VoR
Take it or leave it
This is my favourite Jody Watley song. Such a SULTRY GEM

I posted about this some weeks ago, it was a strange pattern, because that's usually the case of the ocassional crossover r&b hit that is slowly being add to top40 stations, but for them it was like almost every single. And they were never very successful in the r&b charts anyway, so as you said, it was like if they had to prove themselves all the time, because even after some reasonable hits, they were still being add to radio stations so damn slowly. In the end that wasn't a bad thing for them, because they spent 3 years in the charts with just a handful of hits.Actually I’ve found that to be true for most of their hits in the US! Not necessarily high placing but they hung around a lot longer than their chart peak would suggest. A strange pattern. Almost like radio were still hesitant to embrace them fully (as with most hop-hop in the early 90s) but the endurance of their songs eventually won them over. Every time!
I think by the time of Very Necessary they had fully crossed over, but before then feels like a constant effort to prove themselves to the wider public.
Discoveries:
Vanessa Williams, it turns out, is more than just a famous ballad. Most people in the UK would consider her a one hit wonder (does anyone really remember that Pocahontas song?) as nothing came close to "Save The Best For Last" in sales. But in the US the album The Comfort Zone produced 5 hit singles, including this title track:
Love this. There's other good tracks still to come from Vanessa, with 13 Top 100 hits so I'm looking forward to digging deeper.
Anyone know who this is?
Never heard of them (it appears to be a duo with the guy as the lead), but this is a gorgeous Babyface-style smooth groove. In fact a quick check and yes this is indeed a Babyface/LA Reid production. Success was so short lived that I can't find where this song peaked, but it was not a major hit. Still a wonderful deep cut find though.
I meant overall. She had a huge run from 87 to 89 in the US then fell off getting Billboard hits. She did better on the dance charts. Her UK and Australia charting is pretty awful except for “Looking For A New Love”Sorry but this is not trueshe had SIX top ten in a row, I wonder how many artists could say that. Also several #1 dance and r&b. After 3-4 years her chart success started to fade like so many artists, but I think she actually had quite a run in the charts that many other artists can't even dream of.
Btw, her last big hit, coming up in early 92, also had a US radio edit not available anywhere, and it's completely different (and IMO much better) that the album version, which pissed me off. I absolutely love Jody's music.
Well yes, I meant in the US, if we talk globally she wasn't that successful, not even close. But in America, 3 years having one top 10 after another and then falling off the charts is like other big starts of their time like Paula Abdul, Taylor Dayne and many others. I think that's quite good.I meant overall. She had a huge run from 87 to 89 in the US then fell off getting Billboard hits. She did better on the dance charts. Her UK and Australia charting is pretty awful except for “Looking For A New Love”
I could be entirely wrong but I can’t remember her being on any kids’ tv shows or any shows doing the usual promo in the UK required to have big hits, same with Taylor Dayne on album 2 but could have passed me by.I meant overall. She had a huge run from 87 to 89 in the US then fell off getting Billboard hits. She did better on the dance charts. Her UK and Australia charting is pretty awful except for “Looking For A New Love”
Not sure what the deal is with "Instatiable" being released from Prince's Diamonds & Pearls album, given that the title track and third single was already storming up the charts on the heels of the former #1 "Creep". It was never released outside the US, and might have been a limited run? Nevertheless it was bound to chart, given that Prince was on a major return to form with the album.
US | UK | |
Jan-4 | Michael Jackson - Black Or White (5) | Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody / These Are The Days Of Our Lives (3) |
Jan-11 | Michael Jackson - Black Or White (6) | Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody / These Are The Days Of Our Lives (4) |
Jan-18 | Michael Jackson - Black Or White (7) | Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody / These Are The Days Of Our Lives (5) |
Jan-25 | Color Me Badd - All 4 Love (1) | Wet Wet Wet - Goodnight Girl (1) |
Decided to include this little known minor hit which I don't know and don't care for, but it's high camp freestyle and will find an audience here
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They're not on Wiki so I have no idea how successful this was - I'm guessing it was more of a club hit.
Btw, I always associate this song with another one, both one hit wonders and from the same time, and that other one is AMAZING; you're gonna love it in case you don't know it, which I suspect for several reasons.
...and another one! This time it's the boys' turn:
This is a great example of New Jack morphing into hip-hop soul - still swing, but with a slightly smoother sound. I didn't think these songs were being produced as early as 1991, so it's interesting to hear the gradual shift. This went to #17 (UK #83) and a US R&B #1.
It's slightly ironic that after the chat about the new chart methodology changeover in November will lead to more R&B and country filling the charts, that it's rock making the biggest dent on the charts in December.
90 — EVERYBODY MOVE –•– Cathy Dennis
A place full of Amy Grant fans is safe to confess anything.ETA: Is this a safe space to confess that I really like that Wet Wet Wet song?![]()
While I'm here, can I give a quick shout-out to one of the greatest hip hop songs of all time which I don't think has been brought up yet but which I believe is in the charts at this point in time:
Nirvana however were not prepared to wait around, rising to #8 after just 6 weeks - very impressive for a "debut" act, even moreso if that act is alternative rock.
I’m also worried that now that the lesbian drama is OUT THE BAG, the thread has peaked and I’ll need to close shop early![]()
A place full of Amy Grant fans is safe to confess anything.
Yeah totally, it's hard to understand how radio didn't buy it; I think they were just ahead of their time and top40 radio were not ready for it. Their follow up, Come as you are, will peak at #62 on airplay, which surely affected the sales of the single (#27). I guess someone had to be there first, they walked so the rest could run. And who actually cares about chart positions when so have such an anthem that will forever be remembered, as if anyone could name now most of the #1s those years.And Nirvana only hitting #41 on airplay makes SO much sense cos there is no way that 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' feels like a '#6' hit.
MC Hammer (or Hammer as he was now known, not that anyone remembers him that way) was still doing big business in the US, with "Addams Groove" and "2 Legit 2 Quit" both hitting the Top 10 simultaneously.
joined in with other established peers such as En Vogue
Jan-25 Color Me Badd - All 4 Love (1)
I have to say despite my love for 90s R&B, I've never really been a big fan of Jodeci. Just too much warbling. Most of their hits are downtempo or ballads and maybe there's some good upbeat bops to be found across their 4 albums, but I don't know them. If I was to go for bedroom R&B, the females do it much better.
94 — BREAKIN’ MY HEART (PRETTY BROWN EYES) –•– Mint Condition