Top Worthy but Unsung R and B Artists of the '80s

Setting aside highly mainstream R&B artists of the '80s that enjoyed at least as much success on Billboard's pop charts as on the niche R&B charts (Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Prince, Lionel Richie and Whitney Houston are the most obvious examples), the decade still harbored numerous important purveyors of urban contemporary music. As modern R&B artists began to combine soul, funk and dance styles in new ways, the music that pleased audiences became as varied as ever. Here's a look - in no particular order - at some of the decade's most successful, influential and yet underappreciated old school artists of the genre.

01
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Freddie Jackson

Freddie Jackson, R&B soul singer, holding a microphone singing, 1991.
Afro Newspaper/Gado/Archive Photos/Getty Images

One of the latest but most quintessential practitioners of the steamy, ballad-dominated subgenre known as Quiet Storm, Jackson was a regular chart-topper on the R&B charts during the latter half of the '80s. And although he never achieved the crossover pop success of similar crooners like Luther Vandross, Jackson can be distinguished by his uniquely melodic yet firmly soulful sound. The memorable and soothing "You Are My Lady" became his biggest hit and probably still stands as Jackson's most well-known track, climbing to No. 12 on the pop charts. However, by the end of the decade - after only five years on the scene - Jackson had amassed seven No. 1 singles on the R&B charts. Jackson clearly qualifies as one of the final major spotlight artists of the latter years of old-school R&B.

02
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Rick James

During the first half of the '80s, Rick James produced some of the finest soul, funk and R&B music of the era.
Album Cover Image Courtesy of Motown

Though undoubtedly an artist known most among modern audiences for his notoriety and appearance in comedic pop culture references, James was a powerhouse R&B figure throughout the '80s. As one of the leading funk-inspired singers of the era, James is justifiably remembered for his up-tempo, highly danceable offerings such as "Give It to Me Baby," "Super Freak" and "Cold Blooded." However, a versatile singing voice and eclectic approach allowed James to shine as a genuine soul singer as well as producer and trendsetter. Though it failed to become a major hit, "Ebony Eyes" - a 1983 collaboration with the legendary Smokey Robinson - effectively showcases a Rick James far more complex and intriguing than the caricature with which so many are familiar.

03
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Jeffrey Osborne

Jeffrey Osborne used his smooth baritone voice to build a string of hit albums during the '80s.
Album Cover Image Courtesy of A&M

A perfect fit for the smooth sounds favored by '80s R&B and pop audiences, Osborne excelled as a significant artist for the entire decade of the '80s. Many think of him as a particularly pop-oriented singer, but a closer look at Osborne's chart history reveals that his peak on the Hot 100 ("Love Power," a 1987 duet with Dionne Warwick) fell short of the Top 10. Nonetheless, "On the Wings of Love," "Stay With Me Tonight," and "You Should Be Mine (the Woo-Woo Song)" remain classic tunes of the period, achieving such distinction through multiple layers of songwriting quality and execution. Ultimately, though, Osborne's rich, velvety baritone speaks (or, more precisely, sings) for itself.

04
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Cameo

Cameo may be best known for its singular image, but the group also produced some of the most eclectic urban contemporary music of the '80s.
Album Cover Image Courtesy of Atlanta Artists

The funk-influenced R&B band Cameo may be best remembered for the codpieces worn by band members in the music videos for late-'80s hits "Word Up!" and "You Make Me Work." At least I hope that's not just me. However, the group also displayed a remarkably workmanlike approach to its career, releasing nine studio albums during the decade and remaining a constant force on the R&B charts. Perhaps more than any other major R&B artist of the period save for Prince, Cameo combined dance music, funk and a bit of a rock edge in surprising, often thrilling ways. Rock and pop audiences couldn't help but become aware of Cameo for a number of reasons beyond its memorable image, but general audiences don't always grasp the group's overall impact.

05
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Evelyn "Champagne" King

Evelyn "Champagne" King stuck to her R&B roots throughout the '80s, which may be one reason why so many music fans remained unaware of her talents during that era.
Album Cover Image Courtesy of RCA

Mainstream pop success always eluded her, but King shines as one of the era's finest R&B singers and one of the most common names at the top of Billboard's niche R&B and dance charts. It's not hard to see why this artist had plenty of admirers, and it may just be a matter of pride rather than regret that urban audiences always displayed a far more obvious appreciation of King's talents than did general music audiences. In 1981 and 1982, respectively, King registered dual No. 1 hits on two separate occasions, placing "I'm in Love" and "Love Come Down" at the pinnacle of the R&B and dance charts. This mean feat may have helped King flirt with pop stardom, as these tracks also made the Top 40. However, as an R&B artist, she remains a bona fide mainstay.

06
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The Gap Band

The Gap Band continued its '70s relevance as a funk band by embracing disco and dance music into the '80s.
Album Cover Image Courtesy of Total Experience Records

When my classmates were grooving to The Gap Band's 1982 hit "You Dropped a Bomb on Me" as elementary school music novices, they never would have conceived that the group hailed from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Meanwhile, none of us could have begun to fathom the social significance of the group's name. In fact, this group, one of the most successful funk, dance and R&B combos of the '80s, derived its name from streets involved in the tragic 1921 Tulsa Race Riot.

Of course, fans of major early-'80s R&B hits like "Early in the Morning," "Outstanding" and "Party Train" were distracted by the group's infectiously danceable sound, so perhaps they couldn't have been expected to know the history. Still, without ever breaking the U.S. pop Top 20, The Gap Band exemplified the R&B strains of the decade.

07
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Patti LaBelle

Veteran singer Patti LaBelle emerged during the '80s as a potent solo artist with plenty of pop chart clout.
Album Cover Image Courtesy of MCA

As one of R&B and pop music's most accomplished belters, Patti LaBelle has enjoyed the longest career of anyone on this list. Other holdover artists like Smokey Robinson, Aretha Franklin, and Dionne Warwick certainly had their moments during the '80s, but their '60s and '70s success had been so bright that it tended to overshadow their later work. Not so with LaBelle, who moved into her most visible period as a solo artist around 1983, with her first of seven Top 10 R&B singles, "If Only You Knew," climbing all the way to the No. 1 spot. LaBelle dazzled pop audiences at times, especially with "New Attitude" and "On My Own", but her vocal and musical range appealed to R&B audiences even more consistently.

08
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Stephanie Mills

Stephanie Mills made her initial mark as a disco artist, but during the '80s she became a bona fide R&B solo artist.
Album Cover Image Courtesy of MCA

Though she enjoyed her first major pop music success by exploiting the late-'70s disco craze, showbiz veteran Mills spent the '80s as one of R&B's most consistent performers. Her 1980 crossover hit "Never Knew Love Like This Before" clung to a disco approach but immediately announced Mills as a rising female superstar vocalist. And while she remained a constant presence on the R&B and dance charts during the first half of the decade, Mills reached her full potential as a hitmaker with a run that included five No. 1 R&B hits between 1986 and 1989. "I Feel Good All Over" and "Home" failed to make an impact on the pop charts, but it was more than a consolation for Mills' voice to work its magic on genuine R&B ballads.

09
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The Whispers

Soul vocal group The Whispers managed to adjust its sound to stay relevant during the often-glossy '80s.
Album Cover Image Courtesy of Unidisc

Even if they failed to become aware of this versatile R&B group until its 1987 crossover smash "Rock Steady," longtime music fans wouldn't have needed that kind of explosive mainstream success to recognize The Whispers as one of the finest groups of the genre during both the '70s and '80s. But the quintet reached another level with its '80s output, compiling six Top 5 R&B hits including two No. 1 smashes in the aforementioned, still highly enjoyable "Rock Steady" and 1980's "And the Beat Goes On." Providing a necessary link between smooth '70s soul and the more eclectic R&B sounds of the '80s, The Whispers were chameleonic without selling out their classic soul integrity. Favoring versatility over trends, this is a male vocal group that may never be appreciated enough.

10
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Atlantic Starr

Atlantic Starr enjoyed some major '80s pop hits, but the group also delivered plenty of Quiet Storm R&B during the era.
Album Cover Image Courtesy of Warner Bros.

It would be easy to think that the massive crossover pop hits "Secret Lovers" and "Always" tell the bulk of the story about Atlantic Starr, one of the '80s groups most adept at the alternating male and female lead vocals. However, the band paid plenty of dues as a fixture on the R&B charts, ultimately enjoying nine Top 10 hits there and recording many other modestly successful tunes throughout the decade. Songs like "Touch a Four Leaf Clover" and "If Your Heart Isn't It" exemplified the best characteristics of the old-school, Quiet Storm approach to R&B: romantic lyrics laid over soft, sexy beats and pleasant melodies. There may be little groundbreaking here, but for audiences looking for late night listening, Atlantic Starr has always delivered remarkably well.