R&B, Soul, & Funk Music: Competition and Discussion - Tournaments

RoundTheBend · 2018-07-01T16:28:34-04:00

Welcome to what might become the ultimate R&B, Soul, & Funk Music thread. This thread is not only to share your favorite/best R&B, Soul, & Funk Music records to compete in the Genre Olympics, but also to learn and share all you want/can about R&B, Soul, & Funk Music and all it's sub-genres. Please see the links below for the multiple ways this "genre" can be viewed. And the medals go to: Gold Innervisions by Stevie Wonder Silver What's Going On by Marvin Gaye Bronze Superfly by Curtis Mayfield Here are the top 10 finalists for the R&B/Soul Genre Olympics. Wow - this was quite the competition. Quite a few great runners up, but here are the top ten! Next steps are for anyone and everyone to rank the following albums (even if you didn't submit during the original semi-finalist rounds). See OP on how the point system works (#1 weighted with 10 points and #10 with 1 point). Many of you have given commentary on why you love the albums you do, but as you vote, it might be fun to say what you love about each album. Enjoy! 1. 29 points as voted by sethmadsen, Tha1ChiefRocka, AfterHours, Jimmy Dread, Stover75 What's Going On by Marvin Gaye 2. 24 points as voted by baystateoftheart, sethmadsen, Tha1ChiefRocka, Jimmy Dread, Stover75 Superfly by Curtis Mayfield 3. 23 points as voted by sethmadsen, bobbyb5, PurpleHazel, Jimmy Dread Innervisions by Stevie Wonder 4. 20 points as voted by dividesbyzero, Jimmy Dread In The Jungle Groove by James Brown 5. 20 points as voted by PurpleHazel, Tha1ChiefRocka Star Time by James Brown 6. 19 points as voted by bobbyb5, Mercury, Jimmy Dread There's A Riot Goin' On by Sly & The Family Stone 7. 17 points as voted by Mercury, Stover75 Songs In The Key Of Life by Stevie Wonder 8. 17 points as voted by sethmadsen, glynspsa Stand! by Sly & The Family Stone 9. 17 points as voted by Stover75, Mercury Thriller by Michael Jackson 10. 16 points as voted by Tha1ChiefRocka, Jimmy Dread Hot Buttered Soul by Isaac Hayes Competition: Submit nominations of your top 10 albums (with which region it comes from) - where #10 = 1 point and #1 = 10 points. The ten albums with the most points from these nominations will be in the running for the Olympic medal for the genre and then people could listen to all ten and rank the ten with the same points structure to determine the winners. Timeline to be determined. Discussion: 1. Social/historical/cultural significance 2. Some kind of question you want answered/discussed 3. Thoughts on the production/recordings 4. Analytical critique 5. Interesting stuff about the band/artist 6. Anything else you want to share/ask Generic Info: RYM's Take: https://rateyourmusic.com/genre/R%26B https://rateyourmusic.com/customchart?page=1&chart_type=top&type=album&year=alltime&genre_include=1&include_child_genres=1&genres=r%26b&include_child_genres_chk=1&include=both&origin_countries=&limit=none&countries= Wikipedia's Take: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_popular_music_genres#R&B_and_soul https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhythm_and_blues https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soul_music

PurpleHazel Profile

Personally, I think the Fishbone fits better than the Contortions. Fishbone is arguably as much funk and ska as rock.

AfterHours -- I know you're interested in the original and the experimental (as I often am as well). R&B isn't known for experimental music, but these are the albums I know that come closest:

There's a Riot Goin' On - Sly & the Family Stone If you've heard this already, you know why I'm suggesting it, even if you decided to not to include it. If you haven't heard it, it is essential listening for anyone looking for an original, adventurous, hugely influential R&B album. Sly rejects his previous utopian music and the utopian spirit of the 60s he contributed to. He plays most of the instruments and uses a drum machine in 1971.

Free Your Mind and Your Ass Will Follow - Funkadelic The most experimental album to come out of classic R&B. Their next album Maggot Brain isn't far behind (the last track's the weirdest).

New Amerykah Part One (4th World War) - Erykah Badu Janelle Monae gets the credit for idiosyncrasy because of her albums' concepts and the lyrics, but the music and singing often aren't as unconventional. The Badu album's more adventurous musically -- there are tracks where she doesn't even sing lead, her voice just blended into the mix. Very diverse.[/b]

bobbyb5 Profile
New York

This is my new list that I'm submitting.

1.

Icon by War

2.

3 + 3 by The Isley Brothers

3.

Stax Classics by Booker T. & The M.G.'s

4.

Soul Finger by Bar-Kays

5.

Hey Now Hey (The Other Side Of The Sky) by Aretha Franklin

6.

Risqué by Chic

7.

Before The Rain by Lee Oskar

8.

Innervisions by Stevie Wonder

9.
.

Smash Hits by The Spinners

10.

The Stylistics by The Stylistics

Last edited by bobbyb5 on 07/16/2018 23:27; edited 9 times in total

RoundTheBend I miss the comfort in being sad Profile
Ground Control

PurpleHazel wrote:

Personally, I think the Fishbone fits better than the Contortions. Fishbone is arguably as much funk and ska as rock.

AfterHours -- I know you're interested in the original and the experimental (as I often am as well). R&B isn't known for experimental music, but these are the albums I know that come closest:

There's a Riot Goin' On - Sly & the Family Stone If you've heard this already, you know why I'm suggesting it, even if you decided to not to include it. If you haven't heard it, it is essential listening for anyone looking for an original, adventurous, hugely influential R&B album. Sly rejects his previous utopian music and the utopian spirit of the 60s he contributed to. He plays most of the instruments and uses a drum machine in 1971.

Free Your Mind and Your Ass Will Follow - Funkadelic The most experimental album to come out of classic R&B. Their next album Maggot Brain isn't far behind (the last track's the weirdest).

New Amerykah Part One (4th World War) - Erykah Badu Janelle Monae gets the credit for idiosyncrasy because of her albums' concepts and the lyrics, but the music and singing often aren't as unconventional. The Badu album's more adventurous musically -- there are tracks where she doesn't even sing lead, her voice just blended into the mix. Very diverse.[/b]

I dig.

RoundTheBend I miss the comfort in being sad Profile
Ground Control

bobbyb5 wrote:

This is my new list that I'm submitting.

Thanks! That'll be $50.

Just kidding, I'll update it now.

RoundTheBend I miss the comfort in being sad Profile
Ground Control

Deadline is the 15th!

Here are the semi-finalists so far:
Album Points User
Star Time by James Brown 20 PurpleHazel, Tha1ChiefRocka
What's Going On by Marvin Gaye 17 sethmadsen, Tha1ChiefRocka, AfterHours
Innervisions by Stevie Wonder 16 sethmadsen, bobbyb5, PurpleHazel
Superfly by Curtis Mayfield 15 baystateoftheart, sethmadsen, Tha1ChiefRocka
Otis Blue / Otis Redding Sings Soul by Otis Redding 14 sethmadsen, PurpleHazel, baystateoftheart
Mothership Connection by Parliament 13 sethmadsen & PurpleHazel
The Muscle Shoals Sound by Various Artists 10 baystateoftheart
Icon by War 10 bobbyb5
Sade's Love Deluxe 10 Luigii
Stand! by Sly & The Family Stone 10 sethmadsen
Sign 'O' The Times by Prince 10 Mercury
Purple Rain - Prince 10 AfterHours

AfterHours Profile
The Zone

PurpleHazel wrote:

Personally, I think the Fishbone fits better than the Contortions. Fishbone is arguably as much funk and ska as rock.

AfterHours -- I know you're interested in the original and the experimental (as I often am as well). R&B isn't known for experimental music, but these are the albums I know that come closest:

There's a Riot Goin' On - Sly & the Family Stone If you've heard this already, you know why I'm suggesting it, even if you decided to not to include it. If you haven't heard it, it is essential listening for anyone looking for an original, adventurous, hugely influential R&B album. Sly rejects his previous utopian music and the utopian spirit of the 60s he contributed to. He plays most of the instruments and uses a drum machine in 1971.

Free Your Mind and Your Ass Will Follow - Funkadelic The most experimental album to come out of classic R&B. Their next album Maggot Brain isn't far behind (the last track's the weirdest).

New Amerykah Part One (4th World War) - Erykah Badu Janelle Monae gets the credit for idiosyncrasy because of her albums' concepts and the lyrics, but the music and singing often aren't as unconventional. The Badu album's more adventurous musically -- there are tracks where she doesn't even sing lead, her voice just blended into the mix. Very diverse.[/b]

Thanks, There's a Riot Goin On (which is a difficult one to rate confidently, and Ive considered upgrading it on various occasions) and the Badu (also Baduism) all make the 7/10 section of my genre list: https://www.besteveralbums.com/phpBB2/v...&start =0 Not sure if Id agree that Free Your Mind is on par with Funkadelic's very best.
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baystateoftheart Neil Young as a butternut squash Profile
Massachusetts

sethmadsen wrote:

Deadline is the 15th!

Here are the semi-finalists so far:
Album Points User
Star Time by James Brown 20 PurpleHazel, Tha1ChiefRocka
What's Going On by Marvin Gaye 17 sethmadsen, Tha1ChiefRocka, AfterHours
Innervisions by Stevie Wonder 16 sethmadsen, bobbyb5, PurpleHazel
Superfly by Curtis Mayfield 15 baystateoftheart, sethmadsen, Tha1ChiefRocka
Otis Blue / Otis Redding Sings Soul by Otis Redding 14 sethmadsen, PurpleHazel, baystateoftheart
Mothership Connection by Parliament 13 sethmadsen & PurpleHazel
The Muscle Shoals Sound by Various Artists 10 baystateoftheart
Icon by War 10 bobbyb5
Sade's Love Deluxe 10 Luigii
Stand! by Sly & The Family Stone 10 sethmadsen
Sign 'O' The Times by Prince 10 Mercury
Purple Rain - Prince 10 AfterHours

Let's Get It On should have 13...
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RoundTheBend I miss the comfort in being sad Profile
Ground Control

baystateoftheart wrote:

sethmadsen wrote:

Deadline is the 15th!

Here are the semi-finalists so far:
Album Points User
Star Time by James Brown 20 PurpleHazel, Tha1ChiefRocka
What's Going On by Marvin Gaye 17 sethmadsen, Tha1ChiefRocka, AfterHours
Innervisions by Stevie Wonder 16 sethmadsen, bobbyb5, PurpleHazel
Superfly by Curtis Mayfield 15 baystateoftheart, sethmadsen, Tha1ChiefRocka
Otis Blue / Otis Redding Sings Soul by Otis Redding 14 sethmadsen, PurpleHazel, baystateoftheart
Mothership Connection by Parliament 13 sethmadsen & PurpleHazel
The Muscle Shoals Sound by Various Artists 10 baystateoftheart
Icon by War 10 bobbyb5
Sade's Love Deluxe 10 Luigii
Stand! by Sly & The Family Stone 10 sethmadsen
Sign 'O' The Times by Prince 10 Mercury
Purple Rain - Prince 10 AfterHours

Let's Get It On should have 13...

Nice catch mate! Much appreciated.

I caught a few others I didn't add together, but no other ones made it past 10 points. Here's the new line up:
Album Points User
Star Time by James Brown 20 PurpleHazel, Tha1ChiefRocka
What's Going On by Marvin Gaye 17 sethmadsen, Tha1ChiefRocka, AfterHours
Innervisions by Stevie Wonder 16 sethmadsen, bobbyb5, PurpleHazel
Superfly by Curtis Mayfield 15 baystateoftheart, sethmadsen, Tha1ChiefRocka
Otis Blue / Otis Redding Sings Soul by Otis Redding 14 sethmadsen, PurpleHazel, baystateoftheart
Let's Get It On by Marvin Gaye 13 Mercury, baystateoftheart
Mothership Connection by Parliament 13 sethmadsen & PurpleHazel
Icon by War 10 bobbyb5
Purple Rain - Prince 10 AfterHours
Sade's Love Deluxe 10 Luigii
Sign 'O' The Times by Prince 10 Mercury
Stand! by Sly & The Family Stone 10 sethmadsen
The Muscle Shoals Sound by Various Artists 10 baystateoftheart

RoundTheBend I miss the comfort in being sad Profile
Ground Control

AfterHours wrote:

There's a Riot Goin On... I've considered upgrading it on various occasions...

PurpleHazel Profile

AfterHours wrote:

Not sure if I'd agree that Free Your Mind is on par with Funkadelic's very best.

I said Free Your Mind was the most experimental album to come out of classic R&B. Glad you've heard all of the albums I mentioned!