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- David Browne,Mankaprr Conteh,Jon Dolan,Kory Grow,Keith Harris,Christian Hoard,Elias Leight,Angie Martoccio,Jason Newman,Rob Sheffield,Hank Shteamer,Brittany Spanos
- Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, “Shop Around” (1960) If you want to hear how Berry Gordy fine-tuned Detroit R&B for wider (and whiter) pop appeal without watering it down, compare the two versions the Miracles recorded of this 1960 Smokey Robinson classic.
- Martha and the Vandellas, “Jimmy Mack” (1966) Few hits in the Motown canon have as many backstories and multiple meanings as the Vandellas’ last Top 10 hit.
- Dennis Edwards feat. Siedah Garrett, “Don’t Look Any Further” (1984) Here lies yet another of the earth-shaking rhythm sections in Motown’s massive discography: an unchanging snare drum cruelly punching holes in a four-part bass riff stuffed with chubby notes.
- The Velvelettes, “He Was Really Sayin’ Somethin'” (1964) Formed at Western Michigan University, the Velvelettes never found the success of the Marvelettes, Vandellas, or Supremes (their one attempt at an album was never finished), but they had two wonderful singles in 1964: “Needle in a Haystack” and the lyrically sharp, musically sophisticated “He Was Really Saying Something.”
- 1960.
- Barrett Strong “Money (That’s What I Want)” Motown’s first hit came from the pen of label founder Berry Gordy and secretary-turned-songwriter Janie Bradford.
- 1961.
- The Marvelettes “Please Mr. Postman” Recorded and released in 1961 on Tamla, the song was the first Motown single to hit No. 1 on the pop chart, reaching No. 1 on the R&B chart as well.
Jul 31, 2023 · From Marvin Gaye to Stevie Wonder to Diana Ross to Martha and the Vandellas to Vince Staples, we ranked the 60 greatest Motown songs ever.
- Tom Eames
- 3 min
- The Four Tops - 'Baby I Need Your Loving' Four Tops - Baby I Need Your Loving (1966) HQ 0815007. This 1964 track was written and produced by Motown's main production team of Holland–Dozier–Holland.
- Smokey Robinson and the Miracles - 'Tracks of My Tears' Smokey Robinson & the Miracles The Tracks of My Tears lyrics. This ballad gave The Miracles a worldwide hit in 1965, though it took another four years before it reached the UK.
- Mary Wells - 'My Guy' Mary Wells - My Guy. This song was written and produced by Smokey Robinson, and is about a woman's rejection of a sexual advance and affirming her fidelity to her boyfriend.
- Stevie Wonder - 'Higher Ground' Higher Ground. This funk tune was taken from Stevie's iconic 1973 album Innervisions. Wonder wrote and recorded the song in a three-hour burst of pure creativity in May 1973.
- "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" - Marvin Gaye. Release date: October 30, 1968. From: In the Groove. It wasn't uncommon for multiple artists at Motown to record their own version of a song that was written (it was sort of like a friendly competition), as such, you will also find versions of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" by Smokey Robinson and The Miracles, Gladys Knight & the Pips, and more of Motown's elite.
- "I Want You Back" - The Jackson 5. Release date: October 1969. From: Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5. What else is there to really say here? A gem of a track infused with melodic harmonies, a catchy chorus, the incredible voice of baby Michael Jackson, the talent of his brothers with their crisp clean vocals, the guitar lick, the piano—it's hard to believe The Jacksons were as young as they were when this came out, and "I Want You Back" was the perfect track to give the world a preview on what was to come—and boy was there a lot more in store.
- "Please Mr. Postman" - The Marvelettes. Release date: August 21, 1961. From: Please Mr. Postman. An upbeat cheerful track that instantly gets stuck in your head for the remainder of the day after you listen to it, "Please Mr. Postman" was released in August 1961 by The Marvelettes, and is noted as being the first Motown song to hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart.
- "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)" - The Temptations. Release date: January 14, 1971. From: Sky's the Limit. The 1970s era of Motown was smooth, funktified, and electric, and one of the songs that helped usher in the decade was "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)" by The Temptations.
Dec 8, 2021 · Our guide to the best Motown songs features soul ballads, upbeat R&B singles and more from the legendary Detroit record label
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Jul 5, 2024 · The 56 Best Motown Songs: Essentials To Get You Dancing In The Street. Timeless soul classics that capture everything it means to be in love, to suffer heartbreak – and to want to dance with...
