Top 100 R&B Acts of All Time

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With the passings of Etta James (see blog entry here) and Johnny Otis this week, the timing seemed right for a list of the best R&B acts of all time. Besides, today also marks the birthday of Sam Cooke (born January 22, 1931) who I consider the best soul singer of all time. However, the aggregated list says otherwise. Here are the results of 26 consolidated lists with R&B related awards and chart performance also included.

Louis Jordan

1. Stevie Wonder
2. Aretha Franklin
3. Marvin Gaye
4. Michael Jackson
5. James Brown
6. Ray Charles
7. Sam Cooke
8. Smokey Robinson
9. Luther Vandross
10. R. Kelly

The Drifters

11. Whitney Houston
12. Al Green
13. Prince
14. Gladys Knight & The Pips
15. Patti LaBelle
16. Otis Redding
17. Mariah Carey
18. Etta James
19. The Isley Brothers
20. Janet Jackson

Ray Charles

21. Barry White
22. Curtis Mayfield
23. Diana Ross
24. Mary J. Blige
25. Teddy Pendergrass
26. The Temptations
27. The O’Jays
28. Earth, Wind & Fire
29. Chaka Khan/Rufus
30. Boyz II Men

Sam Cooke

31. The Supremes
32. Dionne Warwick
33. The Drifters
34. The Jackson 5/The Jacksons
35. Usher
36. The Miracles
37. Four Tops
38. Kool & the Gang
39. Jackie Wilson
40. Donny Hathaway

James Brown

41. Wilson Pickett
42. Little Richard
43. Beyonce
44. Spinners
45. Alicia Keys
46. Bobby Womack
47. Lionel Richie
48. Louis Jordan
49. Fats Domino
50. Sly & the Family Stone

Marvin Gaye

51. Jerry Butler
52. IsaacHayes
53. The Impressions
54. Parliament/Funkadelic
55. Sade
56. The Dells
57. Chuck Berry
58. Rick James
59. New Edition
60. Babyface

Aretha Franklin

61. Joe Tex
62. Tina Turner
63. Anita Baker
64. Bobby “Blue” Bland
65. LL Cool J
66. The Clovers
67. Ashford & Simpson
68. Solomon Burke
69. Johnnie Taylor
70. Destiny’s Child

Stevie Wonder

71. The Chi-Lites
72. Ruth Brown
73. Commodores
74. Donna Summer
75. Keith Sweat
76. Nat “King” Cole
77. B.B. King
78. Tyrone Davis
79. Aaliyah
80. Joe Simon

Michael Jackson

81. The Platters
82. The Whispers
83. Elvis Presley
84. Robert Flack
85. Maze featuring Frankie Beverly
86. TLC
87. Freddie Jackson
88. Bobby Brown
89. Hank Ballard & the Midnighters
90. Cameo

Mariah Carey

91. Maxwell
92. Dinah Washington
93. Jay-Z
94. D’Angelo
95. Little Willie John
96. Erykah Badu
97. Ohio Players
98. Brook Benton
99. En Vogue
100. Peabo Bryson

R. Kelly

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