When putting together this list of 10 great love songs by R&B artists, a few rules had to be made, or else the list would have been impossible to create due to all the great R&B and Soul love songs recorded over the past 50+ years. First, a cutoff point of 20 years ago was established to keep the list relevant to today's young audience. Also, these songs celebrate love, not sex: there's a big difference between the two. Third, there are no drama-filled songs, no negativity, no 'bad love' songs. And with said, here's my R&B picks for the 10 most essential love songs of the past 20 years.
1) "Be Without You," Mary J. Blige
This chart-topping song, which was released in November 2005, is on Mary's The Breakthough album. Among the things that make it so great are the strong sentiments of faith and loyalty expressed, as well as the unbelievably strong vo
2) "Crazy Love," Brian McKnight
Although this song is sung well, it's actually the amazingly poetic lyrics that are the highlight. A sample: "I can hear her heart beat for a thousand miles, And the heavens open up every time she smiles, And when I come home to her that's where I belong, Yet I'm running to her like a river's song."
3) "Love is Stronger Than Pride," Sade
If you've ever found yourself unable to stop loving someone even after their actions have given you good reason to stop, you can relate to this song. This song is for everyone who has at least once in their life thought with their heart instead of their mind.
4) "Love T.K.O.," Teddy Pendergrass
Wait a minute - did I say in the intro that none of these songs contained drama? Well, I stand corrected. "Love TKO" is about how sometimes love beats you down when you try to battle it. Other singers, including Regina Belle and Hall & Oates, have also recorded versions of this song, but the Pendergrass version is head and shoulders above the rest.
5) "Endless Love," Luther Vandross & Mariah Carey
Diana Ross & Lionel Richie recorded this song first back in the mid-1980s, but this version, which is on Luther's 1994 album of duets called Songs, soars just a little bit higher than the original.
6) "Forever in My Life," Prince
True Prince fans know the Purple One is a master at crafting sexy ballads. And of of his best is "Forever in My Life," in which he puts one woman above all others and talks marriage: I never imagined that love would rain on me, And make me want 2 settle down, Baby it's true, I think I do, And I just wanna tell U that I wanna with U."
7) "If I Ever Fall In Love," Shai
The R&B vocal group Shai came and went pretty quickly back in the early-to-mid 1990s, but they left an indelible mark on music history with this song, which can be found on their debut album, also called If I Ever Fall in Love. Both the original a capella version and the remix of the title track are excellent.
8) "Sweet Love," Anita Baker
What more can be said about this song that hasn't been saide for almost 20 years now? It's a classic - and classy - example of the best R&B has to offer.
9) "No Other Love," Faith Evans
This seductive, slow-winding song is on Evans's debut album, Faith. It's not only my personal favorite on this list, it's also a perfect example of why when she first debuted, some people said Faith would be just as big of a star - if not bigger - than Mary J. Blige.
10) " I Know What Love's All About," Anthony Hamilton
This song, which is on Hamilton's Ain't Nobody Worryin' album, is a testament to the power of true love being able to change people's lives for the better.
