Celebrating Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis’ induction into the Rock Hall of Fame: their 100 greatest jams, ranked!

(June 14, 2022).  It was nearly 40 years ago that Prince legendarily fired band members James “Jimmy Jam” Harris and Terry Lewis from the group The Time after they missed a flight from Atlanta to a gig in Minneapolis while moonlighting as producers of an album by the S.O.S. Band.

Forty years later, maybe they should be thanking Prince for the favor (or maybe they already have, many times over).

That second job turned into an iconic career that has landed the partnership of Jam & Lewis in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  They’ll be inducted later this year in the category of Musical Excellence.  In a ceremony in Los Angeles this November, they’ll be welcomed to the RRHOF in a stellar class that includes the Eurythmics, Duran Duran, Pat Benetar and Neil Giraldo, Lionel Richie, Judas Priest and entrepreneur Sylvia Robinson, among others.

But it is Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis who arguably had more impact on music and the charts and touched more careers than any of those other artists.  As songwriters or producers or both, they’ve had more than a hundred chart hits spread across multiple genres of music and spanning many decades.

And while most pop fans will be quick to point to their 1986 link-up with Janet Jackson as the musical marriage that propelled both entities to megastardom, readers should note that Jam & Lewis had several big hits BEFORE launching Janet into her chart-topping orbit with albums like Control, Rhythm Nation 1814 and janet.

Beginning in 1983 with classic hits like S.O.S. Band’s No. 2 R&B chart nugget “Just Be Good To Me,” and continuing with their first No. 1 R&B hit in 1984, Cheryl Lynn’s “Encore,” plus iconic top-10 R&B chart tunes by Cherrelle (“I Didn’t Mean To Turn You On”) and Alexander O’Neal (“Innocent”), Jam & Lewis were all over Black radio (as Billboard referred to it then) in the mid-1980s and were beginning to make inroads at pop.

The 1985 hip-hop film Krush Groove gave them their first crossover smash with Force MD’s ballad “Tender Love,” which reached the top ten on the pop chart—the Billboard Hot 100–in April 1986.  Soon afterwards, Jam & Lewis were simultaneously climbing the charts with hits by the S.O.S. Band, Cherrelle and Alexander O’Neal, and the newly liberated Miss Jackson.  In fact, in a battle for the ages, Cherrelle and O’Neal’s “Saturday Love” and Jackson’s “What Have You Done For Me Lately” were duking it out in the top two positions on Billboard’s Black Singles chart, with the latter ultimately prevailing.

But Janet wasn’t the only beneficiary of the super production duo’s extraordinary talents.  Soon, artists from every walk of life were topping the charts with their hits.  

In 1986 alone, in addition to R&B hits by Jackson, Force MDs, Cherrelle, O’Neal, S.O.S. Band, and Patti Austin, the British synth-pop group Human League and Englishman Robert Palmer hit pay dirt with Jam/Lewis tracks: “Human” topped the Hot 100 and Palmer’s remake of “I Didn’t Mean To Turn You On” reached No. 2 within weeks of each other that autumn. 

All this occurred while Janet was still charting with hits from Control.  Her first No. 1 pop hit, “When I Think Of You,” was still in the pop top ten while Human League and Palmer were listed there.  Not since the days of The Bee Gees nearly a decade earlier had one production and writing team had as many as three songs in the pop top ten simultaneously.

Jam & Lewis were on the forefront of a producer-led ‘80s movement in which the guys behind the board began to really matter.  Along with other teams like L.A Reid & Babyface and later Foster & McElroy, producers like Jam & Lewis were forging their own styles and creating signature sounds with the evolving synth and percussion-heavy technology of the era.  Jam & Lewis were also able to strike a perfect balance between embracing that technology and letting their artists’ vocals and unique personalities shine.

It was their unique sound and growing reputation in the industry that allowed the two former Time members to become virtuosos in every sense of the word, with a growing roster of clients and the chart numbers to prove it. 

This article pays tribute to the forty years of hit music Jam & Lewis created, which not only provided the soundtrack of a generation during the 1980s, but helped launched the careers of many young artists along the way and left a musical legacy for generations to come… a legacy that is matched by very few others, as their Rock Hall of Fame recognition attests.

Here is DJRob’s ranking of the 100 greatest Jam & Lewis jams, songs that were either written or produced by the dynamic duo!  Note this list is strictly the opinion of the author and readers are welcome to provide their own views of the rankings in either the comment box below the article or in any of the social media feeds where the article is posted. 

How many of these greats do you remember?  And remember to navigate all the way through the list using the arrow button at the bottom after you’ve scrolled through each group of 25 songs (there are 100 songs on this list!).

Enjoy!

100. “Say! If You Feel Alright” – Crystal Waters (1997)

With a sample of Earth, Wind & Fire’s most ubiquitous single “September” in tow, Jam & Lewis lent their talents to ’90s dance queen Crystal Waters. Not her best track by any stretch, but it’s her best track produced by Jam & Lewis. It became her third and final top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1997.

99. “I Adore You” – Caron Wheeler (1992)

Sticking with the sampling theme, Jam & Lewis borrowed from another former No. 1 song for this New Jack track by former Soul II Soul vocalist Caron Wheeler. Their source this time? Sybil’s 1989 smash “Don’t Make Me Over.” “I Adore You” is the first of two tracks on this list from the 1992 Mo Money soundtrack.

98. “4 Seasons of Loneliness” – Boyz II Men (1997)

Of Boyz II Men’s five No. 1 pop hits, one was produced by Mariah Carey and Walter Afanasieff (“One Sweet Day”), two were produced by L.A. Reid & Babyface (“End of the Road” and “I’ll Make Love to You”), and two were produced by Jam & Lewis: “On Bended Knee” and this one, which wound up being their last No. 1 Hot 100 hit.

97. “I’m Still in Love with You” – New Edition (1996)

Even as late as 1996, Jam & Lewis were producing signature ballads in the same vibe that brought them fame a decade earlier. New Edition rolled a couple of sevens with this second single from their 1996 reunion album. “I’m Still in Love with You” reached No. 7 on both the pop and soul charts that year.

96. “The Pressure” – Sounds of Blackness (1991)

The Minneapolis gospel group Sounds of Blackness have an unfortunate acronym for their initials, but their music is undeniably uplifting. They were the first act signed to Jam & Lewis’ Perspective label in 1990. Their second single was this dance classic that reached No. 16 on the Billboard R&B chart and No. 1 on the Dance chart in 1991.

95. “Wrap My Body Tight” – Johnny Gill (1991)

With Johnny Gill’s self-titled 1990 album, Motown split the four big singles between the two hottest production teams of the era. “My, My, My” and “Fairweather Friend” were produced by L.A. Reid & Babyface, while “Rub You the Right Way” and “Wrap My Body Tight” were the work of Jam & Lewis. Interestingly, the heavily new jack “Wrap” was Gill’s last song to reach the R&B top ten (peaked at No. 1 in early 1991).

94. “Doesn’t Really Matter” – Janet Jackson (2000)

The first of many Janet Jackson songs on this list (36 in total, brace yourselves!) was a No. 1 smash in 2000 from The Nutty Professor (starring Eddie Murphy) soundtrack. It was Janet’s penultimate No. 1 single on the Hot 100 (all ten are on this list) and contained many of the pop-friendly elements that Jam & Lewis had mastered by this point (particularly for their hits with Ms. Jackson).

93. “High Hopes” – S.O.S. Band (1982)

It’s been written that the song that got Jam & Lewis fired by Prince was S.O.S. Band’s “Just Be Good to Me” (that one’s much higher in this countdown).  But it was their “High Hopes” that became the group’s first chart single under the Flyte Tyme Productions banner.  It reached No. 25 on the Billboard Soul chart in the fall of 1982.

92. “Sunshine” – Alexander O’Neal (1987)

Another classic ballad by Jam & Lewis was this metaphor-filled song about a girl whose features are likened to that of the sun. It’s an unmistakable Jam & Lewis ballad brought to life by O’Neal’s patented vocal from his biggest LP, 1987’s Hearsay.

91. “Trust A Try” – Janet Jackson (1997)

Janet has enough hits to fill a 100-song list by herself, especially if you count some of those great album cuts that never saw an official single release, like this rapidly sung, industrial funk jam from the critically acclaimed 1997 Velvet Rope album.  Janet leveraged the song’s unique, unrelenting energy to come up with some of her most elaborate live performances during the Velvet Rope tour in 1997-98 (click the arrow for a videoclip).  Yes, Jam & Lewis were still firing on all cylinders fifteen years into their legendary production career at this point.

90. “All True Man” – Alexander O’Neal (1991)

Natchez, Mississippi’s Alexander O’Neal was originally part of the Time (when they were still known as Flyte Tyme). Prince ultimately changed the group’s name, replaced O’Neal with Morris Day and the rest, as they say, is history. O’Neal has nine songs on this list (plus a few more songs on which he provides uncredited backup vocals). The last chart success among them was “All True Man,” a top 5 soul chart hit in 1991.

89. “The Floor” – Johnny Gill (1993)

This uptempo jam by Johnny Gill was meant to do one thing: get butts out of seats and onto the dance floor. It succeeded with a little help from Jam & Lewis proteges Mint Condition (signed to J&L’s Perspective record label). The guys from Mint Condition provided the “Floor” chants heard throughout the song. Yes, Johnny Gill is a singer’s singer, but he’s also delivered more than a few club bangers in his career, thanks to Jam & Lewis.

88. “Because of Love” – Janet Jackson (1994)

When Virgin Records released “Because of Love” as the fourth single from the janet. album in 1994, Alan Jones from Music Week gave it four out of five stars and presciently noted: “not a number one but bound for the upper reaches.” He was right. “Because” became the first Janet single to miss No. 1 on any of the major Billboard charts (pop, soul, dance or adult contemporary) since beginning her affiliation with Jam & Lewis eight years earlier. This sweet-sounding shuffler did, however, reach the top ten on the R&B, pop and dance charts.

87. “Artificial Heart” – Cherrelle (1986)

This is the first of seven songs on the list by Cherrelle, which puts her in a tie with S.O.S. Band as the third-most represented artist here behind Janet Jackson (36 songs) and Alexander O’Neal (9).  “Artificial Heart” had enough special effects to give it the inauthentic feel that Jam & Lewis were likely aiming for to match the song’s lyrics.  It was the third single released from Cherrelle’s High Priority album and reached the top 20 of the R&B chart and top five of the dance chart in 1986.

86. “No One’s Gonna Love You” – S.O.S. Band (1984)

This mellow, understated jam was from S.O.S. Band’s 1984 album Just the Way You Like It. Jam & Lewis created it in the vein of other popular mid-tempo grooves of the day by euro-soul groups like Change and Loose Ends. “No One’s Gonna Love You” peaked at No. 15 on the Billboard Black singles chart in 1984.

85. “Somewhat Loved (There You Go Breakin’ My Heart)” – Jam & Lewis x Mariah Carey (2021)

Jam & Lewis released their own album (finally) in 2021. Although it was critically acclaimed, it failed to dent the charts in Billboard. That’s ok though. Because it’s represented here by two songs, the first by chanteuse Mariah Carey. “Somewhat Loved” was the third single released from the album and did respectively well on the now much smaller R&B chart, reaching No. 10.

84. “Never Too Far” – Mariah Carey (2001)

Even though Mariah Carey has had more Hot 100 number one singles than anyone other than the Beatles, people still analyze her song catalog for those they believe should’ve also hit No. 1 (but didn’t). “Never Too Far,” a song from her Glitter movie, is often included. It’s a sweeping ballad that she couldn’t promote while recovering from an emotional breakdown suffered just weeks before the tune’s release in 2001. After failing to chart, it saw new life as part of a medley with her previous hit, 1994’s “Hero,” the proceeds of which would go toward 9/11-relief efforts.

83. “Diamonds” – Herb Alpert feat. Janet Jackson (1987)

Janet Jackson’s A&M label boss Herb Alpert saw the value in both Janet Jackson’s newfound superstardom and Jam & Lewis’ production prowess when he enlisted both entities for this single from his 1987 album Keep Your Eye on Me.  “Diamonds” topped the soul chart and reached No. 5 on the pop chart in spring 1987, creating another chart comeback for Alpert, one that would be the legendary trumpeter’s last to date.

82. “Jerk-Out” – The Time (1990)

When they released “Jerk Out” in 1990, The Time included Jam & Lewis who had reunited with their former bandmates for the Pandemonium reunion album. That album served double duty as a tie-in to Prince’s Graffiti Bridge movie and “Jerk-Out” was resurrected from a tune Prince had written a decade earlier. In that sense, it was sort of a reunion between Prince and Jam & Lewis, whom The Purple One had fired for missing a flight to a Time gig eight years earlier.

81. “Shoulda Known Better” – Janet Jackson (2015)

There are 15 songs on this list that were released in the 21st century. This stellar tune by Janet from her 2015 Unbreakable album is one of the more recent. It’s also the most recent song by the pop icon on the list. “Shoulda Known Better” revisits the same global issues that plagued earth when JJ recorded Rhythm Nation 1814 nearly three decades earlier, only from a more thoughtful mature perspective. “How dare Janet believe she could help change the world through her music?” seems to be her self-critical theme here. Its reflective tone easily makes “Shoulda” the album’s best track in an LP full of nostalgic gems.

80. “Bad Girl” – Usher (2004)

Usher put his macking skills on full display in this funk gem that is perhaps the most played song on his 2004 opus Confessions that wasn’t officially released as a single. The Diamond-certified album is among the best sellers of the 21st century and is the last non-hip-hop R&B album to reach that 10-million sales plateau, thanks, in part, to this Jam & Lewis groove.

79. “You Look Good to Me” – Cherrelle (1985)

The boutique Tabu label had three main artists in the 1980s: S.O.S. Band, Alex O’Neal, and Cherrelle. Jam & Lewis were the primary producers and songwriters for all three acts, which qualified them as Tabu’s “in-house” music creators. In all there are 21 songs from the Tabu label on this list, including this up-tempo tune that kicked off Cherrelle’s fabulous High Priority album in 1985.

78. “You Want This” – Janet Jackson (1994)

“You Want This” was the sixth official single released from Janet’s self-titled fifth album. And like all of its predecessors, the song reached the top 10 of both Billboard’s pop and soul charts. The colorful video featured Janet hamming it up with “her girls” as two seemingly unfazed guys became targets of their ire. One of those girls was rapper MC Lyte who provided a memorable rap in the single’s remix.

77. “Happily Unhappy” – Jam & Lewis ft. Toni Braxton (2021)

Who said melody doesn’t exist in music anymore? This 2021 album track from Jam & Lewis’s first album was arguably its best. Well, at least I dug it enough to put it way up here at No. 77, amongst a bunch of classics recorded years and decades before it. Toni Braxton’s sultry contralto/tenor sings the melody perfectly!

76. “Never Knew Love Like This – Alexander O’Neal and Cherrelle (1988)

While “Never Knew Love Like This” is often thought to be a weak attempt to recapture the magic of Cherrelle and Alex O’Neal’s prior hit duet “Saturday Love,” it actually wasn’t so much in vain. “Never Knew” practically duplicated the chart success of “Saturday Love.” Both songs peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Black singles chart, and both reached the top 30 on the pop chart. Not bad for a song considered by some to be a second-rate follow-up.

75. “What’s Missing” – Alexander O’Neal (1986)

It’s a bit ironic that it took the fourth and final single from Alexander O’Neal’s self-titled debut album to become his first solo top 10 hit on the R&B singles chart.  Hot on the heels of his success with Cherrelle on her “Saturday Love,” “What’s Missing” found itself climbing the chart and landing at No. 8 during a 16-week run that was only the tip of the iceberg for O’Neal.  Even bigger hits were yet to come for one of the premier soul vocalists of the 1980s.

74. “A Broken Heart Can Mend” – Alexander O’Neal (1985)

With this single from his debut album, Mr. O’Neal wrapped his rich tenor vocal around another smooth mid-tempo groove by Jam & Lewis.  The song’s video is even more memorable (and unintentionally funny).  Notice the weird things Alex does with his eyes as he sings, while the backing band, including Jam & Lewis, plays behind him.

73. “State of the World” – Janet Jackson (1991)

The 8th single that never was. In the wake of her seventh top 10 success from Rhythm Nation 1814 in early 1991 came the purported 8th single, “State of the World.” The then 16-month-old song became a de facto social protest hit during the first Gulf War. Its undeniable popularity nearly prompted A&M Records to release “State” as the follow-up to “Love Will Never Do (Without You),” but Janet’s label decided to withhold the single from commercial availability, with the intent of forcing the few folks who didn’t already have it to buy the Rhythm Nation album instead. Smart corporate move, but it likely cost Janet a record-breaking eighth top 10 hit from the same album.

72. “No More Drama” – Mary J. Blige (2000)

Sampling the theme music (“Nadia’s Theme”) from one of the most famous dramas in TV history, “The Young and the Restless,” was a coup for a song called “No More Drama.” How many of us caught the irony back then? It’s understandable if we didn’t, because MJB’s rousing performance was enough to make us forget about any previous musical tie-ins.

71. “What About” – Janet Jackson (1997)

Janet’s Velvet Rope album touched on many uncomfortable themes, including the domestic abuse addressed in this hard-edged track.  We had heard Janet curse before (“Throb” and “Scream”) but never had it cut so deeply as it did in “What About.”  Sample lyrics: “what about the shit you done to me? What about the times you said you didn’t fuck her; she only gave you head?  Uhh.”  Alanis Morissette would be proud.

70. “Funny How Time Flies” – Janet Jackson (1986)

“Funny How Time Flies (When You’re Having Fun)” was Janet’s first attempt at delivering a Donna Summer/Sylvia Robinson moment.  How many of us were shocked that a 19-year-old Janet was moaning and whispering pillow talk in French at the end of this song from the Control album?  Yep, our Janet had grown up right before our eyes.  Sorry, Ms. (Kathryn) Jackson.

69. “Innocent” – Alexander O’Neal (1985)

Here’s the song that introduced us to Alex. It was the first single off his self-titled debut album in 1985. The song was significantly edited for its single version from a three-song medley that clocked at more than ten minutes on the album, something that few artists and producers were still doing in the mid 1980s. Check out the linked video above featuring Cherrelle playing Alex’s love interest. Oh, and FYI, those folks looking for O’Neal’s follow-up single, “If You Were Here Tonight” won’t find it on this list. That song was produced (and written) by frequent collaborator and former Time bandmate Monte Moir, not Jam & Lewis.

68. “All for You” – Janet Jackson (2001)

Janet’s last No. 1 pop single was also the penultimate one for Jam & Lewis. This playful dance track was a celebration of Janet’s newfound freedom from her second husband Rene Elizondo. It sampled the Change classic, “The Glow of Love,” which was kind of a nod to that group and its one-time vocalist Luther Vandross, both of whom Jam & Lewis had worked with previously.

67. “Is It Scary” – Michael Jackson (1997)

This entry from MJ’s 1997 Blood on the Dancefloor EP is less about the occult and more about the ghoulish caricature that the media made Jackson out to be late in his career and short life.  More specifically, it was MJ’s retort to those who derided him without looking inward and addressing their own demons.  Not a critic’s favorite, but certainly one of mine.  Why was I surprised it was a Jam/Lewis production?

66. “Son of a Gun” – Janet Jackson ft. Carly Simon (2001)

Who among us saw a Carly Simon/Janet Jackson collaboration coming 25 years earlier when Carly was regularly hitting the top ten and Janet was cutting her acting chops on TV’s Good Times?  Particularly a collabo that starts off: “Ha-ha, hoo-hoo, thought you’d get the money too. Greedy motherfucker tried to have your cake and eat it too”?  As a fan of both singers, I certainly never expected it.  And we thought “You’re So Vain,” which this song samples, was provocative?

65. “N. E. Heartbreak” – New Edition (1988)

Life on the road can be tough… and fun.  At least as it’s recounted in this absolute jam by the boys from Boston where they describe their tough concert tour experiences.  As they were all still either in their late teens or early 20s when this song was recorded, you can imagine the subject matter they covered.  Girls, girls and more girls.

64. “The Best Things in Life Are Free” – Luther Vandross and Janet Jackson with BBD & Ralph Tresvant (1991)

Who among us saw a Luther Vandross/Janet Jackson collaboration with two-thirds of New Edition coming? Jam & Lewis put together this triumvirate for the Mo’ Money soundtrack in 1992 and, like nearly everything Janet touched at the time, the song shot straight to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, giving Janet her tenth such hit in just over six years.

63. “Just the Way You Like It” – S.O.S. Band (1984)

People will be quick to say that Jam & Lewis dipped into the “Just Be Good To Me” well one time too often with this follow-up hit. But it worked. “Just The Way You Like It” reached the top 10 of the R&B charts in 1984 and maintained S.O.S. Band’s status as a powerful funk-soul force to be reckoned with for years to come.

62. “You Are My Melody” – Change (1984)

The group Change was Anglo-American and heavily influenced by the disco band Chic. When Jam & Lewis were commissioned for their 1984 Change of Heart album, they allowed the group to retain that Chic sound on the title track (which reached the R&B chart top 10) and this sublime gem that never charted.

61. “Thank God I Found You” – Mariah Carey ft. Joe & 98 Degrees (2001)

Surprisingly, Mariah Carey has four songs on this list: one solo, one with Jam & Lewis, one with Boyz II Men and this collabo with R&B singer Joe and ’90s boy band 98 Degrees.  This one topped the Hot 100 in 2001, becoming Carey’s 15th No. 1 single in just under ten years!  Astonishing!

60. “Be Blessed” – Yolanda Adams (2005)

By virtue of a co-writing credit, gospel legend Yolanda Adams won (along with Messrs. Jam & Lewis of course) the 2005 Grammy for Best Gospel Song for “Be Blessed.” The song had topped the Billboard Gospel Songs chart that year, making it one of Jam & Lewis’ most successful non-secular efforts.

59. “Love Is All We Need” – Mary J. Blige (1997)

This rousing anthem kicked off MJB’s third album in 1997. Although it was never released as a commercially available single, the song was given single treatment at radio, where it reached No. 5 on the R&B radio monitor in Billboard.

58. “Monkey” – George Michael (1988)

The late George Michael pretty much wrote all of his own material. But Jam & Lewis were at the reigns for the remix of “Monkey” that sent this song straight to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 (and the top ten of the Black Singles chart) in 1988. It was his crossover success that led to Michael winning two American Music Awards in 1989 for Favorite Soul/R&B album (Faith) and Favorite Soul/R&B artist (after winning a Grammy in the R&B category the previous year for his duet with Aretha Franklin).

The resulting controversy (and outspokenness by artists like then-R&B chart king Freddie Jackson about Michael invading Black singers’ territory) led to the British superstar retorting with his 1990 follow-up album Listen Without Prejudice. Still, the negative reaction to his success from some in the Black community bothered him until his death in 2016.

57. “Throb” – Janet Jackson (1993)

Three years after Madonna triumphed with her house-pop classic “Vogue,” Jam & Lewis went to the deep-house well and came up with “Throb” from Janet’s 1993 self-titled album. Janet pushed the envelope with her sexuality even further than she had on previous efforts, while raising the tempo to a fever pitch and keeping millions of butts on dance floors.

56. “Luv Me, Luv Me” – Shaggy (1998)

Reggae-pop singer/rapper Shaggy teamed up with Janet on this hook-laden ’90s jam from the film How Stella Got Her Groove Back.  In the chorus, Janet interpolated the old Rose Royce hit, “Ooh Boy.” Interestingly, Shaggy re-recorded the song with another female vocalist singing the hook after Janet’s label refused to let him include the original on his next album in 2000.

55. “Give It to You” – Jordan Knight (1999)

The only chart hit former New Kid on the Block Jordan Knight had as a solo artist was this dance-pop gem from 1999.  The Jam & Lewis-produced track reached No. 10 in 1999.  Ironically, Knight chose a Prince cover for his follow-up (“I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man”).  Knight’s version was produced by a young Robin Thicke, who, ironically, co-wrote “Give It to You” with Jam, Lewis and Knight.   And the circle continued.

54. “The Right Kinda Lover” – Patti LaBelle (1994)

When Mr. Right comes along, you have to sing his praises. That’s the premise behind this boastful funk jam by Ms. Patti LaBelle, the legend who was fifty years old when she recorded it. “The Right Kinda Lover” reached No. 8 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and No. 1 on the Billboard dance chart. It was LaBelle’s last big hit on both, which is further indication of how Jam & Lewis were able to create golden eggs for legacy artists like LaBelle and extend their careers in the process.

53. “Let’s Wait Awhile” – Janet Jackson (1987)

Janet Jackson has had four songs peak at No. 2 on the Hot 100 and three of those were ballads.  The first was this sweet celebration of innocence from her breakthrough Control album. Here’s a little-known fact: “Let’s Wait Awhile” became the fourth of five No. 1 songs from the Control album on Billboard’s Black Singles chart (the nomenclature for its R&B/Hip-Hop chart back then).  Those five No. 1s are still a record.  The fifth No. 1, “The Pleasure Principle,” does not appear on this list because it was produced by Monte Moir.

52. “Weekend Girl” – S.O.S. Band (1984)

If you’re like me, you found a bit of humor in the dialogue bits that Jam & Lewis had their proteges act out in songs like the spoken intro to “Saturday Love” or the exchange between Mary Davis and her male pursuer where she’s finally convinced to have some fun on a weekday in “Weekend Girl.” Even the members of S.O.S. Band couldn’t contain their laughter as the dialogue ends. Classic mid-tempo ballad though!

51. “Runaway” – Janet Jackson (1995)

After a decade of hits with A&M Records, Janet signed the biggest contract any pop star had signed with her new label Virgin in 1992. “Runaway” was her last gift to A&M as one of two new tracks that appeared on her Design of a Decade 1986/96 compilation album. The song celebrated Janet’s travels all over the world and reached No. 3 pop in October 1995.

50. “Miss You Much” – Janet Jackson (1989)

Following up her landmark album Control was going to be a tough task. Going with Jam & Lewis was an easy decision. I think it’s safe to say Janet and her producers rose to the unenviable challenge. Her Rhythm Nation 1814 launched in 1989 with this single, which wasted no time shooting to No. 1 and becoming the first of seven top 5 hits from the Jam & Lewis-produced opus.

49. “I Believe” – Sounds of Blackness (1994)

This is the second of three tunes on the list by Minneapolis-based gospel group Sounds of Blackness. It was an anthem of sorts, a tune that sampled the Ohio Players’ 1971 hit “Pain.” The song reached No. 15 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and became the group’s only Hot 100 hit, peaking at No. 99 in 1999.

48. “The Heat of Heat” – Patti Austin (1986)

Quincy Jones protege Patti Austin had a handful of hits before she enlisted the services of Jam & Lewis for what would be her last top 40 R&B hit and last Hot 100 single overall.  “The Heat of Heat” was just one of the many jams that contributed to Jam & Lewis’ domination of Black radio in 1986.  By the year’s midpoint, they had already charted at least half a dozen top 20 R&B hits, including this one which peaked at No. 12 that June.

47. “Island Life” – Janet Jackson (2004)

This song is an essential on any summertime beach or barbecue playlist. It’s a mimosa disguised as a pop song, with Janet’s seductively light vocal carrying the melody like only she can. It was found on her 2004 Damita Jo album… you know, the one that was surrounded by all that “Nipplegate” stuff. Damita Jo was easily Janet’s best album this side of 2000… and “Island Life” was the best song from it.

46. “Come Back to Me” – Janet Jackson (1990)

This wistful ballad by Janet was the fifth single released from her epic LP Rhythm Nation 1814.  The song just missed topping the Hot 100 by peaking at No. 2 in August 1990, but did top Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart, which made it Janet’s eleventh consecutive single to reach No. 1 on at least one chart in the national trade publication.

45. “Choose” – Color Me Badd (1993)

Songs written and produced by Jam & Lewis tend to age like fine wine, especially their mid-tempo dance ballads.  “Choose” by Color Me Badd is one such tune.  The song reached No. 23 in 1994 but sounds better now than it did then.  It certainly has more appeal now than some of CMB’s bigger hits from a few years earlier.

44. “New Agenda” – Janet Jackson (1993)

The list of rappers Janet Jackson has collaborated with over the years is impressive: Heavy D., MC Lyte, Q-Tip, Busta Rhymes, Missy Elliott, J. Cole, to name a few. But none seemed as unlikely as Public Enemy’s Chuck D, who spit some hard-hitting rhymes on her janet. album cut “New Agenda” in 1993. With a Stevie Wonder “Superwoman” sample undergirding the track, Janet and Chuck traded lines about Black female pride, a topic Jackson hadn’t touched previously but would again on future albums.

43. “U Remind Me” – Usher (2001)

When Jam & Lewis worked with Usher on 2001’s “U Remind Me,” they couldn’t have known that it might be their last No. 1 hit on the Hot 100. After all, they were seemingly in their prime with two No. 1s on that chart in each of the years 2000 and 2001, the first time they’d accomplished that in consecutive years in their career. Alas, “U Remind Me” was the last of their fourteen No. 1 songs on Billboard’s premier singles list, capping a chart-topping career that had begun 15 years earlier (with Janet’s “When I Think of You”).

42. “You’re Not My Kind of Girl” – New Edition (1989)

Outside of Janet (36 songs) and Tabu label artists (21), the next highest-represented entity here is New Edition and its various offshoots.  The group or its individual members account for nine of the songs on this Jam & Lewis ranking.  In the No. 42 spot is the second single from the group’s 1988 Heart Break album.  “You’re Not” reached No. 3 on the Billboard Black singles chart in the fall of that year.

41. “And On and On” – Janet Jackson (1994)

Looking for the best B-side to a single by Janet?  Look no further than right here.  “And On and On” was the previously unreleased tune that found its way onto the B-side of her fifth janet. single “Any Time, Any Place.”  “And On and On” was that breezy summertime jam that was Janet celebrating the good feeling and vibes the season brings.  The song sampled Sly Stone’s 1971 smash “Family Affair” and evoked a much happier vibe than that tale of family strife.  “And On and On” helped its A-side top the R&B chart for ten weeks since both songs were enjoying concurrent airplay (at the time, Billboard combined points from songs appearing jointly on the same single).  But “And On and On” easily could’ve been a hit on its own.

40. “Got ’til It’s Gone” – Janet Jackson (1997)

To usher in her Velvet Rope album in 1997, a then-31-year-old Janet Jackson went the neo-soul route with “Got ’til It’s Gone.” “Gone” included a sample of folk legend Joni Mitchell’s “Big Yellow Taxi” and was considered the start of a totally new musical direction for Janet, whose prior three albums had focused on her liberation, social consciousness, and sexuality. The more introspective Velvet Rope combined all three of those and simultaneously explored her feelings of appreciation and personal struggle with depression. “Gone” featured a rap contribution from Q-tip (of A Tribe Called Quest), which, in hindsight, was a stroke of creative genius in its pairing of the rap legend with folk icon Mitchell on a pop superstar’s song.

39. “I Wish I Wasn’t” – Heather Headley (2002)

There are 19 artists who have just one song each on this list. Heather Headley from Fort Wayne, IN (by way of Trinidad) is one of them.  Her heart-wrenching 2003 ballad reached No. 15 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in 2003.

38. “Nasty” – Janet Jackson (1986)

What’s better than getting your first No. 1 song? Getting your second. And that’s what Janet did when she followed “What Have You Done for Me Lately” with this even funkier second single from Control. “Nasty” was a much fuller embodiment of Jam & Lewis’ Minneapolis funk style than its predecessor. Both songs topped the Billboard Black singles chart and reached the top five on the Hot 100. What’s more, it was during the ascension of “Nasty” that Janet’s album topped the Billboard 200, something she would accomplish with her next five consecutive studio albums. What a career!

37. “Fake” – Alexander O’Neal (1987)

Speaking of career No. 1s, here’s one from the R&B chart by Tabu’s leading man Alexander O’Neal. His 1987 smash “Fake” went all in by calling out a woman named Patti (or was it Kay?) for her alias, her fake eyelashes and hair, among other inauthenticities that “disgusted” the song’s protagonist. Don’t look now, Alex, but in 2022 those eyelashes and hair are all the rage with sisters everywhere.

36. “Chante’s Got a Man” – Chante Moore (1999)

At the time Chante Moore recorded “Chante’s Got a Man” in 1999, her man was Kadeem Hardison of A Diff’rent World fame.  The two were married from 1997-2000 (before she married singer Kenny Latimore in 2002).  “Chante’s Got a Man” was another “golden egg” story courtesy of Jam & Lewis.  It was Moore’s only song to reach the top ten on either the R&B or pop charts (it did both) and the single was certified gold (for half a million in sales).  Note Jam & Lewis’s nod to the Osmond Brothers with the “One Bad Apple” line during the song’s bridge.  Nice.

35. “Any Time, Any Place” – Janet Jackson (1994)

Keeping with Janet’s sexual awakening theme was this sensual ballad about the joys of intimacy being explored no matter the time or the place, and no matter who was watching.  Janet’s most sultry single to that point was a huge pop and R&B chart smash.  It spent ten weeks at No. 1 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs chart (more than any other Janet single) and a week at No. 2 on the Hot 100, going gold in the process.

34. “I Get Lonely” – Janet Jackson (1998)

Here’s another gold-certified single for Janet from Velvet Rope. It was also another No. 1 hit single for the icon on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs chart. At the time this slow groove charted, Jackson was more than twelve years and four studio albums deep into her affiliation with Jam & Lewis, a union that had produced more than 20 gold records and a dozen No. 1 singles. Jam & Lewis were as prolific with Janet as, say, Motown’s Holland-Dozier-Holland had been with the Supremes and the Four Tops in the 1960s… maybe even more so! Btw, those famous horn stabs on “Lonely” were the most effective use of brass on any Janet single before or since.

33. “On Bended Knee” – Boyz II Men (1994)

When “On Bended Knee” knocked “I’ll Make Love to You” out of No. 1 on the Hot 100 in 1994, it became the first instance of an act replacing itself at the top since the Beatles had done it 30 years earlier.  But it also added to the rivalry between the production entities of Babyface and Jam & Lewis.  Face had produced “I’ll Make Love” while Jam & Lewis helmed “Knee.”  The ultimate benefactors of all this production rivalry were Boyz II Men, of course.

32. “Fishnet” – Morris Day (1987)

Morris Day has made two trips to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart: one as a member of The Time (see “Jerk-Out” at No. 82) and one as a solo artist (“Fishnet”). Both of those songs were produced by former Time band mates Jam & Lewis. “Fishnet” was an ode to pantyhose, and it topped the chart in March 1988, nestled between the Number One runs of less risqué, more introspective songs by legends Stevie Wonder (“You Will Know”) and Michael Jackson (“Man in The Mirror”).

31. “Criticize” – Alexander O’Neal (1987)

There’s an amazing set of chart coincidences between Alexander O’Neal and his famous label mate Cherrelle.  Besides being duet partners on two No. 2 R&B chart hits (“Saturday Love” and “Never Knew Love Like This”) that both reached the top 30 on the pop chart, each artist’s first solo top 10 R&B hit (Cherrelle’s “I Didn’t Mean to Turn You On” and O’Neal’s “What’s Missing) peaked at No. 8; each artist had one solo No. 1 (Cherrelle’s “Everything I Miss At Home” and O’Neal’s “Fake”); and each artist followed that No. 1 with a No. 4 peaking song (Cherrelle’s “Affair”; O’Neal’s “Criticize”).  That’s an amazing parallelism, one that only chart geeks like yours truly can appreciate.  Don’t criticize!

30. “Alright” – Janet Jackson (1990)

You might be surprised to learn that, of the seven singles released from Janet’s Rhythm Nation 1814 album, “Alright” peaked the lowest (at No. 4) on the Hot 100 in the spring of 1990. All six of the other singles reached either No. 1 or No. 2. Still, Janet’s milestone of having seven top 5 singles from the same album is a record that has stood for 31-plus years and doesn’t appear to be in jeopardy, even in the streaming-heavy charts of the current generation.

29. “Together Again” – Janet Jackson (1997)

With the rising death toll of AIDS during the 1980s and ’90s, Janet wanted to do a tribute to the friends (including one of her own dancers) she and others had lost over the years.  The result was this classic house number that became Janet’s 8th No. 1 Hot 100 single and the only one from Velvet Rope. The song was a worldwide smash, selling six million copies abroad.

28. “Affair” – Cherrelle (1989)

The title track (and second single) from Cherrelle’s third album was her funkiest yet.  The song was her own declaration of independence, an assertive call for respect, as well as the singer giving permission to those who wanted to go outside of their relationships (as long as they were discreet and made sure nobody’s hurt… like her).  Those were the ground rules that made “Affair” one of Cherrelle’s best tunes.  It reached No. 4 on the Billboard Black singles chart in 1989 and became her last top 20 hit in the process.

27. “That’s the Way Love Goes” – Janet Jackson (1993)

How many of us cringed when we first heard “That’s the Way Love Goes” after expecting Janet to launch her third Jam & Lewis album the way her previous two had been, with up-tempo dance tracks meant to get butts out of seats?  Well, “That’s the Way Love Goes” was a stroke of genius by Jan, Jam and Lewis.  The song topped the Hot 100 for eight weeks, becoming her biggest hit on the list.

26. “Scream” – Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson (1995)

The duet of Michael and sister Janet was one of the most anticipated pairings in pop music history, and Jam & Lewis got to do the production honors.  The angst-ridden, industrial pop of “Scream” was likened to two fed-up wet cats locked in a room and airing their grievances for the world to hear.  When “Scream” debuted on the Hot 100 at No. 5 in 1995, it became the first song in 25 years (since the Beatles’ “Let It Be”) to enter the chart in the top ten.  Of course, that was just the tip of the iceberg for things to come, like Michael having the first song (“You Are Not Alone”) to debut at No. 1 a few months later.

25. “If” – Janet Jackson (1993)

Watching a 27-year-old Janet shimmy and slither her way through the seductive dance scenes for her second janet. video, “If” was about as provocative as it got for the youngest Jackson sibling, especially when it was accompanied by lyrics that spoke of Janet performing acts that one could never have imagined just a few years earlier. Still, “If” proved to be a huge hit for Ms. Jackson, reaching the top five on the R&B, pop and dance charts in 1993.

24. “Control” – Janet Jackson (1986)

When Janet broke free from her father Joe’s management regime in 1985, it was Jam & Lewis she turned to for creative direction and a new phase of her career. The result was the Control album, which became her breakthrough set. It sold more than six million copies in America alone and was the first of Janet’s seven No. 1 LPs. The only solo females with more are Barbra Streisand, Madonna and Taylor Swift.

23. “Angel” – Chaka Khan (2007)

Chaka Khan’s pretty little ballad “Angel” was a late career flourish that Jam & Lewis helmed for her 2007 Funk This album.  Anyone who thought Chaka was incapable of delivering a hit that late into her then-35-year career was sadly mistaken.  “Angel” reached the top 30 of the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts in an era dominated by artists like Keyshia Cole, Fantasia Barrino, and Mary J. Blige.  And she did it while retaining the vocal stylings that had made her so famous three decades earlier, thanks to the genius of Jam & Lewis, who were known for letting their artists be themselves and not clones of other singers.

22. “Rhythm Nation” – Janet Jackson (1989)

If there was ever a year where we needed a “Rhythm Nation,” it’s 2022. When Janet developed the concept for her fourth album, it was intended to send messages of unity through music, reflecting her belief that despite all the bad news around her and the racial strife that existed, music could be the unifying force that broke color lines and changed things for the better. Man, this era could use an anthem like this one right now!

21. “Everything I Miss at Home” – Cherrelle (1988)

Two years before Ann and Nancy Wilson gave a pop-rock testimony to stepping outside of one’s relationship from a female’s perspective with “All I Wanna Do (Is Make Love to You),” R&B chanteuse Cherrelle did the same with a No. 1 soul single.  “Everything I Miss at Home” made cheating seem virtuous, especially as the singer lamented about all the things she wasn’t getting from her committed relationship at home… attention and sensitivity among them.  Jam & Lewis wrapped Cherrelle’s soprano around a jazz-tinged musical bed with tinkly piano flourishes that evoked a smoke-filled speakeasy, not to mention some essential vocal contributions by none other than regular duet partner Alexander O’Neal.

20. “Open My Heart” – Yolanda Adams (1999)

This ballad by Yolanda Adams was a departure for Jam & Lewis in a couple of ways. First, it was a successful crossover between gospel and R&B genres. But more importantly, it featured traditional instrumentation by some very talented musicians, including “live” drumming and percussion by Stokley Williams of the group Mint Condition. “Open My Heart” was Adams’ most successful single off the 1999 album Mountain High… Valley Low, which sold more than two million copies, making it one of the best-selling gospel albums of all time. “Open” reached No. 10 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

19. “Again” – Janet Jackson (1993)

Has Janet ever made a sweeter ballad than this one?  Featured in the 1993 film Poetic Justice and on her janet. album that year, “Again” went straight to No. 1, making it her only ballad to do so (three ballads peaked at No. 2: “Come Back to Me,” “Let’s Wait Awhile,” and “Any Time, Any Place”).  Released as the third single from janet., “Again” went platinum, certified by the RIAA for sales of a million copies.  Only three other Janet singles were RIAA-certified at that plateau: “Miss You Much,” “That’s the Way Love Goes,” and “Scream” (with Michael Jackson).

18. “If It Isn’t Love” – New Edition (1988)

The cruel story of why “If It Isn’t Love” didn’t become New Edition’s third No. 1 single on the R&B chart is centered on two rivalries, neither of which worked in favor of New Edition or Jam & Lewis. First, Bobby Brown had left New Edition a couple of years before to pursue his solo career. It was Bobby’s solo smash “Don’t Be Cruel” that occupied the No. 1 spot during the week that “If It Isn’t Love” settled in at No. 2. Secondly, “Don’t Be Cruel” was produced by none other than L.A. Reid & Babyface, the duo considered by many as Jam & Lewis’ main creative rivals at the time. So, in the end, New Edition was topped by their former band mate Bobby, and Jam/Lewis were held off by their rival production buddies Reid and Face.

17. “When I Think of You” – Janet Jackson (1986)

In March 1984, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis achieved their first soul chart No. 1 with Cheryl Lynn’s “Encore” (that one’s still to come on this list).  In March 1986, they helped Janet Jackson achieve her first soul No. 1 with “What Have You Done for Me Lately?”  Seven months later both Janet and Jam/Lewis achieved their first No. 1 pop hit with “When I Think of You,” a significant milestone for both entities and one they each would repeat with regularity for the next decade and a half.

16. “Romantic” – Karyn White (1991)

You might say Karyn White liked to keep her romantic ties within her close-knit musical community.  She was romantically linked to R&B crooner Al B. Sure!, the guy who beat her in the Best New Artist category at the 1989 Soul Train Music Awards.  Before that, she was married to Terry Lewis… yes, half of Jam & Lewis, the team responsible for this “Romantic” No. 1 pop and soul chart smash in 1991.

15. “Rub You the Right Way” – Johnny Gill (1990)

Sometimes Jam & Lewis liked to borrow from some of their own material to create future hits.  For instance, it’s highly likely Jam & Lewis had S.O.S. Band’s “Just Be Good to Me” in mind when they created their follow-up “Just the Way You Like It” a year later.  Another example is the similarity between the programmed drum patterns for S.O.S. Band’s “The Finest” and Human League’s “Human.” And finally, you’d be hard pressed to draw a lot of distinction between Janet’s “State of the World” and Johnny Gill’s “Rub You the Way.”  The songs’ structures are essentially the same with slight changes in key (“Rub” was recorded in B b Major; “State” in F # Major).  Both songs clock in at 112 bpm.  “Rub” was Johnny Gill’s biggest hit, reaching No. 1 R&B and No. 3 pop in summer of 1990.

14. “Sensitivity” – Ralph Tresvant (1990)

Between July 1988 and April 1991 alone, the members of New Edition coughed up twelve No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs chart: four by Bobby Brown, four by Johnny Gill, two by Bell Biv DeVoe, one by New Edition and one by Ralph Tresvant. Former frontman Ralph was the last to reach the milestone outside of the group when the Jam/Lewis-written and produced “Sensitivity” climbed to the top in December 1990, completing the chart-topping picture for all of New Edition’s offshoots in the process. It made New Edition the only group in history with six or more members to have all of its individuals reach No. 1 as entities away from the group.

13. “What Have You Done for Me Lately?” – Janet Jackson (1986)

They say it’s never as good as the first time.  Of the 36 songs on this list by Janet, only two rank higher than her breakout smash “What Have You Done for Me Lately” (in this blogger’s opinion of course).  She had released a half-dozen singles and two albums before Control was launched by this single in January 1986, but none had quite the impact.  “What” was her first No. 1 Soul Single by March, fending off a spirited battle by another Jam/Lewis smash at No. 2 (“Saturday Love,” which is still to come on this list).

12. “The Finest” – S.O.S. Band (1986)

Atlanta’s S.O.S. Band was primed for yet another smash in 1986 after three of their five prior albums — the latter two produced by Jam & Lewis — each produced at least one top 10 soul hit. Their sixth overall album Sands of Time — also a Jam/Lewis joint — would continue the streak with its lead-off single, “The Finest.” It was yet another slice of ’80s sensual funk by the masters of the groove (both the band and its producers) that rode the R&B charts all the way to No. 2 (and peaked at No. 44 on the Hot 100).

Jam & Lewis were so hot in the spring of 1986 that at one point while “The Finest” was climbing the top ten, the songwriting/production duo had seven singles on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs chart, including six in the top 40: the S.O.S. Band’s plus two by Janet, one by Patti Austin, a duet by Cherrelle and O’Neal, and one solo by O’Neal, who also provided vocals on “The Finest.” At the time, Jam & Lewis’ chart presence was both incredible and unprecedented!

11. “Tell Me If You Still Care” – S.O.S. Band (1983)

Few ballads get the juices flowing like this 1983 classic by the S.O.S. Band from their fourth album On the Rise.  A beat-box ballad in every sense, “Tell Me” was a seven-minute tour de force that launched side-A of the LP and was released as the album’s second single.  No thanks to its cheesy music video, which was more reflective of the skimpy promotional budgets Black music received at the time, “Tell Me” was the first top 10 R&B single by the band to feature joint lead vocals by male singer Abdul Raoof and normal vocalist Mary Davis (who sang solo lead on all their previous top 10 hits).  Davis and Raoof still tour as the S.O.S. Band to this day, and you can bet this Quiet Storm classic is a setlist staple.

10. “Optimistic” – Sounds of Blackness (1991)

These days it’s impossible for a song to reach the top three on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart without also crossing over to the all-inclusive Hot 100, which back in 1991 served as Billboard’s pop chart.  But such was the case for this rousing No. 3 R&B classic by Sounds of Blackness, which true to its group’s name was likely considered too Black for pop radio.  As such, it reached No. 3 R&B in 1991 and failed to make the Hot 100 altogether, making it the only song in the top 20 of this ranking to not make Billboard’s premier singles list. Regardless, it is still the consummate song of hope and optimism, a shuffling anthem featuring messages that resonated with soul, gospel and dance club audiences alike!

9. “Escapade” – Janet Jackson (1990)

If there was any doubt that Janet Jackson is the Queen of Pop, this song should remove it. “Escapade” is the ultimate feel-good pop gem, with an irresistible melody kicked off by that twinkly synth intro and Janet’s ode-to-joy lyrics that were the 1990 equivalent of being in a bouncy castle. A dance-pop classic, yes, but this was one of those up-tempo tunes that you’d much rather just kick back and listen to (and sing along with) than a jam that prompted you to get up and shake your tail feather (although you were likely to do that too!).

Janet took “Escapade” to No. 1 on the pop, soul and dance charts in Billboard in early 1990. On the soul chart, it became her then-record tying sixth consecutive No. 1 and the eighth out of her last nine singles to reach the top (both streaks ended when her next single “Alright” peaked at No. 2 soul).

8. “I Didn’t Mean to Turn You On” – Cherrelle (1984)

This was the song that introduced the public to Cherrelle in 1984.  This synth-funk explosion became her first top 10 R&B hit and Hot 100 entry in the summer of that year.  Before then, we hadn’t heard a jam that was so synthesizer driven yet so raw sounding as “I Didn’t Mean to Turn You On.”  It had all the essential Jam & Lewis elements: heavy Roland drum machine riffs, off-beat fills included (particularly in the lengthy album version), a keyboard bass funk thing that I can picture Jimmy Jam or Terry Lewis playing with their heads a-bopping, and the vocalist, in this case newcomer Cherrelle, showing off some vocal chops while maintaining her individuality–something Jam & Lewis were masters at ensuring for their artists.

7. “Just Be Good to Me” – S.O.S. Band (1983)

The S.O.S. Band’s biggest hit was “Take Your Time (Do It Right),” which hit No. 1 on the Billboard soul chart for five weeks and No. 3 on the pop chart in the summer of 1980.  That song sold two million copies and was one of only three singles to be certified platinum in 1980.   But “Take Your Time” wasn’t produced or written by Jam & Lewis, so it’s not on this list.

Instead, S.O.S. Band’s highest ranked tune here is this slice of Minneapolis funk courtesy of Jam & Lewis that put the Atlanta band back on the map after three years of obscurity.  On “Just Be Good to Me,” lead vocalist Mary Davis sang yearningly about a lover whose philandering ways she didn’t mind as long as he was good to her (a theme the band revisited a year later on “Just the Way You Like It”).

This is the song Jam & Lewis were said to be producing when they were fired by Prince for missing a flight to a Time gig.  On behalf of Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis fans everywhere, I say thank you to the S.O.S. Band and to the late Prince for allowing their enormous talents to be unleashed on the world.

6. “Tender Love” – Force MD’s (1986)

Most folks don’t remember that Jam & Lewis’s first top 10 pop success was not a Janet Jackson tune, but this beautiful piano-driven ballad by Force MD’s (with the MD standing for musical diversity).  Led by the late lead vocalist Antoine “T.C.” Lundy, the quintet out of Staten Island, NY, took “Tender Love” to No. 4 on the Billboard Black Singles chart (the R&B chart’s name at the time) and No. 10 on the Hot 100.  It even reached No. 2 on the Adult Contemporary chart, a rarity for a Black male group at the time.  “Tender Love” appeared in the Krush Groove movie and soundtrack as well as in Force MD’s album, Chillin’.  Lundy died of Lou Gehrig’s disease in 1998 just two weeks shy of his 35th birthday.

5. “Can You Stand the Rain” – New Edition (1988)

Without stating it, MCA Records clearly had an objective with the simultaneous releases of albums by New Edition and ex-member Bobby Brown in the summer of 1988: to have the two acts compete in a battle for the ages.

By most metrics, Bobby had the upper hand.  His singles regularly outperformed those by his former bandmates on both the pop and soul charts.  On the soul chart, Brown’s “Don’t Be Cruel” stopped “If It Isn’t Love” from reaching No. 1, then three months later “My Prerogative” reached No. 1 while “You’re Not My Kind of Girl” was stuck at No. 3.

It wasn’t until each album’s third single release that the tables turned, if only temporarily.  Brown’s “Roni” made a beeline to No. 2 on the Hot Black Singles chart in January 1989.  Close behind it was New Edition’s “Can You Stand the Rain” at No. 4.  Then, as the calendar flipped to February, “Roni” took a tumble to No. 9 and the Johnny Gill-led “Rain” stormed up to No. 1, giving the group their first (and only) No. 1 single with Bobby’s replacement kicking off lead vocals.  Of course, it was a triumph for Jam & Lewis as well, who redeemed themselves by outperforming the ultra-hot L.A. Reid & Babyface team that had produced “Roni” and many of Brown’s other big hits of the era.

4. “Human” – Human League (1986)

I’ll admit, when I first heard “Human” in late 1986, I didn’t think it stood a snowball’s chance in the earth’s infernal regions of becoming a No. 1 hit. Jam & Lewis had the British group Human League stepping out of their euro-techno-dance-pop element and doing American R&B, courtesy of the genre’s hottest producers of that year. Like Janet said in 2015, I should’ve known better. Not only did “Human” become a No. 1 pop hit, but it also reached No. 3 (stuck behind two Freddie Jackson songs) on the Hot Black Singles chart in fall 1986.

Borrowing the same programmed drum riff that Jam & Lewis used in S.O.S. Band’s “The Finest” just a few months earlier, and amplifying it even more, “Human” was a rhythmic triumph, an absolute jam that returned Human League to prominence (even if only briefly) after they’d risen to fame four years earlier with their first No. 1 pop hit, “Don’t You Want Me.” “Human” would be their last of four top 30 singles here in America, but it remains this blogger’s favorite by the band.

3. “Love Will Never Do (Without You)” – Janet Jackson (1991)

No one would dare knock Janet Jackson’s credentials as an album artist. But her prowess as a singles act was even more noteworthy. No better evidence of this exists than “Love Will Never Do (Without You),” which managed to reach No. 1 as the SEVENTH single released from the Rhythm Nation 1814 LP, something that had never been done before (and hasn’t since).

No doubt helped by its irresistible melody and a transformative video, where Janet showed off a more feminine side while flirting with a handsome male model while another danced nearby, “Love Will Never Do” topped the charts in January 1991–a full 15 months after the album was released. It made Rhythm Nation the first album to produce a No. 1 single in three separate calendar years (1989, ’90 and ’91). “Love Will Never Do” was pop music at its most jubilant, with a grand chorus and Janet radiantly delivering every line of pure bliss.

2. “Encore” – Cheryl Lynn (1984)

Great record producers have the ability to take an artist whose career is floundering and inject new life into it.  Jam & Lewis famously did that with several big-name acts, including The Time, S.O.S. Band, Patti LaBelle, Herb Alpert, Human League and, most famously, Janet Jackson.

But one of the most unsung examples has to be Cheryl Lynn, whose career consisted mostly of moderate chart hits after she stormed onto the scene with the timeless classic “Got to Be Real” in 1978.  With the assistance of big names like Ray Parker, Jr. and Luther Vandross, she had a couple of top 5 R&B hits in 1981 and ’82.  But it wasn’t until Jam & Lewis crafted some sassy funk with the classic “Encore” that she returned to the very top.

With a memorable bass line, a uniquely programmed drum riff, and Lynn’s highly confident vocal delivery, “Encore” became her second No. 1 R&B chart hit (after “Real”) in February 1984 and was the first of many trips to No. 1 for Jam & Lewis.  The song is still able to get butts out of seats at grown folks’ old-school parties nearly 40 years later (especially the extended version, linked in the above audio clip) and it’s good enough for a No. 2 rank on my all-time Jam & Lewis list.  But a different Cheryl ranks at No. 1…

1. “Saturday Love” – Cherrelle and Alexander O’Neal (1986)

Two Cheryls dominate this tribute to Jam & Lewis and their 100 Greatest songs list. Cheryl Lynn was at No. 2 with “Encore.” Cheryl Anne Norton, better known as Cherrelle, is at No. 1 with her duet partner Alexander O’Neal and their funky love duet “Saturday Love.”

I’ll never forget the first time I heard both “Saturday Love” and Janet Jackson’s “What Have You Done for Me Lately.” It was at a Valentine’s Day ball at my alma mater held jointly by Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. (before I became a brother of the latter). The DJ often dubbed “What” and “Saturday” together and played that mix multiple times given its enormous reception. I don’t think I’ve danced so hard before or since!

The two songs rode the charts together in early 1986 and Janet’s No. 1 song eclipsed “Saturday” by holding it to a No. 2 peak on Billboard’s Black Singles chart. But in this 2022 tribute, it’s the raw funk and that relentless synth bass line, not to mention those amazing chords and the indelible memories that propel “Saturday Love” to the top!

If either Cherrelle, Jimmy Jam or Terry Lewis should happen to read this (hey, it’s happened before), I thank you for a lifetime of great music and memories.

And congrats to Jam & Lewis on their much-deserved Rock Hall of Fame induction!

DJRob

DJRob (he/him/his) is a freelance music blogger from somewhere on the East Coast who covers R&B, hip-hop, pop and rock genres – plus lots of music news and current stuff!  You can follow him on Twitter at @djrobblog.

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