by Laura Dunkley

Created on: August 27, 2009

Motown celebrates its 50th birthday this year. As many of us grew up with Motown, it is the soundtrack for much of our youth. This is not about favorites but the most famous songs from Motown or as Berry Gordy called it "Hitsville, USA." The most famous songs of Motown were performed by a handful of artists; these are the songs that are almost always universally recognized, often before the first word has been sung. Think about the opening of a song like "Dancin' in the Streets," the opening bars come on and you know what it is.

Who amongst us, especially those of a certain age cannot recognize the dulcet tones of Marvin Gaye, The lead singers of The Temptations and The Four Tops and Smokey Robinson? Who cannot recognize Diana Ross fronting the Supremes, Michael Jackson leading his brothers, Gladys Knight, Martha Reeves to name a few of the many legends that came out of the Motown studios in Detroit. If not the singers themselves, the formidable song writing skills of Smokey Robinson and Holland-Dozier-Holland have a hand in the making of some of the most popular songs from Motown in the 60's.

What makes a song famous? How popular was it? How easily recognized is it? Longevity? To me, it would be a combination of all three. The most famous songs of Motown have all been on the Billboard Top 10, are easily recognizable and have stood the test of time. The most famous Motown songs are from the labels heyday in the 60's and 70's when artists such as Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, the Four Tops, Diana Ross with and without the Supremes, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, The Isley Brothers, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, Gladys Knight and the Pips, the Jackson Five. If you can name one or more song from these artists, 35 years or more after the original release date, I think they qualify as famous, don't you?

Marvin Gaye: "I Heard it Through the Grapevine," "What's Going On?" "Mercy, Mercy Me."

Stevie Wonder: "Uptight," "Signed, Sealed, Delivered," "You Are the Sunshine of My Life."

The Temps: "My Girl," "Just My Imagination," "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone," "Ain't Too Proud to Beg."

Four Tops: "Reach Out I'll Be There," "Standing in the Shadow of Love," "Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch."

Diana Ross/Supremes: "Stop in the Name of Love," "Baby Love," "Come See About Me."

Smokey Robinson: "Tracks of My Tears," "Tears of a Clown," "Oooo Baby, Baby," "Shop Around."

The Isley Brothers: "Twist and Shout," "This Old Heart of Mine."

Martha Reeves & the Vandellas: "Heat Wave," "Jimmy Mack," "Dancin' in the Street."

Gladys Knight & the Pips: "Midnight Train to Georgia," "Neither One of Us."

Jackson Five: "ABC," "I'll Be There," "I Want You Back."

The Marvelettes: "Please Mr. Postman."

Mary Wells: "My Guy."

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