15. Geffen Records and Interscope Records have artists like Donna Summer and Whitney Houston to thank for helping them get off the ground. Every decade has its share of one-hit wonders, and the 80s is no exception. Apart from solo artists, there were also a number of successful bands in the 80s that featured female lead singers. Annie Lennox People were captivated by Annie Lennox from the first second she pounded the desk in the "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" video. She is best known for her songs Give Me A Reason and Fast Car, which come off her debut album. Their followings are massive, and their songs are on the radio every single day, but the road they walk on was paved by the beautiful black women of the 80s that dominated fashion and culture at the time. But thats not to say that these one-hit wonders were any less talented than the artists who found sustained success. The Best Black Male Singers of the 80s In my opinion, some of the top black male singers of the 80s were: Luther Vandross, Prince, Michael Jackson, James Ingram, Freddie Jackson, Lionel Richie, Peabo Bryson, Johnny Gill, Eddie Levert, Babyface, Teddy Pendergrass and Barry White. Apart from music, Belinda is also a supporter of animal rights and LGBT rights, both very evident in her music campaigns and videos. Your email address will not be published. While the 70s were Rosss decade, her fortune continued well into the 1980s with the release of Why Do Fools Fall In Love in 1981, which sold millions of copies. 27. Best 80s Female Singers - Top 80s Women Music Hits - playlist by Redlist Playlists | Spotify Home Search Your Library Create Playlist Privacy Center Privacy Policy Cookies Cookies Preview of Spotify Sign up to get unlimited songs and podcasts with occasional ads. Table of Contents 1. D. Boon of the Minutemen, Age 27 - December 22, 1985. From women to men, old to young, here are the 24 best black stand up comedians with specials, Read More 24 Best Black Stand Up Comedians With Netflix Comedy SpecialsContinue, The history of jazz is long, storied, filled with drama, tragedy, comedy, love, and outstanding singers. Bonnie, Ruth, Anita, and June Pointer were the members of the initial Pointer sisters, but not all stayed in the group. The band would go on a long hiatus after this success and would not go on to record anything new until 2000. Bulls on Parade Tab by Rage Against The Machine. She might have been considered the Queen of Disco, but Donna Summer transcended that label in the 1980s with the release of several hit singles. Each of these artists brought something unique to the table, with Madonna leading the pack as one of the most innovative and controversial performers of her time. Vandross also worked with other artists during the decade, including his favorite artist, Dionne Warwick (more on her in a moment). In honor of their glamorous and moving contributions to the music industry that have empowered women over the decades, this is a list of the seven best 80s black female singers. So, in honor of these amazing women, weve put together a list of the 100+ best female singers of the 80s. These women helped to define the sound of R&B music and paved the way for later stars like Beyonce and Rihanna. In her short life, Aaliyah left a major imprint on the music industry as a whole, as well as on the pop, R&B, and hip hop genres. Their songs spoke to the heart of people from all walks of life and showed that African American artists could make it big in mainstream America. The Comfort Zone was very popular, selling over 2 million copies and went triple platinum. Setting aside highly mainstream R&B artists of the '80s that enjoyed at least as much success on Billboard's pop charts as on the niche R&B charts ( Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Prince, Lionel Richie and Whitney Houston are the most obvious examples), the decade still harbored numerous important purveyors . She wouldnt release her self-titled debut album until 1994, which peaked at twenty in the U.S. Category. Their music was also featured in films and commercials. She got her big break in 1986 when she was introduced to a manager at Elektra records that helped her break into the industry. After being ousted from New Edition in 1985, Bobby Brown could have taken his ball and gone home, but instead, he ran with it with his own successful solo career. This platinum-selling single from the girl group peaked at #1 on the Hot 100 and beat out Backstreet Boys' "Quit Playing Games with My Heart" in Billboard's list of most popular songs of 1998. The 70s are a great decade to look to for music. Toni Braxton was a 90s music sensation. They popularized the punk look, which included tight leather jackets, ripped jeans, and spikes. But they weren't the only ones making waves in the industry. She was the first black woman to play Eponine in the Broadway musical Les Miserables. Chapmans career began to fall off after she performed at Nelson Mandelas 70th birthday celebration. When President Barack Obama was running for office, he used their song Yes We Can Can. The next year, the singer took home two Grammys for the albumfor Best Female R&B Pop Vocal Performance as well as Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. Elkie Brooks 'Lilac wine' Top of The Pops (1978) . Michael Jackson might have been the King of Pop for decades, but his sister Janet Jackson proved she could easily step out of her brothers shadow. Artists in this decade brought new life to the R&B, hip-hop, and pop genres and made way for artists in the same genres in the 2000s. Despite their fade out, their music is still predominantly listened to in the US. Some of the popular were Cindy Lauper, Cyndi Thomson, and Debbie Gibson. Today, black female musicians like Doja Cat, Beyonce, and SZA inspire young women and have a hold on the music industry. Wiki User. Some of these women include Patti Smith, Debbie Harry, and Siouxsie Sioux. She later joined a hip-hop group with a couple of friends called Edjp. This was a decade that saw the rise of some of country musics most iconic female singers. 1985s Thats What Friends Are For went to #1 on three different Billboard charts and raised money for the American Foundation for AIDS Research. She got her start in the music world as a child singing in her fathers church choir. This legend is best known for leading the famous singing group The Supremes in the 1960s. She released some of her best-selling albums during that decade, including Whos Zoomin Who and Aretha. She also earned her first Gold record in 1982 with the album Jump To It., Luther Vandross was another soul singer who found success in the 80s. Tuned 1/2 step below standard tuning. Some of the artists stepped away from the . Among the most successful Black country singers of the 1980s were Charley Pride, Darius Rucker, and Tina Turner. Some of the most prominent black British singers of the 1980s include Sade, Seal, and Soul II Soul. She now resides in California where she works as a session and live performer. She was a soprano with a voice that would go on to be described as both silky and sweet. After all, without these female singers, the 80s just wouldnt be the same. These women were not only incredibly talented, but they were also very beautiful. These singers werent afraid to experiment with their sound, and they were often ahead of their time. The early part of the decade was all about synthesizers and new wave music. Despite being called the queen of disco, Summer was able to break into different genres. Cyndi Lauper is one of the most iconic female pop singers of all time. The album, released in 1988, catapulted to number one in the United States and the U.K. thanks to its single Fast Car. Her initial album earned her three Grammy Awards for Best New Artist, Best Contemporary Folk Album, and Best Female Pop Vocal Performer. By Steve Peake. Some of them have faded into obscurity, while others continue to perform and release new music. As a child, she exhibited a great talent for music and dance and had a dream to become the African American Rockette. Here are just a few of the most important and influential rappers from that decade. Four songs on that record alone reached the Billboard charts, and Princes same-titled film earned $70 million at the box office. Private Dancer had five top-40 hits, including her #1 Whats Love Got To Do With It. She also notched a Record of the Year Grammy for that effort. Some of the biggest were Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Whitney Houston, and Tina Turner. Shanice became a professional singer at the age of 8 years old when she was selected to sing alongside Ella Fitzgerald in a Kentucky Fried Chicken commercial. For this, she was nominated Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. They pushed through the turbulence with the release of 1988s Heart Break, which gave the group five more hits. Soul music is a genre that has its roots in the African-American experience. She has also received four Satellite awards and seven NAACP Image Awards. She was nominated for numerous posthumous awards and won the Billboard-AURN Top R&B/Hip-Hop Female Artist in 2003. Often forgotten, but an incredible artist in the 80s, LaDonna Adrian Gaines, also known as Donna Summer, recorded some amazing hits that still play on the radio today. This list is based on. Desree (born Desire Annette Weekes on November 30th, 1968) was born in Croydon, London, to parents from British Guyana and Barbados. The songs Baby and I Wanna Be Down each cracked the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100 list. The disco era of the 1970s was all about glitter, glamour, and big hair. Top 3 Hits. Doesnt matter if they only had one hit. The following are some of the most notable Black celebrities that died in 2022. Wonders soundtrack for the film The Woman In Red was released in 1984 and produced his hit I Just Called To Say I Love You, which became a #1 hit. In fact, there were many blonde women who found success in the music industry during the decade. Despite her death at a young age, Whitneys music continues to touch people and make them move on the dance floor. Thanks to them, LGBTQ+ people had someone to look up to and their music helped spread awareness and acceptance. The 90s saw the release of the bands fourth studio album, Love Deluxe, which peaked at number four on the U.S. Some of the British female singers who found success in the 80s include Annie Lennox, Bonnie Tyler, and Sade. Maze feat. For example, Tiffany was one of the first teen pop stars, and her debut album was a huge success. Every day we're serving Black women deeply. However, there were a few groundbreaking female punk singers who managed to make a name for themselves in the male-dominated world of punk rock. Above all, they were proud of who they were and didnt let anyone stop them from being their true selves. Vanessa Williams was born Vanessa Lynn Williams March 18, 1963 to musical educators Milton and Helen Williams. Let us go down our list of famous 80s female singersin no particular order. Her first breakthrough came in the form of a role in the movie The Pick Up Artist in 1987. Albino? So even though these women may have only had one hit, their contributions should not be overlooked. The Pointer Sisters epitomized 80s cool, with their teased tresses, purple eyeshadow and bold, berry-stained lipgloss. Ola was born in St. Louis ,Missouri, where she spent the early part of her childhood with. She rose to prominence in 1985 with the release of her debut album, Whitney Houston. But infighting in the group forced them to oust founding member Bobby Brown in 1985, leading to a new line-up. There were many artists who managed to find success with a single song, only to fade into obscurity soon after. No one could touch Sheila Escovedo on the drums, and her makeup look was equally as dynamic: kohl-rimmed eyes, and brick red cheeks and lips. July 15, 2020 12:30 PM. There is something unique about, Read More 15 Black Male Jazz SingersContinue, Black thriller movies are scary and suspenseful. Her debut album was released in September 1999, which sold over 2 million copies and went certified as Double Platinum. Other notable female metal singers include Doro Pesch, Bonnie Tyler, and Lee Aaron. Not one to rest on his laurels, Jackson followed up with Bad in 1987another massive success that proved he was more than just the most successful member of the Jackson 5. These are just a few of the many talented black soul singers who found success in the 1980s. While each singer had their own unique style, they all shared one common trait: They were incredibly talented vocalists who could connect with fans both young and old. She wrote all of the songs on the album, which peaked at number one on the Billboard 200 charts. As mentioned in Wikipedia the 80s is considered the golden age of hip hop. But one thing is for sure: They all made a significant impact on the music industry, and their contributions should not be forgotten. It was a critical success, selling over 1 million copies in the United States and over 2 million copies worldwide. In a male-dominated industry, women gained confidence that allowed them to . In addition to her musical prowess, Shanice also spent the late 90s flexing her acting chops. The sales of that album alone catapulted the then 45-year-old Turner into levels of success she had never seen before. Watch on. 7 Pioneering Black Female Jazz And Blues Singers Who Made Music History. The album spawned several hit singles, including How Will I Know and Saving All My Love for You. These are the women who had a few hits but never quite made it to the top of the charts. This album broke the top ten on the charts in the United States and the U.K. Shes won seven awards over the course of her career and produced five albums to date, not including compilations and singles. A single song, only to fade into obscurity, while others continue to perform and release new music few. 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