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Oor's Motown Singles Top 100

Dutch music magazine OOR created for his May edition a list of the 100 best singles of 50 years of Motown. To compile the list, they asked prominent Dutch popjournalists, DJ's, and radio & industry people after their ten favorite Motown singles.

Here's the result (1-50):

1. Marvin Gaye - What's Going On (1971)
2. Marvin Gaye - I Heard It Through the Grapevine (1968)
3. The Temptations - Papa Was a Rolling Stone (1972)
4. Stevie Wonder - Superstition (1972)
5. Edwin Starr - War (1970)

6. Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - The Tears of a Clown (1967)
7. Martha and The Vandellas - Dancing In the Streets (1964)
8. The Supremes - You Keep Me Hangin' On (1966)
9. Four Tops - Reach Out (I'll Be There) (1966)
10. Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell - Ain't No Mountain High Enough (1967)

11. The Contours - Do You Love Me (1962)
12. The Miracles - The Tracks of My Tears (1965)
13. Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell - You're All I Need to Get By (1968)
14. Undisputed Truth - Smiling Faces Sometimes (1971)
15. Diana Ross - Love Hangover (1976)

16. Rick James - Super Freak (1981)
17. Jimmy Ruffin - What Becomes of the Broken Hearted (1966)
18. The Jackson 5 - I Want You Back (1969)
19. Stevie Wonder - Sir Duke (1977)
20. Marvin Gaye - Let's Get It On (1973)

21. Marvin Gaye - Inner City Blues (Makes Me Wanna Holler) (1971)
22. Junior Walker - Shotgun (1965)
23. Stevie Wonder - I Wish (1977)
24. The Temptations - My Girl (1964)
25. The Supremes - Where Did Our Love Go (1964)

26. Four Tops - Standing In the Shadows of Love (1966)
27. The Velvettes - He Was Really Saying Something (1964)
28. The Marvelettes - The Hunter Gets Captured By the Game (1967)
29. Stevie Wonder - Living for the City (1973)
30. The Supremes - Stop! In the Name of Love (1965)

31. The Temptations - Ain't Too Proud to Beg (1966)
32. The Jackson 5 - ABC
33. Martha & The Vandellas - Heat Wave (1963)
34. Rare Earth - Get Ready (1970)
35. Marvin Gaye - Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) (1971)

36. The Temptations - Ball of Confusion (That's What the World is Today) (1970)
37. Marvin Gaye - How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) (1964)
38. The Temptations - Get Ready (1966)
39. Mary Wells - My Guy (1964)
40. Diana Ross - The Boss (1979)

41. Erykah Badu - Bag Lady (2000)
42. David Ruffin - Walk Away From Love (1975)
43. The Marvelettes - Please Mister Postman (1961)
44. Marvin Gaye - I Want You (1976)
45. Gladys Knight & The Pips - I Heard It Through the Grapevine (1967)

46. Stevie Wonder - Do I Do (1982)
47. Four Tops - I Can't Help Myself (1965)
48. The Miracles - Shop Around (1960)
49. Stevie Wonder - Master Blaster (Jammin') (1980)
50. The Commodores - Easy (1977)

Re: Oor's Motown Singles Top 100

51-100:

51. Brenda Holloway - You've Made Me So Very Happy (1967)
52. Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell - Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing (1968)
53. Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - I Second That Emotion (1967)
54. The Supremes - You Can't Hurry Love (1966)
55. Thelma Houston - Don't Leave Me This Way (1976)

56. Michael Jackson - Ben (1972)
57. Stevie Wonder - For Once In My Life (1968)
58. The Supremes - Come See About Me (1964)
59. The Supremes - Baby Love (1964)
60. R. Dean Taylor - Gotta See Jane (1968/1971)

61. Gladys Knight & The Pips - Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the One to Say Goodbye) (1973)
62. Stevie Wonder - Signed Sealed Delivered (I'm Yours) (1970)
63. Diana Ross & The Supremes - Love Child (1968)
64. The Commodores - Sail On (1979)
65. Stevie Wonder - As (1977)

66. Four Tops - Bernadette (1967)
67. Undisputed Truth - Ball of Confusion (1971)
68. Stevie Wonder - Higher Ground (1973)
69. The Temptations - Power (1980)
70. Rosie Gaines - Closer Than You (1995)

71. Bobby Taylor - Does Your Mama Know About Me (1968)
72. Dennis Edwards ft. Siedah Garrett - Don't Look Any Further (1984)
73. The Jackson 5 - I'll Be There (1970)
74. Stevie Wonder - Uptight (Everything's Alright) (1965)
75. Willie Hutch - Brother's Gonna Work It Out (1973)

76. Brenda Holloway - Every Little Bit Hurts (1964)
77. Stevie Wonder - Boogie On Reggae Woman (1974)
78. Rare Earth - (I Know) I'm Losing You (1970)
79. Lionel Richie - Hello (1984)
80. Diana Ross & The Supremes & The Temptations - I'm Gonna Make You Love Me (1967)

81. The Supremes - The Happening (1967)
82. Martha & The Vandellas - Jimmy Mack (1967)
83. The Isley Brothers - This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You) (1966)
84. The Commodores - Brick House (1977)
85. Rick James - Glow (1985)

86. The Commodores -Three Times a Lady (1978)
87. Michael Jackson - I Want To Be Where You Are (1972)
88. Diana Ross - Ain't No Mountain High Enough (1970)
89. The Isley Brothers - Too Many Heartaches (1967)
90. The Supremes - Up the Ladder to the Roof (1970)

91. Diana Ross - Upside Down (1980)
92. Stevie Wonder - You Are the Sunshine of My Life (1972)
93. The Temptations - Just My Imagination (1971)
94. General Kane - Crack Killed Applejack (1986)
95. Four Tops - Still Water Love (1970)

96. Undisputed Truth - Mama I Got a Brand New Thing (Don't Say No) (1973)
97. The Temptations - I Wish It Would Rain (1967)
98. The Supremes - My World Is Empty Without You (1966)
99. Stevie Wonder - Fingertips 1 & 2 (1963)
100. Marvin Gaye - Trouble Man (1972)

Re: Oor's Motown Singles Top 100

The only "new" one on the list:
41. Erykah Badu - Bag Lady (2000)

I'd have gone with the Tempts "Get Ready" over the white rock remake but that's just me.

Nice to see "Smiling Faces Sometimes" so high.

Re: Oor's Motown Singles Top 100

I think this is the most unusual choice, a single from a one-hit wonder act of the 70s (whose one hit isn't critically well regarded):

60. R. Dean Taylor - Gotta See Jane (1968/1971)

Guess I'll have to try and find this one. Is this a Northern Soul tune?

Re: Oor's Motown Singles Top 100

Could be wrong but I counted 11 Stevie Wonder songs, and counting duets, 12 for Marvin Gaye! And that includes both 1st and 2nd. Talk about dominance.

Re: Oor's Motown Singles Top 100

no Oh Girl by The Chi-Lites?

Re: Oor's Motown Singles Top 100

SR
Could be wrong but I counted 11 Stevie Wonder songs, and counting duets, 12 for Marvin Gaye! And that includes both 1st and 2nd. Talk about dominance.


You don't know the half of it. They also included an Album Top 20 (no idea how that one was compiled, though). The first eight (!) albums are from either Gaye or Wonder.

1. Marvin Gaye - What's Going On (1971)
2. Stevie Wonder - Songs in the Key of Life (1976)
3. Stevie Wonder - Innervisions (1973)
4. Marvin Gaye - Here, My Dear (1979)
5. Marvin Gaye - Let's Get It On (1973)
6. Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell - The Complete Duets (2002)
7. Stevie Wonder - Talking Book (1972)
8. Marvin Gaye - I Want You (1976)
9. Rare Earth - Get Ready (1969)
10. Four Tops - Reach Out (1967)

11. The Undisputed Truth - s/t (1971)
12. The Temptations - All Directions (1972)
13. The Temptations - Cloud Nine (1969)
14. The Commodores - Machine Gun (1974)
15. The Supremes - Where Did Our Love Go (1964)
16. The Temptations - Wish It Would Rain (1968)
17. The Commodores - The Commodores Live! (1977)
18. The Supremes - More Hits By The Supremes (1965)
19. The Temptations - Psychedelic Shack (1970)
20. Lionel Richie - Can't Slow Down (1983)

Re: Oor's Motown Singles Top 100

No Boyz II Men?

I know New Jack Swing hasn't aged well, but come on.

Re: Oor's Motown Singles Top 100

No 'Do I Love You(Indeed I Do)'

Stevie...

good to see him getting so many citations- he's one of the true, class talents, not just in Motown's history, but overall. He had the perfect mix of love songs (which he did better than most) and message-oriented songs. Gaye did, as well, but my personal choice would be Stevie.