The BEST episodes of Soul Train season 16
Every episode of Soul Train season 16, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Soul Train season 16!
It's the SOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUL TRAIN! Pop music has always had shows like American Bandstand to sing its praises, but R&B music had to wait a while for its own major weekly showcase. Just the same, Soul Train proved to be well worth the wait when it hit the airwaves in the 1970s. This weekly extravaganza, which showed off the latest and greatest in soul music and dance moves, became a national sensation in the mid-1970s and became a pop culture juggernaut that broke new ground for African-American entertainment. Soul Train was the brainchild of radio announcer Don Cornelius. After studying broadcasting in college, Cornelius got a job at WVON, one of Chicago's most popular urban radio stations. During this time, he pondered breaking into television with a dance and music show from an African-American perspective. In 1969, he produced a pilot episode and dubbed it "Soul Train" after a local radio promotion he had done in Chicago. The pilot impressed the Sears Roebuck Company, whic
#1 - Klymaxx/ Club Nouveau/ Bobby Brown
Season 16 - Episode 13 - Aired 12/13/1986
--Bobby Brown - ""Girlfriend"" and ""Girl Next Door"" --Klymaxx ""Divas Need Love Too"" and ""I Still Say Yes"" --Club Nouveau ""Lean on Me"" and ""Why You Treat Me so Bad""
#2 - Nona Hendryx/ Robert Brookins
Season 16 - Episode 25 - Aired 5/2/1987
--Nona Hendryx ""Winds of Change"" and ""Drive Me Wild"" --Robert Brookins ""In the Night"" and ""Our Lives""
#3 - James Cleveland & The Cleveland Singers/ Grace Jones/ The Rose Brothers
Season 16 - Episode 18 - Aired 3/14/1987
--James Cleveland & The Cleveland Singers ""That Will Be Good Enough for Me"" --Grace Jones ""Slave to the Rhythm"" and ""I'm Not Perfect"" --The Rose Brothers ""I Get Off on You""
#4 - Rose Royce/ Chico DeBarge
Season 16 - Episode 19 - Aired 3/21/1987
--Rose Royce ""You're My Piece of Mind"" and ""Lonely Road"" --Chico DeBarge ""Talk to Me"" and ""The Girl Next Door""
#5 - Little Richard/ Miki Howard
Season 16 - Episode 20 - Aired 3/28/1987
--Little Richard ""Tutti Frutti"" --Miki Howard ""Come Share My Love"" and ""Imagination""
#6 - Duran Duran/ Stacy Lattisaw
Season 16 - Episode 21 - Aired 4/4/1987
--Duran Duran ""Skin Trade"" and ""Meet El Presidente"" --Stacy Lattisaw ""Nail it to the Wall"" and ""Jump Into My Life""
#7 - Starpoint/ Shirley Murdock
Season 16 - Episode 22 - Aired 4/11/1987
--Starpoint ""He Wants My Body"" --Shirley Murdock ""As We Lay"" and ""Go On Without You""
#8 - Bunny DeBarge/ The System/ Georgio
Season 16 - Episode 23 - Aired 4/18/1987
--Bunny DeBarge ""Save the Best for Me"" and ""Life begins with You"" --The System ""Don't Disturb this Groove"" --Georgio ""Sex Appeal"" and ""Tina Cherry""
#9 - Howard Hewett/ Donna Allen
Season 16 - Episode 24 - Aired 4/25/1987
--Howard Hewett ""I Commit to Love"" and ""Say Amen"" --Donna Allen ""Serious"" --Donna Allen & Howard Hewitt ""Perfect Timing""
#10 - O'Bryan/ The Beastie Boys
Season 16 - Episode 17 - Aired 3/7/1987
--O'Bryan ""Surrender"" and ""Tenderoni"" --The Beastie Boys ""Posse In Effect"" and ""Brass Monkey""
#11 - Stephanie Mills/ Surface
Season 16 - Episode 26 - Aired 5/9/1987
--Stephanie Mills ""I Feel Good All Over"" and ""You're Putting a Rush on Me"" --Surface ""Happy"" and ""Lately""
#12 - Lillo Thomas/ Rainey Davis
Season 16 - Episode 27 - Aired 5/16/1987
--Lillo Thomas ""I wanna Make Love to You"" and ""I'm in Love"" --Rainey Davis
#13 - R.J.'s Latest Arrival/ James D-Train Williams
Season 16 - Episode 28 - Aired 5/23/1987
--R.J.'s Latest Arrival ""Heaven In Your Arms"" and ""Hold On"" --James ""D-Train"" Williams ""Misunderstanding""
#14 - Robbie Nevil/ Millie Scott
Season 16 - Episode 29 - Aired 5/30/1987
--Robbie Nevil ""C'est la Vie"" and ""What's It to Ya"" --Millie Scott ""Every Little Bit""
#15 - Deniece Williams/ Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam/ Kenny G
Season 16 - Episode 30 - Aired 6/6/1987
--Deniece Williams ""Never Say never"" and ""Water Under the Bridge"" --Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam ""Head to Toe"" --Kenny G ""Songbird""
#16 - The Whispers/ 4 By Four/ Carrie McDowell
Season 16 - Episode 31 - Aired 6/13/1987
--The Whispers ""Rock Steady"" --4 By Four ""Don't Put the Blame on Me"" and ""Want You For My Girlfriend"" --Carrie McDowell ""Prove It"" and ""Uh Uh No No Casual Sex""
#17 - Cheryl Lynn/ Lakeside/ The Cover Girls
Season 16 - Episode 32 - Aired 6/20/1987
--Cheryl Lynn ""If You Were Mine"" and ""Start Over"" --Lakeside ""Shot of Love"" --The Cover Girls ""Spring Love"" and ""Show Me""
#18 - Loose Ends/ George Howard
Season 16 - Episode 16 - Aired 1/3/1987
--Loose Ends ""Slow Down"" and ""Nights of Pleasure"" --George Howard ""Nice Place to be""
#19 - Jody Watley/ Jeff Lorber featuring Karyn White and Michael Jeffries
Season 16 - Episode 15 - Aired 12/27/1986
--Jeff Lorber (Featuring Karyn White and Michael Jefferies) ""Facts of Life"" --Jeff Lorber featuring Karyn White ""True Confessions"" Jody Watley Actually Performed ""Still A Thrill"" and ""Looking For A New Love."" Karyn White was also a Soul Train Dancer for a few years before touring with O'Bryan and Jeff Lorber. In The Performance for ""Looking For A New Love"" Jody puts her dress over a Derek Fox's head in the audience, making it one unforgettable moment in Soul Train History.
#20 - Al Jarreau/ Vesta Williams
Season 16 - Episode 14 - Aired 12/20/1986
--Al Jarreau ""Since I Feel For You"" and ""L is for Love"" --Vesta Williams ""Once Bitten Twice Shy"" and ""Sweet Thang""
#21 - Ready for the World/ Rebbie Jackson
Season 16 - Episode 12 - Aired 12/6/1986
--Ready for the World - ""Love You Down"" and ""Mary Goes Round"" --Rebbie Jackson - ""Reaction"" & ""Ticket to Love"" --Cameo (music video) - ""Word Up!""
#22 - Timex Social Club/ Krystol
Season 16 - Episode 11 - Aired 11/29/1986
--Timex Social Club ""Rumors"" and ""Mixed Up World"" --Krystol ""Passion From a Woman"" and ""Precious, Precious"" --Kool and the Gang (music video) - ""Victory""
#23 - Tribute to Luther Vandross
Season 16 - Episode 10 - Aired 11/22/1986
Soul Train pays tribute to the great soul man himself, LUTHER VANDROSS! They play his hits along with current faves ""Stop to Love"", ""Give Me the Reason"" and ""Wait For Love""
#24 - Anita Baker/ Gregory Abbott
Season 16 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/15/1986
--Anita Baker - ""Sweet Love"", ""Same Ole Love"", and ""Caught Up In The Rapture"" --Gregory Abbott - ""Shake You Down""
#25 - Millie Jackson/ Whodini
Season 16 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/8/1986
--Millie Jackson ""Love is a Dangerous Game"" and ""Hot Wild Unrestricted Crazy Love"" --Whodini performed ""One Love"" and ""Fugitive""