digitaldreamdoor.com logo, name, link image


100 Greatest Motown Songs

Background: Motown Records was founded in Detroit, Michigan, 1959, as "Tamla Records" by songwriter Berry Gordy Jr. The company name changed to "Motown Record Corporation" in 1960. Soon after Gordy acquired the songwriting & production team Holland–Dozier–Holland and the hits flowed by artists such as Smokey Robinson, The Miracles, Mary Wells, The Marvelettes, Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, the Four Tops, Jackson 5, and many more.

Criteria: The rankings of these greatest Motown songs (1959-roughly early 1980s) are based on critical/musician acclaim, initial and lasting popularity and influence in the music industry.

Last Updated: 2007-03-18
Newly added names are in  Red 
Greatest Motown Songs
  1. I Heard It Through The Grapevine - Marvin Gaye
  2. My Girl - Temptations
  3. Reach Out I'll Be There - Four Tops
  4. Where Did Our Love Go? - Supremes
  5. What's Goin' On? - Marvin Gaye
  6. Dancing in the Street - Martha & The Vandellas
  7. I Want You Back - Jackson 5
  8. Superstition - Stevie Wonder
  9. Please Mr. Postman - Marvelettes
10. My Guy - Mary Wells
11. (Love Is Like a) Heat Wave - Martha & The Vandellas
12. Do You Love Me? - Contours
13. Let's Get It On - Marvin Gaye
14. Ain't No Mountain High Enough - Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
15. The Tracks of My Tears - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
16. Shotgun - Jr. Walker & The All Stars
17. I'll Be There - Jackson 5
18. Baby Love - Supremes
19. Papa Was a Rollin' Stone - Temptations
20. Uptight (Everything's Alright) - Stevie Wonder
21. I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch) - Four Tops
22. The Tears of a Clown - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
23. Stop! In the Name of Love - Supremes
24. You've Really Got a Hold On Me - Miracles
25. Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me) - Temptations
26. Baby I Need Your Lovin' - Four Tops
27. You Are the Sunshine of My Life - Stevie Wonder
28. Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing - Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
29. Money (That's What I Want) - Barrett Strong
30. Leavin' Here - Eddie Holland
31. Shop Around - Miracles
32. You Keep Me Hangin' On - Supremes
33. You Can't Hurry Love - Supremes
34. Endless Love - Lionel Richie & Diana Ross
35. Signed, Sealed, Delivered - Stevie Wonder
36. Ooo Baby Baby - Miracles
37. Nowhere To Run - Martha & The Vandellas
38. It Takes Two - Marvin Gaye & Kim Weston
39. War - Edwin Starr
40. I Second That Emotion - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
41. Super Freak Part I - Rick James
42. Living For the City - Stevie Wonder
43. I Heard It Through the Grapevine - Gladys Knight & The Pips
44. Higher Ground - Stevie Wonder
45. Ain't Too Proud To Beg - Temptations
46. I Can't Get Next To You - Temptations
47. Cloud Nine - Temptations
48. Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today) - Temptations
49. Smiling Faces Sometimes - Undisputed Truth
50. This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak For You) - Isley Brothers
51. What Becomes of the Brokenhearted? - Jimmy Ruffin
52. Inner City Blues (Makes Me Wanna Holler) - Marvin Gaye
53. Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) - Marvin Gaye
54. Playboy - Marvelettes
55. Jimmy Mack - Martha & The Vandellas
56. Don't Mess With Bill - Marvelettes
57. Since I Lost My Baby - Temptations
58. Don't Leave Me This Way - Thelma Houston
59. All Night Long (All Night) - Lionel Richie
60. Going To a Go-Go - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
61. Fingertips Part II - Stevie Wonder
62. The One Who Really Loves You - Mary Wells
63. Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye) - Gladys Knight & The Pips
64. Love Hangover - Diana Ross
65. Upside Down (Inside Out) - Diana Ross
66. Brick House - Commodores
67. I Wish It Would Rain - Temptations
68. Beechwood 4-5789 - Marvelettes
69. The Hunter Gets Captured By the Game - Marvelettes
70. Bernadette - Four Tops
71. Somebody's Watching Me - Rockwell
72. Hello - Lionel Richie
73. It's the Same Old Song - Four Tops
74. You've Made Me So Very Happy - Brenda Holloway
75. Jamie - Eddie Holland
76. Your Precious Love - Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
77. Quicksand - Martha & The Vandellas
78. Come and Get These Memories - Martha & The Vandellas
79. Keep on Truckin' Part I - Eddie Kendricks
80. Needle In a Haystack - Velvelettes
81. (I'm a) Roadrunner - Junior Walker & The All-Stars
82. ABC - Jackson 5
83. I'm Coming Out - Diana Ross
84. Give It To Me Baby - Rick James
85. Cruisin' - Smokey Robinson
86. My Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me) - David Ruffin
87. Three Times a Lady - Commodores
88. Heaven Must Have Sent You - Bonnie Pointer/The Elgins
89. Let It Whip - Dazz Band
90. It's a Shame - Spinners
91. Baby I'm For Real - Originals
92. The Bells - Originals
93. He Was Really Sayin' Somethin' - Velvelettes
94. Come To Me - Marv Johnson
95. I Need Your Lovin' - Teena Marie
96. The Love You Save - Jackson 5
97. What Does It Take (To Win Your Love?) - Jr. Walker
98. Function At The Junction - Shorty Long
99. Does Your Mama Know About Me? - Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers
100. Greetings (This Is Uncle Sam) - Monitors/Valadiers
Soul singer Marvin Gaye smiling
Marvin Gaye
The Four Tops singing on stage
Four Tops
The Supremes posing in classy dresses
Supremes
The Temptations posing in suits
Temptations
Soul singer Stevie Wonder singing and wearing headphones
Stevie Wonder





DigitalDreamDoor playlists on Spotify link button
DigitalDreamDoor Motown Songs playlist on Spotify





Also See:
Honorable Mentions
I Was Born This Way - Carl Bean
Do I Love You? (Indeed I Do) - Frank Wilson
Fight the Power - Public Enemy
Quiet Storm - Smokey Robinson
Happy Birthday - Stevie Wonder
Blowin' In the Wind - Stevie Wonder
Silent Night - Temptations
Love's Gone Bad - Underdogs

TOP 15 MOTOWN ARTISTS

1. Stevie Wonder
2. Marvin Gaye
3. Diana Ross/The Supremes
4. The Temptations
5. Smokey Robinson/The Miracles
6. The Four Tops
7. Martha & The Vandellas
8. Marvelettes
9. Mary Wells
10. Michael Jackson/The Jackson 5
11. Lionel Richie/The Commodores
12. Gladys Knight & The Pips
13. Jr. Walker & The Allstars
14. Rick James
15. Edwin Starr

TOP 10 MODERN MOTOWN CLASSICS (1990s)

1. I'll Make Love To You - Boyz II Men
2. End of the Road - Boyz II Men
3. I Love Your Smile - Shanice
4. On Bended Knee - Boyz II Men
5. Anytime - Brian McKnight
6. Back At One - Brian McKnight
7. U.N.I.T.Y. - Queen Latifah
8. Bag Lady - Erykah Badu
9. Video - India.Arie
10. Anniversary - Tony! Toni! Tone!

TOP 5 NON-MOTOWN SINGLES BY MOTOWN ARTISTS

1. Michael Jackson - Billie Jean (Epic)
2. Marvin Gaye - Sexual Healing (Columbia)
3. Gladys Knight & The Pips - Midnight Train to Georgia (Buddah)
4. The Isley Brothers - Shout! (RCA)
5. The Spinners with Dionne Warwicke - Then Came You (Atlantic)

TOP 5 MOTOWN "LEFT FIELDERS"

1. Rare Earth (Get Ready)
2. Charlene (I've Never Been to Me)
3. R. Dean Taylor (Indiana Wants Me)
4. Frankie Valli (The Night)
5. Debbie Dean (Don't Let Him Shop Around)
6. Bruce Willis (Respect Yourself)

TOP 10 MOTOWN REMAKES (non-Motown)

1. I Heard It Through the Grapevine - Creedence Clearwater Revival
2. Please Mr. Postman - Carpenters
3. You've Made Me So Very Happy - Blood, Sweat, & Tears
4. Baby I Need Your Lovin' - Johnny Rivers
5. You Keep Me Hangin' On - Vanilla Fudge
6. Dancing In the Street - Mick Jagger & David Bowie
7. You Can't Hurry Love - Phil Collins
8. War - Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band
9. How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) - James Taylor
10. Shop Around - Captain & Tennille




More Music Lists