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

There are several Thriller tracks I didn't vote for that will probably show up, yeah. Can't complain, though, as that's one of my absolute favorite albums of the '80s. It's just surprising to realize that there's so much love for 'The Girl is Mine'.

too low!

That song freaked me out as a kid once I found out what (who) it was about.

re: "nightshift": tears, every time.

I thought listening to it was going to summon ghosts or something.

Too low and you all know it.

I don't, but I love it.

'Night Shift' is a spiritual successor to this song from '65, in case y'all have never heard it before.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwJ3K79Q2_Q

The "Talk to me so you can see what's going on" callback is the most poignant moment in recorded music

Love "Nightshift." Someone should poll the session drummers that play on all of these tracks.

I grew up (mostly) in SE PA, with no MTV, so I think I heard most of these songs on top 40 or on ... perhaps Power 99? The latter is certainly where I know I heard most rap back then.

https://img.discogs.com/4k63iwBi3EHYpyhW80fPoG0Me6Q=/fit-in/600x600/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-251070-1246287119.jpeg.jpg
12. Womack & Womack - Teardrops
911 points, 15 votes
https://youtu.be/R8AOAap6_k4

I thought this might be a number one contender. Incredible song.

Astonishingly high!

yeah i didn't expect it to get this high and nearly forgot it hadn't placed already

"Human Nature" was the only MJ I voted for. My only Prince vote hasn't shown up, and almost certainly won't now.

Awesome, subdued piece of drama this song is, it deserves to be this high. Kind of a discrepancy between that single cover and the song's lyrical content, don't you think?

I thought Teardrops would be top 10, that song has this weird universal appeal

Awesome, subdued piece of drama this song is, it deserves to be this high. Kind of a discrepancy between that single cover and the song's lyrical content, don't you think?

― Tuomas, Thursday, May 18, 2017 8:31 AM (six minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

twas ever thus with womack & womack

For a half second, I actually thought Satoshi Tomiie's "Tears" somehow nearly got into the top 10.

https://img.discogs.com/wS2yKwvT0XgB4YMuvUC1atsd8FU=/fit-in/590x600/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-1034546-1336334879.jpeg.jpg
11. George Benson - Give Me the Night
946 points, 17 votes, 1 number one
https://youtu.be/imYJpr09IgQ

otm

Perfection.

My number 1 just misses the top 10

too low

Chaka can't have 2 in the top 10 can she?

Am pretty sure she just has one left, and shame on ILM.

The amount of downtempo quiet storm stuff in the top 20 or so makes the pain of "Sugar Free"s omission that much tougher.

ok wow i'd never heard "teardrops" before and i'm upset i didn't know about it sooner

Huh, I've never heard it either!

Wtfx2

also as a sidenote i am glad about the high but not #1-threatening placements for "when doves cry" and "sexual healing" which would have been eyeroll-inducingly obvious winners

Wtfx2

Seconded!

also never heard

bass player in that Teardrops video coming very close to "at the wrong gig" before they cut him out completely between :45 and the end of the video

I don't know if I know 'Teardrops'! So this is shocking!

Voted for 'Give Me the Night', though. I thought for sure that one would get dissed.

I can only picture "Wanna Be Startin Somthing" or "I Feel For You" at #1 at this point. Nothing else that makes sense is coming to mind.

Was Teardrops just massive in the UK? I remember it being top 3 (but never number 1) for what felt like months

iirc yes

regardless hmm seems like none of you paid attention in the campaigning thread

I can only picture "Wanna Be Startin Somthing" or "I Feel For You" at #1 at this point. Nothing else that makes sense is coming to mind.

― insidious assymetrical weapons (Eric H.),

I wouldn't rule out Word Up or Ain't Nobody being at number one.

Let me rephrase that. Oh dear R&B lords, please let either "Wanna Be Startin Somethin" or "I Feel For You" land #1!

https://img.discogs.com/r02k6S_EK4icaPnYCg7ezWWzpXM=/fit-in/472x480/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-1261142-1404552637-7453.jpeg.jpg
10. Earth, Wind & Fire - Let's Groove
959 points, 18 votes
https://youtu.be/Lrle0x_DHBM

hm, too low somehow

We can boogie .. ON DOWN!

just about right

Really love the bridge on this.

My EW&F votes went to "Fall in Love With Me" and "Lady Sun." Thrilled this made it anyway.

Woah. Had this towards the very bottom of my ballot. Didn't really know if was so beloved, really.

and gliiiiiide like a 747

Raise right is up there with any other elecrofunk of the era.

Woah. Had this towards the very bottom of my ballot. Didn't really know if was so beloved, really.

My reaction to "Teardrops," basically. Minus the part about it being on my ballot.

'Let's Groove' was utterly expected. Maybe not in the top ten, but I knew it would show up. Very, very classic. I probably catch myself singing it once a week.

regardless hmm seems like none of you paid attention in the campaigning thread

― ToddBonzalez (BradNelson), Thursday, May 18, 2017 11:12 AM (ten minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I will cop to ignoring a lot of the campaigning, if only because I had way too many already beloved songs to deal with. I plan on doing a deep dive into everyone's recommendations once this is all over, though.