Artist	Song
Anita Baker	Sweet Love
from The Best of Anita Baker (2009)
Luther Vandross	A House Is Not a Home
from Never Too Much (1986)
Michael Jackson	Thriller
from Thriller (25th Anniversary, Zombie Cover) (2008)
Chaka Khan	Through the Fire
from I Feel for You (2006)
Cameo	Word Up
from Gold (2005)
The Isley Brothers	Between the Sheets
from Love Songs (2001)
Sade	The Sweetest Taboo
from The Best of Sade (1994)
Marvin Gaye	Sexual Healing
from Midnight Love & the Sexual Healing Sessions (1998)
Karyn White	Superwoman
from Rhino Hi-Five: Karyn White - EP (2005)
Roger	I Want to Be Your Man
from Rhino Hi-Five: Roger - EP (2005)
Whitney Houston	Saving All My Love for You
from Whitney - The Greatest Hits (2000)
Zapp	Computer Love
from The New Zapp IV U (2008)
Prince	When Doves Cry
from The Hits / The B-Sides (2007)
Larry Graham	One In a Million You
from The Best of Larry Graham and Graham Central Station... Vol. 1 (2010)
Freddie Jackson	You Are My Lady
from The Greatest Hits of Freddie Jackson (1994)
Guy	Groove Me
from Guy: Groove Me - The Very Best of Guy (2002)
The Commodores	Nightshift
from The Commodores: Anthology (2001)
The Gap Band	Burn Rubber (Why You Wanna Hurt Me)
from Gap Band: Ultimate Collection (2001)
Atlantic Starr	Secret Lovers (Single Version)
from Atlantic Starr: Ultimate Collection (2000)
Billy Ocean	Caribbean Queen (No More Love On the Run)
from Suddenly (1989)
Johnny Gill	My, My, My
from Johnny Gill (1992)
George Benson	Give Me the Night
from Give Me the Night (2009)
Teena Marie	Square Biz
from 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Teena Marie (2001)
Surface	Happy
from The Best of Surface ... A Nice Time 4 Lovin (1991)
The Whispers	Rock Steady
from Greatest Hits (1987)
Earth, Wind & Fire	Let's Groove
from Earth, Wind & Fire: Greatest Hits (1998)
Stevie Wonder	That Girl
from Stevie Wonder: The Definitive Collection (2002)
Kool & the Gang	Ladies Night
from Ladies Night (1996)
Gregory Abbott	Shake You Down
from Shake You Down (1987)
Oran "Juice" Jones	The Rain
from '80s Urban Beats & Grooves (2002)
Shirley Murdock	As We Lay
from Shirley Murdock! (2008)
The System	Don't Disturb This Groove
from Atlantic 60: Satin Grooves - The '80s (2007)
Stevie Wonder	Master Blaster (Jammin')
from Hotter Than July (2000)
Ready for the World	Tonight
from Ready for the World (1987)
Lakeside	Fantastic Voyage
from Lakeside: Greatest Hits (1984)
Jeffrey Osborne	Stay With Me Tonight
from Stay With Me Tonight (2005)
Teddy Pendergrass	Joy
from Bedroom Classics, Vol. 1 (2005)
Pebbles	Girlfriend
from Pebbles: Greatest Hits (2000)
Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam With Full Force	I Wonder If I Take You Home
from Club Columbia (1990)
Manhattans	Shining Star
from Manhattans: Greatest Hits (1989)
Herbie Hancock	Rockit
from Future Shock (1999)
One Way	Cutie Pie
from The Best of One Way: Al Hudson & Alicia Myers (1996)
New Edition	Cool It Now
from New Edition (1987)
Karyn White	The Way You Love Me
from Karyn White (2008)
The Brothers Johnson	Stomp!
from Strawberry Letter 23: The Very Best of the Brothers Johnson (2003)
Levert	Casanova
from Rhino Hi-Five: Levert - EP (2007)
Kool & the Gang	Fresh
from Emergency (1992)
Stephanie Mills	I Have Learned to Respect the Power of Love
from Ultimate Collection: Stephanie Mills (1999)
Bobby Brown	Don't Be Cruel
from Don't Be Cruel (1988)
Jermaine Jackson	Let's Get Serious
from 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Motown '80s, Vol. 1 (2002)
Smokey Robinson	Just to See Her
from Smokey Robinson and The Miracles: The 35th Anniversary Collection (Box Set) (1994)
Al B. Sure!	Nite and Day
from Rhino Hi-Five: Al B. Sure! - EP (2005)
Dennis Edwards	Don't Look Any Further
from 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Motown '80s, Vol. 1 (2002)
Jody Watley	Looking for a New Love
from 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Jody Watley (2000)
Aretha Franklin	Freeway of Love
from Platinum & Gold Collection: Aretha Franklin (1998)
Jennifer Holliday	And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going
from 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Jennifer Holliday (2000)
Gladys Knight & The Pips	Love Overboard
from Radio Waves of the 80's - Urban Hits (2003)
Terence Trent D'Arby	Wishing Well
from Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D'Arby (1987)
Patti LaBelle & Michael McDonald	On My Own
from Winner in You (1990)
Diana Ross	Missing You
from Diana Ross: Greatest Hits - The RCA Years (1997)
Color Me Badd	I Wanna Sex You Up
from Rhino Hi-Five: Color Me Badd - EP (2005)
Regina Belle	Baby Come to Me
from Regina Belle: Super Hits (2001)
Frankie Beverly Feat. Maze	Before I Let Go
from Greatest Hits (2004)
The Isley Brothers	Caravan of Love
from Beautiful Ballads (1994)
Midnight Star	No Parking (On the Dance Floor)
from Midnight Star: Greatest Hits (1989)
DeBarge	Rhythm of the Night
from DeBarge: Greatest Hits (1992)
Mary Jane Girls	In My House
from 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Mary Jane Girls (2001)
DeBarge	Rhythm of the Night (Dance Mix)
from The Ultimate Collection: DeBarge (1997)
Soul II Soul	Keep On Movin' (feat. Caron Wheeler)
from Classic Masters (2008)
Rockwell	Somebody's Watching Me
from Hit Me With Your 80's Box (2002)
Babyface	Whip Appeal
from Tender Lover (2001)
Brenda Russell	Piano in the Dark
from Brenda Russell (2000)
Howard Hewett	Say Amen
from The Journey (2001)
Vanessa Williams	Dreamin'
from Love Songs (2004)

Comment:

When it came to R&B, the ’70s saw a spike in social consciousness, the ’90s an explosion of hip-hop crossover hitmaking, but the ’80s? The ’80s was a time for finding new voices, for stretching out and trying different sounds, experimenting with the latest digital music makers and locking onto tricky new beats. Artists could go big — think the cinematic stretch of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” — or rely on the time-tested basics of voice, melody, and romantic magic, like Shirley Murdock and her intimate “As We Lay” — but no matter the method, the good stuff did what great R&B always does, which is move us, body and soul. From the technological groove of Zapp’s “Computer Love,” to Aretha’s freewheeling “Freeway of Love,” our ‘80s R&B Essentials stays true to that ideal, bringing together only the best of a groundbreaking decade.

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