The Best R&B Songs of the 70s

What are the best R&B songs from the 70s?

Rhythm and blues--also known as R&B or RnB--is a popular music genre combining jazz, gospel, and blues influences and was first performed by African-American artists. By the 1970s, the term rhythm and blues was being used as a blanket term to describe soul and funk.

Located below you will find a list of some of the best R&B songs of the 1970s. For your convenience, we have included links to the sheet music on Sheetmusicplus.com as well as the CD on Amazon.com whenever available. If you are looking to purchase the mp3 or would like to listen to a sample, then click on either the Amazon, Rhapsody, or iTunes links.

Rhapsody provides both music subscriptions as well as individual mp3s for sale in WMA format and iTunes only provides MPEG-4 audio files for sale. However, Amazon does offer mp3s that are compatible with both Windows Media Player and iTunes. For more information about where to purchase music online, we provide it on our Music Downloads page or our Music Subscriptions page.


These singles are considered among the best R&B songs to hit the charts in the 1970s.

  1. "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" performed by Diana Ross
     Find it on:  Diana Ross - '70s Pop #1's - Ain't No Mountain High Enough   Amazon CD   Amazon mp3s   Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
  2. "Ain't No Woman (Like the One I've Got)" performed by The Four Tops
     Find it on:  Four Tops - Essential Collection: Four Tops - Ain't No Woman (Like the One I've Got)   Amazon CD   Amazon mp3s   Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
  3. "Bad Girls" performed by Donna Summer
     Find it on:  Donna Summer - '70s Pop #1's - Bad Girls   Amazon CD   Amazon mp3s   Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
  4. "Bad Luck" performed by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes
     Find it on:  Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes - Best of the 70s - Bad Luck   Amazon CD   Amazon mp3s   Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
  5. "Bells" performed by The Originals
     Find it on:  The Originals - The Very Best of The Originals - The Bells   Amazon CD   Amazon mp3s   Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
  6. "Betcha by Golly Wow" performed by The Stylistics
     Find it on:  The Stylistics - The Best of the Stylistics - Betcha By Golly, Wow   Amazon CD   Amazon mp3s   Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
  7. "Brick House" performed by the Commodores
     Find it on:  The Commodores - 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of the Commodores - Brick House   Amazon CD   Amazon mp3s   Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
  8. "Boogie Oogie Oogie" performed by A Taste of Honey
     Find it on:  Taste of Honey - 70s Rock Hits - Boogie Oogie Oogie   Amazon CD   Amazon mp3s   Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
  9. "Car Wash" performed by Rose Royce
     Find it on:  Rose Royce - Pure Funk - Car Wash   Amazon CD   Amazon mp3s   Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
  10. "Clean Up Woman" performed by Betty Wright
     Find it on:  Betty Wright - I Love the Way You Love - Clean Up Woman   Amazon CD   Amazon mp3s   Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
  11. "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)" performed by Delfonics
     Find it on:  Delfonics - The Delfonics: La-La Means I Love You - Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)   Amazon CD   Amazon mp3s   Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
  12. "Easy" performed by The Commodores
     Find it on:  The Commodores - Commodores - Easy   Amazon CD   Amazon mp3s   Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
  13. "Float On" performed by The Floaters
     Find it on:  The Floaters - '70's Soul #1's - Float On   Amazon CD   Amazon mp3s   Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
  14. "Le Freak" performed by Chic
     Find it on:  Chic - The Very Best of Chic - Le Freak   Amazon CD   Amazon mp3s   Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
  15. "Freddie's Dead" (Theme from Superfly) performed by Curtis Mayfield
     Find it on:  Curtis Mayfield - Superfly (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture) [Deluxe 25th Anniversary Edition] - Freddie's Dead   Amazon CD   Amazon mp3s   Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
  16. "I'll Be There" performed by The Jackson 5
     Find it on:  Jackson 5 - Gold: 70's Soul - I'll Be There   Amazon CD   Amazon mp3s   Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
  17. "I'll Take You There" performed by The Staple Singers
     Find it on:  The Staple Singers - The Best of the Staple Singers - I'll Take You There   Amazon CD   Amazon mp3s   Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
  18. "In the Rain" performed by The Dramatics
     Find it on:  The Dramatics - The Best of the Dramatics - In the Rain   Amazon CD   Amazon mp3s   Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
  19. "Keep on Truckin'" performed by Eddie Kendricks
     Find it on:  Eddie Kendricks - Gold: 70's Soul - Keep On Truckin', Pt. 1   Amazon CD   Amazon mp3s   Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
  20. "Let's Get It On" performed by Marvin Gaye
     Find it on:  Marvin Gaye - The Very Best of Marvin Gaye - Let's Get It On   Amazon CD   Amazon mp3s   Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
  21. "Let's Stay Together" performed by Al Green
     Find it on:  Al Green - Let's Stay Together - Let's Stay Together   Amazon CD   Amazon mp3s   Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
  22. "Love Hangover" performed by Diana Ross
     Find it on:  Diana Ross - Gold: 70's Soul - Love Hangover   Amazon CD   Amazon mp3s   Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
  23. "Love Jones" performed by Brighter Side of Darkness
     Find it on:  Brighter Side of Darkness - Gold: 70's Soul - Love Jones   Amazon CD   Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
  24. "Love on a Two Way Street" performed by The Moments
     Find it on:  The Moments - The Moments On the Outside (Re-Recorded Versions) - Love On a Two Way Street (Re-Recorded)   Amazon CD   Amazon mp3s   Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
  25. "Love Rollercoaster" performed by Ohio Players
     Find it on:  Ohio Players - 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of The Ohio Players - Love Rollercoaster   Amazon CD   Amazon mp3s   Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
  26. "Love Train" performed by The O'Jays
     Find it on:  The O'Jays - Back Stabbers - Love Train   Amazon CD   Amazon mp3s   Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
  27. "Midnight Train To Georgia" performed by Gladys Knight & the Pips
     Find it on:  Gladys Knight & The Pips - Platinum & Gold Collection: Gladys Knight & The Pips - Midnight Train to Georgia   Amazon CD   Amazon mp3s   Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
  28. "Mr. Big Stuff" performed by Jean Knight
     Find it on:  Jean Knight - Mr. Big Stuff - Mr. Big Stuff   Amazon CD   Amazon mp3s   Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
  29. "Oh Girl" performed by The Chi-Lites
     Find it on:  The Chi-Lites - The Chi-Lites: 20 Greatest Hits - Oh Girl   Amazon CD   Amazon mp3s   Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
  30. "Outa-Space" performed by Billy Preston
     Find it on:  Billy Preston - Gold: 70's Soul - Outa-Space   Amazon CD   Amazon mp3s   Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
  31. "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" performed by The Temptations
     Find it on:  The Temptations - Gold: 70's Soul - Papa Was a Rollin' Stone   Amazon CD   Amazon mp3s   Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
  32. "Proud Mary" performed by Ike and Tina Turner
     Find it on:  Ike & Tina Turner - Proud Mary - The Best of Ike & Tina Turner - Proud Mary   Amazon CD   Amazon mp3s   Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
  33. "Shining Star" performed by Earth, Wind, & Fire
     Find it on:  Earth, Wind & Fire - Earth, Wind & Fire: Greatest Hits - Shining Star   Amazon CD   Amazon mp3s   Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
  34. "Smiling Faces Sometimes" performed by The Undisputed Truth
     Find it on:  The Undisputed Truth - The Best of Undisputed Truth - Smiling Faces - Smiling Faces Sometimes   Amazon CD   Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
  35. "Soul Power" performed by James Brown
     Find it on:  James Brown - JB40: 40th Anniversary Collection - Soul Power   Amazon CD   Amazon mp3s   Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
  36. "Special Lady" performed by Ray, Goodman & Brown
     Find it on:  Ray, Goodman & Brown - The Best of Ray, Goodman & Brown - Special Lady   Amazon CD   Amazon mp3s   Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
  37. "Strawberry Letter #23" performed by The Brothers Johnson
     Find it on:  The Brothers Johnson - '70's Soul #1's - Strawberry Letter 23   Amazon CD   Amazon mp3s   Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
  38. "Tears of a Clown" performed by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
     Find it on:  Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - '70s Pop #1's - The Tears of a Clown   Amazon CD   Amazon mp3s   Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
  39. "That Lady" performed by The Isley Brothers
     Find it on:  The Isley Brothers - The Essential Isley Brothers - That Lady   Amazon CD   Amazon mp3s   Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
  40. "Theme from Shaft" performed by Isaac Hayes
     Find it on:  Isaac Hayes - Shaft - Theme from "Shaft"   Amazon CD   Amazon mp3s   Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
  41. "Then Came You" performed by Dionne Warwick and Spinners
     Find it on:  Dionne Warwick & Dionne Warwick with The Spinners - Platinum & Gold Collection: Dionne Warwick - Then Came You   Amazon CD   Amazon mp3s   Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
  42. "Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)" performed by Aretha Franklin
     Find it on:  Aretha Franklin - The Best of Aretha Franklin - Until You Come Back to Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)   Amazon CD   Amazon mp3s   Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
  43. "Up the Ladder to the Roof" performed by The Supremes
     Find it on:  The Supremes - The Supremes: The '70s Anthology - Up the Ladder to the Roof   Amazon CD   Amazon mp3s   Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
  44. "What's Goin' On" performed by Marvin Gaye
     Find it on:  Marvin Gaye - 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: The Best of Marvin Gaye, Vol. 2 - The '70s - What's Going On   Amazon CD   Amazon mp3s   Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus
  45. "Will It Go Round In Circles" performed by Billy Preston
     Find it on:  Billy Preston - '70s Pop #1's - Will It Go Round In Circles   Amazon CD   Amazon mp3s   Rhapsody   Sheetmusicplus


The Best Songs Music Line

Find some of the best songs of the 1970s by selecting one of the links below:





Click on any of the links below to find the:


The Best Songs Music Line