Musical March Madness

To find a way to celebrate March Madness in another way, I decided to set up brackets and have songs "battle it out" to find a champion. The theme I chose was the #1 R&B Hits from 1987-1996. Now, there were over 260 songs that topped the charts during that time, I weeded out a few less desirable ones (really, who needs to hear George Michael?) and finalized a bracket of 256 songs.

I started the Opening Round yesterday and here's how it went:

"Girlfriend" by Bobby Brown, his first big solo hit, went up against the R. Kelly smash "I believe I can fly" and came up short. R.Kelly advanced to the round of 128.

The 1987 jam by Gladys Knight & The Pips, "Love Overboard" dispatched the 1995 Whitney Houston tune "Exhale (Shoop shoop)". No worries for either Bobby or Whitney as both of them have numerous songs in the bracket.

In a close match up, the late Teddy Pendergrass lost with his hit "Joy", falling to TLC's 1994 jam "Creep".

The rout of the night was when 2Pac's "California Love" destroyed Tevin Campbell's sweet song "Can we talk?". Like Bobby and Whitney, Tevin has more tunes in the bracket still to come.

Another blowout was when Whitney Houston's mega-hit "I will always love you" demolished Babyface's "Tender Lover" to end the evening match ups.

Now, the next match ups:

Freddy Jackson, who has several songs entered, sends his smooth "Love me down" up against R&B veterans The Gap Band, whose only entry is "All of my love". The winner advances to meet the Whitney mega-hit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuDTYIQvU0k
VS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tp16YPRsfF4

Also, Michael Jackson's "The way you make me feel" takes on another Tevin Campbell tune, "Tell me what you want me to do".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzZ_urpj4As
VS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zx5w2ditREo&feature=related

That match up is followed by Oakland's Tony! Toni! Tone! with "It never rains (In southern California)" going up against Shanice's sweet 1991 song "I love your smile".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yNibj8LW-Q
VS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGXxcSdsXJ4