We Owned The 80's: Classic R&B Music.

It's likely no shocker to anyone who reads this blog that I have a peculiar fondness of 1980's era R&B music. It was the last decade when actual musical instruments were still used, songs were routinely about 8 minutes in length, albums only had 6-7 tracks tops, and best of all, there was no such thing as Lil' Wayne "feature". It was just plain ole' good, syrupy soul music, the way it was intended to be. It's little wonder that so many of these songs have been sampled to death.

I recently ran across a mixtape you'll probably like if you share this odd musical fetish. None of the songs on Statik Selektah & Lord Sear Present Open Bar Classics Vol. 1: The 80′s will be new to you if you came of age during The Greatest Decade Evar, but putting all them in the same well-paced 60 minute mix is a #win in and of itself. I mean, seriously, check the track listing.

Jocelyn Brown “Somebody Else’s Guy”
Fatback “I Found Lovin”
Rene & Angela “I Love You More”
The Whatnauts “Help Is On The Way”
Womack & Womack “Baby Im Scared Of You”
Fonda Ray “Over Like a Fat Rat”
Junior “Mama Used to Say”
Central Line “Walking Into Sunshine”
The Jones Girls “Nights Over Egypt”
Patty Austin & Quincy Jones “Betcha Wouldnt Hurt Me”
Donald Byrd “Love Has Come Around”
Gwen Guthrie "Seventh Heaven”
Stevie Wonder “Love Light In Flight”
Slave “Watching You”
Odyssey “Inside Out”
Sylvia Striplin “Give Me Your Love”
Alicia Myers “I Want To Thank You”
Chaka Khan “I Know You, I Live You”
Unlimited Touch “Searching To Find The One”
Jeanette Lady Day “Come Let Me Love You”
Atlantic Star “When Love Calls”
Shalamar “Night to Remember”
Change “The Glow Of Love”
Michael Jackson “Rock With You"

With no filler and minimal shoutouts/random DJ obnoxiousness, this is a tailor made soundtrack for your Memorial Day cookout, breezy Sunday ride, or smoking session obligatory trip down memory lane. And as always, the price it right: It's free.

Stop reading and go download it already.

Question: What's your favorite random 80's R&B song?!?