16 replies to this topic

[TiffanyNichelle]

VH1 does again, another random list with so-so funny comments. Anyone else catch this last night? I don't know why they didn't stretch it out to a full 100 or at least 50. They had enough random songs in there (Johnny Gill, really?) and a lot of double appearances by artists, sometimes even from the same album. I was really hoping Shai's If I Ever Fall In Love to be on that list somewhere.

[Liquid6]

I know this is all done for fun with no real credibility involved, but to leave out "Unbreak My Heart" is blasphemy. Matter of fact, was Toni Braxton listed at all?

[lleykian54]

She wasn't on the list but got an honorary mention as the biggest heartbreak song of the 90's. The list definitely had some WTF's, both with people listed and some not but for me the biggest was I Will Always Love You not being #1 and even worse, being #3. Poison and One Sweet Day may have been popular songs but no way either one had the massive cultural impact IWALY did.

[sandrajane]

Neither One Sweet Day nor I Will Always Love You are R&B songs, so they shouldn't be on this list to begin with. Same with Mariah's other entrance, Fantasy. Pure pop. Mariah has other R&B songs released as singles (since that seemed to be a criteria) that are far superior.

No Lauryn Hill? No Toni Braxton? But Shanices' I Love You Smile makes it? No freakin' way.

[WhitneyWhit]

Bel Biv Devoe as number 1?! I knew Boyz II Men would be on the list but I can't believe "I'll Make Love To You" didn't make the list. That was one of the biggest songs of the 90's and I wouldn'thave been surprised to see it number 1. I would have also added "Anytime" by Brian Mcknight to the list as well as "Red Light Special" by TLC.

Edited by WhitneyWhit, Jun 30, 2012 @ 10:48 PM.

[Billie Jean]

I was also shocked at the randomness of BBD's Poison as #1. I really didn't think it was that great of a song or was all that memorable. If your talking about 90's R&B its really shocking that Boyz II Men, TLC, Brandy, or Aaliyah were not chosen as the #1 artist. I agree that Whitney and Mariah are more pop than R&B.

A #1 song for any "Best of" list should be timeless and be a song that people still listen to 10 years or more after its release. Poison sounds dated and I highly doubt you can find any person on the street still listening to BBD anymore.

[JakeyIsSusan]

Neither One Sweet Day nor I Will Always Love You are R&B songs, so they shouldn't be on this list to begin with. Same with Mariah's other entrance, Fantasy. Pure pop. Mariah has other R&B songs released as singles (since that seemed to be a criteria) that are far superior.

I'm wondering if something from the Butterfly album should have been on here instead ("Honey", "Butterfly", "The Roof", "Breakdown", "My All", "Baby Doll" ... holy crap, that's a good album). I also agree that "Fantasy" not seem like an R & B song, and I'm wondering if the just-as-poppy "Always be My Baby" would have somehow been less egregious.

I did love seeing "Twisted", though. We didn't have MTV growing up (horrors!), but we had The Box, which is responsible for my knowledge of so many random '90s R & B songs.

[Qui]

Um...Poison is flawless.

And Whitney should not have been on this list. In no way shape or form is IWALY R&B. None.

And Boyz II Men should have dominated this list. "I'll Make Love You" and "On Bended Knee" alone could have been in the top 20.

And wtf at no Toni Braxton? "You Mean the World to Me" is perfect.

Edited by Qui, Jul 1, 2012 @ 4:41 PM.

[Bastet Esq]

I only caught the second half, but I was pretty underwhelmed (as is par for the course of VH-1 countdown shows anymore). I love Whitney Houston's version of I Will Always Love You (although I prefer Dolly Parton's original and Best Little Whorehouse in Texas versions), but wouldn't put it on an R&B list.

I like Poison - "Never trust a big butt and a smile" is oddly classic - but it sort of blows my mind as number one. But I can't come up with my own pick for the best R&B song of the '90s. Unbreak My Heart would certainly be up there, and its absence from the list is stunning.

Was Lauryn Hill's Doo Wop (That Thing) or anything from Miseducation on the list?

[yearoftheroostr]

I don't have a problem with Whitney being on the list. However, they could've replaced IWALY with Exhale or Count on Me - both of which are more R&B to me than the former.

Neither do I find BBD's Poison to have no place on this list. While I wouldn't rank it as the top song of the 90s, it's representative of the classic New Jack Swing era that defined my childhood and deserves to be there, IMO.

I am displeased to see that neither Lauryn Hill, nor Shai, warranted a spot on this Best list.

[lleykian54]

I don't understand how IWALY does not qualify as R&B but Lauryn Hill's Doo Wop would? I'm pretty sure the entire Miseducation of Lauryn Hill album was classified as hip-hop.

[taiko]

Hip Hop and New Jack Swing are generally seen as subsets of R&B as is "pop" by Black artist thus the inclusion of I Will Always Love You without a lap steel guitar.

[RL1]

Jesus, Boyz To Men should have been higher than BBD.

Edited by RL1, Jul 5, 2012 @ 6:59 PM.

[Qui]

I don't understand how IWALY does not qualify as R&B but Lauryn Hill's Doo Wop would? I'm pretty sure the entire Miseducation of Lauryn Hill album was classified as hip-hop.

Basically, if black artists sing it and there's no obvious rapping or a strong beat (which they'd then call hip-hop), it's automatically R&B. Logically we know that there are differences but that's just kind of how mainstream music works.

It's why people out there classify Rihanna as R&B.

Yeah...

[Enero]

Though Boyz II Men were huge in the 90s I wouldn't necessarily deem any of their songs that became hits from their II album as R&B, with the exception of perhaps On Bended Knee. I'll Make Love to You, Water Runs Dry etc was IMHO VERY pop. Now if they wanted to put stuff from their first album eta Uh Ah, Hard to Say Goodbye (a Capella), Motownphilly (which was included)etc. then yes IMO those definitely represent some of the best R&B of the 90s.

[Bastet Esq]

"pop" by Black artist [is often considered R&B] thus the inclusion of I Will Always Love You without a lap steel guitar.

That's pretty much why it bugs me to see Whitney Houston's version of I Will Always Love You on an R&B list; had, say, Celine Dion recorded the song in the same way (to the extent she could), I feel confident in saying it wouldn't have been put on this list. Pop doesn't just become R&B because the singer is black.

[vixenstud]

I'm damn near 50 years old, but every...single...time I hear Poison I want to get my fat ass up and do the Running Man! I was 26 when this song came out and have loved it ever since, glad it was #1.

Sheila E.'s The Glamorous Life, Bobby Brown's My Prerogative and BBD's Poison are timeless classics.