A POLL Bizarre ~~~ It's the ILM 80's R&B TRACKS POLL ~~~ RESULTS THREAD!!!

Ruth Pointer sounds like a robot = genius

Automatic is an incredible song. One of my favourite basslines ever, especially in the chorus.

Great to see Slave To The Rhythm so high. I would have liked to see a few more Grace Jones songs on the list, but at least we got two of her best songs in the top 50.

literally no such thing as "automatic" being "pretty high"

i hate to say it, but "super freak" being as overexposed as it's become has ruined much of its charm for me

https://img.discogs.com/2Szcb_wUr50jXTJ8ZuT6UDnlQ1A=/fit-in/600x600/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-7720737-1447418610-2797.jpeg.jpg
30. Prince - Kiss
677 points, 11 votes

meanwhile i could probably hear this a trillion times and get excited whenever it comes on

i think "give it to me baby" is the superior rick james single

I agree.

literally no such thing as "automatic" being "pretty high"

Of course there is, because this poll is an embarrassment of riches. Almost every song on here could justifiably be too high or too low, and almost any one could be swapped out by an equally awesome track by the same act.

Automatic and Dare Me are just Pointer Sisters front-runners. Didn't vote for them but no beef. Top results all day pretty much. Don't think we can count Let's Wait a While out just yet...

think "give it to me baby" is the superior rick james single

― ToddBonzalez (BradNelson), Wednesday, May 17, 2017 3:02 PM (three minutes ago)

Otm

I ... don't love "Kiss."

Dare Me and Automatic are my favorite PS songs

I never listen to Kiss of my own volition.

Little Red Corvette was in my top 3 I'm sure. Still can't get over how great it is every time it comes on.

https://img.discogs.com/4-p9-LCdDKfzZekV7TEv1EmbfJg=/fit-in/600x597/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-3417340-1329605727.jpeg.jpg
29. The Gap Band - You Dropped a Bomb on Me
683 points, 11 votes
https://youtu.be/17lkdqoLt44

My college roommate and I always fantasized about being the band member who got to press the button for the video game missle sound every four bars.

The Gap Band are ridiculously good. They are like the razor sharp version of P-Funk. Did Outstanding and Early In the Mornin' place already? Too late for Humpin probably.

I used to love "Kiss" but I'm kinda worn out on it tbh

Dropped a Bomb is so awesome.

Only Gap Band song I ended up voting for was "Outstanding," which had better fucking show up here.

"Kiss" was the one Prince tune I voted when I decided to give points to just one if this tunes (cos otherwise one third of my ballot would've been him). Maybe it's not his absolute best song of them all, but it sure his best funk track. (With "Sexy M.F." as the close second.) Such an incredible groove, so minimal and innovative to the point of being avant-garde, yet also catchy and pretty and radiating warmth. I don't listen to it so much at home, but whenever it's played at a club, I just have to go dance to it. IMO the club is its most natural environment, and that full stop before he says "kiss" is perhaps the greatest moment of genius in dancefloor dynamics ever recorded. A perfect piece of dance music in every regard.

'Kiss' and Gap Band both on the lower end of my ballot but v worthy and great.

Kind of agree with dyl about 'Super Freak'. Dig the song but not enough to include it here (probably have a certain Mr. Burrell to thank for its overexposure).

it sure his best funk track. (With "Sexy M.F." as the close second.)

Wrong and wrong again

Ok, bro.

I admire Kiss more than I love it. Erotic City is Prince's best funk.

https://img.discogs.com/JPdqmCsKFtzBxQTteM86DnR-IDs=/fit-in/600x600/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-259024-1253936124.jpeg.jpg
28. Loose Ends - Hangin' on a String
686 points, 10 votes, 1 number one
https://youtu.be/yz1kvk9qeWI

Cool but shouldn't be higher than the Imagination.

Hoped this would be top 10, one of the best singles of the 80s in any genre.

This song is as light and savory as egg foam.

Erotic City is cool robo-funk, but Prince hadn't yet perfected his build-and-release dancefloor tactics to the point heard on "Kiss" and onwards. There really is no better tune of his to dance to.

"Kiss" is one of his tunes where I'd like to hear the version before he muted the bass line.

https://img.discogs.com/tKmRji38Br2JCBK0FBPykdFDN0c=/fit-in/581x590/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-2140856-1316959878.jpeg.jpg
27. Hall and Oates - I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)
689 points, 13 votes
https://youtu.be/ccenFp_3kq8

thank goodness this is nowhere near #1 as was predicted somewhere upthread

(not that i don't love it tho! and i voted for it)

This song has never lost its power to charm.

#1 too!

Too high but probably my favorite H&O so no drama.

Love H&O, this is the only one to get a vote from me, most definitely deserved.

Prince has a particular quality that allows for almost infinite replayability, but, for whatever reason, I find Kiss oddly repellent (in the true sense of the word). Maybe it's because of Tom Jones.

"I Can't Go For That" is one of the most brilliant productions of the 1980s in any genre

One of my favorite songs ever and I'm kinda happy I didn't vote for it.

I didn't either!

https://img.discogs.com/JzwCrTNvVbXEomudfNCp5u1Zh-g=/fit-in/400x400/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-128254-1261818628.jpeg.jpg
26. Prince - Controversy
706 points, 10 votes

"You Dropped A Bomb On Me" was my #2 & I assumed it would be a lock for top 10

"controversy" too low

Controversy was the highest Prince song on my list. The way it just explodes into life gets me every time.

Controversy was the first Prince album I ever heard. It rules so hard.

Placing seems about right to me, though "The Beautiful Ones" shoulda been top 10 for sure

So I guess 777-9311 is not gonna place, huh

Controversial! I'm legit surprised to see this one so high up. I don't think I voted for it but that's mostly because I artificially deflated my Prince voting (he still wound up taking up like a quarter of the ballot between solo work and collabs).

Hoping no one forgot forget me nots

RECAP 26-50:

26. Prince - Controversy 706 points, 10 votes
27. Hall and Oates - I Can't Go for That (No Can Do) 689 points, 13 votes
28. Loose Ends - Hangin' on a String 686 points, 10 votes, 1 number one
29. The Gap Band - You Dropped a Bomb on Me 683 points, 11 votes
30. Prince - Kiss 677 points, 11 votes
31. Rick James - Super Freak 672 points, 12 votes
32. Pointer Sisters - Automatic 670 points, 14 votes
33. Tom Tom Club - Genius of Love 645 points, 11 votes
34. Grace Jones - Slave to the Rhythm 635 points, 9 votes
35. Janet Jackson - When I Think of You 633 points, 11 votes, 1 number one
36. Sade - The Sweetest Taboo 630 points, 10 votes
37. Prince - Little Red Corvette 626 points, 9 votes, 1 number one
38. Mtume - Juicy Fruit 623 points, 12 votes
39. Sheila E. - The Glamorous Life 621 points, 14 votes
40. Nu Shooz - I Can't Wait 617 points, 12 votes
41. Human League - Human 616 points, 9 votes
42. Evelyn King - I'm in Love 609 points, 10 votes
43. Prince - If I Was Your Girlfriend 602 points, 13 votes
44. Gwen Guthrie - Ain't Nothin' Goin' On But the Rent 597 points, 9 votes
45. Cameo - Candy 594 points, 9 votes
46. The Brothers Johnson - Stomp! 591 points, 9 votes
47. Grace Jones - Pull Up to the Bumper 583 points, 10 votes
48. Cherrelle & Alexander O'Neal - Saturday Love 581 points, 11 votes
49. Janet Jackson - Escapade 580 points, 10 votes
50. Zapp - More Bounce to the Ounce 571 points, 8 votes