One of the best Motown lady teams have turn out to be so synonymous with the time period “girl group” that it’s straightforward to suppose Motown invented the idea. It didn’t, however these lady teams who received their begin on Motown – amongst them Martha & The Vandellas, The Marvelettes, and, after all, The Supremes – very a lot outlined the girl-group sound with songs comparable to “Dancing In The Street,” “Please Mr. Postman” and “Baby Love.”
Right here we choose ten of the most effective Motown lady teams of all time, pointing you within the route of their greatest hits, plus deeper cuts for many who need extra.
Comply with the Power, Braveness & Knowledge playlist on Apple Music and Spotify for some important female-fronted Motown.
The Marvelettes
The Marvelettes had been Motown’s first lady group and scored the label their first Billboard No.1 hit. The group originated in highschool as a five-piece comprised of Gladys Horton, Katherine Anderson, Juanita Cowart, Georgeanna Tillman, and Georgia Dobbins, with hopes of successful a college singing contest. Their first hit, “Please Mr Postman,” was penned in a single day by Dobbins after Motown’s proprietor, Berry Gordy, informed them they wanted unique materials in the event that they needed a singing contract. The group quickly turned a trio, comprised of Wanda Younger, Gladys Horton, and Katherine Anderson, and “Please Mr. Postman,” which options Marvin Gaye on drums, would show an enormous success – and was famously coated by The Beatles on their second album, With The Beatles. Regardless of recording some nice materials, The Marvelettes would fail to make the identical chart influence as a few of the different finest Motown lady teams on this listing, as Motown turned its consideration to different acts.
Should hear: “Please Mr. Postman”
Then take heed to: “The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game,” “I’ll Keep Holding On,” “Danger Heartbreak Dead Ahead,” “Too Many Fish In The Sea”
The Supremes
The group who got here to outline Motown’s unimpeachable sense of poise and glamour received off to a rocky begin on the firm: infamous for a time because the “no-hit Supremes,” they didn’t handle to attain successful till 1964, with “Where Did Our Love Go.” The trio would, nonetheless, launch 12 wonderful No.1 singles of their time – greater than some other Motown act within the label’s historical past. The Supremes’ line-up modified many instances throughout the group’s profession from 1960-77, with the one fixed member being Mary Wilson. Their finest line-up was the trio of Mary, Florence Ballard (and, later, the superbly named Cindy Birdsong), and – after all – Diana Ross. For a short while, they’d be often known as Diana Ross & The Supremes, to capitalize on the success of Motown’s different huge hitters, Martha & The Vandellas. Diana Ross would later depart the group and go on to have a really profitable solo profession.
Should hear: “Baby Love”
Then take heed to: “Stop! In The Name Of Love,” “You Can’t Hurry Love,” “You Keep Me Hangin’ On,” “Love Is Like An Itching In My Heart,” “My World Is Empty Without You,” “Love Child”
Martha & The Vandellas
Battling solely The Supremes for the title of Queens Of Motown, Martha & The Vandellas recorded a few of the most fun songs the label would launch. There’s the quick and livid “Heat Wave,” which calls for that listeners rise up and dance; the musically creative “Nowhere To Run,” utilizing metallic car-tire chains as percussive background devices; the irresistible hand claps of “Jimmy Mack”; and, after all, “Dancing In The Street.” The latter had been written by Marvin Gaye, who determined to not document it and supplied it to fellow labelmate (and duetting accomplice) Kim Weston. After she turned it down, the track was handed to Martha & The Vandellas and it proved a smash hit – notably for its opening horns and thundering drum beat, supplied by Marvin Gaye and Ivy Jo Hunter, who hits a metallic tire iron all through. “Dancing In The Street” continued to have a profitable legacy, inspiring Bruce Springsteen’s “Racing In The Street,” and it was coated by Van Halen in 1982, and David Bowie and Mick Jagger in 1985.
Should hear: “Dancing In The Street”
Then take heed to: “Heat Wave,” “Nowhere To Run,” “Jimmy Mack”
The Velvelettes
Who can probably resist the hand-clapping and “she-doop”s of The Velvelettes’ “Needle In A Haystack”? Whereas it stalled at No.45 within the US Sizzling 100 charts when launched in 1964, the track has rightly turn out to be a agency favourite with Motown followers, incomes The Velvelettes their place among the many finest Motown lady teams. Their follow-up single, “He Was Really Sayin’ Somethin’,” solely managed to get to No.64 however would later be successful for the British lady group Bananarama. Whereas The Velvelettes don’t come to thoughts as shortly as a few of the different lady teams on this listing, the brace of songs they recorded of their quick tenure at Motown are price treasuring.
Should hear: “Needle In A Haystack”
Then take heed to: “He Was Really Sayin’ Somethin’,” “A Bird In The Hand Is Worth Two In The Bush,” “Should I Tell Them,” “I’m The Exception To The Rule”
The Andantes
Whether or not you recognize it or not, you’ve heard The Andantes. They had been Motown’s home backing singers and appeared on data by everybody, together with Stevie Marvel and Marvin Gaye, so if there’s anybody who deserves to make the listing of the most effective Motown lady teams, it’s them. When the group had been lastly given the chance to place their identify on a single, in 1964, they recorded the beautiful “(Like A) Nightmare”; nonetheless, the lead vocals had been dealt with by Marvelettes singer Ann Bogan, as a substitute of The Andantes. Extremely, the track didn’t chart however has since turn out to be one of many rarest and most costly lady group data for collectors to search out.
Should hear: “(Like A) Nightmare”
Then take heed to: “If You Were Mine”
The Lewis Sisters
Like many Motown recording artists, Helen and Kay Lewis initially joined the label as songwriters and backing vocalists earlier than they got their very own probability to carry out. As The Lewis Sisters they issued two singles, the echoey “You Need Me,” which tried to duplicate Phil Spector’s huge, haunting, and commercially profitable lady group sound, and “He’s An Odd Ball,” which, with its jazzy instrumentation and sultry vocals, is the one to hunt out first. Apparently, the duo had been billed as The Singing Faculty Lecturers on a few releases – almost certainly as a novelty promoting level. Neither of The Lewis Sisters’ singles managed to realize a lot curiosity, nonetheless, and they’d return to writing for different Motown acts.
Should hear: “He’s An Odd Ball”
Then take heed to: “Moonlight On The Beach,” “By Some Chance,” “You Need Me”
The Lollipops
The Lollipops had beforehand recorded for different Detroit labels as The Sequins. They modified their identify to The Lollipops, however solely launched one single whereas signed to Motown: the soulful “Cheating Is Telling On You,” launched in 1969. The one’s B-side, “Need Your Love,” sounds prefer it may have been written for The Supremes. Whereas their time at Motown was quick, these songs are price a spin.
Should hear: “Cheating Is Telling On You”
Then take heed to: “Need Your Love”
Gladys Knight & The Pips
Technically, Gladys was the one feminine member of this group, however, as chief of The Pips, we’d be amiss if we didn’t point out her right here. Along with her phenomenal soulful voice, Gladys recorded a unbelievable array of songs with The Pips on backing vocal duties. Whereas they recorded their greatest hit – “Midnight Train To Georgia” – within the 70s for the Buddah label, their tenure at Motown was extremely fruitful. On Motown’s subsidiary label, Soul, they launched edgier, onerous soul hits such because the heart-wrenching “Didn’t You Know (You’d Have To Cry Sometime)” and the gorgeous “Everybody Needs Love.” Soul followers who aren’t conversant in her model of “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” – launched earlier than Marvin’s extra well-known model – would do effectively to present it a pay attention, together with “It Should Have Been Me,” which might be successful for Yvonne Honest in 1976.
Should hear: “Didn’t You Know (You’d Have To Cry Sometime)”
Then take heed to: “Everybody Needs Love,” “If I Were Your Woman,” “Take Me In Your Arms And Love Me,” “I Heard It Through The Grapevine,” “Who Is She (And What Is She To You),” “It Should Have Been Me”
The Sisters Love
Based by former members of Ray Charles’ backing group, The Raelettes, on the finish of the 60s, The Sisters Love launched plenty of singles on A&M Information earlier than signing to Motown’s MoWest label. They’ve largely remained a cult band, however their disco numbers qualify them for a spot among the many finest Motown lady teams. With its jazzy horns and beautiful harmonies, “You’ve Got To Make The Choice,” from 1972, completely demonstrates why they had been chosen to tour the world with Jackson 5. Additionally they recorded a superb model of Curtis Mayfield’s “Give Me Your Love” in 1973, which must be heard to be believed.
Should hear: “You’ve Got To Make The Choice”
Then take heed to: “I’m Learning To Trust My Man,” “(I Could Never Make) A Better Man Than You,” “My Love Is Yours (Till The End Of Time)”
Excessive Inergy
Found by Gwen Gordy Fuqua, Berry Gordy’s sister, Excessive Inergy had been added to the Motown roster in 1977. The label had hopes of them choosing up the place earlier girl-group huge hitters had left off; the truth is, the band took their identify from The Supremes’ 1976 LP Excessive Power. Whereas they wouldn’t attain the heights of the most effective Motown lady teams, they had been actually prolific, releasing eight albums in six years. Their greatest hit, “You Can’t Turn Me Off (In The Middle Of Turning Me On),” is the one to listen to, however their cowl of Bettye Swann’s 1967 track “Make Me Yours,” with its beautiful vocal harmonies, actually faucets into that early lady group sound.
Should hear: “You Can’t Turn Me Off (In The Middle Of Turning Me On)”
Then take heed to: “Shoulda Gone Dancin’,” “Lovin’ Fever,” “Love Is All You Need”
Three Ounces Of Love
Three Ounces Of Love had been a Detroit soul band who had minor native success in 1976 with their track “Disco Man.” In 1978, they signed to Motown and, working with Motown stalwarts Brian and Eddie Holland, together with Greg Wright, they recorded a self-titled album and launched a few singles. “Give Me Some Feeling” is especially beautiful, with its delicate backing vocals and funky bassline.
Should hear: “Give Me Some Feeling”
Then take heed to: “Don’t Worry ’Bout My Love,” “Star Love,” “I Found The Feeling”
Mary Jane Ladies
Joanna “Jojo” McDuffie, Candice “Candi” Ghant, Kim “Maxi” Wuletich, and Ann “Cheri” Bailey – also referred to as Mary Jane Ladies – began their profession as Rick James’ backing vocalists earlier than he turned them into an actual lady group, in an try to rival Prince’s Self-importance 6. James wrote and produced their self-titled 1983 debut LP, which included the sultry “All Night Long.” Whereas their sound is a far cry from that of the most effective Motown lady teams of the 60s, their funky, digital music rekindled curiosity in all-female bands and confirmed that Motown nonetheless knew the best way to put collectively an excellent lady group.
Should hear: “All Night Long”
Then take heed to: “Candy Man,” “Boys,” “Wild And Crazy Love,” “Break It Up,” “In My House”
Searching for extra? Uncover the ten feminine Motown singers you actually ought to know.
