“Poor Man’s Blues” – Bessie Smith
The list begins with one of the first recorded Black artists, one whom Maureen Mahon of NPR declared the first African American superstar. Smith was a widely renowned artist
in the Jazz Age and earned the title “Empress of the Blues.” Much of her work dealt with social issues such as the strug- gles of the Black working class, and this song is an example of that.
“It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” – Ella Fitzgerald and Duke Ellington
Duke Ellington was an important figure in big-band jazz, and Ella Fitzgerald was an early pioneer of scat singing. Two of the most prolific artists in the Jazz Age combined their talents to collaborate in this swing song.
“Strange Things Happening Every Day” – Sister Rosetta Tharpe
It is difficult to determine who exactly invented rock ‘n’ roll, but many of its elements began with a Black female artist and her guitar. Sister Rosetta Tharpe, known as the godmother of rock ‘n’ roll, had a distinct voice and electric guitar style that paved the way for artists like Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash, according to NPR’s Jessica Diaz-Hurtado. This song is not only a culmination of blues, gospel and spiritual music, but also was a precursor to rock ‘n’ roll.
“The Girl Can’t Help It” – Little Richard
Richard Wayne Penniman, also known as Little Richard or the “Architect of Rock ‘n’ Roll,” used his backbeats and raspy vocals to lay the foundation for popular music genres, according to Last.fm. Not only does the song display the genre’s roots, but it also left a mark in pop culture. It has been covered by The Animals and Led Zeppelin, and has appeared in films such as the 1972 shock comedy “Pink Flamingos.” The chorus may sound familiar to some listeners, as Fergie sampled the song for her single “Clumsy.”
“I Got You (I Feel Good)” – James Brown & The Famous Flames
James Brown is a central figure in funk and 20th century music. Named the “Godfather of Soul,” Brown was one of
the first 10 artists to enter the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, according to the Kennedy Center. The song “I Got You (I Feel Good)” is his highest charting song on the Billboard charts, and made numerous film and television appearances, in- cluding in the series finale of “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.”
“Johnny B. Goode” – Chuck Berry
We covered the godmother and architect of rock ‘n’ roll; now let’s talk about the father of the genre. Chuck Berry’s work used elements from R&B to contribute to rock ‘n’ roll’s dis- tinctive sound. “Johnny B. Goode” received credit for being one of the most recognized songs in pop music history, as Rolling Stone featured the song on their “500 Greatest Songs of All Time” list. The 1985 cult classic “Back to the Future” featured a cover of this song from lead actor Michael J. Fox.
“This Old Heart Of Mine (Is Weak For You)” – The Isley Brothers
This family of vocalists had a career spanning over six de- cades. Their longevity in the industry meant that they didn’t belong to a single genre. “This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)” is an R&B and soul song, known as one of their biggest hits on the Billboard charts and currently sitting as their most streamed song on Spotify.
“I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)” – Aretha Franklin
We can’t talk about soul without talking about the queen of soul. Next to Aretha Franklin’s signature rendition of “Re- spect,” “I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)” became a career-defining song for this soul singer and was her first number one hit on the R&B chart, according to Rolling Stone.
“I Feel Love” – Donna Summer
This playlist is not complete without a disco song. The R&B genre would not exist without the influence from marginal- ized communities, including Black Americans like Donna Summer, the queen of disco. Summer’s song was popular during the ‘70s within disco culture and gave influence to artists such as Blondie, The Human League and David Bowie, according to Pitchfork.
“The Message” – Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
Turntables, breakbeats, DJing and lyrical consciousness are notable elements of hip-hop music – and that is all thanks to Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five. While not the first song to offer social commentary on topics such as inner-city poverty, “The Message” is one of the most powerful records to do so. In 2017, Rolling Stone called it the best hip-hop track of all time, and NME named it the number one track of 1982. In 2002, the U.S. Library of Congress archived the song under their National Recording Registry because of “its focus on urban so- cial issues,” according to Genius. Artists like Public Enemy and KRS-One took inspiration from the song and the rhythm track is sampled in songs such as “Check Yo Self” by Ice Cube.
