These women were able to cross over into the mainstream and find success with a wide range of audiences. Today there are incredibly talented and extremely successful female artists like Beyonce, Rihanna, and Nicki Minaj, but it wouldn't have been possible without the black female singers of the 80s who blazed the trail. From the introduction of Gangsta Rap to the worldwide success of Whitney Houston, albums from black artists crossed genres, broke barriers, and made waves. Still, Princes success did not explode into rock-god status until the release of 1984s Purple Rain. The Pittsburgh Pirates adopted the hometown girls hit We Are Family as their official anthem, with the crowds singing it at every game and the music used in their promotions. Control was nominated for three Grammy Awards and nine American Music Awards and won two of the AMAs. Every decade has its share of one-hit wonders, and the 80s is no exception. | Essence From Adina Howard to Monie Love, these female performers had major moments in the 1990s. Her two albums Whitney Houston and Whitney, released in 1985 and 1987, respectively, each went to #1 on the Billboard 200. They're undoubtedly stunning, but today's music divas stand on the shoulders of gorgeous '80s glamazons like Whitney, Sade, Jody Watley and Miss Jackson (if you're nasty). Their music was raw and edgy, and their lyrics were as expressive and provocative as any male punk singer. Black women could . The Guinness Book of World Records has named her the most awarded female artist of all time, a title that still stands today and exemplifies her grip on musical culture. Bonnie, Ruth, Anita, and June Pointer were the members of the initial Pointer sisters, but not all stayed in the group. What artists will you find on this list of the best black female soul singers? They won a Grammy Award in 1975 for their performance of the song. There were many others who managed to find success in the 80s, including Lionel Richie, Prince, and Stevie Wonder. The songs appeared on Kim Appleby, the solo album she released after her sisters death. Now that you have the list, go ahead and give these singers a listen. Ross was eventually named the Female Artist of the Year in the mid-70s, and her career only grew from there. Today, black female musicians like Doja Cat, Beyonce, and SZA inspire young women and have a hold on the music industry. Summing Up Our List OF Famous Black 80s Singers, The 10 Best Led Zeppelin Albums Of All time, 16 Amazing Bands Similar To New Found Glory. She charted seven consecutive number-one Billboard Hot 100 hits, including "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)" and "Where Do Broken Hearts Go." Her first big break came as a member of Ike Turners Kings of Rhythm in 1957. In 1990, when she released her self-titled album, it was clear that she was special. Towards the end of the decade, Summer two Grammys for Hes A Rebel and Forgive Me, both for Best Inspirational Performance. After two more albums, they disbanded in 1988. They all served as inspiration for those who have come and will come after their career has ended. While Houston did not have her self-titled debut album released until 1985, that albums songs launched her career like a rocket. They released only one album, Love Me or Leave Me, in 1988 with three songs that achieved moderate success. In 1976, they released their third album with new partner Columbia Records, which reached Gold certification. Known as Lady Ella, Ella Fitzgerald was a jazz singer that earned the additional moniker as the Queen of Jazz. Hudson released her self-titled first album in 2008, which sold more than one million copies globally. The Rocks race is a big matter of discussion among those who have some interest in him. | Essence The nine Black performers won our hearts with their 1980's hit songs. If youre like many of us, youve probably spent more time inside during the pandemicprobably lounging in your sweats a little more than you would like to. Commercial success finally followed with 1982s 1999, which spawned several hit songs such as Little Red Corvette, Delirious, and of course, 1999.. The early 80s punk scene was dominated by men. The group sang with Snoop Dogg on a track in 2006 that was certified Gold. What would we have done without Ross Im Coming Out to kick off the decade, or The Pointer Sisters Jump (For My Love), to teach us that people should work for our affection. Toni Braxton. With their powerful voices and moving lyrics, they were able to inspire change and bring attention to the struggles of black Britons. Many people are often mistaken though about The Rocks race, ethnicity and background. Chapmans career began to fall off after she performed at Nelson Mandelas 70th birthday celebration. After releasing two relatively successful albums, her third album, Good Girl Gone Bad (2007), featured the hit single Umbrella. This song won Rihanna her first Grammy and launched her to global superstardom. She was the only singer to have her first five consecutive singles become #1 on the Billboard 100. The groups name comes from Mary Jane, a slang term for marijuana. Other hot female singers of the 80s include Cindy Lauper, Janet Jackson, and Whitney Houston. How Books With African American Main Characters Are Becoming Popular In The Romance Market. She sang in the gospel choir when she was young but found success upon the release of her first album Miss Thang at age 15. It was also a time when some of the most iconic and influential rappers emerged, including Eric B. People like Marvin Gaye, Whitney Houston, and Anita Baker were churning out hits and selling millions of records. Their breakthrough song came in 1982 with the success of their single Its Raining Men, a #1 Dance Chart hit and a #2 single in the UK. Queen of Rock and Roll Tina Turner gained renown as the lead singer of the Ike and Tina Turner Revue. Here are some of the best but forgotten 80s female singers who deserve to be remembered for their contributions to pop music. Several acts were sisters, and many still perform today with different members for tours and special appearances. Her solo works include 10 studio albums, two . So, to celebrate their contributions, weve compiled a list of the best black singers of the 80s. Even with this culture shift, her music remains some of the most popular dance jams ever made. Soul music is about the human experience, and it is one of the most emotionally powerful genres of music. And by the end of the decade, they had become some of the most popular female folk singers in the world. Turner broke the glass ceiling of Black women's artistry and musicality that was solely categorized as R&B or pop. Its Raining Men remains one of the most popular songs of the 1980s. He has been married to Jacqueline Ross since December 15, 1992. But thats not to say that these one-hit wonders were any less talented than the artists who found sustained success. 1 hits by the black female singers of the '70s. It reached #1 on the Billboard 200, and she earned three Grammy Awards after it sold more than 10 million copies internationally. Her hit single with fellow singer Monica, The Boy Is Mine, is her greatest yet, topping charts in several countries, including the US. The album was a hit, going two-times Platinum as of 2020 and winning the singer two Lady of Soul Awards. Next up, Teddy Pendergrass could have walked away from music entirely following the 1982 car crash that left him incapacitated from the chest down. However, Turner launched what Billboard called one of the greatest comebacks in music history with 1984s Private Dancer. In the '80s, Turner pulled off one of the . A classic 80s power ballad, the lyrics chimed with the desolation of the film's post-apocalyptic world. Two of the songs became top 5 dance singles, and they changed their name to The Two Tons before releasing their second album later in the year to modest success. From some of the best-known Queens of Rap to artists who have just recently hit the stage, our list of black female rappers will introduce you to some real talent. The album spawned several hit singles, including How Will I Know and Saving All My Love for You. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Like The Pointer Sisters and Sister Sledge, the group began in the 1960s and had success after success in the 1970s. Some of these singers include Debby Boone, Toni Basil, and Tiffany. Vandross also worked with other artists during the decade, including his favorite artist, Dionne Warwick (more on her in a moment). There werent as many Black female singing groups of the 80s as in the two decades before, but the girl groups continued to make history and achieve success. Today, these women are still remembered for their contributions to the disco era. When thinking of the singers from the 1980s, its hard not to think of some of the black artists who helped define the decade. Control gave the world Nasty, What Have You Done for Me Lately, and When I Think of Youthree of a record-setting five singles that charted on the Billboard Hot 100. They made multiple appearances through the 90s and 2000s and appeared on albums by other artists like George Duke and Smokey Robinson. From fashion to music, they have given us some of the best creations in history. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) deemed Houston the best-selling female artist of the 20th century in the R&B genre. And their music continues to inspire and entertain us today. In fact, there were many black female rock singers who made a significant impact during this time. The first album, Mary Jane Girls, produced three R&B hits for the group, including All Night Long, a song that appears in a 2002 soundtrack for one of the Grand Theft Auto video games. She followed this with songs like Endless Love, and Chain Reactionboth massively successful singles. Their 1983 album Break Out propelled them into superstardom and earned them two Grammy Awards and four consecutive Top 100 singles in 1984, the peak of their career. They also won numerous awards for their music, including Grammy Awards and Country Music Association Awards. This success gives Salt-N-Pepa the distinction of being the first female rap act to sell over 1 million copies of an album. Her brother, Michael Jackson, dominated the charts, but Janet was no slouch during the 80s either. She started singing as a backup in teen groups but released her eponymous debut studio album after signing with Atlantic Records in 1993. We hope you enjoy this list of the best Black female singing groups that had major hits in the 1980s. She receives credit for spearheading the mix of R&B and hip hop into mainstream pop. But the decade is also about the new sounds that came forward thanks to advances in technology, instruments, and production techniques. Her next four albums set the stage for a slew of chart-topping singles. Jackson signed an album deal in 1982 with A&M Records, but it was not until her 1986 album Control that she truly realized her potential. After performing R&B in Chicago and gaining a fanbase, they changed their name to The Emotions. The song earned them a Grammy nomination for best R&B performance. Some of these women include Patti Smith, Debbie Harry, and Siouxsie Sioux. 1. Again, the Waters sisters provided background vocals. Contemporary artists count many of these singers to be among their influences. Figures like Sylvester, Grace Jones, and Little Richard were some of the first openly gay celebrities and their music helped break down many barriers. Furthermore, depending on the childs age, these conversations are best approached in different ways. Multiple songs charted in the following years, and their single Best of My Love was certified platinum, winning them a Grammy for best R&B performance by a group. After all, the 80s were all about big hair and bigger personalities. However, it was also a time when African American singers were topping the charts with their soulful sounds. The album won four Grammy awards and sold more than 20 million copies, solidifying her place in the music industry. Required fields are marked *, document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "ab26dc55c221c4e6b46f46932b64c726" );document.getElementById("if75a4498f").setAttribute( "id", "comment" );Comment *, Careers Contact Us Privacy Policy CookiePolicy Win. She was also the first black woman to win a Grammy award at the inaugural show, winning a total of 14 Grammys and many other awards throughout her career. Scott began her musical career in 2000 when she released her debut album, Who Is Jill Scott? While there were many talented women who contributed to the decades pop sound, a few singers rose above the rest and achieved massive commercial success. An American producer discovered her and invited her to America to record demo tapes. At the beginning of 1980, she had already sold more than 100 million records and was a huge success. Related: For more like this, see our article on other black famous singers here. Toni Braxton was a 90s music sensation. R&B took the best aspects of the blues and added elements of jazz, gospel, and soul to create a new sound that would soon take over the world. Aretha Franklin Barbara Streisand Linda Ronstadt Reba McEntire Cher Donna Summer Olivia Newton-John Carole King Black Female Singers of the 70s In an era that was still very much segregated, these black female singers were able to break through and make a name for themselves. After all, without these female singers, the 80s just wouldnt be the same. Every decade has its defining moments, and the 1980s was no different. She released some of her best-selling albums during that decade, including Whos Zoomin Who and Aretha. She also earned her first Gold record in 1982 with the album Jump To It., Luther Vandross was another soul singer who found success in the 80s. Brandy Norwood, who goes by the mononym Brandy, is commonly referred to as the Vocal Bible for her unique voice and intricate abilities. Not all great female rock singers of the 80s were white. As a result, they attracted large audiences with their soulful music and engaging personalities. She and her band, also called Sade, dominated the airwaves in the '80s. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Knowles has 28 Grammy Awards (20012021), 31 BET Awards, and 26 MTV Music Video Awards to name just a fewbecause, yes, there are so many!accolades that have placed her in the upper echelon of female singers of the previous two decades. The 1980s was Michael Jackson 's decade (part of the 1990s too), and there is no comparison. Whitney Houston is easily one of he best Black female singers of the '80s, and arguably one of the most iconic singers of all time. When you first think of Black actors, you probably think of Denzel Washington and Will Smith. Im Dan and I run this website. Wonders soundtrack for the film The Woman In Red was released in 1984 and produced his hit I Just Called To Say I Love You, which became a #1 hit. They performed on small tours and sang backup for well-known artists at the time like Boz Scaggs and Grace Slick. In 2001, the plane she was on returning to the US from the Bahamas crashed and killed everyone on board. It was a time when the genre was just beginning to find its footing, and artists were experimenting with different sounds and styles. 1985s Thats What Friends Are For went to #1 on three different Billboard charts and raised money for the American Foundation for AIDS Research. In this article, we clear up a lot of these misconceptions for you. So even though these women may have only had one hit, their contributions should not be overlooked. They rose to stardom via their ability to blend into any genre with ease. If you wanted a picture of 80s excess, Rick James might be the first person in your mind. Since the 80s were a decade filled with iconic music, its no surprise that there are so many amazing female singers from that era. From the early days of Madonna and Cyndi Lauper to the height of Whitney Houstons career, this list includes all the ladies who made the 80s such a great decade for music. Up first, Whitney Houston, sometimes called the Voice, was and will always be one of the greatest and most influential black female singers of all time. Their popularity in Europe grew through the 80s. This list is based on the highest album sales, influence over the fans, and overall impact on the music industry during the 1980s. They brought soul and R&B music to the forefront and paved the way for future generations of black artists. Summer had several certified Gold records released during the decade as well. Aaliyah was on her way to great stardom when her career and life was cut tragically short. That same year she released her self-titled debut album. Or is it someone who is talented and successful? It was the post-Civil Rights era, and everybody felt the spirit of experimentation and individuality. Its hard to imagine, right? They became celebrities in the UK and Europe and earned a nomination for the Brit Awards for the best breakthrough act. Janet Jackson ended the decade with another hit record in Rhythm Nation 1814, which went Platinum six times. That album generated three Billboard-topping hits with How Will I Know? Greatest Love Of All, and Saving All My Love For You, which nabbed a Best Pop Vocal Performance Grammy for Houston. She got her big break in 1986 when she was introduced to a manager at Elektra records that helped her break into the industry. The group had numerous hits on charts in the US and Europe over the next several years, with success building on success. For too long, popular novels like Fifty Shades of Grey have overlooked women of color. Doesnt matter if they only had one hit. 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