4 Iconic Songs That Revived the Careers of Veteran Soul Artists in the 1980s

With the launch of MTV in the early 80s, music became a visual experience. The keys to success were a hit song paired with a popular music video. This shift made room for 60s and 70s artists to revive their careers, catering to the generation glued to television. These 4 soul icons were able to step back into the spotlight, reviving their careers with hit songs in the 1980s.

“What’s Love Got To Do With It” by Tina Turner

Ike & Tina Turner had a string of hits in the 1960s and early 1970s. In 1976, Tina left her abusive husband, Ike, and launched a solo career. After four solo albums in the late 70s didn’t gain much traction, Tina Turner revamped her image and catered to a 1980s music video audience. With hair bigger than ever, Turner released her fifth and most successful album, Private Dancer, on May 29, 1984. The album contained seven singles, with the third becoming Tina Turner’s most identifiable song. “What’s Love Got To Do With It” was released as a single that same month, and reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It became Tina Turner’s best-selling song of her career, with over 2,000,000 copies sold. Turner won three Grammy Awards for “What’s Love Got To Do With It,” and successfully revived her career.

“Just The Two Of Us” by Bill Withers

Bill Withers had some success in the 70s, penning a No. 1 hit with “Lean On Me” in 1972. Along with other notable hits, such as “Ain’t No Sunshine” and “Lovely Day,” Withers became a dominant force in R&B. Between 1978 and 1980, there wasn’t much noise from Bill Withers. But a collaboration with saxophonist Grover Washington Jr. brought Withers right back into the spotlight. “Just the Two of Us” was released as a single in February 1981 and peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Instead of supporting a new album, the single was attached to Bill Withers Greatest Hits collection, released in 1981. Previously, the collaboration had been released on Grover Washington Jr.’s 1980 album Winelight. The Greatest Hits release re-established Bill Withers as one of the all-time hit makers. “Just The Two Of Us” won a Grammy for Best R&B Song in 1982.

“Upside Down” by Diana Ross

The former Supremes singer made waves in the 1980s with the release of her eleventh studio album, Diana. The album’s first single release, “Upside Down,” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in September 1980. It sat in the top position for four weeks. “I’m Coming Out” was the second single and peaked at No. 5 on the chart. Though Diana Ross never fully left the spotlight, she was better than ever heading into the 80s. “Upside Down” was Ross’s biggest hit since “I’m Still Waiting” in 1971. Diana peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 and became Diana Ross’ best-selling solo album of her career.

“Freeway Of Love” by Aretha Franklin

In 1985, the Queen of Soul released her highest-charting track in twelve years. “Freeway of Love” featuring saxophonist Clarence Clemons from Bruce Springsteen‘s E Street Band, peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. Additionally, the track topped the Hot Black Singles chart for five weeks. With “Freeway of Love,” Aretha Franklin earned her twelfth Grammy Award for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. Franklin’s 1985 album Who’s Zoomin’ Who? peaked at No. 3 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. In 2017, “Freeway Of Love” was one of the songs performed at Aretha Franklin’s final public performance.