Billboard has compiled a list of the 50 greatest R&B groups of all time, with several classical acts leading the charge. Earth, Wind & Fire takes the #1 spot, followed by The Temptations, Sly and the Family Stone, The Isley Brothers and The Supremes, which round out the top five.
“The band’s innovative mélange of R&B, soul, funk, jazz, rock and world rhythms have kept its legion of fans mesmerized … while simultaneously luring next-gen fans over the last half century,” Billboard says of EWF.
It highlights Temptations’ “rich harmonies and dynamic stage presence,” calling the group “one of the most influential vocal groups in music history.” The publication also credits Sly and the Family Stone with reshaping music and “rewriting the definition of mainstream pop.”
Of The Isley Brothers, Billboard notes that the group “yielded a series of classic hits that have left an indelible mark on the musical landscape” from the time they came out in the 1950s.
As for The Supremes, Billboard writes that they “weren’t the first girl group. But The Supremes are — fitting of their name — the ultimate standard.”
Elsewhere in the top 10 are Parliament-Funkadelic, The Jackson 5, New Edition, Boyz II Men and Destiny’s Child.
Billboard based its rankings on several factors, including discography, chart success, staying power, influence on the genre, culture significance and overall legacy.
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