- News & Reviews Feed
Final Results! Greatest Songs of the 70s
Hey SoulTrackers. Thanks for voting in our poll of the greatest songs of the 70s! Thousands of votes came in on what was one of the closest polls we've ever had. And here are the results. By any measure, this is a killer list of some unbelievable songs. We hope you love it!
To see your choices of your favorite songs and albums of other decades, CLICK HERE.
 |
 |
 |
 |
| 1 | What's Going On - Marvin Gaye |
| 2 | Let's Get It On - Marvin Gaye |
| 3 | Let's Stay Together - Al Green |
| 4 | If You Don't Know Me by Now - Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes |
| 5 | Just My Imagination - Temptations |
| 6 | Me and Mrs. Jones - Billy Paul |
| 7 | Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) Marvin Gaye |
| 8 | Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time) - The Delfonics |
| 9 | Theme From Shaft - Isaac Hayes |
| 10 | Midnight Train to Georgia - Gladys Knight and the Pips |
| 11 | Rock With You - Michael Jackson |
| 12 | Papa Was a Rolling Stone - Temptations |
| 13 | Wake Up Everybody - Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes |
| 14 | You Make Me Feel Brand New - Stylistics |
| 15 | Distant Lover - Marvin Gaye |
| 16 | Where Is the Love - Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway |
| 17 | Superfly - Curtis Mayfield |
| 18 | Close the Door - Teddy Pendergrass |
| 19 | Love Train - O'Jays |
| 20 | Loving You - Minnie Riperton |
| 21 | Have You Seen Her - Chi-Lites |
| 22 | For the Love of You - Isley Brothers |
| 23 | Always and Forever - Heatwave |
| 24 | Use Ta Be My Girl - the O'Jays |
| 25 | One Nation Under A Groove - Funkadelic |
| 26 | Backstabbers - O'Jays |
| 27 | In the Rain - The Dramatics |
| 28 | Killing Me Softly - Roberta Flack |
| 29 | Tell Me Something Good - Rufus |
| 30 | I'll Be Around - Spinners |
| 31 | Living for the City - Stevie Wonder |
| 32 | I'm Still in Love with You - Al Green |
| 33 | Betcha By Golly Wow - Stylistics |
| 34 | Don't Stop Til You Get Enough - Michael Jackson |
| 35 | Got to Give it Up - Marvin Gaye |
| 36 | You Know How to Love Me - Phyllis Hyman |
| 37 | Off The Wall - Michael Jackson |
| 38 | Oh Girl - Chi-Lites |
| 39 | What You Won't Do For Love - Bobby Caldwell |
| 40 | Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now - McFadden and Whitehead |
| 41 | Family Affair - Sly and the Family Stone |
| 42 | For the Love of Money - O'Jays |
| 43 | I Want You - Marvin Gaye |
| 44 | We Are Family - Sister Sledge |
| 45 | Shining Star - Earth Wind & Fire |
| 46 | Love Don't Love Nobody - Spinners |
| 47 | That Lady - The Isley Brothers |
| 48 | Easy - Commodores |
| 49 | I'll Take You There - Staples Singers |
| 50 | Love Won't Let Me Wait - Major Harris |
| 51 | Best of My Love - The Emotions |
| 52 | September - Earth Wind & Fire |
| 53 | The Ghetto - Donny Hathaway |
| 54 | Thin Line Between Love and Hate - The Persuaders |
| 55 | You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine - Lou Rawls |
| 56 | Got to Be Real - Cheryl Lynn |
| 57 | Kiss and Say Goodbye - The Manhattans |
| 58 | Shame - Evelyn Champagne King |
| 59 | Rapper's Delight - The Sugarhill Gang |
| 60 | Free - Deniece Williams |
| 61 | This Masquerade - George Benson |
| 62 | Happy Feelin's - Maze feat. Frankie Beverly |
| 63 | Lady Marmalade - Labelle |
| 64 | Walk Away From Love - David Ruffin |
| 65 | Love On a Two Way Street - The Moments |
| 66 | Strawberry Letter 23 - Brothers Johnson |
| 67 | Street Life - The Crusaders feat. Randy Crawford |
| 68 | I Wish - Stevie Wonder |
| 69 | Float On - The Floaters |
| 70 | Lean on Me - Bill Withers |
| 71 | Natural High - Bloodstone |
| 72 | Pick Up the Pieces - Average White Band |
| 73 | Wildflower - New Birth |
| 74 | Ain't No Sunshine - Bill Withers |
| 75 | Can't Get Enough of Your love - Barry White |
| 76 | It's a Shame - The Spinners |
| 77 | Good Times - Chic |
| 78 | Everybody Plays The Fool - The Main Ingredient |
| 79 | Isn't She Lovely - Stevie Wonder |
| 80 | Sideshow - Blue Magic |
| 81 | Someday We'll All Be Free - Donny Hathaway |
| 82 | I'll Be Good to You - Brothers Johnson |
| 83 | Smiling Faces Sometimes - The Undisputed Truth |
| 84 | O-o-h Child - The Five Stairsteps |
| 85 | Play That Funky Music - Wild Cherry |
| 86 | Brick House - Commodores |
| 87 | Flashlight - Parliament |
| 88 | Ladies night - Kool and the Gang |
| 89 | You're Still a Young Man - Tower of Power |
| 90 | War - Edwin Starr |
| 91 | This Will Be - Natalie Cole |
| 92 | Walking in Rhythm - Blackbyrds |
| 93 | What A Fool Believes - Doobie Brothers |
| 94 | I Wanna Get Next to You - Rose Royce |
| 95 | Show and Tell - Al Wilson |
| 96 | Fantasy - Earth Wind & fire |
| 97 | Reunited - Peaches & Herb |
| 98 | Still Water (Love) - The Four Tops |
| 99 | Feel the Fire - Peabo Bryson |
| 100(T) | Higher Ground - Stevie Wonder |
| 100(T) | The Love You Save - The Jackson 5 |
So, what did you think of the poll? Let us know by posting your comments below
.
Posted March 13th, 2010 by administratorComments
Chris. You're Knowledge of
GAVIN VON MEYER - March 8th, 2010
Chris. You're Knowledge of 'Soul Music' is limited to what was played on your Mainstream Tv & Radio mostly. Blue Magic - You Only Have SideShow (3-Ring Circus & Spell, etc?) The Manhattans - Only Kiss & Say Goodbye.(There's No Me Without You???) You don't seem to know 'Soul' in the Term 'Soul Tracks'. Skip Mahnonie & The Casuals? Black Ivory? The Ebony's? Its not as if we never nominated these - Keep it Real.
Wow, there are a lot of good
ashdaddy - March 8th, 2010
Wow, there are a lot of good songs in there, maybe you should break the listing down to Disco songs, Ballads, Soul songs, best Band songs. Something like that because I just about checked every box...
"Music is the healing force of the world"
Ashdaddy
Gavin, don't confuse the
administrator - March 8th, 2010
Gavin, don't confuse the final list with anyone's knowledge of soul music. But we had over 500 nominated songs and we had to narrow them to a reasonable size so that people could vote in a reasonable amount of time.
There are sooo many songs, I
kallen1954 - March 9th, 2010
There are sooo many songs, I had to pick a few that were perhaps "outside the box" like Brainstorm. I wish there was some Norman Conners, "You Are My Starship" on there. I really can't fault the choices
of the voters up to this point.
Kevin Allen-Seattle, Wash.
Miss Deborah Chicago, IL You
Miss Deborah - March 9th, 2010
Miss Deborah
Chicago, IL
You only had one song from The Spinners and no songs from James Brown or Aretha Franklin. I feel that "MIGHTY LOVE" by the Spinners should have made the cut. You had a lot of disco songs, which was good music and I love it, but not great music.
Lots of good music, but I
katty51 - March 10th, 2010
Lots of good music, but I see far more Disco, than I would have included. It was a real phenom in the 70's, but not as everlasting and memorable as other music from the decade. I agree that the Spinners, Blue Magic, Bloodstone, EW&F, AWB and some others were shortchanged. I voted for a lot of songs as many were really good. I'm sure it was tough to put together this list with such a great depth of music. Artists like Stevie Wonder & Marvin Gaye were puttting the heavy thought provoking ideas out there.
No James Brown or Aretha
soulman11 - March 10th, 2010
No James Brown or Aretha Franklin. Sacrilege. Wishing On A Star is one of the most underrated songs of the 70's. Message songs like In The Bottle & King Heroin should have made the cut. What about Millie Jackson; Laura Lee; & Lynn Collins who made strong feminist songs. Maybe the list should be expanded to at least Top 500.
jocelyn stewart All the song
jozzie36 - March 13th, 2010
jocelyn stewart
All the song were good. It was so many good ones to choose from but was very surprise at poll percentages of each song.
All these songs bring back memories as a small child growing up listening to all these great songs.
I look at the final list. Of
katty51 - March 14th, 2010
I look at the final list. Of course, one will never be in 100% agreement. I am happy that Marvin Gaye got his due. As I read the song list, I travel back to what could arguably be the richest decade of music ever. The 60's were great also, but just look at the depth and different types of 'Soul' represented in the 70's. Just count the number of different artists and groups that are included. Many of them had multiple songs to choose from and include. Alas, the 80's, 90's and first ten years of the 2000's will pale in comparison.
Well, well...There´s many
Biosouler - March 15th, 2010
Well, well...There´s many artists that makes me happy in this list (The Floaters, por example).Those songs are amazing in each chance to remember them, I mean, I Know that some people haves great moments with them (Me too). Maybe somebody isn't agree, but that's the reason 'cause the different ways of thoughts are very important...Also Music Lives in our souls!
Thanks to the artists & the Songs!
From Venezuela...I say Hi, Soultrackers!
Biosouler
MadPriest - From an English
MadPriest - March 18th, 2010
MadPriest - From an English point of view it's strange to see such a mainstream list. There's very little crossover, modern soul or underground disco and boogie. But then, we can be very snobbish on this side of the Pond.
Gee Caver I think this is a
GeeCaver - March 18th, 2010
Gee Caver
I think this is a good list. A lot of my favorites are listed Floaters, David Ruffin, Temptations. I think I own copies of all the listed songs. I wonder how that translates in dollars. LOL
Thank you Chris and Staff for doing a great job.
Have A Very Musical Day
The 70s was the last great
egsoulrnb - March 18th, 2010
The 70s was the last great era of R&B/Soul. When you limit the selections to "100", there are going to have to be "some" that don't make it. The base of Black Music is huge!! We ALL have "favorites". It is personal. "I" think that Soul Trax has done this survey as fairly as possible. "Maybe" there are some songs you liked didn't make it. There are some on this list "I" couldn't stand personally.
All that said, in the end, a great account for the music of the 70's.
Just a thought...
suprarlb Chris, You're to be
suprarlb - March 18th, 2010
suprarlb
Chris,
You're to be commended on an outstanding job of compiling the Greatest songs of the70's.
Some songs may have been overlooked due to Soul music having many different dimensions i.e; dance,funk,quiet storm / adult contemporary etc.
You may want to consider adding more categories where more great songs would be included.
Can not believe no Whispers
jvdickerson - March 18th, 2010
Can not believe no Whispers on this list I was very surprised they are so awesome and the longetivity and the way they treat their fans I was at a concert in Ca and they stayed around to 3am signing autographs and taking pictures how many more groups do you know would do that.....
I openly apologise for my
GAVIN VON MEYER - March 18th, 2010
I openly apologise for my remarks above. Perhaps I feel very strongly about some Songs, that really are most Soulful & Perfectly Executed: "There's No Me Without You" - Manhattans. "Three Ring Circus & Stop To Start & Spell" Blue Magic & "Whats Your Sign Girl" Danny Pearson. One thing for Sure, When the Manhattans host a show In S.A. They Steal The Whole Show. We now await Blue Magic!! Thanks Chris for Bringing it All Together I really Love & Appreciate SOUL TRACKS.
peggyMSpates What....no
MissPeggy - March 18th, 2010
peggyMSpates
What....no Michael McDonald?????The man with the angelic and so so soulful voice who has dueted with Aretha, Chaka, James Ingram,Patti L and numerous other African American Icons????Please.....blue eyed soul still holds up after all these years!!!
The greatest songs of the
jarohnec - March 18th, 2010
The greatest songs of the 70's were right on target. There were so many great songs left off but the ones voted on were right on target. I believe the 70's music is still the best music I've ever listen to. The 60's was a great revolution but the 70's had it all, Disco, Soul, the best ballads and the artists. I still play mostly 60's and 70's music!
I hope that someone will
mrkindness1 - March 19th, 2010
I hope that someone will make a "Greatest Hits" CD using these songs. I would love to see some more EW&F, "On Your Face" and Isley Brother, "Voyage to Atlantis", Manhattans, "Kiss and Say Goodbye or Hall and Oates, "Sara Smile" to name a few.
Wow! I didn't vote, but I
engeltje - March 19th, 2010
Wow! I didn't vote, but I have almost all of these songs. Could easily do more songs. Get down Saturday by Oliver Cheatham is missing... Hang on in there baby by Johnny Bristol could have been on the list as well. Anyway, good job! Seems like more people share my sentiments.
I agree with the English
Nece B. - March 20th, 2010
I agree with the English brother across the pond. This lists should be redone & break it down to different catergories Best Slow Jams & Best Love Songs(because there is a difference), Best Message, Best Fast Jams, Best Disco Jams, Best Instrutmental Cuts Fast & Slow (because all instrumentals are not jazz), Best Blues Fast & Slow Jams and the like give each it's own list & you'll get more of a variety & more votership I can guarantee it - there are too many great songs to be on one list because there are songs that didn't get the "airplay" it deserved & left left out of the mainstream they all need their own "100 Best" catergories. PLEASE LET'S HAVE A 70'S DO OVER & GIVE THIS ERA IT'S JUST DUE!!! And you should have some kind of bio for ALL songs that made the list not just some artist that means you have to do more homework on your picks!
