Blues & Soul

Fortnightly British magazine, first launched in 1966 as Home of the Blues and still going today. Over the years it has covered every form of popular black music.

Annual Readers Polls. Top 10’s Included (various numbers of each category printed)

Many thanks to MARTIN STONE  MAGS@st99.fsnet.co.uk for supplying these lists.

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 Poll 1969

 

Published March 1970

 

Favourite Vocalists: Male Section

 

  1. Jerry Butler

  2. Marvin Gaye

  3. Otis Redding

  4. James Brown

  5. Wilson Pickett

  6. Percy Sledge

  7. Clarence Carter

  8. Ben E. King

  9. William Bell

  10. Edwin Starr

 

Favourite Vocalists: Female Section

 

  1. Aretha Franklin

  2. Gladys Knight

  3. Nina Simone

  4. Betty Harris

  5. Dionne Warwick

  6.  Lorraine Ellison

  7. Erma Franklin

  8. Diana Ross

  9. Tina Turner

  10. Dee Dee Warwick

 

Favourite Vocalists: Group Section

 

  1. Temptations

  2. Impressions

  3. Dells

  4. Gladys Knight & The Pips

  5. Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

  6. Four Tops

  7. Isley Brothers

  8. Sam & Dave

  9.  Diana Ross & The Supremes

  10. Drifters

 

Favourite Recordings (Singles)

 

  1. Choice Of Colours – The Impressions

  2. I Heard It Through The Grapevine – Marvin Gaye

  3. Can I Change My Mind – Tyrone Davis

  4. Only The Strong Survive – Jerry Butler

  5. Cloud Nine – The Temptations

  6. Love Is Blue/I Can Sing A Rainbow – The Dells

  7.  What Does It Take – Junior Walker

  8. Moody Woman – Jerry Butler

  9. Oh Happy Day – Edwin Hawkins Singers

  10. It’s Your Thing – Isley Brothers

 

Favourite Instrumentalists

 

  1. Booker T. & The MG’s

  2. Junior Walker & The All Stars

  3. Mar-Keys

  4.  Willie Mitchell

  5.   King Curtis & The Kingpins

  6. Booker T. Jones

  7.  Bar-Kays

  8. Steve Cropper

  9. Albert King

  10. Ramsey Lewis

 

Favourite Ska & Reggae Artists

 

  1. Desmond Dekker

  2. Upsetters

  3. Jimmy Cliff

  4. Harry J’s All Stars

  5. Pioneers

  6. Johnny Nash

  7. Max Romeo

  8. Donnie Elbert

  9. Pat Kelley

  10. Symarip

 

Favourite Ska & Reggae Recordings

 

  1.  Return Of Django – The Upsetters

  2. Wonderful World, Beautiful People – Jimmy Cliff

  3. The Liquidator – Harry J’s All Stars

  4. The Israelites – Desmond Dekker

  5. Long Shot (Kick De Bucket) – The Pioneers

  6.  Wet Dream – Max Romeo

  7. How Long Will It Take – Pat Kelley

  8. Without You – Donnie Elbert

  9. Red, Red Wine – Tony Tribe

  10.  It Mek – Desmond Dekker

  

Poll 1970

 

Published May  1971

 

Favourite Vocalists: Male Section

 

  1. Marvin Gaye

  2. James Brown

  3. Isaac Hayes

  4. Otis Redding

  5.  Stevie Wonder

  6. Wilson Pickett

  7.  Edwin Starr

  8. Jerry Butler

  9. Curtis Mayfield

  10. Clarence Carter

 

Favourite Vocalists: Female Section

 

  1. Aretha Franklin

  2.  Diana Ross

  3. Freda Payne

  4. Gladys Knight

  5. Dionne Warwick

  6. Candi Staton

  7. Lorraine Ellison

  8.  Roberta Flack

  9. Dee Dee Warwick

  10. Cissy Houston

 

Favourite Vocalists: Group Section

 

  1. Temptations

  2.  Impressions

  3. Four Tops

  4. Delfonics

  5. Gladys Knight & The Pips

  6.  Supremes

  7.  Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

  8. Jackson 5

  9.  Chairmen Of The Board

  10.  Dells

 

Favourite Instrumentalists

 

  1. Booker T. & The Mg’s

  2.  Junior Walker & The All Stars

  3.  Earl Van Dyke & The Soul Brothers

  4.  King Curtis & The Kingpins

  5.  Meters

  6.  Bar-Kays

  7.   Kool And The Gang

  8.   Willie Mitchell

  9. Ramsey Lewis

  10. Steve Cropper

 

 

Favourite Singles Of 1970

 

  1. Band Of Gold – Freda Payne

  2. Rainy Night In Georgia – Brook Benton

  3.  Give Me Just A Little More Time – Chairmen Of The Board

  4. I Love You – Otis Leavill

  5.  Didn’t I Blow Your Mind This Time – The Delfonics

  6. Turn Back The Hands Of Time – Tyrone Davis

  7. Ball Of Confusion – The Temptations

  8.  War – Edwin Starr

  9.  It’s A Shame – Spinners

  10. Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – Diana Ross

 

 

Favourite Albums Of 1970

 

  1. The Isaac Hayes Movement – Isaac Hayes

  2.  Hot Buttered Soul – Isaac Hayes

  3. Young Mod’s Forgotten Story  - The Impressions

  4.  Still Waters Run Deep – Four Tops

  5.  Don’t Lay That Song – Aretha Franklin

  6.  I’m Just A Prisoner – Candi Staton

  7. Psychedelic Shack – The Temptations

  8. Stay With Me – Lorraine Ellison

  9. Greatest Hits – Gladys Knight & The Pips

  10. Motown Chartbusters Vol.4

  11.  

Most Promising Act For 1971

 

  1. Chairmen Of The Board

  2. Freda Payne

  3. Otis Leavill

  4. Jackson 5

  5.  Roberta Flack

  6.  Honey Cone

  7. Candi Staton

  8. 100 Proof

  9.  Isaac Hayes

  10. Flaming Ember

 1971

 

No Poll Published This Year

 

Poll 1972

 

Published March  1973

 

Favourite Vocalists: Male Section

 

  1. Al Green

  2. Marvin Gaye

  3. Bill Withers

  4. James Brown

  5. Curtis Mayfield

  6. Bobby Womack

  7. Joe Simon

  8.  Stevie Wonder

  9. Otis Redding

  10.  Michael Jackson

 

Favourite Vocalists: Female Section

 

  1. Gladys Knight

  2. Roberta Flack

  3. Aretha Franklin

  4. Millie Jackson

  5. Diana Ross

  6. Laura Lee

  7. Betty Wright

  8. Esther Phillips

  9. Freda Payne

  10. Thelma Houston

 

Favourite Vocalists: Group Section

 

  1. Temptations

  2. Stylistics

  3. Chi-Lites

  4. Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes

  5. O’Jays

  6. Gladys Knight & The Pips

  7.  Chairmen Of The Board

  8. Junior Walker & The All Stars

  9.  Four Tops

  10.  Detroit Emeralds

 

Favourite Instrumentalists

 

  1. Junior Walker & The All Stars

  2.  Isaac Hayes

  3.  The J.B’s

  4.  San Remo Strings

  5. Ramsey Lewis

  6. Billy Preston

  7. Booker T. & The Mg’s

  8. Grover Washington

  9. The Nite-Liters

  10. Earl Van Dyke

 

Favourite Singles Of 1972

 

  1. If You Don’t Know Me By Now – Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes

  2.  Back Stabbers – The O’Jay’s

  3.  I Miss You - Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes

  4.  If Loving You Is Wrong – Luther Ingram

  5. Betcha By Golly Wow – The Stylistics

  6.  Help Me Make It Through The Night – Gladys Knight & The Pips

  7.  I’ll Take You There – Staple Singers

  8.  Why Can’t We Be Lovers – Holland Dozier

  9. Papa Was A Rolling Stone – The Temptations

  10. I’ll Be Around – The Spinners

  11.  

Favourite Albums Of 1972

 

  1. The Stylistics

  2. Superfly (soundtrack) – Curtis Mayfield

  3. Best Of – Otis Redding

  4. All Directions – The Temptations

  5. Still Bill – Bill Withers

  6.  A Lonely Man – The Chi-Lites

  7.  Understanding – Bobby Womack

  8.  Back Stabbers – The O’Jays

  9. I’m Still In Love With You – Al Green

  10. Be Altitude – The Staple Singers

  11.  

Favourite Producers

 

  1. Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff

  2. Thom Bell

  3. Norman Whitfield

  4. Willie Mitchell

  5.  Eddie Holland, Lamont Dozier & Brian Holland

  6. Isaac Hayes

  7. Curtis Mayfield

  8. James Brown

  9. Eugene Record

  10. Marvin Gaye

 

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18 December 2005