12 Classic R&B Songs That Became Defining Hits

12 classic R&B songs. 12 unforgettable artists. And behind every hit is a story worth remembering. From Minnie Riperton's "Lovin' You" and Junior Giscombe's "Mama Used to Say" to Shannon's "Let the Music Play," Rockwell's "Somebody's Watching Me," Rebbie Jackson's "Centipede," Gregory Abbott's "Shake You Down," and Colonel Abrams' "Trapped," this video explores the classic R&B songs that became defining moments in their artists' careers. Travel through the 1970s and 1980s as we revisit some of the most memorable R&B and soul hits of the era — including songs that topped the Billboard charts, became dance-floor favorites, crossed into pop, and continued to influence music decades later. In this countdown, you'll discover the stories behind: 00.00 - 02:27 Junior Giscombe — "Mama Used to Say" 02:28 - 04:53 Minnie Riperton — "Lovin' You" 04:55 - 06:35 Indeep — "Last Night a D.J. Saved My Life" 06:40 - 08:20 Shannon — "Let the Music Play" 08:25 - 10:05 Oran "Juice" Jones — "The Rain" 10:10 -11:45 The S.O.S. Band — "Take Your Time" 11:50 -13:45 Rockwell — "Somebody's Watching Me" 13:50 - 15:15 The Dazz Band — "Let It Whip" 15:20 - 17:25 The Floaters — "Float On" 17:30 -19:10 Rebbie Jackson — "Centipede" 19:15 -20:55 Gregory Abbott — "Shake You Down" 21:00 -26:05 Colonel Abrams — "Trapped" Some of these artists had long and successful careers. Others became closely associated with one defining record. But every song on this list left a mark on R&B, soul, funk, disco, dance music, or pop culture. You'll hear about Billboard chart success, crossover hits, signature songs, forgotten R&B artists, 70s soul, 80s R&B, dance music, and the stories behind records that continue to live in the memories of music fans. If you love classic R&B, old-school soul, 70s music, 80s music, Motown-era stories, forgotten music history, and the artists behind legendary songs, subscribe to the channel for more music-history stories. Which of these classic R&B songs do you remember hearing first? #ClassicRnB #RnBMusic #OldSchoolRnB #80sRnB #70sMusic #SoulMusic #RNBHits #MusicHistory