1990 by The Temptations

1990

by The Temptations

Released: December 07, 1973

Soul, funk, psychedelic soul

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Why This Album Matters

This album matters because its strongest editorial story is: Experimental Album.

01

The Album

Despite this shift, the record captures the same soulful essence that has endeared The Temptations to fans across generations. The album "1990" by The Temptations was released on December 7, 1973, under the record label 'Gordy', which is a subsidiary of the iconic Motown Records. This makes it a significant album in the history of The Temptations.

Stories and details

Interesting Facts

The "1990" album features a futurist's view of…

The "1990" album features a futurist's view of the world, drawing on themes from science fiction.

Other notable tracks from the album include "Run…

Other notable tracks from the album include "Run Charlie Run," "Ain't No Justice," and "I Need You," each showcasing the group's powerful and emotive vocals backed by instrumental arrangements.

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Essential Tracks

01

Let Your Hair Down

It is Danie's departure from psychedelic soul, although the title track, "1990" – a Norman Whitfield-produced psychedelic soul epic about worldwide political turmoil expected to occur in 1990 – ironically provides an extension of The Temptations' earlier Whitfield-produced records, such as 1971's "Sky's the Limit." The most successful tracks from the album were "Let Your Hair Down" and "Heavenly," both of which reached the top ten of Billboard’s Hot R&B singles chart, with the former becoming The Temptations final R&B number-one hit.

02

I Need You

Other notable tracks from the album include "Run Charlie Run," "Ain't No Justice," and "I Need You," each showcasing the group's powerful and emotive vocals backed by instrumental arrangements.

03

Heavenly

It is Danie's departure from psychedelic soul, although the title track, "1990" – a Norman Whitfield-produced psychedelic soul epic about worldwide political turmoil expected to occur in 1990 – ironically provides an extension of The Temptations' earlier Whitfield-produced records, such as 1971's "Sky's the Limit." The most successful tracks from the album were "Let Your Hair Down" and "Heavenly," both of which reached the top ten of Billboard’s Hot R&B singles chart, with the former becoming The Temptations final R&B number-one hit.

04

Ain't No Justice

Other notable tracks from the album include "Run Charlie Run," "Ain't No Justice," and "I Need You," each showcasing the group's powerful and emotive vocals backed by instrumental arrangements.

05

1990

It is Danie's departure from psychedelic soul, although the title track, "1990" – a Norman Whitfield-produced psychedelic soul epic about worldwide political turmoil expected to occur in 1990 – ironically provides an extension of The Temptations' earlier Whitfield-produced records, such as 1971's "Sky's the Limit." The most successful tracks from the album were "Let Your Hair Down" and "Heavenly," both of which reached the top ten of Billboard’s Hot R&B singles chart, with the former becoming The Temptations final R&B number-one hit.

Then

Reception

It is Danie's departure from psychedelic soul, although the title track, "1990" – a Norman Whitfield-produced psychedelic soul epic about worldwide political turmoil expected to occur in 1990 – ironically provides an extension of The Temptations' earlier Whitfield-produced records, such as 1971's "Sky's the Limit." The most successful tracks from the album were "Let Your Hair Down" and "Heavenly," both of which reached the top ten of Billboard’s Hot R&B singles chart, with the former becoming The Temptations final R&B number-one hit. The album contains nine songs and is the final Temptations LP to feature the group's original lead singer, Dennis Edwards, and the last to feature top-ten hit songs on the Billboard Hot R&B singles chart.

Now

Legacy

The album "1990" is regarded as a clear sonic divergence for The Temptations, marking a change in the group's dynamic as they strayed from their former signature psychedelic soul sound.

Full background

The Complete Album Story

The album "1990" by The Temptations was released on December 7, 1973, under the record label 'Gordy', which is a subsidiary of the iconic Motown Records. The album contains nine songs and is the final Temptations LP to feature the group's original lead singer, Dennis Edwards, and the last to feature top-ten hit songs on the Billboard Hot R&B singles chart. This makes it a significant album in the history of The Temptations.

The "1990" album features a futurist's view of the world, drawing on themes from science fiction. It is Danie's departure from psychedelic soul, although the title track, "1990" – a Norman Whitfield-produced psychedelic soul epic about worldwide political turmoil expected to occur in 1990 – ironically provides an extension of The Temptations' earlier Whitfield-produced records, such as 1971's "Sky's the Limit."

The most successful tracks from the album were "Let Your Hair Down" and "Heavenly," both of which reached the top ten of Billboard’s Hot R&B singles chart, with the former becoming The Temptations final R&B number-one hit. Other notable tracks from the album include "Run Charlie Run," "Ain't No Justice," and "I Need You," each showcasing the group's powerful and emotive vocals backed by instrumental arrangements.

The album "1990" is regarded as a clear sonic divergence for The Temptations, marking a change in the group's dynamic as they strayed from their former signature psychedelic soul sound. Despite this shift, the record captures the same soulful essence that has endeared The Temptations to fans across generations.

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