Old School R&B Songs

It's high time you buy a ticket to hysteria by lending an ear to the world's most influential Rhythm n' Blues artists who created some fantastic music, today remembered as old school R&B songs.

While, Michael Jackson, the father-figure of R&B and Pop music, set the stage on fire with Black or White, music aficionados couldn't resist the magic created by Aaliyah too. With R&B pioneers such as R. Kelly, Marvin Gaye, and Bobby Brown, the world of music witnessed an unbelievable transformation.

This was the time when the unadulterated R&B genre comprised a big fat clan of sounds, beats, attitudes, and not to forget, vocals.

Walking through the aisle of R&B songs may just leave you wordless with their musical substance and lyrical quality. What follows below is a concise list of some of the best feathers in old school R&B's hat, with due respect to the sub-genres, kicking your mood up a notch.

I'm not much of a controversy lover, and hence, I must tell that the list is a random one, having nothing to do with the ranking. Scorn out the discrepancies, I plead.

Ain't no sunshine, when she's gone... I know not what this song has in it. Yeah, I do know it has it all. If you've given a watch to the famous Hugh Grant and American sweetheart Julia Roberts starrer, Notting Hill, this exquisite R&B number is not easy to ignore.

Exemplifying love, illustrating separation, the best old school R&B love songs left us mesmerized with their music. Want proof? Here's it.

• Then Came You - The Spinners
• Lets Stay Together - Al Green

• I'd Rather Be With You - Bootsy Collins
• Feel Like Makin' Love - Gladys Knight & The Pips
• Endless Love - Lionel Richie and Diana Ross
• Purple Rain - Prince
• The One I Gave My Heart To - Aaliyah
• Ain't no Sunshine - Bill Withers
• Shining Star - The Manhattans
• Woman - Toni Braxton

• Are You Lonesome Tonight - Elvis Presley
• I Keep Forgetting - Michael McDonald
• Genius of Love -Tom Tom Club
• Rock Me Tonight (For Old Times Sake) - Freddie Jackson
• Strawberry Letter 23 - Brothers Johnson

A handsome guy, humming the best love songs with a guitar in hand, with eyes right on me... Ah! I'm apologetic for getting swayed away! Well, chuck love. R&B soars high when it comes to wedding numbers. Wanna know what they are? You must have heard of many, if you aren't fond of missing weddings.

Nothing better than walking the aisle with the love of your life, when a thousand eyes are on you, and music, that's nothing but appeasing. Apt for the moment, for that first dance.

Sultry lyrics make you calm, soft beats make you swivel with joy - don't you just love music?

• Baby, Come to Me - James Ingram and Patti Austin

• Every Beat of My Heart - Brian McKnight
• You're All I Need to Get By - Marvin Gate and Tammi Terrel
• Make it Last Forever - Keith Sweat
• Forever My Lady - Jodeci
• Spend My Life With You - Eric Benet and Tamia

• Always and Forever - Heat Wave
• Caught Up in the Rapture - Anita Baker
• For You I Will - Monica
• Saving All My Love For You - Whitney Houston
• The Sweetest Thing- Lauren Hill
• With You I'm Born Again - Billy Preston and Syreeta
• The Lady in My Life - Michael Jackson

... all you need to set a sensuous vibe at the wedding. These old school 90's R&B songs have smooth base lines for you to tap your feet with your better half. For now, stop hallucinating, and check out the last section!

I don't believe in jotting down a plethora of musical numbers, thus, befuddling you even more. Perhaps, that's the reason I didn't mention a glutted list with the miscellany of artists hitting hard on your sanity.

Instead, I preferred narrowing down the list of songs, making it easier for me to write, and for the readers to go through.

So, how do we make a concise list of the top R&B songs? Not all songs make it to the chartbusters list, do they? So, here's my own listography of the best old school R&Bs, that I can listen to, regardless of the time and place. With or without a reason.

• Heart Breaker - Mariah Carey
• Maybellene - Chuck Berry

• Bump n' Grind - R. Kelly
• Do Me Right - Guy
• I Heard It Through The Grapevine - Marvin Gaye
• Ain't No Sunshine - Bill Withers
• Fantasy - Mariah Carey
• Don't Walk Away - Jade

• Hold On - En Vogue
• Black or White - Michael Jackson
• This is How We Do it - Montell Jordan
• Humpin' Around - Bobby Brown
• What'd I Say - Ray Charles
• All Night Long - Lionel Richie

• Are You That Somebody - Aaliyah
• Don't Wanna Change the World - Phyllis Hyman
• Let's Get it On - Marvin Gaye
• Any Time, Any Place - Janet Jackson
• How Deep is Your Love - Dru Hill

... and there I summed it up. I know it might not be your puh-fect playlist of the best old school R&B songs, and you're going to come up with your own list of favorites. But then, my purpose is solved. I mean, that's how soul music is celebrated, isn't it?

Something from your kitty, something from mine. Let R&B music rise and shine. Gimme some vodka, gimme some wine. Lord, there couldn't be a more pathetic line (I'm sorry for this horrible piece of poetry!). I think, with that, I'll conclude.