DJ Pascoe's Top 10 Tunes - 80s Soul

After splitting into many different subgenres since its inception in the 50s, Soul somewhat drastically changed course in the 80s. With Disco and Funk dominating the charts and the burgeoning Hip-Hop style consuming the streets like wildfire, Soul took a much more mellow route. In many respects, the genre became more laid back, putting an emphasis on smooth. With relaxed tempos and soft melodies, Soul borrowed influences from Jazz and Adult Contemporary styles. Artists like Luther Vandross, Evelyn “Champagne” King, and the UK’s very own Loose Ends helped define this branch of the Soul music family for most people.

1. I’ve Found Lovin – The Fatback Band 
2. Never Too Much – Luther Vandross
3. To Be Real – Cheryl Lynn
4. Somebody Else’s Guy – Jocelyn Brown
5. Ain’t Nobody – Rufus & Chaka Khan
6. Running Away – Roy Ayers
7. Funkin’ For Jamaica – Tom Browne
8. I’m In Love – Evelyn “Champagne” King
9. Hangin’ On A String – Loose Ends
10. Square Biz – Teena Marie