1979/1980 was a great year for RnB and Funk singles

[GARFIELDKOOL]

Special Lady-Ray, Goodman and Brown
Funkytown-Lipps, Inc
I Will Survive-Gloria Gaynor
Upside Down-Diana Ross
Still- Commodores
One In a Million You-Graham Central Station
Rock With You-Michael Jackson
Lover's Holiday-Change
Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now-McFadden and Whitehead
Move Your Boogie Body-Bar-Kays
Not Just Kneep Deep-Funkadelic
I Don't Believe You Want To Get Up and Dance(Oops Up Side Your Head)-Gap Band
Ladies Night-Kool & the Gang
I'll Call Your Name-Switch
I Wanna Be With You-Isley Brothers
After the Love Is Gone-Earth, Wind and Fire
Chase Me-Con Funk Shun
Glide-Pleasure
I Just want To Be-Cameo
Good Times-Chic
Firecracker-Mass Production
Stomp-Brothers Johnson
Just a Touch Of Love-Slave
Take Your Time Do It Right-S.O.S Band

[MissZero]

Funkytown-Lipps, Inc
I Will Survive-Gloria Gaynor
Upside Down-Diana Ross
Still- Commodores
Rock With You-Michael Jackson
Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now-McFadden and Whitehead
Ladies Night-Kool & the Gang
I'll Call Your Name-Switch
I Wanna Be With You-Isley Brothers
After the Love Is Gone-Earth, Wind and Fire
Good Times-Chic
Firecracker-Mass Production
Stomp-Brothers Johnson
Just a Touch Of Love-Slave

that was a good list...my favorites are the ones above

[jamesanthony]

Special Lady-Ray, Goodman and Brown
Funkytown-Lipps, Inc
I Will Survive-Gloria Gaynor
Upside Down-Diana Ross
Still- Commodores
One In a Million You-Graham Central Station
Rock With You-Michael Jackson
Lover's Holiday-Change
Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now-McFadden and Whitehead
Move Your Boogie Body-Bar-Kays
Not Just Kneep Deep-Funkadelic
I Don't Believe You Want To Get Up and Dance(Oops Up Side Your Head)-Gap Band
Ladies Night-Kool & the Gang
I'll Call Your Name-Switch
I Wanna Be With You-Isley Brothers
After the Love Is Gone-Earth, Wind and Fire
Chase Me-Con Funk Shun
Glide-Pleasure
I Just want To Be-Cameo
Good Times-Chic
Firecracker-Mass Production
Stomp-Brothers Johnson
Just a Touch Of Love-Slave
Take Your Time Do It Right-S.O.S Band

You're right. Even the songs in that list that I don't like have more artistry to them than what's on the charts now. The most outstanding thing about those tunes is that all the ones there that I'm familiar with have live instruments and many of those records were cut by bands. There are flat out no r&b bands getting any play these days. Mint Condition was the last black band to make any noise and they haven't had a hit in about 5 years. Earth Wind and Fire still record, but they are no longer considered mainstream. In rap you have the Roots, but they don't get much radio airplay or sales either. A lot of those records above are real jam sessions, which is more than I can personally say for records like the ones by 50 cent that are hogging the top spots on the charts now. It's telling that you still have rock bands that sell like Green Day and Train, but the r&b genre has become so pigeonholed and limited that it is boring and almost unlistenable.

[GARFIELDKOOL]

You're right. Even the songs in that list that I don't like have more artistry to them than what's on the charts now. The most outstanding thing about those tunes is that all the ones there that I'm familiar with have live instruments and many of those records were cut by bands. There are flat out no r&b bands getting any play these days. Mint Condition was the last black band to make any noise and they haven't had a hit in about 5 years. Earth Wind and Fire still record, but they are no longer considered mainstream. In rap you have the Roots, but they don't get much radio airplay or sales either. A lot of those records above are real jam sessions, which is more than I can personally say for records like the ones by 50 cent that are hogging the top spots on the charts now. It's telling that you still have rock bands that sell like Green Day and Train, but the r&b genre has become so pigeonholed and limited that it is boring and almost unlistenable.
Jamesanthony, you are so right. There are no more bands nowadays. Music lost it's creativity in my opinion. You turn on a modern RnB or rap song and about 80% of it is sampled from something old. I flip when I hear a song being used from a tv theme. That's when you know today's music is just not happening. You are also right about the Roots not getting enough airplay. I guess bands (the real art) ain't what's in. Why should it be when someone could go to the studio and cut a beat from another song and get paid that way. It's easier and it is also not very artistic. Everyone wants to get paid, a lot of people don't want to do it for the love of the art.

[jamesanthony]

Jamesanthony, you are so right. There are no more bands nowadays. Music lost it's creativity in my opinion. You turn on a modern RnB or rap song and about 80% of it is sampled from something old. I flip when I hear a song being used from a tv theme. That's when you know today's music is just not happening. You are also right about the Roots not getting enough airplay. I guess bands (the real art) ain't what's in. Why should it be when someone could go to the studio and cut a beat from another song and get paid that way. It's easier and it is also not very artistic. Everyone wants to get paid, a lot of people don't want to do it for the love of the art.

Not only that but the music biz keeps calling certain acts bands even though none of the people in these groups play any instruments: I have heard Backstreet Boys, NSync and 98 degrees repeatedly referred to as Boy bands but those people don't play instruments. The same thing with Boyz II Men.

There are still some black bands about but they don't get airplay, while the white or pop ones like Maroon5 and Evanescence and others do.

[MissZero]

You're right. Even the songs in that list that I don't like have more artistry to them than what's on the charts now. The most outstanding thing about those tunes is that all the ones there that I'm familiar with have live instruments and many of those records were cut by bands. There are flat out no r&b bands getting any play these days. Mint Condition was the last black band to make any noise and they haven't had a hit in about 5 years. Earth Wind and Fire still record, but they are no longer considered mainstream. In rap you have the Roots, but they don't get much radio airplay or sales either. A lot of those records above are real jam sessions, which is more than I can personally say for records like the ones by 50 cent that are hogging the top spots on the charts now. It's telling that you still have rock bands that sell like Green Day and Train, but the r&b genre has become so pigeonholed and limited that it is boring and almost unlistenable.

you're right, thats why its so refreshing to get a John Legend, Alicia Keys, or Lauryn Hill in the R&B game...You're right about the Roots i can honestly say i have never heard them on the radio, i wouldnt even know about them if it wasnt for a message board. sad but true

[jamesanthony]

you're right, thats why its so refreshing to get a John Legend, Alicia Keys, or Lauryn Hill in the R&B game...You're right about the Roots i can honestly say i have never heard them on the radio, i wouldnt even know about them if it wasnt for a message board. sad but true

Those acts you mentioned are all soloists though. There seems to be a real disdain or conspiracy in black music against acts with two or more members that play their own instruments. It's weird because 20 years ago there were scores of bands like this.

[vashti1999]

There are no more bands nowadays. Music lost it's creativity in my opinion. You turn on a modern RnB or rap song and about 80% of it is sampled from something old. I flip when I hear a song being used from a tv theme. That's when you know today's music is just not happening.

It's true that there may not be alot of bands but with people like Me'Shell Ndegeocello, Van Hunt, Jill Scott, Angie Stone, Rahsaan Pattrson, Maxwell, Donnie, Martin Luther, India.Arie, Anthony David, Res, Cee-lo, Outkast, Raphael Saddiq, D'Angelo, musiq, Bilal, Nikka Costa, Joss Stone, Terence Trent D'arby, Anthony Hamilton, Erykah Badu currently making music, I can't agree with the statement about the music losing its creativity. It's out there if you look for it, just don't rely on radio to give it to you. That's the nature of how it is today. If the masses are into image, it's up to you to seek the substance you're looking for.

Special Lady-Ray, Goodman and Brown
Funkytown-Lipps, Inc
I Will Survive-Gloria Gaynor
Upside Down-Diana Ross
Still- Commodores
One In a Million You-Graham Central Station
Rock With You-Michael Jackson
Lover's Holiday-Change
Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now-McFadden and Whitehead
Move Your Boogie Body-Bar-Kays
Not Just Kneep Deep-Funkadelic
I Don't Believe You Want To Get Up and Dance(Oops Up Side Your Head)-Gap Band
Ladies Night-Kool & the Gang
I'll Call Your Name-Switch
I Wanna Be With You-Isley Brothers
After the Love Is Gone-Earth, Wind and Fire
Chase Me-Con Funk Shun
Glide-Pleasure
I Just want To Be-Cameo
Good Times-Chic
Firecracker-Mass Production
Stomp-Brothers Johnson
Just a Touch Of Love-Slave
Take Your Time Do It Right-S.O.S Band

Back on topic, I assume it's just an oversight that Prince's I Wanna Be Your Lover isn't on that list. But you're right, '79 was a good year. Some other favorites of mine from that year:
Disco Nights - G.Q.
We Are Family - Sister Sledge
He's The Greatest Dancer - Sister Sledge
I Want Your Love - Chic
Don't Let Go - Isaac Hayes
Whatcha Gonna Do With My Lovin' - Stephanie Mills
Second Time Around - Shalamar
Take That To The Bank - Shalamar
Right In The Socket - Shalamar
Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground) - the Jacksons
Boogie Wonderland - Earth, Wind & Fire
Found A Cure - Ashford & Simpson
Still - Commodores
Don't Stop Til You Get Enough - Michael Jackson
Street Life - Crusaders
and many
many
many
more

[GARFIELDKOOL]

It's true that there may not be alot of bands but with people like Me'Shell Ndegeocello, Van Hunt, Jill Scott, Angie Stone, Rahsaan Pattrson, Maxwell, Donnie, Martin Luther, India.Arie, Anthony David, Res, Cee-lo, Outkast, Raphael Saddiq, D'Angelo, musiq, Bilal, Nikka Costa, Joss Stone, Terence Trent D'arby, Anthony Hamilton, Erykah Badu currently making music, I can't agree with the statement about the music losing its creativity. It's out there if you look for it, just don't rely on radio to give it to you. That's the nature of how it is today. If the masses are into image, it's up to you to seek the substance you're looking for.



Back on topic, I assume it's just an oversight that Prince's I Wanna Be Your Lover isn't on that list. But you're right, '79 was a good year. Some other favorites of mine from that year:
Disco Nights - G.Q.
We Are Family - Sister Sledge
He's The Greatest Dancer - Sister Sledge
I Want Your Love - Chic
Don't Let Go - Isaac Hayes
Whatcha Gonna Do With My Lovin' - Stephanie Mills
Second Time Around - Shalamar
Take That To The Bank - Shalamar
Right In The Socket - Shalamar
Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground) - the Jacksons
Boogie Wonderland - Earth, Wind & Fire
Found A Cure - Ashford & Simpson
Still - Commodores
Don't Stop Til You Get Enough - Michael Jackson
Street Life - Crusaders
and many
many
many
more
It was an oversight I left I wanna be your lover out(I forgot your a Prince fan) I didn't realize I left Boogie Wonderland out. But the rest of the ones you listed were great songs as well like you said, many many more.

[GARFIELDKOOL]

How could I forget "Celebration" by Kool & the Gang (1980)

[isiahthomas]

I don't pay attention to the music charts. There was a lot of good r&b albums that came out in 1979 & 1980.

1979
Michael Jackson-Off The Wall
The Dramatics-Any Time Any Place
Earth Wind & Fire-Iam
The Commodores-Midnight Magic
The Isley Brothers-Winner Takes All
Kool & The Gang-Ladies Night
Prince-Prince

1980
Cameo-Feel Me, Cameosis
Kool & The Gang-Celebration
Earth Wind & Fire-Faces
The Commodores-Heroes
The Jacksons-Triumph
The Isley Brothers-Go All The Way
Raydio-Two Places At The Same Time
Jermaine Jackson-Let's Get Serious
Prince-Dirty Mind

[LadyBee]

But of course 1979 and 1980 were great years for funk/R&B. ;) :cool:

I'll chime in on my list later.