Billboard #1 Soul Songs Of 1989 Rankdown (COMPLETE)

[back2blk]

Jul 12, 2021 11:28:11 GMT -5 Jay D83 said:

Janet is winning this. I might have start tanking diva songs just to make this interesting. A crossover diva does not need to win every last one of these.

Right, after the first few of these I jumped on.... I was like.... oh..... so this what we doing.  Fine.   

[Soulsista]

But first, an extra. It's a song that was written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David and first recorded by Dionne Warwick in 1962. It was made famous again over two decades later by a singer from New Jersey. She actually first recorded it for her 1987 debut album, but it wasn't until an updated version was recorded for her self-titled 1989 album that it became a hit. It topped the charts in New Zealand, and stateside, it peaked at #4 on the dance chart, #2 on the soul chart, and #20 on the Hot 100.

Don't Make Me Over - Sybil


Fun fact: Maxine Jones from En Vogue is her cousin.

[Private Dancer]

Jul 12, 2021 11:28:11 GMT -5 Jay D83 said:

Janet is winning this. I might have start tanking diva songs just to make this interesting. A crossover diva does not need to win every last one of these.

Exactly! Its like the big artists win these instead of the songs with quality made by smaller artists...and I am a huge Janet stan!

[jtd Thee Stallion]

Bobby Brown put crack in that song it's too damn good

[Soulsista]

Here we are, the final two. And the results...well, they're not even close.



2. Back To Life - Soul II Soul

Once again featuring vocals by Caron Wheeler, "Back To Life" was Soul II Soul's biggest hit, topping the charts in Great Britain and The Netherlands. In the US, it was the second straight soul charttopper. It also hit #1 on the dance chart and reached the Top 5 on the Hot 100. The song won a Grammy for Best R&B Vocal Performance By a Duo Or Group.


Stats
Chart Entry: August 12, 1989
Peak Date: October 7, 1989
Weeks At #1: 1
Weeks In Top 10: 6
Weeks On Chart: 27
Hot 100 Peak: #4

Points: 824
Average: 7.48
Standard Deviation: 7.856 (17th lowest)

Mirago - 1
Ivy Leegue™ - 1
peacebone - 1
Ky - 1
back2blk - 2
B-Boy - 2
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 2
singingrulebritannia - 3
rowellfarm490 - 3
newpower - 3
gonecountry - 3
Soulsista - 4
Glove Slap - 4
Troublemaker - 4

divasummer - 6
@antigonerising - 6
mamooshka - 7
jtd Thee Stallion - 7
Private Dancer - 8
wyckyd - 8
Jay D83 - 8
ccarter1023 - 10

.indulgecountry - 15
SHOOTER - 17
Enyasurvivor - 20
annoymous1 - 22


#LisaRinna - 34

Observing
Sir Benji

---

And now the #1 song...not only was this song in everyone's Top 10, it was in everyone's Top 6! Not surprisingly, it easily has the lowest standard deviation.



1. Miss You Much - Janet Jackson

The lead single from Janet's Rhythm Nation 1814 album became her seventh song to top the soul chart, and second to top the Hot 100. It also hit #1 in Japan, is certified platinum, and helped the album top Billboard's album chart. The chair routine in the music video helped inspire the chair routine the video for Britney Spears' "Stronger".



Congrats to 🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 for a perfect Top 3!


Stats
Chart Entry: September 2, 1989
Peak Date: October 14, 1989
Weeks At #1: 2
Weeks In Top 10: 6
Weeks On Chart: 15
Hot 100 Peak: #1 (4 weeks)

Points: 958
Average: 2.52
Standard Deviation: 1.673 (Lowest)

Enyasurvivor - 1
ccarter1023 - 1
divasummer - 1
wyckyd - 1
mamooshka - 1
🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 1
newpower - 1
annoymous1 - 1
gonecountry - 1
SHOOTER - 1
Glove Slap - 1

singingrulebritannia - 2
#LisaRinna - 2
rowellfarm490 - 2
Mirago - 2
.indulgecountry - 2
Soulsista - 3
back2blk - 3
Troublemaker - 3

Private Dancer - 4
Ivy Leegue™ - 4
@antigonerising - 4
peacebone - 4
B-Boy - 5
Ky - 5
jtd Thee Stallion - 6
Jay D83 - 6

Observing
Sir Benji


And that concludes the Billboard #1 Soul Songs Of 1989 Rankdown. Thanks to everyone who participated, and to everyone who continues to support this series.

I've got a special rankdown planned. Stay tuned!

[jtd Thee Stallion]

DAMN

[Private Dancer]

I'll tell you mother...I'll tell your friends...i'll anyone that you let Janet win

[jenglisbe]

I love Janet, but "MYM" should not have won this one. It won in a landslide, too. Wtf?

[back2blk]

At least I knew not to put it at the top lol

[🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲]

Yaaaay my top 3 spot on! 💖👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[Deleted]

I'm torn on the diva/big artist problem. On the one hand, it does get boring and tiring that they dominate pretty much every rankdown they appear in. But OTOH, those big hits were big for a reason. And when I see a result like MYM where literally no one ranked it outside the top 10, how can I be mad? That is clearly the correct result.

I don't think people are going out of their way to boost these particular artists just because of the name, but the reality is that certain artists/songs endured longer and on a much broader cross-genre, cross-generational level than others. So many of us have all but admitted that we throw the songs we don't know at the bottom because we're having a hard enough time as it is ranking what we do know and love...and then we freak out because it turns out that the songs we know, several others didn't. The divas on the other hand, everyone participating remembers hearing those songs constantly on the radio or tv or while your mother was doing her Saturday cleaning. So of course they'll average out with a higher score in the end, and honestly that's probably how it should be if we want the most accurate result, complete lack of excitement and suspense notwithstanding. Not enough people are going to purposely tank these big songs to block a win, and even if we did what do we accomplish? They will still take up top 10 space and your own #1 probably still won't win lol.

Collectively, we're usually good about not boosting the singles that genuinely don't warrant it, and I also think it will help that as we get into the 90s we're starting to get into the years that all participants were old enough to honestly remember, so non-diva songs have a better chance of being "fairly" measured.

[back2blk]

Soul II Soul definitely deserved to be up there though. Good job!

[Jay D83]

Jul 12, 2021 13:01:42 GMT -5 @antigonerising said:

I'm torn on the diva/big artist problem. On the one hand, it does get boring and tiring that they dominate pretty much every rankdown they appear in. But OTOH, those big hits were big for a reason. And when I see a result like MYM where literally no one ranked it outside the top 10, how can I be mad? That is clearly the correct result.

I don't think people are going out of their way to boost these particular artists just because of the name, but the reality is that certain artists/songs endured longer and on a much broader cross-genre, cross-generational level than others. So many of us have all but admitted that we throw the songs we don't know at the bottom because we're having a hard enough time as it is ranking what we do know and love...and then we freak out because it turns out that the songs we know, several others didn't. The divas on the other hand, everyone participating remembers hearing those songs constantly on the radio or tv or while your mother was doing her Saturday cleaning. So of course they'll average out with a higher score in the end, and honestly that's probably how it should be if we want the most accurate result, complete lack of excitement and suspense notwithstanding. Not enough people are going to purposely tank these big songs to block a win, and even if we did what do we accomplish? They will still take up top 10 space and your own #1 probably still won't win lol.

Collectively, we're usually good about not boosting the singles that genuinely don't warrant it, and I also think it will help that as we get into the 90s we're starting to get into the years that all participants were old enough to honestly remember, so non-diva songs have a better chance of being "fairly" measured.

MMmmmmmmhmmmmmm Shirley gorl.

::Storms off::

[SHOOTER]

Jul 12, 2021 11:48:48 GMT -5 Private Dancer said:

Its like the big artists win these instead of the songs with quality made by smaller artists...and I am a huge Janet stan!

Jul 12, 2021 12:17:55 GMT -5 Soulsista said:

And now the #1 song...not only was this song in everyone's Top 10, it was in everyone's Top 6!

Sounds like quality to me!

[gonecountry]

Thanks Soulsista for another great rankdown.  I think 1990 is going to be pretty challenging, having checked out that list online.   I don't know who my #1 is, but I know who my #1 isn't....

[Jay D83]

Jul 12, 2021 14:30:23 GMT -5 gonecountry said:

Thanks Soulsista for another great rankdown.  I think 1990 is going to be pretty challenging, having checked out that list online.   I don't know who my #1 is, but I know who my #1 isn't....

I think I'm going to put my top 3 in a hat and draw #1, #2, and #3.

[divasummer]

Why the "It's No Crime" hate????
I always loved that song and hoped he would go back to a funky sound like that. (it was kind of at the time)
I like a lot of his stuff and own a few of his albums but always LOVED this!

[#LisaRinna]

Yas Janet hunni!! Please with the top 5 overall and the winner.

Thank you Soulsista! Now y'all better head over to Teena Marie's rankdown #shamelessplug

[Soulsista]

Perfect Rankings:

mamooshka / ccarter1023 - 5
divasummer / wyckyd / Ivy Leegue™/ gonecountry / rowellfarm490 / Ky / back2blk / B-Boy - 4
jtd Thee Stallion / Soulsista / annoymous1 / SHOOTER / .indulgecountry / Glove Slap / newpower / 🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 3
@antigonerising / peacebone - 2
singingrulebritannia / Private Dancer / Mirago / Jay D83 / Troublemaker / #LisaRinna / Enyasurvivor - 1


I'll leave you with 2 final extras. First, the final Top 10 hit on both the Hot 100 and soul charts for this Scottish singer. Produced and co-written by L.A. Reid and Babyface, it peaked at #5 soul and #2 on the Hot 100.

The Lover In Me - Sheena Easton

---

Next, the biggest hit on the soul chart for this member of Culture Club. Produced by Teddy Riley, it peaked at #5.

Don't Take My Mind On a Trip - Boy George

[gonecountry]

Jul 12, 2021 15:41:44 GMT -5 Soulsista said:

Perfect Rankings:

mamooshka / ccarter1023 - 5
divasummer / wyckyd / Ivy Leegue™ / gonecountry / rowellfarm490 / Ky / back2blk / B-Boy - 4
jtd Thee Stallion / Soulsista / annoymous1 / SHOOTER / .indulgecountry / Glove Slap / newpower / 🇯🇲 dollybaby 🇯🇲 - 3
@antigonerising / peacebone - 2
singingrulebritannia / Private Dancer / Mirago / Jay D83 / Troublemaker / #LisaRinna / Enyasurvivor - 1


I'll leave you with 2 final extras. First, the final Top 10 hit on both the Hot 100 and soul charts for this Scottish singer. Produced and co-written by L.A. Reid and Babyface, it peaked at #5 soul and #2 on the Hot 100.

The Lover In Me - Sheena Easton

---

Sheena at her very finest.  The Lover in Me album was great and Sheena never sounded better, or hotter for that matter.    Her follow up Days Like This hit #35 on R&B chart in 89.  She also released what I consider to be one of the finest R&B jams - "101", her third single from TLiM written by Prince (under his pseudonym Joey Coco).  This song was HOT.  Went to #2 on the dance charts.  Love it.

[Private Dancer]

I like Sheena but her best song is probably Morning Train (9 to 5)

[ccarter1023]

Thank you Soulsista

Fabulous rankdown as always!!

[.indulgecountry]

The right song won! I almost put this at #1, but I slipped Karyn ahead cause of how much I loved that discovery. But MYM is a classic and it being in everyone's top 6 out of 30+ songs is all the proof you need that Janet deserved. 💅

[mamooshka]

Learned so much in this RD. For one thing, I had no idea so many of these #1s were covers. Secondly, most of your extras are bops that could have easily topped the charts during weaker music years.

Thanks for hosting, Soulsista.

[Private Dancer]

Honestly, I'm not mad at Janet winning. I'm a huge Janet fan even though an R&B song should've won. Janet is still a legend and I love seeing her get the appreciation she deserves. Remember everyday is Janet appreciation day!

[newpower]

Great Top 5! Thanks for hosting Soulsista

[divasummer]

I loved Sheena’s “The Lover In Me”.!!
I have to agree with one of the other posters though, “Morning Train” is probably my favorite by her.
Great family memories with that one.