Throwback Thursday: Anita Baker - "Sweet Love"

With her recently announced Farewell Tour set to take off in March, this week's Thursday Throwback is dedicated to Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Anita Baker. Released in August of 1986, "Sweet Love" was the second single from her second studio album, Rapture. The song, produced by Michael J. Powell and written by Baker along with Louis A. Johnson and Gary Bias, was Baker's first big hit single, peaking at number 2 on the Billboard R&B chart, number 3 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, and number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the fall of 1986. "Sweet Love" would also garner two Grammy's, one for Best R&B Song and the other for Best Female R&B Vocal performance.

Throwback Thursday: Gina Thompson feat. Missy Elliott - The Things You Do (Bad Boy remix)

Famous, in part, for Missy Elliott's catchy “HEE HEE HEE HEE HOW HEE HEE HEE HEE HEE HOW!” line, New Jersey singer Gina Thompson, scored a major hit with the Bad Boy remix to her single "The Things You Do". The remix to the original song, which appeared on Thompson's 1996 debut LP, Nobody Does It Better on Mercury Records, pushed the album to platinum sales.

Throwback Thursday: Frank "Sugar Chile Robinson" with Count Basie

A self-taught jazz pianist and blues singer who became famous as a child prodigy, Detroit born Frank "Sugar Chile" Robinson gained fame playing guest spots at the theater with Lionel Hampton as well as radio tunes with Harry "The Hipster" Gibson. Robinson also appeared as himself in the Hollywood film No Leave, No Love, starring Van Johnson and Keenan Wynn, After performing for the likes of President Truman in 1946 at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner, in 1949 Robinson was given special permission to join the American Federation of Musicians and record his first releases on Capitol Records, "Numbers Boogie" and "Caldonia", both reaching the Billboard R&B chart. Surprisingly, Robinson would leave the music industry at 14 to pursue his education, but not before touring with Count Basie and appearing on television and in a short film ‘Sugar Chile’ Robinson, Billie Holiday, Count Basie and His Sextet’.

Throwback Thursday: Betty Wright - "Clean Up Woman"

From her second studio album, I Love the Way You Love, soul singer Betty Wright scored a Top Ten hit with the guitar-flexing "Clean Up Woman". Written and produced by Clarence Reid and Willie Clarke, "Clean Up Woman" was released in 1971 as a 7" single with "I'll Love You Forever" on the B-side, reaching number six on the U.S. Pop Singles chart—where it stayed for fourteen weeks—and number two on the U.S. Black Singles chart. The heavily sampled "Clean Up Woman" sold over a million copies with the RIAA gold disc awarded on December 30, 1971.

Throwback Thursday: Yarbrough and Peoples - "Don't Stop the Music"

An Adult contemporary duo out of Dallas, Texas, Yarbrough and Peoples hit number one on the 1981 Billboard US R&B chart with the disco-centric and funk-driven single "Don't Stop the Music". Written by Jonah Ellis, Alisa Peoples and Calvin Yarbrough and produced by Ellis and Lonnie Simmons, "Don't Stop the Music", from the Yarbrough and Peoples' 1980 debut album, The Two of Us, also reached #26 on the dance charts, #19 on the Billboard Hot 100 before going gold.

Throwback Thursday: LaToiya Williams - "Fallen Star"

From Snoop Dogg's 2002 album Snoop Dogg Presents... Doggy Style Allstars, Welcome To Tha House Vol. 1, L.A. singer LaToiya Williams scored a minor hit with the P-funk driven, Michael Angelo=produced single "Fallen Star", the first single released from the platinum-selling project.

Throwback Thursday: Millie Jackson - "If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don't Want to Be Right"

From her classic 1974 album Caught Up, Grammy-nominated soul singer Millie Jackson scored a huge hit with the Tom Collins-produced "If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don't Want to Be Right". Originally written by Stax Records songwriters Homer Banks, Carl Hampton and Raymond Jackson for The Emotions and covered by the likes of Luther Ingram, Barbara Mandrell and others over the years, Jackson's version of "If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don't Want to Be Right" received two Grammy nominations.

Throwback Thursday: Keith Washington - "Kissing You"

From his 1991 debut album Make Time for Love, Detroit, MI, singer Keith Washington scored a No. 1 hit with the co-written/produced (along with Trey Stone, Jon Nettlesbey and Terry Coffey) romantic ballad "Kissing You". The single not only spent one week at number one on the U.S. Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, but peaked at number forty on the Billboard Hot 100. "Kissing You" also won a Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul Single, Male.

Throwback Thursday: Total - "What About Us?"

Former Bad Boy trio Total (Kima Raynor, Keisha Spivey, and Pamela Long) scored a hit in 1997 with the Timbaland and Missy Elliott track "What About Us?", the lead single for the soundtrack of the film, Soul Food. The single peaked at #16 on Billboard Hot 100 and #4 on Billboard Hot R&B, giving Total their fifth top ten hit single on the R&B chart and their fourth gold certification.

Throwback Thursday: The Dells - "Oh, What A Night"

Formed in a Harvey, Illinois high school in 1952 as a doo-wop/R&B group by founding members Marvin Junior, Verne Allison, Johnny Funches, Chuck Barksdale, and Mickey and Lucius McGill, under the name the El-Rays (later changed to The Dells), released their first recording in 1954, and two years later, had their first R&B hit with "Oh, What a Night". Produced by Bobby Miller and written by Junior and Funches, the original version of "Oh, What A Night" The Dells' on the Vee Jay label peaked at number four on the R&B singles chart. In 1969, another more refined version was released and reached number ten on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and number one on the Best Selling Soul singles chart. The 1969 version of "Oh, What A Night" was ranked #260 on Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Throwback Thursday: Joe Simon - "Get Down, Get Down (On The Floor)"

Louisiana-born, Grammy award winning soul singer Joe Simon scored a chart-topping hit in 1975 with "Get Down, Get Down", the lead single from his album Get Down. Written and produced by Simon and Raeford Gerald, "Get Down, Get Down (On The Floor)" was huge on the disco circuit at the time. It would be the last of Simon's three number ones on the soul chart and his highest entry on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at number eight.

Throwback Thursday: Beyonce feat. Ghostface Killah - "Summertime" (remix)

Originally released as a B-side to "Crazy in Love" (with guest-star P. Diddy), Beyonce's "Summertime" was later remixed to add the lyrics of Ghostface Killah. Produced by Mario Winans and Diddy, both versions of "Summertime" became hits, peaking at number thirty-five and at number fifty-one respectively on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart in late 2003.

Throwback Thursday: Ruff Endz - "No More"

A duo out of Baltimore, MD, consisting of members David "Davinch" Chance and Dante "Chi" Jordan, Ruff Endz spent a week at the No. 1 spot with their 2000 hit single "No More". The single, produced by Edward "Eddie F." Ferrell & Darren Lighty and written by Ferrell, Lighty and Balewa Muhammad, was the first single released from Ruff Endz' debut album Love Crimes. "No More" remains popular today.

Throwback Thursday: Melanie Fiona - Give It To Me Right

With a new album, Next Train, on the way for 2018, this week's Throwback Thursday is dedicated to the Canadian songstress. Written and produced by Andrea Martin, 'Give It To Me Right' was the lead single from Fiona's 2009 debut album, The Bridge. The single was an immediaite hit, peaking on the on the Canadian Hot 100 at number 20 and later peaking on the U.S. chart at number fifty-seven.

Throwback Thursday: K-Ci & Jo-Jo - "Freek'n You" (remix)

Released as the 1st single to their 3rd album The Show, the After Party, the Hotel, K-Ci & Jo-Jo's "Freek'n You" peaked at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1995. The steamy single was certified gold by the RIAA for sales in excess of 600,000 and given a just-as-steamy, but grittier remix (produced by Mr. Dalvin) with Wu-Tang Clan members Raekwon and Ghostface Killah later in the year.

Throwback Thursday: Mindless Behavior - "Mrs. Right"

Quarter R&B boy band Mindless Behavior (Princeton, Prodigy, Ray Ray and Roc Royal) scored a Top Ten hit with "Ms. Right", the second single from their debut album #1 Girl. Produced by Walter W. Millsap and Candice "Goldie" Nelson and written by Mindless Behavior, Dee1, Rickey Deleon and guest-star Diggy Simmons, "Mrs. Right" peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard R&B singles chart.

Throwback Thursday: Nat King Cole - "When I Fall In Love"

Known worldwide for his classic single "Unforgettable", besides his most revered score, Nat King Cole delivered a slew of hits throughout his epid career. Included amongst them is "When I Fall In Love", which Cole recorded in 1956. Issued by Capitol Records on an LP album entitled Love Is the Thing, "When I Fall In Love" was also used in the movie Istanbul (1957), in which Cole played in the movie and sang the song. The single was released in the UK in 1957, and reached number 2 on the UK singles chart.

Throwback Thursday: 702 - "Where My Girls At?"

Las Vegas twin sisters Irish and Orish Grinstead along with their other sister LeMisha made up the late 90s group 702. The trio scored a No. 1 in 1999 with "Where My Girls At?", the first single from their second studio album 702. Written and produced by Missy Elliott, Eric Seats and Rapture Stewart, "Where My Girls At?" (which was originally made for TLC, who rejected it) went gold immediately after its release and was #46 on Billboard's list of 100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time.

Throwback Thursday: Michael Jackson - "The Way You Make Me Feel"

This past Tuesday would've been the 59th birthday for Michael Jackson. So it only makes sense that we celebrate the late 'King of Pop' with this week's Throwback Thursday video: "Man in the Mirror" from his 1987 album Bad. Produced by Jackson and Quincy Jones and one of a staggering five No. 1 hits from the album, "The Way You Make Me Feel" charted for weeks in the top ten and twenty internationally.

Throwback Thursday: Surface - "The First Time"

New Jersey trio Surface (Bernard Jackson, David Conley and David Townsend), scored a hit in 1991 the romantic ballad "The First Time". Originally recorded by Jackson in 1986, the song was featured on the band's third album 3 Deep and was the first single from the album. "The First Time" hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1991 for two weeks and also spent one week at number one on the U.S. R&B chart as well as two weeks atop the adult contemporary chart.