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Basic search checks titles and artists, not background notes. List year and release year are displayed separately. Recent carryovers are labeled; historical reissues do not reset a release date. Genre tags may be editorial.
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Showing 1-13 of 13.
The Four Tops began in Detroit as the Four Aims, singing jazz songs and standards before their Motown breakthrough. Levi Stubbs, Renaldo Benson, Lawrence Payton and Abdul Fakir formed the original quartet. Work with...
View background statusAnother Holland-Dozier-Holland composition about reconciliation.
View background statusMotown identifies Holland-Dozier-Holland as the writing team behind this Gaye hit. This is a songwriting credit, not autobiographical testimony.
Read background and sourcesReported release: 1965Date needs verification
Motown 150The Motown Museum places this 1965 hit in the group's successful partnership with Holland-Dozier-Holland.
Read background and sourcesMotown identifies this hit with Gaye's creative collaboration with Smokey Robinson; it does not identify a private event behind the lyrics.
Read background and sourcesWritten quickly by Holland-Dozier-Holland to capitalize on their previous hit.
View background statusThis recording brought David Ruffin to the lead microphone and became the group's first U.S. pop number one. The official Motown history treats it as a turning point in their career.
Read background and sourcesWritten by Holland-Dozier-Holland, inspired by the sound of car assembly lines.
View background statusWritten by Smokey Robinson and Warren "Pete" Moore.
View background statusInspired by a dance called "The Jerk."
View background statusWritten by Holland-Dozier-Holland, inspired by a real-life argument.
View background statusReported release: 1965Date needs verification
Motown 150Written by Smokey Robinson, Warren Moore, and Marvin Tarplin.
View background statusMotown identifies this as the 1965 hit that helped establish Wonder beyond his child-performer image and as a growing songwriter.
Read background and sources1960-2025. Each year contains 150 selections.