Billboard #1 Soul Songs Of 1987 Rankdown (COMPLETE)

[Soulsista]

Back with another installment in this series as 1987 takes its turn in the spotlight. Here are the 32 soul #1s from that year:

Control - Janet Jackson
Stop To Love - Luther Vandross
Candy - Cameo
Falling - Melba Moore
Have You Ever Loved Somebody - Freddie Jackson
Slow Down - Loose Ends
Let's Wait Awhile - Janet Jackson
Looking For a New Love - Jody Watley
Sign O' The Times - Prince
Don't Disturb This Groove - The System
There's Nothing Better Than Love - Luther Vandross & Gregory Hines
Always - Atlantic Starr
Head To Toe - Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam
Rock Steady - The Whispers
Diamonds - Herb Alpert feat. Janet Jackson
I Feel Good All Over - Stephanie Mills
Fake - Alexander O'Neal
The Pleasure Principle - Janet Jackson
Jam Tonight - Freddie Jackson
Casanova - LeVert
Love Is a House - The Force MD's
I Just Can't Stop Loving You - Michael Jackson & Siedah Garrett
I Need Love - LL Cool J
Lost In Emotion - Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam
(You're Puttin') A Rush On Me - Stephanie Mills
Bad - Michael Jackson
Lovin' You - The O'Jays
Angel - Angela Winbush
Skeletons - Stevie Wonder
System Of Survival - Earth, Wind & Fire
I Want To Be Your Man - Roger
The Way You Make Me Feel - Michael Jackson


Final rankings will use an inverse point system.

You may rank whichever version you prefer (single edit, remix, etc.)

Submissions are tentatively due March 5.

YouTube Playlist

Links to previous rankdowns:

1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986

SPOILER: Click to show

{Tags}@antigonerising Az Paynter bat1990 Linnethia Monique boysilver400 castleoblivion26 cedric stunnedout CF15 Choco George Zinc. g8erboi tim LBTrocks craziaskowboi Glove Slap Ling-Ling Crimsonio 🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾 Fancy filthy Ivy Leegue™ Troublemaker singingrulebritannia God newpower Hashtag Pow Sambalada .indulgecountry Me. I Am Justin... born Kanenrá:ke Juanca jtd Thee Stallion Zeebz Ky 🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲  lyhom  @mirza Mayman Caviar SHOOTER owenlovesmusic @pma2015 sergejdordij stallie tallen2001 tanooki tinawina toomuchboy Leigh trilogy Ty B-Boy walt91 Relaxing Cup wavey. mako willapted33 Janhova's Witness @jazzysoul47 Exclusive Me. I Am l!nk!nfan815... anitabakerfan jenglisbe @gabingston Doc Indie Party Rock #LisaRinna gonecountry Mirago rowellfarm490 Red wyckyd annoymous1 Nick Private Dancer Unhinged mamooshka anthony11554 Verisimilitude peacebone Sambalada Jay D83 divasummer

[#LisaRinna]

A bloodbath!

[Jay D83]

NOW shit gets real.

[gonecountry]

Jan 22, 2021 16:58:33 GMT -5 Jay D83 said:

NOW s**t gets real.

Agree.  Great list.  A lot of these songs are the shit.  One of these songs is shit (at least compared to their other tunes) and I'm going to take shit for my ranking of it.  Oh well.

[wyckyd]

NICE! Listening to the playlist as I write this, I'm so in!

[annoymous1]

This RD about to be good! Can't wait to see which song will win!

[SHOOTER]

[🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲]

Jan 22, 2021 16:58:33 GMT -5 Jay D83 said:

NOW s**t gets real.

Yes! I see a lot of faves here. Many classics.

[Ivy Leegue™]

LOL and I thought 86 was my year, WHEW. My little 7 year old self was getting my LIFE to most of these songs. There are actually a couple I don't remember, one I legit HATE, and others that I expect to be heated about when they get tanked early because they have such special memories for me, but I can't see them doing well on this rankdown at all. Damn, this is hard!

[gonecountry]

Just no one do no s**t to Jody Watley and everything will be all right. I can't tell you the amount of s**t that will be broken if you treat Ms. Watley wrong. 

[Soulsista]

Kicking off our extras is the breakthrough international hit for this singer from South Africa. It peaked at #5 on the soul chart and #27 on the Hot 100.

Lies - Jonathan Butler

[Soulsista]

Today's extra was the first charted single by a singer from Pittsburgh who was only 14 at the time. It peaked at #6 on the soul chart.

(Baby Tell Me) Can You Dance - Shanice Wilson

[Soulsista]

Today's extra is by a singer who got her start in the group Side Effect. Her first charted solo single peaked at #5 on the soul chart.

Come Share My Love - Miki Howard

[singingrulebritannia]

32 #1s?!? That's 1.625 weeks per song, or about 6 #1s per 10 weeks. LMAO radio was really just cycling songs in and out as fast as they could huh.

[Soulsista]

Today's extra is a double feature. The fourth single from their Raising Hell album peaked at #21 on the soul chart. Samples "My Sharona" by The Knack.

It's Tricky - Run-DMC

---

This was their first single to reach the Top 40 on the soul chart, climbing to #21.

Tramp - Salt-N-Pepa


Samples "Tramp" by Otis Redding and Carla Thomas.

[Private Dancer]

OMG I was not tagged in this! Y'all know I have to do these! I love these

[Private Dancer]

Lord have mercy, Jody, Atlantic, Janet, Lisa Lisa, Whitney, Angela, Mills...oh this one gonna be the best one yet

[Private Dancer]

Jan 26, 2021 11:26:30 GMT -5 Soulsista said:

Today's extra is by a singer who got her start in the group Side Effect. Her first charted solo single peaked at #5 on the soul chart.

Come Share My Love - Miki Howard

Ooooh this my song!!!!!

[gonecountry]

Jan 28, 2021 11:43:34 GMT -5 Soulsista said:

Today's extra is a double feature. The fourth single from their Raising Hell album peaked at #21 on the Hot 100. Samples "My Sharona" by The Knack.

It's Tricky - Run-DMC

---

32 Mother F'ing #1's and It's Tricky is nowhere to found on the list?!? I demand a recount. That's a damn shame.

[Soulsista]

WEEKLY REMINDER!

Participants:
1. Soulsista
2. Ivy Leegue™
3. singingrulebritannia

SPOILER: Click to show

{Tags}@antigonerising Az Paynter bat1990 Linnethia Monique boysilver400 castleoblivion26 cedric stunnedout CF15 Choco George Zinc. g8erboi tim LBTrocks craziaskowboi Glove Slap Ling-Ling Crimsonio 🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾 Fancy filthy Ivy Leegue™ Troublemaker singingrulebritannia God newpower Hashtag Pow Sambalada .indulgecountry Me. I Am Justin... born Kanenrá:ke Juanca jtd Thee Stallion Zeebz Ky 🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲  lyhom  @mirza Mayman Caviar SHOOTER owenlovesmusic @pma2015 sergejdordij stallie tallen2001 tanooki tinawina toomuchboy Leigh trilogy Ty B-Boy walt91 Relaxing Cup wavey. mako willapted33 Janhova's Witness @jazzysoul47 Exclusive Me. I Am l!nk!nfan815... anitabakerfan jenglisbe @gabingston Doc Indie Party Rock #LisaRinna gonecountry Mirago rowellfarm490 Red wyckyd annoymous1 Nick Private Dancer Unhinged mamooshka anthony11554 Verisimilitude peacebone Jay D83 divasummer

[Jay D83]

Jan 26, 2021 11:26:30 GMT -5 Soulsista said:

Today's extra is by a singer who got her start in the group Side Effect. Her first charted solo single peaked at #5 on the soul chart.

Come Share My Love - Miki Howard

This is one of my all time favs! It is rumored that it was written for Whitney Houston but Clive's rusty ears turned it down.

[Soulsista]

Today's extras are a couple of freestyle classics. This dance charttopper was the breakthrough hit on the Hot 100 for this group from Miami, peaking at #5. It also rose to #14 on the soul chart.

Come Go With Me - Expose

---

And this was the breakthrough for this group from NYC, climbing to #4 on the dance chart and #34 on the soul chart.

Show Me - The Cover Girls

[Soulsista]

Today's extra comes to us from a band based in Philadelphia. Their biggest hit, which was on the soundtrack to the movie Hiding Out, topped the dance chart and also peaked at #13 on the soul chart and #8 on the Hot 100.

Catch Me (I'm Falling) - Pretty Poison

[Soulsista]

Today's extra was the follow-up to his #1 soul hit "Diamonds", and features Lisa Keith on lead vocals and Janet Jackson on backing vocals. It peaked at #7 on the soul chart and #35 on the Hot 100. It was notably sampled by Queen Latifah in "Just Another Day", Bone Thugs-n-Harmony in "Days Of Our Livez", and H.E.R. in "Damage".

Making Love In The Rain - Herb Alpert

[Soulsista]

Today's extra is a double feature. Up first, his final entry on the soul chart peaked at #19 and also topped the dance chart. Sadly, he would be dead less than 2 years later from AIDS.

Someone Like You - Sylvester

---

And here's another dance charttopper. It was his final Top 10 on the soul chart, peaking at #6.

How Soon We Forget - Colonel Abrams


Colonel Abrams passed away on Thanksgiving Day in 2016. At the time of his death, he was homeless and suffering from diabetes.

[Soulsista]

WEEKLY REMINDER!

SPOILER: Click to show

{Tags}@antigonerising Az Paynter bat1990 Linnethia Monique boysilver400 castleoblivion26 cedric stunnedout CF15 Choco George Zinc. g8erboi tim LBTrocks craziaskowboi Glove Slap Ling-Ling Crimsonio 🅳🅸🆂🅲🅾 Fancy filthy Ivy Leegue™ Troublemaker singingrulebritannia God newpower Hashtag Pow Sambalada .indulgecountry Me. I Am Justin... born Kanenrá:ke Juanca jtd Thee Stallion Zeebz Ky 🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲  lyhom  @mirza Mayman Caviar SHOOTER owenlovesmusic @pma2015 sergejdordij stallie tallen2001 tanooki tinawina toomuchboy Leigh trilogy Ty B-Boy walt91 Relaxing Cup wavey. mako willapted33 Janhova's Witness @jazzysoul47 Exclusive Me. I Am l!nk!nfan815... anitabakerfan jenglisbe @gabingston Doc Indie Party Rock #LisaRinna gonecountry Mirago rowellfarm490 Red wyckyd annoymous1 Nick Private Dancer Unhinged mamooshka anthony11554 Verisimilitude peacebone Jay D83 divasummer

[Jay D83]

Jan 30, 2021 11:22:40 GMT -5 Soulsista said:

Today's extras are a couple of freestyle classics. This dance charttopper was the breakthrough hit on the Hot 100 for this group from Miami, peaking at #5. It also rose to #14 on the soul chart.

Come Go With Me - Expose

---

And this was the breakthrough for this group from NYC, climbing to #4 on the dance chart and #34 on the soul chart.

Show Me - The Cover Girls

Freestyle music is one of my favorite parts of the 80s!

[Soulsista]

Today's extra was the first charted solo single by this member of The Deele. Peaking at #8 on the soul chart, he would go on to become one half of one of the most successful songwriting/producing duos in music history.

I Love You Babe - Babyface


Babyface would also co-found LaFace Records and sign such artists as TLC, Toni Braxton, and Usher.

[#LisaRinna]

Submitted!

[Soulsista]

Today's extra is a double feature. The first charted single for this singer from Key West peaked at #5 on the soul chart and #21 on the Hot 100.

Serious - Donna Allen


Fun fact: Donna appeared on season 5 of The Voice in 2013.

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Next, the biggest hit by this former member of LaBelle. It peaked at #5 soul.

Why Should I Cry? - Nona Hendryx