*Soul Music is more than a musical genre. It’s an original American expression of creativity, a unique cultural art form born out of pain, oppression, extreme pressure, and an eyewitness view of the exclusive atrocities that are the Black American experience. From this pure American experience, major musical art forms (genres) of expression were created and cultivated.
“SOUL is more than a musical genre – it’s the essence, the special ingredients, the secret sauce of Black American Culture. “Soul is our culture – baby.” – Diane Blackmon Bailey, Veteran Radio Personality
Ranging from the early days of Gospel, Jazz, Country, R&B (Rhythm & Blues) Disco, Rap/Hip Hop, and Pop all of these categories encompass the overall influences of Black Americans, its innovators, creators, architects, and global musical Influencers.
Little Richard, Chuck Berry, and Sister Rosetta Tharpe were the unsung original Rock & Rollers. Sam Cooke’s ‘A Change Is Gonna Come’, the Godfather of Soul, James Brown’s national anthem ‘Say It Loud I’m Black and I’m Proud’ – to the sound of Sammy Davis Jr., we witnessed the nation slowly changing.
Soul Music possesses a unique subliminal frequency, a musical mathematical equation that connects them to us all; from the East coast to the West coast, down South, up North, and everywhere in between.
The Black American Music scene, experience, and origin dominate the history of American Music with its genius, compassion, and contributions to the overall betterment of all mankind. Once ostracized from the American radio airwaves and classified as “Colored” and “Race Music,” among other derogatory and racially explicit terms, the action of segregated radio programmers, disk jockeys, promoters, and others, forced the creation of many alternative Black radio powerhouses, in local cities and markets. This unique circumstance assisted in the development of this new cultural American music art form, which resonated with America’s youth and the urban population.
Through Black American innovation, pure talent, tenacity, imagination, and fearlessness, a brand new form of expression, “American Soul Music,” was conceived exclusively by Black people and for Black people. By conceptualizing their exclusive ‘Black American Experience’, our trailblazers created the blueprint … an original unique music sound, style, and dance, including new categories and genres that are legendary, iconic, and unforgettable.
Unfortunately, the new era of radio consolidation, advertiser bias, network monopoly, and the politics of the 1980s, doomed Black radio and marked the beginning of a rapid deletion and decline of Black-owned and operated stations across the country.
To date, Stevie Wonder’s legendary KJLH FM Radio in Los Angeles California is one of only 168 Black Owned Radio Stations still in existence. To put that in perspective, there are currently 10,315+ commercial AM and FM radio stations in the country.
In commemoration of Black History Month, Lee Bailey’s EURweb is publishing the official Top 200 American Soul Singers of All Time list. It was compiled by an exclusive group of radio leaders, music industry executives, and media specialists from a list of over 450 nominees.
And now, ladies and gentlemen …
EURweb’s Top 200 American SOUL Singers (and Groups) of All Time
1. James Brown
2. Michael Jackson
3. Prince
4. Aretha Franklin
5. Luther Vandross
6. Whitney Houston
7. Little Richard
8. Chaka Khan
9. Patti Labelle
10. Stevie Wonder
11. The O’Jays (f/ Eddie Levert)
12. Smokey Robinson (w/ The Miracles)
13. Ray Charles
14. The Impressions (f/ Curtis Mayfield)
15. Jackie Wilson
16. Donny Hathaway
17. Charlie Wilson GAP Band
18. Spinners (f/ Phillippe “Soul” Wynne)
19. The Temptations (f/ David Ruffin, Dennis Edwards Eddie Kendricks)
20. Marvin Gaye
21. Natalie Cole
22. The Dells
23. Rick James
24. The Isley Brothers (f/ Ronald Isley)
25. Commodores (f/ Lionel Richie)
26. Ike & Tina Turner
27. Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes
28. Stephanie Mills
29. Nat King Cole
30. Chuck Berry
31. Gladys Knight & The Pips / Gladys Knight
32. Diana Ross & The Supremes
33. Janet Jackson
34. Jennifer Holliday
35. Donna Summer
36. Barry White (w/ Love Unlimited and The Love Unlimited Orchestra)
37. Usher
38. Anita Baker
39. Isaac Hayes
40. Al Green
41. Earth, Wind & Fire (f/ Maurice White & Philip Bailey)
42. Beyoncé
43. Jennifer Hudson
44. Sam Cooke
45. Bobby Womack
46 Toni Braxton
47 Teddy Pendergrass
48. Ella Fitzgerald
49. Johnnie Taylor
50. Phyllis Hyman
51. Frankie Beverly & Maze
52. Teddy Riley Guy / Blackstreet
52. Xscape
53. Jeffery Osborne
54. George Benson
55. Erykah Badu
56. Babyface
57. Destiny’s Child
58. Brandy
59. Cab Calloway
60. Jodeci K-Ci Hailey
61. Mary J. Blige
62. Thelma Houston
63. The Moments / Ray Goodman & Brown
64. New Edition (f/ Bobby Brown, Ralph Tresvant, and Bell Biv DeVoe)
65. Sammie Davis Jr.
66. The Manhattans
67. Bill Withers
68. Freddie Jackson
69. Mariah Cary
70. Four Tops (f/ Levi Stubbs)
71. The Dramatics
72. Atlantic Starr
73. Boys II Men
74. Angie Stone
75. Chris Brown
76. Deniece Williams
77. Jerry Butler
78. Teena Marie
79. Tina Turner
80. B.B. King
81. Lauryn Hill
82. Wilson Pickett
83. Sly & The Family Stone
84. Alisha Keys
85. The Jackson 5 / The Jacksons
86. Morris Day & The Time
87. SWV
88. George Clinton / Parliament-Funkadelic
89. Lou Rawls
90. Pointer Sisters
91. After 7
92. Minnie Riperton
93. R. Kelly
94. Johnny Guitar Watson
95. The Stylistics (f/ Russell Thompkins, Jr.)
96. Tyrese
97. Bootsy Collins
98. Kelly Rowland
99. Betty Wright
100. Otis Redding
101. The Drifters
102. The Flamingos
103. Babyface
104. Edwin Star
105. Etta James
106. Cameo (f/ Larry Blackmon)
107. B.T. Express
108. Martha & the Vandellas
109. Peabo Bryson
110. Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers
111. Mary Wells
112. The Friends of Distinction
113. Tammi Terrell
114. The Shirelles
115. Emotions
116. Trammps
117. Major Harris
118. TLC
119. Staple Singers (f/ Mavis Staples & Pops Staples)
120. Gloria Gaynor
121. L.T.D. (f/ Jeffery Osborne)
122. Jimi Hendrix
123. Mint Condition
124. Bobby Blue Bland
125. Muddy Waters
126. Albert King
127. Big Mama Thornton
128. Ethel Waters
129. Lena Horne
130. Rufus Thomas
131. Larry Graham & Graham Central Station
132. Chuck Brown & the Soul Searchers
133. Millie Jackson
134. Billie Holiday
135. Little Anthony & The Imperials
136. Bloodstone
137. Roberta Flack
138. Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson
139. Ashford & Simpson
140. Blackbyrds
141. Shalamar (f/ Howard Hewett and Jody Watley)
142. The Whispers
143. Louis Armstrong
144. Pearl Bailey
145. Nancy Wilson
146. The Brothers Johnson
147. Melba Moore
148. The Sweet Inspirations
149. Sister Sledge
151. The 5th Dimension (f/ Marlyn McCoo & Billy Davis, Jr.)
152. Angela Winbush
153. Sam & Dave
154. The Chi-Lites
155. Billy Paul
156. The Delfonics
157. Sylvester
158. Erica Badu
159. Slave (f/ Steve Arrington)
160. Tavares
161. Fats Domino
162. The Sylvers
163. Billy Preston
164. Sherrell
165. Alexander O’Neal
166. Sister Rosetta Tharpe
167. The Platters
168. The Coasters
169. Donald Bird & the Blackbirds
170. Chic
171. Johnny Gill
172. Stacy Lattisaw
173. Patrice Rushen
174. The New Birth
175. Main Ingredients
176. Tevin Campbell
177. Al B. Sure!
178. Keith Sweat
179. D’ Angelo
180. Shanice
181. Pointer Sisters
182. Klymaxx
183. El DeBarge
184. Kenny Lattimore
185. Billy Preston
186. Kool & the Gang
187. Rose Royce
188. Jr. Walker & The All-Stars
189. The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band (f/ Charles Wright)
190. GQ, Heatwave f Johnny Wilder & Keith Wilder
191. Shirley Murdock
192. Dionne Warwick
193. Dazz Band
194. Otis Redding
195. The Penguins
196. George Duke
197. Roger Troutman & Zapp
198. Albert King
199. Lakeside
200. Switch
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