Here's my thoughts on the top 50 R&B / Soul songs. I'm talking about real R&B, not the crap they call R&B today.

For the uniniated it's a good overview of the genre and you can listen to samples of all the songs:

http://www.thegoodmusicguide.com/2011/01/top-50-rhythm-blues-songs-1950-1980.html

1.Respect-Aretha Franklin
2.(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay-Otis Redding
3.Superstition-Stevie Wonder
4.(You Make Me Feel) Like A Natural Woman-Aretha Franklin
5.War-Edwin Starr
6.(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher-Jackie Wilson
7.I Heard It Through the Grapevine-Marvin Gaye
8.Stand By Me-Ben E. King
9.Ain't No Sunshine-Bill Withers
10.My Girl-The Temptations
11.Gimme Some Lovin'-The Spencer Davis Group
12.Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine-James Brown
13.Lean On Me-Bill Withers
14.Nowhere To Run-Martha & the Vandellas
15.Shout-The Isley Brothers
16.Ain't No Mountain High Enough-Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
17.Dancing In The Street-Martha & the Vandellas
18.I Want You Back-The Jackson Five
19.Wonderful World-Sam Cooke
20.When A Man Loves A Woman-Percy Sledge
21.I Got You (I Feel Good)-James Brown
22.Reach Out I'll Be There-Four Tops
23.Think-Aretha Franklin
24.What's Going On-Marvin Gaye
25.Stoned Love-The Supremes
26.Soul Man-Sam & Dave
27.Try A Little Tenderness-Otis Redding
28.In the Midnight Hour-Wilson Pickett
29.Let's Get It On-Marvin Gaye
30.Busted-Ray Charles
31.Mustang Sally-Wilson Pickett
32.Papa's Got A Brand New Bag-James Brown
33.Isn't She Lovely-Stevie Wonder
34.I Say a Little Prayer-Aretha Franklin
35.Everybody Needs Somebody To Love-Solomon Burke
36.The Dark End of the Street-James Carr
37.Let's Stay Together-Al Green
38.She Caught the Katy-Taj Mahal
39.Land of 1000 Dances-Wilson Pickett
40.Hit The Road Jack-Ray Charles
41.Take Me to the River-Al Green
42.Destination Anywhere-The Marvelettes
43.Under the Boardwalk-The Drifters
44.The Tears of a Clown-Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
45.What'd I Say Parts I & II-Ray Charles
46.Masterblaster (Jammin)-Stevie Wonder
47.A Change Is Gonna Come-Sam Cooke
48.Treat Her Right-Roy Head
49.Lovely Day-Bill Withers
50.I'll Be There-The Jackson Five