Top 40 Funk Songs That Shaped Music History

The foundations of funk were laid down in the mid-1960s, when James Brown began to emphasize the first beat of each measure in his stage-tested and frenzy-inducing R&B songs.

Before the decade’s end, other hallmarks of the genre —  the downbeat, the syncopated rhythm, the overall feel of the music — started to shape the defining sound.

In the list below of the Top 40 Funk Songs, which were voted on by the UCR staff, funk takes on various guises, from the earliest R&B detours to the synthesizer and electronic embellishments of the ’80s to the supply of textures and colors provided by genre-leading artists such as Stevie Wonder, Sly and the Family Stone, and George Clinton‘s P-Funk crews. Dive into the deepest, fattest grooves known to mankind.

40. Edwin Starr, “War” (From War & Peace, 1970)

First released by the Temptations on their early 1970 album Psychedelic Shack, “War” was reworked a few months later by cowriter and songwriter Norman Whitfield for Motown singer Edwin Starr. The label was hesitant to release such a politically charged track from their veteran vocal group as a single, leaving Starr’s version to race to No. 1 for three weeks amid growing protests at home as the Vietnam War dragged on.

 

39. Aretha Franklin, “Rock Steady” (From Young, Gifted and Black, 1971)

Aretha Franklin‘s 18th(!) album, Young, Gifted and Black, is one of her most thematically concise LPs, a song cycle of Black pride made at the dawn of the ’70s. Covers include the Beatles‘ “The Long and Winding Road,” Elton John‘s “The Border Song” and Nina Simone’s title track. But the highlight is the Franklin-penned “Rock Steady,” a bottom-heavy soul-funk stroll cut at Miami’s Criteria Studios.

 

38. Sheila E., “The Glamorous Life” (From The Glamorous Life, 1984)

Prince was at an all-time creative and commercial peak in 1984, the year he wrote, coproduced and performed on Sheila E.’s “The Glamorous Life,” a funk-pop showcase for Sheila Escovedo’s prodigious percussion skills. She went on the road with him during his barnstorming Purple Rain tour and later joined his band for the epic Sign ‘O’ the Times shows. “The Glamorous Life” was a Top 10 victory lap for Prince.

 

37. Dr. John, “Right Place Wrong Time” (From In the Right Place, 1973)

With backing from the Meters and lyrical inspiration from peers like Bob Dylan, the first single and stand-in title track to Dr. John‘s sixth album was the New Orleans legend’s only Top 10 single. In the Right Place followed an album of regional favorites, Dr. John’s Gumbo, released in 1972. The self-written “Right Place Wrong Time,” produced by another Big Easy legend, Allen Toussaint, takes a contemporary, funkier direction.

 

36. Kool & the Gang, “Jungle Boogie” (From Wild and Peaceful, 1973)

Kool & the Gang‘s first crossover hit reached No. 4 in 1973 and features a breathless vocal contribution from the New Jersey funk group’s roadie. After the follow-up “Hollywood Swinging” also made the Top 10 a year later, the band was absent from the upper parts of the chart until 1979, when a string of less-funky hits, including the No. 1 “Celebration,” made Kool & the Gang one of the most popular acts of the disco era.

 

35. George Benson, “Give Me the Night” (From Give Me the Night, 1980)

George Benson was already a Grammy-winning artist with a No. 1 album to his name when he released his 18th LP in 1980. The title track to Give Me the Night was produced by Quincy Jones and written by Rod Temperton, both fresh from Michael Jackson‘s Off the Wall. The funk-pop “Give Me the Night,” featuring help from another jazz guitarist, Lee Ritenour, became Benson’s highest-charting pop song at No. 4.

 

34. James Brown, “The Payback” (From The Payback, 1974)

James Brown was one of the last soul giants to contribute music to a blaxploitation film, though the songs never made it to the screen. The producers of 1973’s Hell Up in Harlem dismissed the tracks as “the same old James Brown stuff” and went with a soundtrack by Edwin Starr instead. It was their loss. The Payback, especially its revenge-minded title song, is one of Brown’s best and a hip-hop sample favorite.

 

READ MORE: Stevie Wonder Albums Ranked

 

33. King Floyd, “Groove Me” (From King Floyd, 1970)

New Orleans soul singer King Floyd’s biggest hit, “Groove Me,” was an afterthought from the start. Recorded at the same session that produced Jean Knight’s “Mr. Big STuff” (a No. 2  hit in 1971), “Groove Me” was originally placed on the B-side of another Floyd song, “What Our Love Needs,” before a local DJ flipped it over. The result was a No. 6 single that provided a funk backbone to a pop and R&B classic.

 

32. Cameo, “Word Up!” (From Word Up!, 1986)

Once you see Charlie Blackmon’s bright red codpiece, it’s hard to forget it. The same goes for hearing his group Cameo’s 1986 late-funk classic “Word Up!”: The song’s memorable robotic rhythm and Blackmon’s machine-like vocal delivery elevate it above and beyond the era’s counterparts. Funk music had evolved into a synth-based hybrid of classic and modern soul by the mid-’80s. New York’s Cameo was at the forefront.

 

31. The Gap Band, “You Dropped a Bomb on Me” (From Gap Band IV, 1982)

Tulsa’s Wilson brothers led the Gap Band for more than 40 years, placing seven consecutive Top 10 albums on the R&B chart between 1979 and 1985. They were also regulars on the R&B singles chart with four songs making No. 1. “You Dropped a Bomb on Me” came up one position short in 1982, but the synth-funk dance-floor favorite is their best-loved song, complete with sonic explosions and a rigorous, nonstop beat.

 

30. David Bowie, “Fame” (From Young Americans, 1975)

Tired of playing a rock ‘n’ roll star, David Bowie switched gears in 1975 by recording an album of “plastic soul” songs in New York and Philadelphia, then the center of the eminent Philly soul scene. “Fame,” a skulking, slow-brewing funk number cowritten with John Lennon, who also provides guitar and backing vocals, was his only No. 1 single in the States — an ironic turn of events, given the song’s cynical stance on the subject.

 

29. Kool & the Gang, “Spirit of the Boogie” (From Spirit of the Boogie, 1975)

As with the 1973 hit “Jungle Boogie,” which was reworked as the instrumental “Jungle Jazz” on the 1975 album Spirit of the Boogie, the LP’s title song features Kool & the Gang roadie Donald Boyce making a guest vocal appearance. It follows the group’s playbook — from a chanted refrain to horns and guitar splattered across the musical canvas — almost to a fault, but the nearly five minutes of funk effortlessly fall into place.

 

28. Stevie Wonder, “You Haven’t Done Nothin'” (From Fulfillingness’ First Finale, 1974)

Stevie Wonder’s mid-’70s run was an unmatched period of personal growth, blossoming popularity and rising influence. Fulfillingness’ First Finale is often dismissed as an Innervisions clone, but who’s to complain? Released as a single in early August 1974, just two days before Richard Nixon resigned, the LP highlight “You Haven’t Done Nothin'” condemns the disgraced president. That’s the Jackson 5 on backing vocals.

 

27. KC and the Sunshine Band, “That’s the Way (I Like It)” (From KC and the Sunshine Band, 1975)

KC and the Sunshine Band arrived at the dawn of the disco explosion, funneling popular dance club music into the national mainstream with their catchy, pop-accessible sound. “That’s the Way (I Like It),” the large, multiracial ensemble’s second straight No. 1, doesn’t do much to disguise its sexual undertones, as the back-and-forth cadence pushes the beat to the front and emphasizes the in-time rhythm driving its core.

 

26. The O’Jays, “For the Love of Money” (From Ship Ahoy, 1973)

The O’Jays’ mid-’70s winning streak (which included the breakthrough “Back Stabbers” and the No. 1 “Love Train”) continued with their fourth Top 10, “For the Love of Money.” Cowritten and produced by Philadelphia International architects Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, the track features one of the R&B vocal trio’s funkiest grooves. The album version, which stretches over seven minutes, builds from the bottom up.

 

25. Curtis Mayfield, “Pusherman” (From Super Fly, 1972)

Super Fly‘s song titles say it all: “Freddie’s Dead,” “Junkie Chase,” “No Thing on Me (Cocaine Song).” The streets of the 1972 blaxploitation movie and its classic Curtis Mayfield-created soundtrack are dirty, grimy and filled with hopelessness. “Pusherman” presents a first-person perspective of the streets through the eyes of a dealer who offers an escape from the decay. But don’t be deceived: His is a gateway to hell.

 

24. KC and the Sunshine Band, “Get Down Tonight” (From KC and the Sunshine Band, 1975)

“Get Down Tonight,” the first of KC and the Sunshine Band’s five No. 1 singles, benefited from arriving on the nascent disco scene during its early stage, before Saturday Night Fever made it a mainstream phenomenon. Mixing elements of soul, dance and funk, the large ensemble headed by Harry Wayne Casey survived the wave and then backlash, for a short while at least, to score its last No. 1 as the ’80s dawned.

 

23. Dazz Band, “Let It Whip” (From Keep It Live, 1982)

Dazz Band emerged from Cleveland in the early ’80s, performing a kinetic mix of traditional horns alongside synthesizers and contemporary electronic sounds. Signed to Motown and relatively popular with R&B audiences, the group scored a big breakthrough hit in 1982 with their third album, Keep It Live, a No. 1 on Billboard‘s R&B albums chart, which featured “Let It Whip,” also a No. 1 R&B single and a Top 5 pop hit.

 

22. Rufus, “Tell Me Something Good” (From Rags to Rufus, 1974)

Rufus was a tight but struggling soul band from Chicago (with a powerhouse singer named Chaka Khan) when Stevie Wonder gave them “Tell Me Something Good,” a slinky, devilish funk song that made them famous overnight. Their second album, Rags to Rufus, went to No. 4 on the R&B and pop charts, and “Tell Me Something Good” made it to No. 3 in both rankings. Khan remained with the band until 1982.

 

21. The Isley Brothers, “That Lady” (From 3 + 3, 1973)

The Isley Brothers rode the wave of R&B popularity for more than six decades, starting in the mid-’50s. They were at their peak in the ’70s, when the group added a trio of new members, including younger brother guitarist Ernie, who learned the instrument firsthand from the Isleys’ tour guitarist Jimi Hendrix. “That Lady” was first recorded in 1964, but it’s the scalding 1973 psychedelic funk reworking that merits the attention.

 

20. Prince, “Sign ‘O’ the Times” (From Sign ‘O’ the Times, 1987)

Prince had reordered and scrapped his masterpiece Sign ‘O’ the Times several times on its way to release in 1987. At one time envisioned as a triple album, the final two-LP collection spotlights an artist adept at pop, psychedelia, gospel and soul. Minimalist funk is on display in the harrowing title track, in which Prince runs down a list of mid-’80s concerns, from drugs and AIDS to gang violence and political warfare.

 

READ MORE: Top 25 Soul Albums of the ’70s

 

19. Curtis Mayfield, “Freddie’s Dead” (From Super Fly, 1972)

The first single from the influential Super Fly soundtrack is integral to the film’s narrative as it details and mourns the death of a supporting character. Like other songs on the LP, “Freddie’s Dead” serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of drugs. Though the movie blurs the lines between condemnation and glorification, there’s no mistaking Curtis Mayfield’s intent: “If you wanna be a junkie, wow / Remember Freddie’s dead.”

 

18. The Meters, “Cissy Strut” (From The Meters, 1969)

The Meters became one of the 1970s’ most popular backing bands thanks to their inherent understanding of New Orleans rhythm and blues. Their playing on classic recordings by Dr. John, Labelle and others provided a natural spark. But some of their greatest work can be found on their own records, including the influential “Cissy Strut,” a swampy instrumental that helped shape funk, hip-hop and more in between.

 

17. Stevie Wonder, “Living for the City” (From Innervisions, 1973)

Once he wrestled control of his music and career from his Motown bosses, who had helped groom and shape him for success before he was a teen, Stevie Wonder formed the basis for a half-decade string of classic albums. Innervisions, from 1973, is still a consistent contender on greatest-albums lists. Its centerpiece, “Living for the City,” documents the fall of a hopeful kid over seven increasingly wrenching minutes.

 

16. Rick James, “Super Freak” (From Street Songs, 1981)

Rick James began his musical career in mid-’60s Toronto, playing with Neil Young before moving to Los Angeles by the end of the decade. He played around in several groups during the ’70s before finding his calling as a synth-funk mastermind around the same time Prince was carving out a similar career in the Midwest. “Super Freak,” from 1981’s Street Songs, is a genre bedrock and the gem of James’ catalog.

 

15. George Clinton, “Atomic Dog” (From Computer Games, 1982)

By the end of the ’70s, George Clinton’s P-Funk collective had become grounded after a series of fallouts, legal entanglements and creative fatigue. Clinton released his first solo album, Computer Games, in 1982 with assistance from his former Parliament and Funkadelic bandmates. “Atomic Dog,” reportedly a studio improvisation, is the highlight, blending electronic funk with a stewing mix of gurgling synths and racy imagery.

 

14. James Brown, “Cold Sweat” (From Cold Sweat, 1967)

James Brown laid out the plans for funk with a series of mid-’60s singles that assembled the pieces in their proper places. “Cold Sweat,” from 1967, is at the top of the short list. It has only one chord change, and its dramatic pauses — stops and starts, the synchopated rhythm — anticipated the genre’s bases in just a few years. Drummer Clyde Stubblefield’s break (“Give the drummer some!“) lives on in multiple samples.

 

13. Marvin Gaye, “Got to Give It Up, Part 1” (From Live at the London Palladium, 1977)

Marvin Gaye was no fan of disco music. His longtime label, Motown, had been pushing him to record a song for dance clubs for years; he finally relented with “Got to Give It Up,” a parody of the scene that was tacked on to Side 4 of his double-LP Live at the London Palladium album in 1977. Pared from 12 minutes to four, the groove-centric and funky single unexpectedly gave Gaye his last No. 1 before his 1984 death.

 

12. James Brown, “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag” (From 1965 single)

The foundations of funk music were laid down in 1965, when James Brown released “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag.” Featuring Jimmy Nolen’s distinctive guitar riff, complemented by a nine-piece horn section, the track was immediately influential. It would take most everyone else another few years to catch up to what Brown did on “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag,” deservedly his first Top 10 hit on the pop chart.

 

11. James Brown, “Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine” (From 1970 single)

Most of James Brown’s backing band, who played on his string of ’60s classics, quit in early 1970 after a disagreement regarding their pay. So the Godfather of Soul recruited a new group — including bassist Bootsy Collins and his guitarist brother Catfish — that helped revolutionize soul and funk music in the new decade. “Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine” was one of the first songs they recorded. It was an instant classic.

 

10. Earth, Wind & Fire, “September” (From The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire, Vol. 1, 1978)

Earth, Wind & Fire was a leading force in funk music throughout the ’70s and a consistent presence in the R&B and pop Top 10 for over a decade. They had racked up enough hits by 1978 that one of the two new tracks on their first best-of collection that year reached No. 8 and has become their most enduring song. The celebratory “September” spotlights the very best of the group’s horn-dotted pop, soul and funk.

 

9. Commodores, “Brick House” (From Commodores, 1977)

Before Lionel Richie steered the Commodores to MOR gold, they were an impenetrable funk group from Tuskegee, Alabama. “Brick House” comes from their fifth album, the self-titled Commodores, which was their first Top 10. The subject is a well-proportioned woman, whose measurements are detailed in the song’s mostly insignificant lyrics. The same album’s first single, “Easy,” paved the way for the group’s easy-listening future.

 

8. Parliament, “Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker)” (From Mothership Connection,1975)

By 1975, George Clinton’s double-engined mothership was operating at full speed, with simultaneous records by Funkadelic and Parliament topping the soul charts. The latter’s “Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker)” became their first and biggest crossover hit, as well as one of the most enduring songs from the lineup-sharing P-Funk enterprises. A funk milestone that gave roots to hip-hop in the years to come.

 

7. Curtis Mayfield, “Superfly” (From Super Fly, 1972)

A who’s who of 1970s soul artists tried their hands at blaxploitation soundtracks — James Brown, Marvin Gaye, Isaac Hayes and Curtis Mayfield, who made the best of them with 1972’s Super Fly. The nine-song LP, No. 1 on both the pop and R&B charts, ties together a loosely constructed narrative that outlines the film’s plot. The title tune’s psych-funk character study lays out his plan: “The only game you know is do or die.”

 

READ MORE: Sly & the Family Stone Albums Ranked

 

6. Labelle, “Lady Marmalade” (From Nightbirds, 1974)

“Lady Marmalade”‘s pedigree speaks volumes: cowritten by Bob Crewe, who was behind some of the Four Seasons’ biggest hits, produced by New Orleans legend Allen Toussaint and featuring the Meters’ ace rhythm section. And then there’s Patti LaBelle’s skyscraping vocals, a towering achievement in 1970s pop and soul. “Lady Marmalade” recounts a prostitute’s life-changing impact on her client. It made it to No. 1.

 

5. Sly & the Family Stone, “Family Affair” (From There’s a Riot Goin’ On, 1971)

As the world caved in around Sly Stone in early 1971, he retreated to his bedroom to make There’s a Riot Goin’ On, a textural soundscape from the front lines of the 1960s’ casualties. It wasn’t a pleasant trip; as Stone pushed away his bandmates and increasingly found solace in drugs and his own mind, he created some of his best and most haunting music. “Family Affair”‘s dark, despairing funk hit No. 1; the end was near.

 

4. Isaac Hayes, “Theme From Shaft” (From Shaft, 1971)

Film was a hotbed for funk music during the early part of the 1970s, with soundtracks forming a significant part of the genre’s popularitys. Isaac Hayes began his career at Stax in the ’60s as a writer and producer, but it was his groundbreaking soundtrack for Shaft that made him a household name. The No. 1 album featured “Theme From Shaft,” an influential track with lush strings, wah-wah guitar and Hayes’ deep baritone.

 

3. Funkadelic, “One Nation Under a Groove” (From One Nation Under a Groove, 1978)

Although George Clinton often kept his P-Funk groups in different corners — Funkadelic was the rock side, Parliament the soul half — the 10th LP by the former bled lines more than the dual projects had before. One Nation Under a Groove‘s title track in particular stretched the boundaries of what once set Funkadelic and Parliament apart, latching onto a funk groove and riding it for over seven sweat-drenched minutes.

 

2. Sly & the Family Stone, “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Again)” (From Greatest Hits, 1970)

Referencing earlier songs in their catalog, and released less than four months after their star-making appearance at Woodstock in August 1969, Sly & the Family Stone’s “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Again)” is both a celebration of and vindication for the group and, generally, funk music at the end of the decade. It reached No. 1 and served as the centerpiece of the band’s 1970 Greatest Hits album, a top-notch funk manual.

 

1. Stevie Wonder, “Superstition” (From Talking Book, 1972)

“Superstition” began life during a jam session between Stevie Wonder and Jeff Beck. The British guitarist was recording some tracks for Wonder’s late 1972 album, Talking Book, when Beck proposed the song’s famous drum introduction. Wonder planned to give the song to the guitarist as a gift; when the debut album from Beck, Bogert & Appice was delayed, Motown executives insisted that their 22-year-old star release it as the album’s lead single. “Superstition” became Wonder’s first No. 1 since “Fingertips —Part 2” reached the spot in 1963 and kicked off a productive run of classic albums throughout the ’70s. Beck, Bogert & Appice released their version of the song a year later on their only LP, but it’s Wonder’s funk bedrock that set the tenor for the music going forward.