25. Chaka Khan

26. Tina Turner (Ike to present)

27. Zapp / Roger

28. Brothers Johnson

29. The Miracles/Smokey Robinson

30. Martha and the Vandellas

31. Little Willie John

32. Hank Ballard and the Midnighters (All the Annie Songs, finger popping time)

33. Chubby Checker (I was thinking of the Twist while I was typing this)

34. The Marvellettes

35. Rick James

36. Cameo

37. Michael Jackson (I just thought he was more pop than R&B)

38. Usher

39. Terence Trent D'arby (Not really Sananda though)

40. Nina Sinone

41. Sylvester

42. Curtis Mayfield

43. Isaac Hayes

44. Barry White

45. Eddie Kendricks

46. Rolling Stones (Did a lot of R&B)

47. KC and the Sunshine Band

48. Earth Wind and Fire

49. Sister Sledge

50. The Gap Band

51. Morris Day and the Time (Not bad, but they are up against a list of R & B giants here)

52. The Undisputed Truth

53. Friends of Distinction

54. Jackson 5 (More pop than R and B)

55. Raydio (Again, great group, great music but more rock and pop)

56. Grace Jones (Ditto, an amazing artist, but limited in the world of R&B)

57. Syreeta (If just for Harmour Love)

58. Willie Hutch (If just for Love power, knew he was more a writer and wrote some fantastic songs for others, but here I am just evaluating his own output).

59. Shalamar

60. Ohio Players

There are probably a few I missed out here, but I stand by these guys.

[Edited 12/2/10 14:50pm]

[Edited 12/2/10 15:38pm]

Had to redo this

[Edited 12/2/10 14:44pm]

Huggiebear said:

I can't do a hundred, but here goes what I can do.

All of these artists I like, so last place does not mean the worst in my book and places after 20 are generally arbitrary, I pretty much kind of like them.

1. Prince (I am heavily biassed towards Prince, songs like Adore are truly some of the best R&B made by anyone period)

2. Stevie Wonder

3. James Brown

4. Marvin Gaye

5. Ray Charles

6. Little Richard

7. Chuck Berry

8. Jackie Wilson

9. Sam Cooke

10. Otis Redding

11. Al Green

12. The Temptations

13. Kool n the Gang

14. Aretha Franklin

15. Whitney Houston

16. Janet Jackson

17. Parliament/Funkadelic

18. Diana Ross/Supremes

19. The Four Tops

20. The Stylistics

21. The Isley Brothers

22. Gladys Knight and the Pips

23. Patty Labelle

24. Sam and Dave

25. Chaka Khan

26. Tina Turner (Ike to present)

27. Zapp / Roger

28. Brothers Johnson

29. The Miracles/Smokey Robinson

30. Martha and the Vandellas

31. Little Willie John

32. Hank Ballard and the Midnighters (All the Annie Songs, finger popping time)

33. Chubby Checker (I was thinking of the Twist while I was typing this)

34. The Marvellettes

35. Rick James

36. Cameo

37. Michael Jackson (I just thought he was more pop than R&B)

38. Usher

39. Terence Trent D'arby (Not really Sananda though)

40. Nina Sinone

41. Sylvester

42. Curtis Mayfield

43. Isaac Hayes

44. Barry White

45. Eddie Kendricks

46. Rolling Stones (Did a lot of R&B)

47. KC and the Sunshine Band

48. Earth Wind and Fire

49. Sister Sledge

50. The Gap Band

51. Morris Day and the Time (Not bad, but they are up against a list of R & B giants here)

52. The Undisputed Truth

53. Friends of Distinction

54. Jackson 5 (More pop than R and B)

55. Raydio (Again, great group, great music but more rock and pop)

56. Grace Jones (Ditto, an amazing artist, but limited in the world of R&B)

57. Syreeta (If just for Harmour Love)

58. Willie Hutch (If just for Love power, knew he was more a writer and wrote some fantastic songs for others, but here I am just evaluating his own output).

59. Shalamar

60. Ohio Players

There are probably a few I missed out here, but I stand by these guys.

[Edited 12/2/10 14:50pm]

[Edited 12/2/10 15:38pm]

Awesome, that's what I'm talkikn bout, though Prince seems pretty high, lol.

This is not a full 100, but it's the best of the best to me.

1. Stevie Wonder

2. Michael Jackson

3. James Brown

4. Ray Charles

5. Prince

6. Aretha Franklin

7. The Temptations

8. Earth, Wind & Fire

9. The Isley Brothers

10. Anita Baker

11. Smokey Robinson

12. Parliament-Funkadelic

13. Boyz 2 Men

14. The O'Jays

15. Rick James

16. Kool & The Gang

17. Otis Redding

18. Jimi Hendrix

19. Diana Ross

20. Al Green

21. Luther Vandross

22. Mariah Carey

23. Marvin Gaye

24. Teena Marie

25. Minnie Ripperton

26. The Four Tops

27. The Dramatics

28. Isaac Hayes

29. Sam Cooke

30. Jackie Wilson

31. Barry White

32. The Ohio Players

33. The Time

34. Little Richard

35. B.B. King

36. The Platters

37. The Bar-Kays

38. New Edition

39. Teddy Pendergrass

40. The Gap Band

41. Levert

42. R. Kelly

43. Stephanie Mills

44. Alicia Keys

45. Beyonce

46. The Emotions

47. Chuck Berry

48. Natalie Cole

49. Ready For The Wolrd

50. Zapp & Roger

Huggiebear said:

I can't do a hundred, but here goes what I can do.

All of these artists I like, so last place does not mean the worst in my book and places after 20 are generally arbitrary, I pretty much kind of like them.

1. Prince (I am heavily biassed towards Prince, songs like Adore are truly some of the best R&B made by anyone period)

2. Stevie Wonder

3. James Brown

4. Marvin Gaye

5. Ray Charles

6. Little Richard

7. Chuck Berry

8. Jackie Wilson

9. Sam Cooke

10. Otis Redding

11. Al Green

12. The Temptations

13. Kool n the Gang

14. Aretha Franklin

15. Whitney Houston

16. Janet Jackson

17. Parliament/Funkadelic

18. Diana Ross/Supremes

19. The Four Tops

20. The Stylistics

21. The Isley Brothers

22. Gladys Knight and the Pips

23. Patty Labelle

24. Sam and Dave

25. Chaka Khan

26. Tina Turner (Ike to present)

27. Zapp / Roger

28. Brothers Johnson

29. The Miracles/Smokey Robinson

30. Martha and the Vandellas

31. Little Willie John

32. Hank Ballard and the Midnighters (All the Annie Songs, finger popping time)

33. Chubby Checker (I was thinking of the Twist while I was typing this)

34. The Marvellettes

35. Rick James

36. Cameo

37. Michael Jackson (I just thought he was more pop than R&B)

38. Usher

39. Terence Trent D'arby (Not really Sananda though)

40. Nina Sinone

41. Sylvester

42. Curtis Mayfield

43. Isaac Hayes

44. Barry White

45. Eddie Kendricks

46. Rolling Stones (Did a lot of R&B)

47. KC and the Sunshine Band

48. Earth Wind and Fire

49. Sister Sledge

50. The Gap Band

51. Morris Day and the Time (Not bad, but they are up against a list of R & B giants here)

52. The Undisputed Truth

53. Friends of Distinction

54. Jackson 5 (More pop than R and B)

55. Raydio (Again, great group, great music but more rock and pop)

56. Grace Jones (Ditto, an amazing artist, but limited in the world of R&B)

57. Syreeta (If just for Harmour Love)

58. Willie Hutch (If just for Love power, knew he was more a writer and wrote some fantastic songs for others, but here I am just evaluating his own output).

59. Shalamar

60. Ohio Players

There are probably a few I missed out here, but I stand by these guys.

[Edited 12/2/10 14:50pm]

[Edited 12/2/10 15:38pm]

Are these in actual order or not cause you have Usher at 38 and Barry White at 44?

Before any of you get trapped in the "they're a bit too rock" just remember you've never seen them on a best rock list.

Cinnie said:

Before any of you get trapped in the "they're a bit too rock" just remember you've never seen them on a best rock list.

Nice, I was thinkin of Little Richard, Chuck Berry and those early guys, but you're right. Besides maybe Ike Turner, I've never seen any of the early rock pioneers on an actual rock list.

Also, go through the record label names, because that'll prob. take you way over 100 artists. Just going through the Atlantic, Motown, Chess, Hi and Stax box sets are massive, and the "blue eyed soul" (Michael McDonald, Hall and Oates, Joe Cocker, Janis Joplin) and UK "Northern Soul" element as well as New Orleans singers, and then having to go by different eras, because sometimes people went in different directions with their music, or they came from rock and folk and decided to get into R&B and jazz.

As far as R&B best selling artists - Mariah has over 200 million sold, and no one's mentioned her.

Whitney at 170 million. Jackson 5, as well as Michael and Janet, which is prob. over a billion worldwide. Tina Turner and Barry White at 100 million. Boys II Men and Destinys Child in the 50-75 mil range. Rihanna at 60 million in 4 years' time. Commodores and Lionel Richie, also didn't see them mentioned, also over 100 mil sold.

The Ink Spots

The Oriels

The Cardinals

The Coasters

The Moonglows

Little Anthony and the Imperials

Billy Ward and the Dominoes

The 5 Royales

The Flamingoes

The Dells

Hank Ballard and the Midnighters

The Platters

Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers

Louis Jordan

Roy Brown

Big Joe Turner

Johnny Otis

Ruth Brown

Muddy Waters

Little Walter

Chuck Berry

Little Richard

Ike and Tina Turner

Bo Didley

Fats Domino

Lloyd Price

Dinah Washington

Clyde McPhatter

Ben. E King

Little Milton

Bobby Blue Bland

Rufus Thomas

Carla Thomas

Booker T and the MGs

Johnnie Taylor

Eddie Floyd

William Bell

Don Covoy

Billy Preston

Tommy Hunt

The Shirrels

James and Bobby Purify

Martha Reeves and the Vandellas

Marvallettes

Jr Walker and the All-Stars

Gladys Knight and the Pips

Brenda Holloway

Jimmy Ruffin

David Ruffin

Eddie Kendricks

Marry Wells

Willie Hutch

Diana Ross

Marv Johnson

Tyronne Davis

Gene Chandler

Major Lance

Dee Clark

Chi-Lites

Five Stairsteps

Dramatics

Moments

Stylistics

Main Ingrediant

Billy Stewert

Staple Singers

Vibrations

Chuck Jackson

Betty Wright

Millie Jackson

Mel and Tim

Bill Withers

Aaron Nevelle

Spinners

Jermaine Jackson

Al Wilson

Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes

Charles Wright

Dyke and the Blazers

Mandrill

Meters

Bloodstone

Kool and the Gang

Commodores

Slave

Con Funk Shun

Lakeside

The Time

Zapp

Bootys Rubber Band

Grahm Central Station

LTD

Heatwave

Sylvers

Emotions

Pointer Sisters

Minnie Ripperton

Teddy Pendergrass

New Edition

Janet Jackson

Shalamar

DeBarge

Howard Hewitt

Jody Wately

Guy

Keith Sweat

Jeffrey Osbourne

Peabo Bryson

Boyz II Men

Jodeci

Brian McKnight

D'Angelo

Maxwell

Tony Toni Tone

Mint Condition

Mary J Blige

Erykah Badu

EH! Fudgetaboutit!

[Edited 12/2/10 22:26pm]

dalsh327 said:

Also, go through the record label names, because that'll prob. take you way over 100 artists. Just going through the Atlantic, Motown, Chess, Hi and Stax box sets are massive, and the "blue eyed soul" (Michael McDonald, Hall and Oates, Joe Cocker, Janis Joplin) and UK "Northern Soul" element as well as New Orleans singers, and then having to go by different eras, because sometimes people went in different directions with their music, or they came from rock and folk and decided to get into R&B and jazz.

As far as R&B best selling artists - Mariah has over 200 million sold, and no one's mentioned her.

Whitney at 170 million. Jackson 5, as well as Michael and Janet, which is prob. over a billion worldwide. Tina Turner and Barry White at 100 million. Boys II Men and Destinys Child in the 50-75 mil range. Rihanna at 60 million in 4 years' time. Commodores and Lionel Richie, also didn't see them mentioned, also over 100 mil sold.

I'm not interested in what someone sold, how many hits they have, or how popular an act is, just if I like their music. I don't consider Whitney, Mariah, Lionel Richie solo, Tina Turner, Boyz II Men "R&B". They're pop or Adult Contemporary to me, no different than Amy Grant, Richard Marx, or Peter Cetera. Tina has even said in interviews that she had no interest in performing that old soulful music she did with Ike, that she wanted to do stuff with more energy to it, hence duets with Bryan Adams and Mick Jagger.

dalsh327 said:

Sales don't mean shit when you equate anyone "great".

Only one person even mentioned D'angelo. Crazy talk.

LittleBLUECorvette said:

Huggiebear said:

I can't do a hundred, but here goes what I can do.

All of these artists I like, so last place does not mean the worst in my book and places after 20 are generally arbitrary, I pretty much kind of like them.

1. Prince (I am heavily biassed towards Prince, songs like Adore are truly some of the best R&B made by anyone period)

2. Stevie Wonder

3. James Brown

4. Marvin Gaye

5. Ray Charles

6. Little Richard

7. Chuck Berry

8. Jackie Wilson

9. Sam Cooke

10. Otis Redding

11. Al Green

12. The Temptations

13. Kool n the Gang

14. Aretha Franklin

15. Whitney Houston

16. Janet Jackson

17. Parliament/Funkadelic

18. Diana Ross/Supremes

19. The Four Tops

20. The Stylistics

21. The Isley Brothers

22. Gladys Knight and the Pips

23. Patty Labelle

24. Sam and Dave

25. Chaka Khan

26. Tina Turner (Ike to present)

27. Zapp / Roger

28. Brothers Johnson

29. The Miracles/Smokey Robinson

30. Martha and the Vandellas

31. Little Willie John

32. Hank Ballard and the Midnighters (All the Annie Songs, finger popping time)

33. Chubby Checker (I was thinking of the Twist while I was typing this)

34. The Marvellettes

35. Rick James

36. Cameo

37. Michael Jackson (I just thought he was more pop than R&B)

38. Usher

39. Terence Trent D'arby (Not really Sananda though)

40. Nina Sinone

41. Sylvester

42. Curtis Mayfield

43. Isaac Hayes

44. Barry White

45. Eddie Kendricks

46. Rolling Stones (Did a lot of R&B)

47. KC and the Sunshine Band

48. Earth Wind and Fire

49. Sister Sledge

50. The Gap Band

51. Morris Day and the Time (Not bad, but they are up against a list of R & B giants here)

52. The Undisputed Truth

53. Friends of Distinction

54. Jackson 5 (More pop than R and B)

55. Raydio (Again, great group, great music but more rock and pop)

56. Grace Jones (Ditto, an amazing artist, but limited in the world of R&B)

57. Syreeta (If just for Harmour Love)

58. Willie Hutch (If just for Love power, knew he was more a writer and wrote some fantastic songs for others, but here I am just evaluating his own output).

59. Shalamar

60. Ohio Players

There are probably a few I missed out here, but I stand by these guys.

[Edited 12/2/10 14:50pm]

[Edited 12/2/10 15:38pm]

Are these in actual order or not cause you have Usher at 38 and Barry White at 44?

I am standing by the highlighted answers. I just haven't got time to sit down and precisely rank each artist after 20th place. About Prince's ranking, this is a matter of opinion and I feel I am entitled to it. Basically places 30 onwards I kind of just entered the first name that came into my head, and had a song I appreciated or remembered.

I apolgise I am not a hardcore R&B fan and I am not living ins Staxville or the motor city, everyone is entitled to their opinion. I followed the rules and if our lists don't match I am truly sorry.

(I am being sarcastic)

^ Now you know why I didn't create my list.

Cinnie said:

Before any of you get trapped in the "they're a bit too rock" just remember you've never seen them on a best rock list.

Mmhmm

Beside Rock & Roll is nothing but a branch of the R&B tree and like Sandino mentioned earlier, the genre is too complex and extensive to fit into one model.

This warms my heart actually, this discussion is totally the counter point to what those cluless parrots who keep citing the critics about R&B being a "simple, unintersting noise" instead of what it really is.

LittleBLUECorvette said:

The Ink Spots

The Oriels

The Cardinals

The Coasters

The Moonglows

Little Anthony and the Imperials

Billy Ward and the Dominoes

The 5 Royales

The Flamingoes

The Dells

Hank Ballard and the Midnighters

The Platters

Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers

Louis Jordan

Roy Brown

Big Joe Turner

Johnny Otis

Ruth Brown

Muddy Waters

Little Walter

Chuck Berry

Little Richard

Ike and Tina Turner

Bo Didley

Fats Domino

Lloyd Price

Dinah Washington

Clyde McPhatter

Ben. E King

Little Milton

Bobby Blue Bland

Rufus Thomas

Carla Thomas

Booker T and the MGs

Johnnie Taylor

Eddie Floyd

William Bell

Don Covoy

Billy Preston

Tommy Hunt

The Shirrels

James and Bobby Purify

Martha Reeves and the Vandellas

Marvallettes

Jr Walker and the All-Stars

Gladys Knight and the Pips

Brenda Holloway

Jimmy Ruffin

David Ruffin

Eddie Kendricks

Marry Wells

Willie Hutch

Diana Ross

Marv Johnson

Tyronne Davis

Gene Chandler

Major Lance

Dee Clark

Chi-Lites

Five Stairsteps

Dramatics

Moments

Stylistics

Main Ingrediant

Billy Stewert

Staple Singers

Vibrations

Chuck Jackson

Betty Wright

Millie Jackson

Mel and Tim

Bill Withers

Aaron Nevelle

Spinners

Jermaine Jackson

Al Wilson

Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes

Charles Wright

Dyke and the Blazers

Mandrill

Meters

Bloodstone

Kool and the Gang

Commodores

Slave

Con Funk Shun

Lakeside

The Time

Zapp

Bootys Rubber Band

Grahm Central Station

LTD

Heatwave

Sylvers

Emotions

Pointer Sisters

Minnie Ripperton

Teddy Pendergrass

New Edition

Janet Jackson

Shalamar

DeBarge

Howard Hewitt

Jody Wately

Guy

Keith Sweat

Jeffrey Osbourne

Peabo Bryson

Boyz II Men

Jodeci

Brian McKnight

D'Angelo

Maxwell

Tony Toni Tone

Mint Condition

Mary J Blige

Erykah Badu

Lawd, I was about to get worried that no one was going to mention this extraordinary man or the Commodores (even though many don't like Lionel which is just wrong to me).

I'm gonna add:

Van Hunt

Floetry

Lisa Fischer

Shanice

Regina Belle

MusiqSoulChild

SWV

Kelly Price

[Edited 12/5/10 0:42am]

estelle81 said:

LittleBLUECorvette said:

The Ink Spots

The Oriels

The Cardinals

The Coasters

The Moonglows

Little Anthony and the Imperials

Billy Ward and the Dominoes

The 5 Royales

The Flamingoes

The Dells

Hank Ballard and the Midnighters

The Platters

Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers

Louis Jordan

Roy Brown

Big Joe Turner

Johnny Otis

Ruth Brown

Muddy Waters

Little Walter

Chuck Berry

Little Richard

Ike and Tina Turner

Bo Didley

Fats Domino

Lloyd Price

Dinah Washington

Clyde McPhatter

Ben. E King

Little Milton

Bobby Blue Bland

Rufus Thomas

Carla Thomas

Booker T and the MGs

Johnnie Taylor

Eddie Floyd

William Bell

Don Covoy

Billy Preston

Tommy Hunt

The Shirrels

James and Bobby Purify

Martha Reeves and the Vandellas

Marvallettes

Jr Walker and the All-Stars

Gladys Knight and the Pips

Brenda Holloway

Jimmy Ruffin

David Ruffin

Eddie Kendricks

Marry Wells

Willie Hutch

Diana Ross

Marv Johnson

Tyronne Davis

Gene Chandler

Major Lance

Dee Clark

Chi-Lites

Five Stairsteps

Dramatics

Moments

Stylistics

Main Ingrediant

Billy Stewert

Staple Singers

Vibrations

Chuck Jackson

Betty Wright

Millie Jackson

Mel and Tim

Bill Withers

Aaron Nevelle

Spinners

Jermaine Jackson

Al Wilson

Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes

Charles Wright

Dyke and the Blazers

Mandrill

Meters

Bloodstone

Kool and the Gang

Commodores

Slave

Con Funk Shun

Lakeside

The Time

Zapp

Bootys Rubber Band

Grahm Central Station

LTD

Heatwave

Sylvers

Emotions

Pointer Sisters

Minnie Ripperton

Teddy Pendergrass

New Edition

Janet Jackson

Shalamar

DeBarge

Howard Hewitt

Jody Wately

Guy

Keith Sweat

Jeffrey Osbourne

Peabo Bryson

Boyz II Men

Jodeci

Brian McKnight

D'Angelo

Maxwell

Tony Toni Tone

Mint Condition

Mary J Blige

Erykah Badu

Lawd, I was about to get worried that no one was going to mention this extraordinary man or the Commodores (even though many don't like Lionel which is just wrong to me).

I'm gonna add:

Van Hunt

Floetry

Lisa Fischer

Shanice

Regina Belle

MusiqSoulChild

SWV

Kelly Price

[Edited 12/5/10 0:42am]

Now all we gotta do is rank these from 1 - 100.

Man this is hard. I actually working on an 100 liost. I got about halfway so far.

I got it to 90 and releazed there about 40 other artist I gotta go through and just pick 10 out of them .... smh.

*dead* at Jermaine Jackson Mention.

i would say marvin gaye

babybugz said:

*dead* at Jermaine Jackson Mention.

midiscover said:

babybugz said:

*dead* at Jermaine Jackson Mention.

Jermaine had a respectable career, three #1 R&B hits isn't bad.

LittleBLUECorvette said:

midiscover said:

Jermaine had a respectable career, three #1 R&B hits isn't bad.

If he hadn't been so busy greasing his face and being the invisible spokesperson for his family, he would've gotten on the list somehow but I wouldn't call him a great anything lol

Timmy84 said:

The rhythm and blues that began in the 1940s isn't the same because the genre kept giving birth to brothers and cousins but it's so confusing that everything is deemed "R&B" though it could be "rock and roll" or "blues" or "soul" or "funk".

It's as confusing as explaining rock and roll music since the rock of the 1950s wasn't the same as the 1960s or 1970s and so on and so on.

I am so not riding your jock today but goddamnit! Sisters, brothers and cousins.

I am going to go out on a limb here and say: Lil Richard

Cause without him, all of this is irrelevant.