EVERY Billboard #1 rhythm & blues hit discussion thread

LL Cool J was big in the 80s and very early 90s. He was soon eclipsed by former NWA members Ice Cube, Dr Dre, Easy E, and then Snoop Dogg, and then Eminem.

 

What, and be replaced by facsimiles in a manner similar to what was alleged about Paul McCartney?

 

Well, here we go, the first R&B #1 of 1990:

Tender Lover - Babyface Week ending January 6, 1990 1 week



And I have zero memory of this one.

 

Yeah, that's Babyface. Generic NJS. Not bad, but I'm so over it already.

 

He's another guy who would become a big force as a producer as we go along, no?

 

Yup. I think he already was.

 

Next #1:

Rhythm Nation - Janet Jackson Week ending Janary 13, 1990 1 week



Now the fun begins!

 

Loved this entire album. Janet really delivered. The videos off of this were all winners as well.

 

And of course, that which this took from:

 

Ahh yes. I still roll this one in my throwback sets. I’m my eyes, Janet was a much bigger deal than Michael by this point and he wasn’t quite the tabloid fodder he was to become. This album was so big, I even played ‘Black Cat’ on my rock nights. Massive

 

Next #1:

Make It Like It Was - Regina Belle Week ending February 3, 1990 1 week

 

Another one which I have little or no familiarity with - I do know the name Regina Belle, and the title of one of her better-known hits . . .

 

Oh god, that dated keyboard sound. Comes across as cut-rate Anita Baker. Make it stop!!

 

Another where I definitely recognize the title but never heard the tune. That will change soon enough

 

Next:

Real Love - Skyy Week ending February 10, 1990 1 week



Hard to believe this is from the same band leader who brought us "Movin'" back in 1976, and the same band that had a hit with "Call Me" in 1982.

 

Hearing this, you're telling me?!

 

As with Atlantic Starr, they all got mellow.

At this point, I still kept an ear out for new music and bought contemporary CDs, but my main attention turned to collecting oldies from the 60s and 70s, I had just bought the Stax/Volt, Rod Stewart, more Rhino Billboard CDs, and the first of the Rhino Have a Nice Day series.

 

Yup. Dull.

When did those Atlantic Rhythm & Blues CDs come out? I think it was around this time I was collecting those and other oldies. I'd already started to go back and fill in catalogs of favorite acts - Fleetwood Mac, The Beatles, etc.

 

Damn! Another one that flew under my radar. The gap between R&B radio and the clubs was wider than I thought in 1990

 

Almost like the Grand Canyon, no?

 

They came out in the late 80s, 1987, I think. I had volumes 5, 6, and 7, plus these two CDs:

 

I have the second edition of this box-set from 1991 with 8 cds. At the end of the big booklet is an interesting statement:

"Digitally remastered from mono and true stereo originals... In previous editions wrong takes were used on some songs. In this edition, the proper takes have been used in all cases."

I wish they had always taken the single versions.

 

I had 6 and 7. I was always gonna get 5 and never got around to it... 6 & 7 got constant play.

 

That's true. That's why they re-did the series.

 

Same here. I think there was a volume 8 but I never saw it.