15 Forgotten R&B Soul Hits From 1979 That Changed Music Forever (True Stories)

1979 was the last year soul music truly ruled the world — before synthesizers took over, before hip-hop flipped the table, before disco got buried under its own backlash. In this countdown, RnB Supreme Vault brings you 15 forgotten soul hits from 1979 and the fact-checked true stories behind them. A substitute teacher who almost turned down "Ring My Bell." A band named after Tulsa's Black Wall Street. Minnie Riperton recording her final song while dying of cancer. A bassline played by a man still walking through the studio door that accidentally became the foundation of hip-hop. Every story in this video is independently verified against primary sources — no copying, no guessing. From the Gap Band to Minnie Riperton — these are the songs that should have never been forgotten. 🔔 Subscribe to RnB Supreme Vault for deep-dive music documentaries every week. 💬 Comment below: which of these did you not know? 00:00 – Cold Open & Subscribe Moment 01:20 – #15 The Gap Band — "Shake" 02:50 – #14 The Whispers — "And the Beat Goes On" 04:20 – #13 Randy Crawford & The Crusaders — "Street Life" 05:50 – #12 Cheryl Lynn — "Got to Be Real" 07:20 – #11 Anita Ward — "Ring My Bell" 08:50 – #10 McFadden & Whitehead — "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now" 10:20 – #9 Peaches & Herb — "Reunited" 11:50 – #8 Smokey Robinson — "Cruisin'" 13:20 – #7 Teddy Pendergrass — "Turn Off the Lights" 14:50 – #6 Sister Sledge — "We Are Family" 16:20 – #5 Gloria Gaynor — "I Will Survive" 17:50 – #4 Earth, Wind & Fire — "After the Love Has Gone" 19:20 – #3 Prince — "I Wanna Be Your Lover" 20:50 – #2 Chic — "Good Times" 22:20 – #1 Minnie Riperton — "Memory Lane" 23:50 – Outro #RnBSupremeVault #SoulMusic #1979Music #DiscoEra #RnBHistory #MusicDocumentary #ClassicSoul #Prince #ChicMusic #GloriaGaynor