Billboards Top R & B Album Artists - Motown Was Not Just A Singles Company

[jobeterob]

1. Temptations
2. Aretha Franklin
3. James Brown
4. Stevie Wonder
5. Diana Ross & the Supremes
6. Marvin Gaye
7. Isley Brothers
8. Gladys Knight and the Pips
9. Prince
10. Isaac Hayes
11. Diana Ross
12. Earth Wind & Fine
13. Four Tops
14. Dionne Warwick
15. Michael Jackson
16. Jackson 5/Jacksons
17. The OJays
18. Luther Vandross
19. Lou Rawls
20. Al Green

[jobeterob]

Most Charted Albums on the R & B Charts

1. James Brown 52
2. Temptations 46
3. Aretha Franklin 40
4. Diana Ross & Supremes/Supremes 34
5. Marvin Gaye 32
6. Four Tops 32
7. Diana Ross 31
8. Dionne Warwick 30
9. The Isley Brothers 29
10. Gladys Knight & the Pips 29
11. Stevie Wonder 27
12. Lou Rawls 27
13. Prince 25
14. B.B. King 25
15. Kool and the Gang 24
16. The Whispers 24
17. Nancy Wilson 24
18. Johnnie Taylor 24
19. Isaac Hayes 23
20. Bobby Bland 22

[johnjeb]

These stats appear to be from Joel Whitburn's Top R&B Albums 1965 - 1998. Pretty impressive for artists who hadn't charted in several years.

[jobeterob]

Yes, that's the book; one of my favorite music books.

[jobeterob]

Most Top 40 Albums

1. James Brown 47
2. The Temptations 41
3. Aretha Franklin 39
4. Diana Ross & the Supremes 32
5. Gladys Knight & the Pips 27
6. Dionne Warwick 27
7. Marvin Gaye 26
8. The Isley Brothers 26
9. Diana Ross 26
10. Four Tops 25

[Glenpwood]

It will be hard for these records ever to be broken since artists traditionally make new albums every 2-3 years apart now rather than the glory days of Motown where you had new releases on the marquee acts every 4 months.

[marybrewster]

1. Temptations
2. Aretha Franklin
3. James Brown
4. Stevie Wonder
5. Diana Ross & the Supremes
6. Marvin Gaye
7. Isley Brothers
8. Gladys Knight and the Pips
9. Prince
10. Isaac Hayes
11. Diana Ross
12. Earth Wind & Fine
13. Four Tops
14. Dionne Warwick
15. Michael Jackson
16. Jackson 5/Jacksons
17. The OJays
18. Luther Vandross
19. Lou Rawls
20. Al Green

As of what year? A little misleading, unless it is as of 2011.

[Ngroove]

It will be hard for these records ever to be broken since artists traditionally make new albums every 2-3 years apart now rather than the glory days of Motown where you had new releases on the marquee acts every 4 months.


…Yeah, it’s great and all, but, actually finding some of those vinyls, like the Supremes’ “I Hear A Symphony” and “Supremes A Go-Go”, there’s only two great songs that was released as hit singles; the rest ¾ of the album were mostly covers and fillers; same goes for “Love Child”, only the title song is the sole major hit from it, along with minor other one “Some Things You Never Get Used To”.

[Glenpwood]

That's why the roster is so sixties early seventies heavy, LP's weren't considered to be full works of art back then for Pop Rock & Soul acts until The Beatles proved with Sgt. Pepper's that you could make a cohesive whole album that would ship truckloads of albums. The rule was stick two singles and a bunch of covers of current hits on them and move onto the next. That situation really continued until the early seventies for most acts that didn't pen their own material. Then in the eighties once MJ's Thriller proved you could go seven singles deep on an LP all of a sudden we had artists like Janet, Madonna, Bruce, George Michael, and Paula making it the norm to stretch out album eras for two years. Then once Soundscan & BDS Airplay monitoring hit the Billboard Charts labels realized hits lasted longer than the previous average of 13 weeks to peak, album eras started getting milked longer by singles coming out slower as well.

[Motown4Ever518]

That's why the roster is so sixties early seventies heavy, LP's weren't considered to be full works of art back then for Pop Rock & Soul acts until The Beatles proved with Sgt. Pepper's that you could make a cohesive whole album that would ship truckloads of albums. The rule was stick two singles and a bunch of covers of current hits on them and move onto the next. That situation really continued until the early seventies for most acts that didn't pen their own material. Then in the eighties once MJ's Thriller proved you could go seven singles deep on an LP all of a sudden we had artists like Janet, Madonna, Bruce, George Michael, and Paula making it the norm to stretch out album eras for two years. Then once Soundscan & BDS Airplay monitoring hit the Billboard Charts labels realized hits lasted longer than the previous average of 13 weeks to peak, album eras started getting milked longer by singles coming out slower as well.

Based on what you are saying Glenpwood, Thriller would have been 3 albums with the resultant 7 singles spread out over the two years that the lp was at it's viable peak, with lesser lights thrown in to fill up the 3 albums. Since it was on one album, we may never see anything like this again. The bad news to me is that the amount of product that moved through the distribution channels for an artist of today who may have had 5 titles available, is equal to the total including up today for some of those artists that we know and love.

[bradsupremes]

Motown really could have had it's first concept album with the Supremes' Love Child album like it had originally been planned, but Berry Gordy wanted to play it safe. The good side is that it is still one of the best Supremes albums because the filler tracks are top notch, even single worthy. I still think "I'll Set You Free" should have been released as a single. It's just a shame they didn't build upon the social awareness idea like it was originally intended.

[Jimi LaLumia]

people bought and loved Supremes albums, lots of people,from the moment that "Where Did our love Go" went to #1...between sales on the R&B chart and the mainstream national pop album chart, The Supremes paid the bills at Motown from start to finish

[marv2]

people bought and loved Supremes albums, lots of people,from the moment that "Where Did our love Go" went to #1...between sales on the R&B chart and the mainstream national pop album chart, The Supremes paid the bills at Motown from start to finish

Now that's true. You could've found the "Where Did Our Love Go?" album in just about everyone's house back in those days.

[jobeterob]

Top 25 artists of the 60s

1. Temptations
2. Supremes
3. Aretha Franklin
4. James Brown
5. Dionne Warwick
6. Lou Rawls
7. Otis Redding
8. Nancy Wilson
9. Four Tops
10. Ramsey Lewis
11. Miracles
12. Impressions
13. Jimmy Smith
14. Marvin Gaye
15. Bill Cosby
16. Wes Montgomery
17. Wilson Pickett
18. Ray Charles
19. Stevie Wonder
20. Joe Tex
21. Booker T and the MGs
22. Jr. Walker and the All Stars
23. Sam Cooke
24. Rascals
25. Dells


Top Artists of the 70s

1. Isaac Hayes
2. James Brown
3. Jacksons/Jackson 5
4. Gladys Knight and the Pips
5. Temptations
6. Al Green
7. Aretha Franklin
8. Ohio Players
9. Earth Wind and Fire
10. Marvin Gaye
11. Stevie Wonder
12. Isley Brothers
13. Diana Ross
14. OJays
15. Barry White
16. Curtis Mayfield
17. Commodores
18. BB King
19. War
20. Four Tops
21. Kool and the Gang
22. Crusaders
23. Funkadelic
24. Spinners
25. Rufus & Chaka Khan

[jobeterob]

80's

1. Prince
2. Rick James
3. Gap Band
4. Cameo
5. Luther Vandross
6. Stevie Wonder
7. Michael Jackson
8. Diana Ross
9. Temptations
10. Whispers
11. Stephanie Mills
12. Smokey Robinson
13. Peabo Bryson
14. Freddie Jackson
15. Teddy Pendergrass
16. Aretha Franklin
17. Kool and the Gang
18. Isley Brothers
19. One Way
20. Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly
21. Lionel Richie
22. Shalamar
23. New Edition
24. Earl Klugh
25. Atlantic Starr

[Ngroove]

Now that's true. You could've found the "Where Did Our Love Go?" album in just about everyone's house back in those days.

Yes, even I got that record – top notch, I must say – All three 1964 No.1s – Where Did Our Love Go, Baby Love, Come See About Me, plus other memorable numbers, such as hit When The Love Light Starts Shining Through His Eyes, A Breath Taking Guy, Ask Any Girl…

[nomis]

Ive only ever seen a 2nd hand copy of Supremes "A Go Go" once in a record shop..in my country its damn hard to get that LP..all the other Supremes LPs are regulary in stock but never "A Go Go"...

[jobeterob]

Top Albums of the 80's

1. Thriller - Michael Jackson
2. Just Like the First Time - Freddie Jackson
3. Can't Slow Down - Lionel Richie
4. Street Songs - Rick James
5. Purple Rain - Prince
6. Bad - Michael Jackson
7. Rock Me Tonight - Freddie Jackson
8. Hotter than July - Stevie Wonder
9. In Square Circle - Stevie Wonder
10. Don't Be Cruel - Bobby Brown
11. Tender Lover - Babyface
12. Promise - Sade
13. Bigger and Deffer - LL Cool J
14. Raise! - Earth Wind and Fire
15. Cold Blooded - Rick James
16. Cap Band IV - Gap Band
17. Control - Janet Jackson
18. Give You the Best I Can - Anita Baker
19. Diana - Diana Ross
20. Midnight Love - Marvin Gaye

[supremester]

I would have liked that concept as well, but I was very disappointed in the Love Child LP when it came out. I was expecting an album full of dynamic songs like Love Child - not ..........what we got. I even tried to write better songs but found it wasn't as easy as it seemed. The album did poorly - considering it had the group's biggest selling single ever - just a few weeks in the top 20. I don't hear any lost hits on it. I doubt that I'll set You Free would have seen any airplay.


Motown really could have had it's first concept album with the Supremes' Love Child album like it had originally been planned, but Berry Gordy wanted to play it safe. The good side is that it is still one of the best Supremes albums because the filler tracks are top notch, even single worthy. I still think "I'll Set You Free" should have been released as a single. It's just a shame they didn't build upon the social awareness idea like it was originally intended.

[jobeterob]

Top Albums of the 70s

1. Songs in the Key of Life - Stevie Wonder
2. Off the Wall - Michael Jackson
3. Shaft - Isaac Hayes
4. ABC - Jackson 5
5. To Be Continued - Isaac Hayes
6. C'est Chic - Chic
7. Let's Get It On - Marvin Gaye
8. Third Album - Jackson Five
9. Let's Stay Together - Al Green
10. What's Going On - Marvin Gaye
11. Diana Ross Presents the Jackson Five - Jackson 5
12. All N All - Earth Wind & Fire
13. Commodores - Commodores
14. 2 Hot - Teddy Pendergrass
15. Fulfillingness First Finale - Stevie Wonder
16. Natural High - Commodores
17. Teddy - Teddy Pendergrass
18. The Isaac Hayes Movement - Isaac Hayes
19. The World is a Ghetto - War
20. Imagination - Gladys Knight & the Pips

[jobeterob]

Top 60's albums

[[only runs 1965 - 1969, since that was when chart was reinstituted)

1. Temptations Sing Smokey - Temptations
2. Aretha Now
3. Lady Soul - Aretha Franklin
4. Puzzle People - Temptations
5. Temptin Temptations
6. I Never Love A Man - Aretha Franklin
7. Cloud Nine - Temptations
8. Lou Rawls Live
9. Diana Ross & the Supremes Greatest Hits
10. The In Crowd - Ramsey Lewis Trio
11. Hot Buttered Soul - Isaac Hayes
12. The Temptations Greatest Hits
13. Lou Rawls Soulin
14. The Temptations In A Mellow Mood
15. Gettin Ready - Temptations
16. TCB - Diana Ross & the Supremes With The Temptations
17. Aretha Arrives
18. Going to a Go Go - Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
19. The Supremes A Go Go
20. Aretha Franklin: Soul 69

[jobeterob]

Top Albums of the 90's 1990 - 98

1. Please Hammer Don't Hurt Em - MC Hammer
2. Dangerous - Michael Jackson
3. Back on the Block - Quincy Jones
4. Waiting to Exhale - Soundtrack
5. Above the Rim - Soundtrack
6. 12 Play - R. Kelly
7. The Chronic - Dr. Dre
8. I'm Your Baby Tonight - Whitney Houston
9. The Bodyguard - Soundtrack/Whitney Houston
10. My Life - Mary J. Blige
11. The Score - Fugees
12. Boomerang - Soundtrack
13. New Jack City - Soundtrack
14. What's the 411 - Mary J. Blige
15. It Was Written - Nas
16. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill - Lauryn Hill
17. The Don Killuminati - The 7 Day Theory - Makaveli
18. Totally Krossed Out - Kris Kross
19. Vol. 2 - Hard Knock Life - Jay Z
20. Menace II Society - Soundtrack

[jobeterob]

Most Top 10 Albums

1. Temptations
2. Aretha Franklin
3. James Brown
4. Stevie Wonder
5. Diana Ross & The Supremes
6. Marvin Gaye
7. Prince
8. Isley Brothers
9. Diana Ross
10. OJays
11. Gladys Knight & the Pips
12. Earth Wind and Fire
13. Dionne Warwick
14. Jacksons/Jackson 5
15. Luther Vandross
16. Four Tops
17. Kool and the Gang
18. Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
19. Teddy Pendergrass
20. Otis Redding

[Ngroove]

Huh?? Can’t beat the facts, on THE greatest girl-group ever existed, but the Supremes with Diana Ross’ reign was only five years…Oh wait, they did release like 2-3 albums every year…but man, Gladys, Isleys, and Earth, Wind, and Fire felt like they were going on a lot longer, forever, still…

[smark21]

Just because an album charts doesn't mean it's a good album, music wise. It just means it charted.

[Motown4Ever518]

just because an album charts doesn't mean it's a good album, music wise. It just means it charted.

amen!!!!!!!!!!!

[jobeterob]

As examples.........Hey Jude and Macarena are two of the biggest selling singles ever.......and aren't good songs.