17 Motown Classics That Defined Some of the Greatest Pop Music Ever

I share my thoughts on the best of the Motor City hit machine.

Motown Records, the world-famous label founded by Berry Gordy Jr. in 1959 in Detroit, isn’t just another record label. Despite humble beginnings, it eventually grew into a cultural movement unto itself, enthralling pop music audiences on both sides of the Atlantic. From Michael Jackson and Prince to 90s hip-hop to current hitmakers like Kendrick Lamar and Ariana Grande, Motown continues to cast an impossibly long shadow over songwriting, production, and performance.

The imprint’s influence goes far beyond the music, too. Bringing Black artists into countless American households shaped civil rights conversations and broke down critical barriers that had long stood in the way of racial equality. In several ways, Motown deserves credit for being one of the most transformative cultural forces the United States has ever seen.

This post celebrates the label’s lasting legacy by telling its story through 20 of its best-known songs. It’s by no means an exhaustive list of every great Motown track but rather a primer for anyone searching for a starting point with Hitsville USA’s catalog. As always, if you’re enjoying this content, subscribe to have every future post delivered to your inbox in the prettiest of wrapping paper.

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In chronological order, let’s begin:

1. "Money (That's What I Want)" by Barrett Strong (1959)

In the spirit of holistic storytelling, it’s important to go back to the very beginning and shout out Motown’s first smash hit single, Barrett Strong’s “Money (That’s What I Want).” In less than three minutes, it popularized many of the techniques the label’s stable of talent would reuse over and over again: a strong rhythmic hook, central melodic figure repetition, and the kind of polish that would infuse R&B with mainstream appeal.

The approach worked like a charm. In June 1960, “Money” peaked at No. 2 on the Hot R&B Sides chart (that’s what it was called back then) and No. 23 on the Hot 100. Strong wouldn’t taste the same kind of success again, but the song has lived on through its many covers, including the 1963 version by the Beatles.

Fun fact: That’s Berry Gordy playing the piano and Brian Holland, whose name will appear several times in this post, on the tambourine.

2. "Shop Around" by The Miracles (1960)

Written by Gordy and Motown mainstay Smokey Robinson, “Shop Around” is a significant release for several reasons. It was the label’s first million-selling single (and, by association, the first of many for Robinson), its first R&B chart-topper, where it spent eight weeks at No. 1, and, to that point, its best-performing song on the Hot 100, peaking at No. 2. Lawrence Welk’s “Calcutta,” of all songs, kept them out of the top spot.

“Shop Around” also introduced another recurring element of Motown’s winning formula: doubling down on crooners who could write their own material. Even though the label would eventually boast one of the finest rosters of in-house songwriting talent ever assembled, you could say that Smokey crawled so the likes of Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, and many others could walk and then run like the wind.

3. "Please Mr. Postman" by The Marvelettes (1961)

The men may have kickstarted the movement, but the women earned Motown its first No. 1 hit on the Hot 100. The Marvelettes’ “Please Mr. Postman” is a cute, airy number that’s about as much fun as you can have pining for a boyfriend’s correspondence. Part of that effect comes from the prominent backbeat provided by none other than Gaye, who was biding his time in the studio after his freshman album, The Soulful Moods of Marvin Gaye, flopped commercially.

If you want to talk about paving the way for an early vision of equality, we should acknowledge the path the Marvelettes blazed for girl groups in pop music. Motown would eventually add several similar successes to its roster, including the Supremes, while also popularizing the format where four or more women could turn simple love songs into all-time classics.

From the Spice Girls to TLC to Fifth Harmony, it all starts here.

4. "Stubborn Kind of Fellow" by Marvin Gaye (1962)

Surprisingly, maybe incomprehensibly, Gaye was initially reluctant to record an R&B song for Motown. He was more interested in jazz standards with a pop-centric twist, but after three consecutive singles failed to pan out, he gave in and recorded what would become one of his early signatures, “Stubborn Kind of Fellow.”

After a rapturous opening few seconds, Gaye’s vocals take on a moodier, more melancholic tone, a stylistic well he’d return to repeatedly throughout his career. There’s lust and desire, sure, but there’s also a sadness that makes the tune that much more compelling. “You could hear the man screaming on that tune, you could tell he was hungry,” guitarist Dave Hamilton said later. Hungry for what is the unanswerable question.

5. "Heat Wave" by Martha and the Vandellas (1963)

1963 is significant in Motown history for three simple reasons: Holland-Dozier-Holland. The songwriting trio, consisting of Lamont Dozier and brothers Brian and Eddie Holland, burst onto the scene with a half-dozen hits that year, including “Mickey’s Monkey,” “Can I Get a Witness,” and this exceptional floorfiller, “Heat Wave.”

If any song on this list exemplifies the unfettered joy that can radiate off a Motown joint, it’s this one. It’s bright, it’s striking, and it’s completely infectious from start to finish. I won’t say it’s impossible not to dance to it, but I’ve never seen anyone resist that temptation. The track also earned the Vandellas their sole Grammy nod in 1964, making them the first Motown group to accomplish that feat.

6. "My Guy" by Mary Wells (1964)

When it hit No. 1 on the Hot 100 in May 1964, “My Guy” positioned Mary Wells as Motown’s new female superstar. The brand threw a ton of talent behind her in supporting roles, with Smokey Robinson credited as the track’s writer/producer and the famed Funk Brothers session band providing the instrumental. Bonus points for the smoky vocal outro, where Wells slows the song to a near-crawl without losing any of the song’s momentum.

Her trajectory at Motown is also an instructive use case for how much power the label had accumulated by that point. At the behest of her then-husband, Wells broke her contract shortly after this single became a hit and moved to 20th Century Fox. She assumed that higher record royalties and potential movie deals would elevate her star status even more, but she never ever enjoyed the same level of pop success.

7. "Where Did Our Love Go" by The Supremes (1964)

You can’t talk about the history or significance of Motown without devoting at least one section to the Supremes. Initially a mainstay on Detroit’s sock hop and talent show circuit as the Primettes, the vocal trio of Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson, and Diana Ross burst onto the pop scene with “Where Did Our Love Go,” their first of five consecutive No. 1 singles in the US.

The history behind this track’s creation has been contested over the years. Though Brian Holland insists it was always written with the Supremes in mind, Mary Wilson later said it was initially given to the Marvelettes, who passed on it because of its tempo. When the Supremes got the lyrics, they weren’t convinced, either. Ross was also instructed to sing in a lower register than she typically did in those days, resulting in a huskier, more sensuous performance than she was known for.

Sometimes, it’s the final product that matters, not how you get there.

8. "My Girl" by The Temptations (1965)

If you’re talking pure staying power, the Temptations’ “My Girl” may be the most recognizable Motown song on this list to listeners who are not fully invested in its ecosystem. When the group performed the track at Game 5 of the 2024 MLB NLCS, you could see cutaways to teenagers mouthing along to the lyrics alongside their parents or grandparents. It’s more than simply one of the prettiest pop songs ever written—it brings people together across multiple generations.

Written by Smokey Robinson and Ronald White, the song was meant as a star-making vehicle for David Ruffin, who, until that point, hadn’t sung lead vocal on a Temptations single. “I knew, was like this sleeping giant in this group because he had this--it's sort of like a mellow gruff-sounding voice,” Robinson told NPR. “And all I needed was the right song for his voice and I felt like I would have a smash hit record.” Even with that lofty goal in mind, it was a massive home run that earned the group its first No. 1 on the Hot 100.

9. "Reach Out I'll Be There" by Four Tops (1966)

By 1966, the Motown formula for success was widely regarded as one of the most reliable in American music. Many of the players I’ve discussed already, like Gordy, Robinson, and Holland-Dozier-Holland, had fashioned hits for different artists, all distinctive despite being part of that Motor City sound. But, all that said, “Reach Out I’ll Be There” hits different. It’s the first Motown hit I ever heard that took you on an emotional roller coaster.

Much of the credit for achieving that effect must go to Levi Stubbs. His towering vocal performance is part suave crooning and part gospel-inflected shriek, intentionally hitting the top of his range to “make sure he’d have that cry and hunger and wailing in his voice,” according to the quartet’s founder Abdul Fakir. Amid declarations that he’ll be the love that shelters his true love and will see her through, it remains a timeless anthem about overcoming massive odds.

10. "Uptight (Everything's Alright)" by Stevie Wonder (1966)

I was torn on what Stevie Wonder song to include on this list. I’ve covered records like Innervisions and Songs in the Key of Life before, and serving up a well-known staple like “Superstition” felt too easy. Instead, I’m throwing it all the way back to one of his most popular early singles, one that peaked at No. 3 on the pop charts in 1966, “Uptight (Everything’s Alright).” If nothing else, it offered the world a glimpse of the man who’d blossom into a global superstar.

Though I’m hesitant to call this Wonder’s “breakout” hit, it’s significant in his career arc for a couple of reasons. It was the first Motown single on which he had a writing credit and was proof that he was a commercially viable artist even as he was growing out of the boy phenom sound of “Fingertips.” His voice floats effortlessly over that fast-paced groove, featuring label vets Benny Benjamin and James Jamerson on drums and bass, respectively.

11. "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" by Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell (1967)

I don’t have to tell you this one remains one of the most beloved duets in pop history, right? It’s sweet, earnest, and, most importantly, the writing and arrangement are meticulous. On the surface, it’s a simple-sounding track, but, if you consider the different elements in play, it’s impressive how tight the production and performances are. The overlapping vocals never trip over each other, nor does the groove ever drown them out. “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” pop music in a pure nirvana state.

It must’ve given off smash-hit vibes on paper because it was highly sought-after material. The song was penned by Ashford and Simpson, later known for their disco and R&B hits as a duo before they joined Motown as staff writers. They even rejected Dusty Springfield’s attempt to record it, holding out for a chance at an “in” with the Motor City machine. The results ushered in plenty of other Ashford and Simpson duets, including “You’re All I Need to Get By” and “Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing.”

Years later, it also helped a high school in a Disney movie solve racism, so it has that going for it, too.

12. "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" by Gladys Knight & the Pips (1967)

Not the artist you were expecting when you read the song's name? That’s fair, but, at the same time, it doesn’t mean this version isn’t crucial to Motown’s legacy. I’ve written about Marvin Gaye’s take on “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” previously, so if you’re interested in my thoughts, click over to that article. Maybe this will be a slightly hot take, but, after listening to it multiple times as I bang out this section, I think the Gladys iteration stands above the rest quality-wise.

Norman Whitfield, one of the co-writers alongside Barrett Strong, built an arrangement that nipped at the heels of Aretha Franklin’s version of “Respect,” attempting to “out-funk” the Queen of Soul. The lyrics were changed too, fashioning a gender-swapped and, for me, stronger opening line (”Take a good look at these tears in my eyes/Baby, these tears I can't hold inside”). Sprinkle a little Latin flavor and bluesy grit, and you’ve got a fantastic entry in the Motown canon.

13. "I Want You Back" by The Jackson 5 (1969)

Alright, let’s do this. Let’s have the Michael Jackson conversation, albeit briefly. He recorded the lead vocal for “I Want You Back” when he was 11 years old. I’m not sure if anyone’s ever willed a song to No. 1 on the Hot 100 at a younger age (maybe a reality show contestant I’m forgetting about), but, to be that age and have such a commanding, fully-formed presence as a performer, is nothing short of mesmerizing. Strictly musically, he was a one-of-one talent.

Then you have the instrumental, which is incredible on its own. Gordy brought in veteran session players to lay down one of the most memorable grooves ever recorded, featuring Crusaders member Wilton Felder on bass and David T. Walker on rhythm guitar. And, of course, you have Jackson’s brothers—Tito, Jackie, Jermaine, and Marlon—supporting him with impossibly bright harmonizing. After it topped the singles chart, plenty of R&B tried to sound like “I Want You Back.”

A few more eyebrow-raising facts about the Jackson 5:

• They were the first group ever to debut with four consecutive No. 1 hits, with “ABC,” “The Love You Save,” and “I’ll Be There” following this one.

• They notched 17 (!) Top 40 singles in just five years before leaving Motown for Epic Records in 1976 (they would change their name to the Jacksons).

• Worldwide, “I Want You Back” has sold over six million records.

14. "War" by Edwin Starr (1970)

Here’s something Motown wasn’t in the beginning: political. Berry Gordy was adamant that the label’s artists couldn’t be taking stances on potentially divisive topics. In his eyes, why alienate potential record and concert ticket buyers? But, after pressure from some of Motown’s biggest names, that tide began to turn with hits like the indefatigable Whitfield-Strong anti-Vietnam anthem, “War.”

The original version of the song was recorded by the Temptations, with Paul Williams and Dennis Edwards sharing lead vocal duties. However, after repeated external requests to release it as a single, Motown instead went to Edwin Starr, a singer who, to that point, hadn’t made a significant dent in the Top 40. “War” changed all that, becoming his only No. 1 hit released before his death in 2003. By sales and licensing numbers alone, it’s among the most popular protest songs ever.

15. "What's Going On" by Marvin Gaye (1971)

At the dawn of the 1970s, Marvin Gaye’s career was on the rocks. His marriage to Anna Gordy, Berry’s sister, was failing, his drug dependency was at unprecedented levels, and his singing partner, Tammi Terrell, died of a brain tumor. Following a suicide attempt and a subsequent spiritual reawakening, Gaye changed the face of soul and R&B with the socially conscious, profoundly moving “What’s Going On.”

As with most seismic cultural shifts, the world wasn’t ready for it, particularly within Motown’s hallowed halls. Gordy supposedly hated the song when he first heard it and was one of several voices who tried to talk Gaye out of taking this musical direction. Then-executives Harry Balk and Barney Ales eventually went behind Gordy’s back and shipped 100,000 copies of the single in January. The demand was instantaneous, forcing Gordy’s hand and giving Gaye creative control over a parent album he recorded in just 30 days.

Moral of the story: Stick to your guns, friends. Dare to be different.

16. "All Night Long (All Night)" by Lionel Richie (1983)

An underrated part of Motown’s legacy is its resilience. Though its heyday was during the second half of the 60s and most of the 70s, the hit factory proved it had staying power into the 80s and 90s by scoring some global smashes, including Lionel Richie’s “All Night Long,” the Caribbean-leaning jam that went to No. 1 in nine different countries, including the US and Canada.

For a track with such an easy-going energy about it, Richie struggled with its now-iconic hook. As he told GQ, “Now I have this song, 'Well, my friends the time has come to raise the roof and have some fun,' that's great. 'Karamu, fiesta, forever — come on and sing along. Da-da-da-da…' I don’t have a hook […] it took me probably another month of just walking around my house and everywhere trying to find out what is the hook to 'come on and sing along?' I’ve got to give you the sing-along.”

Needless to say, I think he delivered.

17. "End of the Road" by Boyz II Men (1992)

Let’s close this list out with a nod to Boyz II Men, a group that gets slept on far too often. The fact is that they were incredibly popular in the early-to-mid 90s—like, setting Billboard Hot 100 records popular. Released as a single from the Boomerang film soundtrack (a terrific 90s time capsule in and of itself), “End of the Road” would eventually stay at No. 1 for 13 consecutive weeks, a feat that set a new standard for modern R&B.

Well, at least strategy-wise it was modern. What’s so interesting about “End of the Road” is how anachronistic it sounds now. The throbbing vocal harmonies are more reminiscent of 50s doo-wop than anything else, featuring heartbroken lyrics that are both deeply felt and polished to a bright sparkle. Younger generations are also waking up to its greatness, with over 328 million views on YouTube alone as of this writing.

Fun fact: This was also my DJ set closer for many years. I miss the reactions I’d get when I played it and everyone tried to hang on for one final drink or make-out session.

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Which Motown song is your favorite? Sound off in the comments!