Revista elege as 100 melhores canções da história da Motown. Ouça a playlist

O top 100 é encabeçado por “The Tracks Of My Tears” lançada em 1965 pelos Miracles (abaixo). Uma canção que “captura toda a genialidade de Smokey Robinson em três minutos”, segundo a publicação. “Em 1965 todo compositor vivo queria ser Smokey, e essa música mostra o porquê”.

A lista mostra que as décadas de 60 (com 51 faixas) e 70 (38) foram o período de maior fertilidade da gravadora, fundada em 1959 por Berry Gordy Jr. e que hoje faz parte da Universal Music. Wonder é o único artista da era de ouro da companhia que ainda grava pelo selo, ainda que desde 2005 ele não lance um novo álbum.

Nos anos 60, a força da Motown estava nos singles e não havia muita preocupação com os álbuns. A situação se inverteria na década seguinte, quando Stevie Wonder e Marvin Gaye gravaram uma série de LPs que se tornaram obras-primas.

A faixa mais antiga do top 100 é “Money (that’s What I Want)” lançada em 1959 por Barrett Strong, que foi o primeiro hit da gravadora, na 52ª posição. “End Of The Road” dos Boyz II Men de 1992 (que passou 13 semanas no topo da parada de singles) é a mais nova.

Diana Ross é a artista mais presente na relação, são 11 canções dela com as Supremes (acima) e outras duas de sua careira solo. Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder (ambos com 11) e Smokey Robinson com 10 (incluindo faixas solo ou com os Miracles) vêm em seguida.

Veja o top 100:

1 | Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, “The Tracks of My Tears” (1965)
2 | The Temptations, “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” (1972)
3 | Marvin Gaye, “What’s Going On” (1971)
4 | Martha and the Vandellas, “Heat Wave” (1963)
5 | Stevie Wonder, “Superstition” (1972)
6 | The Temptations, “My Girl (1964)
7 | The Supremes, “You Keep Me Hanging On” (1967)
8 | The Jackson 5, “I Want You Back” (1969)
9 | Martha and the Vandellas, “Dancing In the Street” (1965)
10 | Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, “The Tears of a Clown” (1967)
11 | Marvin Gaye, “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” (1968)
12 | Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, “I Second That Emotion” (1968)
13 | Stevie Wonder, “Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m Yours” (1970)
14 | The Supremes, “Where Did Our Love Go” (1964)
15 | The Jackson 5, “ABC” (1970)
16 | The Four Tops, “Reach Out I’ll Be There” (1966)
17 | The Supremes, “You Can’t Hurry Love” (1966)
18 | Stevie Wonder, “Living for the City” (1973)
19 | The Marvelettes, “Please Mr. Postman” (1961)
20 | The Temptations, “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” (1966)
21 | The Four Tops, “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)” (1965)
22 | Marvin Gaye, “Got to Give It Up” (1977)
23 | Edwin Starr, “War” (1970)
24 | Rick James, “Super Freak” (1981)
25 | Martha and the Vandellas, “Nowhere to Run” (1965)
26 | Diana Ross, “Upside Down” (1980)
27 | Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, “You’re All I Need to Get By” (1968)
28 | Stevie Wonder, “Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing” (1973)
29 | Smokey Robinson, “Cruisin'” (1979)
30 | Marvin Gaye, “Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)” (1971)
31 | The Supremes, “Baby Love” (1964)
32 | Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me” (1962)
33 | The Commodores, “Nightshift” (1985)
34 | Jimmy Ruffin, “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted” (1966)
35 | The Temptations, “Get Ready” (1966)
36 | Marvin Gaye, “Let’s Get It On” (1973)
37 | The Isley Brothers, “This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You)” (1966)
38 | Mary Wells, “Two Lovers” (1963)
39 | Stevie Wonder, “Higher Ground” (1973)
40 | The Temptations, “Since I Lost My Baby” (1965)
41 | DeBarge, “Time Will Reveal” (1983)
42 | The Jackson 5, “I’ll Be There” (1970)
43 | The Contours, “Do You Love Me” (1962)
44 | Gladys Knight and the Pips, “If I Were Your Woman” (1970)
45 | The Commodores, “Still” (1979)
46 | Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, “Choosey Beggar” (1965)
47 | Stevie Wonder, “You Are the Sunshine of My Life” (1972)
48 | The Supremes, “Stop! In the Name of Love” (1965)
49 | Willie Hutch, “I Choose You” (1973)
50 | Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, “Ooo Baby Baby” (1965)
51 | Michael Jackson, “Got to Be There” (1972)
52 | Barrett Strong, “Money (That’s What I Want)” (1959)
53 | Jr. Walker and the All Stars, “Shotgun” (1965)
54 | The Marvelettes, “The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game” (1967)
55 | The Temptations, “Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)” (1971)
56 | The Supremes, “Come See About Me” (1964)
57 | Lionel Richie, “All Night Long (All Night)” (1983)
58 | Marvin Gaye, “Ain’t That Peculiar” (1965)
59 | The Spinners, “It’s a Shame” (1970)
60 | Thelma Houston, “Don’t Leave Me This Way” (1976)
61 | Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” (1967)
62 | Stevie Wonder, “Uptight (Everything’s Alright)” (1965)
63 | The Commodores, “Brick House” (1977)
64 | Diana Ross, “Love Hangover” (1976)
65 | Mary Jane Girls, “All Night Long” (1983)
66 | Marvin Gaye, “I Want You” (1976)
67 | The Temptations, “Ball of Confusion (That’s What the World Is Today)” (1970)
68 | Marvin Gaye, “Can I Get a Witness” (1963)
69 | The Four Tops, “Bernadette” (1967)
70 | Smokey Robinson, “Quiet Storm” (1975)
71 | The Commodores, “Easy” (1977)
72 | Diana Ross and the Supremes, “Love Child” (1968)
73 | Stevie Wonder, “My Cherie Amour” (1969)
74 | Teena Marie, “Square Biz” (1980)
75 | The Supremes, “Bad Weather” (1973)
76 | The Jackson 5, “The Love You Save” (1970)
77 | Brenda Holloway, “Every Little Bit Hurts” (1964)
78 | Stevie Wonder, “You Haven’t Done Nothin'” (1974)
79 | The Supremes, “My World Is Empty Without You” (1965)
80 | The Undisputed Truth, “Smiling Faces Sometimes” (1971)
81 | Stevie Wonder, “Boogie On Reggae Woman” (1974)
82 | Diana Ross and the Supremes, “Someday We’ll Be Together” (1969)
83 | The Temptations, “Cloud Nine” (1968)
84 | Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, “Going to a Go-Go” (1965)
85 | Boyz II Men, “End of the Road” (1992)
86 | Stevie Wonder, “Sir Duke” (1977)
87 | Mary Wells, “My Guy” (1964)
88 | The Four Tops, “It’s the Same Old Song” (1965)
89 | Martha and the Vandellas, “No More Tearstained Makeup” (1966)
90 | The Supremes, “Up the Ladder to the Roof” (1970)
91 | Marvin Gaye, “Trouble Man” (1972)
92 | Eddie Kendricks, “Girl You Need a Change of Mind (Part 1)” (1972)
93 | Rick James and Teena Marie, “Fire and Desire” (1981)
94 | The Marvelettes, “Too Many Fish in the Sea” (1964)
95 | Rare Earth, “I Just Want to Celebrate” (1971)
96 | The Originals, “Baby, I’m for Real” (1969)
97 | The Velvelettes, “He Was Really Sayin’ Somethin'” (1964)
98 | Dennis Edwards feat. Siedah Garrett, “Don’t Look Any Further” (1984)
99 | Martha and the Vandellas, “Jimmy Mack” (1966)
100 | Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, “Shop Around” (1960)

E ouça também a playlist com todas as canções: