The Best Soul Music Groups of All Time

It’s time to take a look at the best soul music groups of all time. From classic Motown groups to contemporary R&B singers, these are the groups that have defined the genre.

The Temptations

One of the most iconic soul music groups of all time, The Temptations formed in 1960 and have been thrilling fans with their memorably smooth harmonies and danceable beats ever since. With classic hits like “My Girl” and “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” The Temptations remain one of the most beloved groups in music history. If you’re a fan of soul music, then you definitely need to check out The Temptations!

Member history

The Temptations are an American vocal group who released a series of successful singles and albums with Motown Records during the 1960s and 1970s. The group’s best-known lineup was constituted of lead singers Otis Williams, Melvin Franklin, David Ruffin, and Paul Williams, better known as Slim, with occasional substitutions being made for Franklin and Ruffin. Bobby Rogers was also with the group for a brief time in 1963. Eddie Kendricks and Damon Harris are notable former members of the group.

The group was formed in 1960 in Detroit by Elijah Frankie Kazee, a local barber who recruited friends Otis Williams, Melvin Franklin, Norman Whitfield, and Paul Williams (no relation to Otis) to form a doo-wop group he named The Elgins. Eddie Kendricks joined the group soon after its formation.

In 1961, The Elgins signed with Motown Records under the guidance of Berry Gordy, Jr., who renamed the group “The Temptations” after watching them perform on television. Their first record for Motown was “May I Have This Dance”, which failed to chart; their next release, “The Way You Do the Things You Do”, became a top 40 hit. Under the leadership of Whitfield and George Clinton (who served as producer), The Temptations began experimenting wit psychedelic soul music and most notably delivered the number one hit song “Cloud Nine” in 1968; this marked their first album on which all five members sang lead vocals. Although Ruffin was generally considered the group’s primary lead singer at this point (a role he would maintain throughout his tenure with the Temptations), Kendricks singing style became more prominently featured on their recordings following his return to the lineup in early 1968; this trend culminated in his being given full lead vocal duties on their next album In a Mellow Mood (on which Ruffin only received top billing on one song).

Notable songs

“My Girl”
“Ain’t Too Proud to Beg”
“Get Ready”
“(I Know) I’m Losing You”
“I Can’t Get Next to You”
“Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone”

The Temptations are an American vocal group who achieved fame with Motown Records during the 1960s and 1970s. The group’s repertoire has included, during its five-decade history, R&B, doo-wop, funk, disco, soul, and adult contemporary music.

The Four Tops

Member history

The Four Tops are a vocal quartet from Detroit, Michigan, USA, who helped to define the city’s Motown sound of the 1960s. The group’s repertoire has included soul music, R&B, disco, adult contemporary, doo-wop, jazz, and show tunes.

Formed in 1953 as The Four Aims, lead singer Levi Stubbs (born Levi Stubbles in 1936), Abdul “Duke” Fakir (born 1934), Renaldo “Obie” Benson (1935-2005) and Lawrence Payton (1938-1997) began as a doo-wop group backed by a band called The Titans. The aim of the group was originally to sing at weddings and other social functions around Detroit; hence the name “The Four Aims”.

Notable songs

The Four Tops are a vocal quartet from Detroit, Michigan, who helped to define the city’s Motown sound of the 1960s. The group’s repertoire has included soul music, R&B, disco, adult contemporary, doo-wop, jazz, and blues.

The Four Tops were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1999. Rolling Stone magazine ranked them 68th on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. In 2008, the group was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Some of their notable songs include: “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)”, “It’s the Same Old Song”, “Reach Out I’ll Be There”, and “Ain’t No Woman (Like the One I’ve Got)”.

The Spinners

The Spinners were a Motown soul group who achieved great success in the 1970s. Their best known songs include “It’s a Shame”, “I’ll Be Around”, and “Could It Be I’m Falling in Love”. The group continued to record and tour into the 21st century.

Member history

The Spinners were a Soul music group from Detroit, Michigan, United States, that formed in 1954. The group’s first recordings in 1955 were for the tiny Bauermeister label. Members during these early years included lead singer C.P. Spencer, Henry Fambrough, Billy Henderson, Harold Wilkes, Nathaniel Pipkin and Pervis Jackson.

Notable songs

The Spinners have had numerous hit songs over the course of their long career in the music business. Some of their most notable songs include “I’ll Be Around”, “Could It Be I’m Falling in Love”, “The Rubberband Man”, and “Working My Way Back to You”.

The Stylistics

The Stylistics are an American soul music group, formed in 1968 and disbanded in the early 1980s. They were originally from Philadelphia and are best known for their hit songs “Betcha by Golly, Wow”, “You Make Me Feel Brand New”, and “Can’t Help Falling in Love”. The group’s style is characterized by its rich vocal harmony sound, which has earned them comparisons to The Temptations and The Four Tops.

Member history

Formed in 1968, The Stylistics originally consisted of lead singer Russell Thickston, Cornell Hutchinson, James Smith, Airrion Love, and Herbie Murrell. With production by Thom Bell and his songwriting partner Linda Creed, The Stylistics became one of the best-selling soul groups of the early 1970s. Hit singles such as “You Make Me Feel Brand New,” “Betcha by Golly Wow,” and “Break Up to Make Up” helped to establish The Stylistics as one of the decade’s most successful groups.

The group’s sound was a smooth blend of R&B and Philadelphia soul, with Thickston’s honeyed tenor voice taking center stage. The Stylistics’ focus on romantic love songs also set them apart from many of their contemporaries, and their music continues to be popular with easy listening and oldies radio stations today.

Despite commercial success, tensions within the group began to mount in the mid-1970s. By 1977, Love, Smith, and Murrell had all left The Stylistics, leaving Thickston and Hutchinson as the only remaining original members. The group struggled on without them, releasing a string of albums in the late 1970s and early 1980s that failed to match the success of their earlier work.

The Stylistics eventually disbanded in 1983, but reformed in 1987 with new lead singer David Sickman replacing Thickston. Since then, The Stylistics have continued to tour regularly and release new music; their most recent album was 2017’s Soul Asylum.

Notable songs

“You Make Me Feel Brand New”
“Let’s Put It All Together”
“Break Up to Make Up”
“I’m Stone in Love with You”
“You’re a Big Girl Now”
“Betcha by Golly, Wow!”
“Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)”

The Delfonics

The Delfonics were a Philadelphia soul group formed in the late 1960s. They were one of the most successful soul groups of their time, with their hit song “Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time)” becoming a gold record. The Delfonics were also known for their close harmonies and use of sweet melodies, which made them stand out from other soul groups of their time.

Member history

The Delfonics were an American soul music vocal group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are best known for their work with producer Thom Bell. The group’s hits included “La-La (Means I Love You)”, “Ready or Not Here I Come (Can’t Hide from Love)”, and “Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time)”.

The Delfonics were originally a trio of brothers, William “Poogie” Hart, Wilbert Hart, and Randy Cain, raised in North Philadelphia. When Poogie Hart was replaced by Jeffrey Smith, and later by lead singer Stix Hooper (of The Dells), the lineup solidified.

The group came to the attention of record producer WDAS deejay Jerry Butler, who took them to New York City to record for his label, Herald Records. Butler introduced the group to Van McCoy, but their first single (“He Don’t Really Love You”) failed to chart. Undeterred, Butler arranged for them to record the Thom Bell-produced “(There’s) No getting over Lost Love”, which reached number 38 on the Billboard R&B chart in early 1968. Laboratories and soundstages were utilized in recording songs like “For The Love I Gave To You” and “Trying To Make A Fool Of Me” including various tempos and dynamics which became a Delfonics trademark.

Notable songs

“La-La (Means I Love You)” (1968)
“Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time)” (1970)
“Ready or Not Here I Come (Can’t Hide from Love)” (1970)
“I Don’t Want to Make You Wait” / “You Got Yours, I’ll Get Mine” (1971)
“Break Your Promise” (1972)
“Love Is Simple” (1974)