The 100 Greatest R&B Artists

Submitted by enigmazach on Tue, 04/17/2007 - 06:46
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  1. James Brown
  2. Ray Charles
  3. Stevie Wonder
  4. Aretha Franklin
  5. Marvin Gaye
  6. Sam Cooke
  7. Fats Domino
  8. Sly & the Family Stone
  9. Otis Redding
  10. The Temptations
  11. Diana Ross & the Supremes
  12. Little Richard
  13. Michael Jackson
  14. Prince
  15. Curtis Mayfield / The Impressions
  16. Al Green
  17. Parliament-Funkadelic
  18. Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
  19. Jackie Wilson
  20. Tina Turner
  21. The Four Tops
  22. Earth, Wind & Fire
  23. The Isley Brothers
  24. Gladys Knight & the Pips
  25. Janet Jackson
  26. The Jackson 5 / The Jacksons
  27. Martha & the Vandellas
  28. Lionel Richie / The Commodores
  29. The Drifters
  30. Etta James
  31. Kool & the Gang
  32. Whitney Houston
  33. Sam & Dave
  34. Mary J. Blige
  35. The Flamingos
  36. Luther Vandross
  37. Mariah Carey
  38. Wilson Pickett
  39. The O'Jays
  40. Donna Summer
  41. Isaac Hayes
  42. The Coasters
  43. Solomon Burke
  44. TLC
  45. Rick James
  46. Barry White
  47. The Spinners
  48. Louis Jordan
  49. Rufus / Chaka Khan
  50. Boyz II Men
  51. The Delfonics
  52. Lou Rawls
  53. Beyoncé / Destiny's Child
  54. The Clovers
  55. R. Kelly
  56. The Ohio Players
  57. Big Joe Turner
  58. Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes
  59. Ruth Brown
  60. The Platters
  61. Wynonie Harris
  62. Ben E. King
  63. D'Angelo
  64. Sade
  65. Billy Ward & the Dominoes
  66. The Chi-Lites
  67. Guy
  68. Sonny Til & the Orioles
  69. Hank Ballard & the Midnighters
  70. The Dells
  71. Alicia Keys
  72. Bobby Womack
  73. Usher
  74. The Ravens
  75. Babyface
  76. The Righteous Brothers
  77. Chic
  78. The Shirelles
  79. Patti LaBelle
  80. Roy Brown
  81. Allen Toussaint
  82. LaVern Baker
  83. Bobby Brown / New Edition
  84. War
  85. En Vogue
  86. Cameo
  87. The Emotions
  88. Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers
  89. Dusty Springfield
  90. Little Willie John
  91. The Marvelettes
  92. Eryka Badu
  93. Ivory Joe Hunter
  94. Chuck Willis
  95. Dionne Warwick
  96. Teddy Pendergrass
  97. The "5" Royales
  98. Booker T. & the MGs
  99. Anita Baker
  100. The Stylistics
  101. Bobby "Blue" Bland
  102. The Moonglows
  103. Amos Milburn
  104. The Ronettes
  105. Johnny Ace
  106. KC & the Sunshine Band
  107. Percy Sledge
  108. Irma Thomas
  109. Keith Sweat
  110. Pointer Sisters
  111. Chubby Checker
  112. Tower of Power
  113. Aaliyah
  114. Lloyd Price
  115. Roberta Flack
  116. Brian McKnight
  117. Joe Tex
  118. Mary Wells
  119. Roy Milton
  120. Major Lance
  121. Brandy
  122. Clyde McPhatter   
  123. The Neville Brothers
  124. SWV
  125. Big Mama Thornton
  126. The Cadillacs
  127. Larry Williams
  128. The Chiffons
  129. Junior Walker
  130. James Carr
  131. Shirley & Lee
  132. Brand New Heavies
  133. Screamin' Jay Hawkins
  134. Eddie Floyd   
  135. Average White Band
Author Comments: 

Artist rankings are based on: impact, influence, and lasting popularity. Feel free to critique.

tdunnie04/18/2007

Good list! Those top ten look almost unassailable.

enigmazach04/18/2007

Thanks :)

Yeah, I think the top ten are pretty solid candidates. The rest could possibly use some work as far as rearranging, but overall I think I got the most important artists all here.

Stretch Corleone03/25/2008

Very good list. I pretty much agree with the top 10, and everything else seems fairly accurate but could probably use a little bit of rearranging like you said. Overall, you did an excellent job naming the best artists from both older and newer generations of R&B (very pleased to see D'Angelo and R. Kelly on here).

enigmazach03/27/2008

Thanks. Eventually I'll revise the list and try to make it a bit more accurate.