The ultimate diva playlist

She hasn’t been named the Godmother of Soul for nothing. Patti LaBelle has been making music since the '60s, and when she was the lead singer of LaBelle, she scored a No. 1 hit with “Lady Marmalade.” The song was also covered by Christina Aguilera, Mya, P!nk and Lil' Kim in 2001 for the "Moulin Rouge!" soundtrack.

There was a time when artists owned the genres and charts, and Gladys Knight was at the height of it when she was given the name the Empress of Soul. She was once signed to Motown Records but found more success once she signed with a new label. One of her top hits “Midnight Train to Georgia” reached No. 1 on the R&B and Hot 100 charts.

When pop music was on the rise in the late ‘90s, it was partially due to songwriters Max Martin, Andreas Carlsson, and Kristian Lundin. After scoring hits for artists like the Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears, the trio came together for Celine Dion’s 1999 hit “That’s the Way It Is.” The production on this track doesn't stem too far from the trio's signature sound that was heard on other hit songs. 

One of the most prolific artists known from the Motown era is Diana Ross aka The Boss. Once the lead singer of the super girl group The Supremes, Ross knew she could thrive going solo. She worked with Chic members Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers on her top hit “Upside Down.”

Aretha Franklin could sing anything from R&B, gospel and funk, but she will always be known as the Queen of Soul. “Respect” was originally released by Otis Redding in the early ‘60s; however the song became an even bigger hit for Franklin. Her demand of respect for women became a major theme for feminists and the civil rights movement.

Mariah Carey first came onto the scene in 1990 and was known to have a voice of an angel with her signature five-octave range. By the time she released her fifth album, “Daydream,” Carey was working with different writers and producers to round out more of an R&B and hip-hop sound. She made her single “Fantasy” a song that anyone can relate to, as it dealt with having a crush on someone and fantasizing about a future relationship.  

Madonna’s music career started in the ‘80s, and the one thing that always set her apart was her showmanship. She knew how to push the bar on a stage and in music videos. The visual for “Material Girl” showed how much Madonna was inspired by Marilyn Monroe.

In the ‘70s, Gloria Estefan was the lead singer of the band Miami Sound Machine. “Conga” became the group’s first big hit and reached the top 10 in a number of countries.

One of Chaka Khan’s biggest singles “I Feel For You” was a cover to a Prince original. On Chaka’s version it was one of the first songs to crossover pop and hip-hop, as it featured a rap verse from Melle Mel. The song was a No. 1 hit on the dance and R&B charts.

Anita Baker’s deep contralto tone is what stood her apart among fellow artists and inspired future artists like Toni Braxton and Lalah Hathaway. Baker’s  “Sweet Love” became her first big hit and earned her a Grammy Award for Best R&B Song.

On Whitney Houston’s third album, “I’m Your Baby Tonight,” the singer worked with Babyface and L.A. Reid to elevate her sound. The album’s title track had a heavy guitar backing that helped Whitney establish a funkier edge.

Tina Turner’s career started when she met bandleader Ike Turner in the late ‘50s. Although “Proud Mary” was an original song by Creedence Clearwater Revival, Ike and Tina covered the track and it became one of the duo’s signature songs.

In the late ‘90s the world first came to know Beyoncé as one-third of the girl group Destiny’s Child. In 2003 Beyoncé decided to venture into a solo career with her debut album, “Dangerously In Love.” The album’s first single, “Crazy in Love,” helped elevate Beyoncé’s sound with a glaring production of horns and go-go drums.

Cher first came onto the scene as one-half of the duo Sonny & Cher in the ‘60s. The two blended elements of rock, disco and folk before Cher decided to go solo. “If I Could Turn Back Time” helped Cher revive her career as a solo artist and became a top five hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

Mary J. Blige came onto the music scene in the early ‘90s and since then has been deemed as the Queen of Hip-Hop and R&B Soul. Diddy helped break Mary into superstardom as the executive producer on her debut album, and the singer's second single, “Real Love,” was her first top 10 hit.

It’s not always easy being a member of the most famous family in entertainment, the Jacksons. Youngest sibling Janet Jackson wanted to break away and truly find an identity of her own. She did just that on her third album, “Control.” The album’s sixth single, “The Pleasure Principle,” helped showcase Janet, taking the reins of her career into her own hands.

By the time Patti LaBelle decided to go solo, she already had a number of hit songs under her belt. In 1983 she released her sixth solo album, “I’m In Love Again,” and one of the hit singles “If Only You Knew” helped the project reach gold status. LaBelle has the type of voice that can pierce through a listener’s soul, and this track makes for a perfect love jam. 

Gladys Knight is known for her slightly raspy, smooth alto tone. It was evident on her hit single “If I Were Your Woman” where she’s telling a man that he could do so much better if he was with her.

Mariah Carey's 10th album, “The Emancipation of Mimi,” marked a resurgence of her career. After her two previous albums didn’t reach the chart success she was used to, Carey was ready to get her career back on track. She teamed up with her longtime collaborator, Jermaine Dupri, on “We Belong Together,” and the song spent 14 weeks on top of the Billboard Hot 100.

Diana Ross was known for having the breathy and airy voice tone that plenty of singers seem to emulate today. Her signature sound beams on “Love Hangover,” which begins as a mid-tempo song before elevating to a supreme dance track.

Aretha Franklin was always a master at making anthems and persuading listeners to go after what they want. On “Until You Come Back to Me (That’s What I’m Gonna Do),” she’s pleading to her lover to try to make their relationship work.

Chaka Khan started her career in the ‘70s as the lead singer for the band Rufus. “Sweet Thing” was co-written by Khan, and the song was a top five hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

Anita Baker’s love songs helped establish the change in R&B in the ‘80s, what many folks deemed as the "quiet storm" age. “Giving You the Best That I Got” is one of Baker’s most notable songs and earned her two Grammy Awards.

Like many of the divas, Tina Turner started singing at a young age in church. With a career spanning six decades, Turner aka the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll was known for her powerhouse vocals and energetic dance moves in stiletto heels. Her single “What’s Love Got to Do With It” became her biggest hit to date.

For the majority of the ‘90s, Whitney Houston acted in films and contributed to the accompanying soundtracks. After eight years since her last solo album, she released her fourth project, “My Love Is Your Love.” She teamed up with producer Darkchild on the album’s third single, “It’s Not Right but It’s Okay,” a track that became a top five hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

Throughout her career, Madonna has been able to keep up with the changing of the industry’s landscape while staying true to her artistry. Her hit song “Music” beamed with disco and electronic tones and spent five weeks on top of the Dance Club Songs chart.

One of Canada’s most beloved stars, Celine Dion started releasing French albums in the early ‘80s. Once she began to release English-language albums in the '90s, her star of international success began to rise. Her hit song “Because You Loved Me” was written by Diane Warren and in pure Celine fashion helped show off the singer’s high vocal range.

Throughout Cher’s career, her extensive discography spanned over two dozen solo albums. On her hit song “Believe,” Cher moved from her typical pop-rock sound to more of an electro-pop element, and it became a song that was perfect for dance clubs worldwide.

Gloria Estefan released her cover of Vicki Sue Robinson’s “Turn the Beat Around” in the ‘90s. It became one of Estefan’s biggest hits, and she remains known for making music to dance to.

If Mary J. Blige wasn’t releasing songs about love and heartbreak, she was putting out dance tracks. “Family Affair” was the lead single on Mary’s fifth album, “No More Drama,” where she teamed up with producer Dr. Dre to help coin the terms “hateration” and “holleration.”

The second single on Beyoncé’s album “4” was the throwback tune “Love On Top.” The song’s production had elements of classic old school mixed with New Jack Swing but with a modern twist. In the music video, Beyoncé paid homage to New Edition with a dance routine reminiscent of the group's video for "If It Isn't Love." 

On Janet Jackson’s fifth album, “janet.,” the singer gave listeners a peak into her sensual side. She made fans feel comfortable with being sexy and liberated, two themes that beamed on the album’s hit single “That’s The Way Love Goes.”