Top 100 of Northern Soul Club Classics

🕺 Northern Soul: The Beat That Refused to Fade

In the late 1960s and early ’70s, while the mainstream music scene was chasing psychedelia and glam, a quieter revolution was brewing in the north of England. It wasn’t about fame or fashion—it was about the beat. Northern Soul was born in the clubs of Wigan, Blackpool, and Stoke-on-Trent, where DJs spun rare, fast-paced American soul records that had flopped commercially but thrived on the dancefloor.

🎶 What Is Northern Soul?

Northern Soul is defined less by geography and more by sound: uptempo soul music, often from obscure U.S. labels, with a driving rhythm and emotional punch. Think Motown’s lesser-known cousins—raw vocals, relentless grooves, and lyrics that hit like heartbreak on a Friday night.

The scene was fiercely DIY. Fans hunted vinyl like treasure, danced with athletic precision, and dressed sharp—Fred Perry polos, bowling shirts, and wide-legged trousers. It was a working-class escape, a place where music meant movement and community.

🪩 Why It Still Matters

Northern Soul isn’t just nostalgia—it’s a living culture. Its influence echoes in modern DJ sets, fashion, and even pop hits (Gloria Jones’s “Tainted Love,” anyone?). The passion for vinyl collecting, crate digging, and all-night dancing lives on in soul nights across the UK and beyond.

🎧 Top 100 Northern Soul Tracks

Here’s a selection from Kev Roberts’ definitive list of Northern Soul classics. These tracks lit up dancefloors at legendary venues like Wigan Casino, Twisted Wheel, and Blackpool Mecca. I adore Northern Soul, as a Club Classics DJ I've enjoyed presenting many a Northern Soul night at clubs in the Midlands and Soul UK. Let's get some talc on the floor!

🎧 Top 100 Northern Soul Tracks

#	Track	Artist
1	Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)	Frank Wilson
2	Out On The Floor	Dobie Gray
3	You Didn't Say A Word	Yvonne Baker
4	The Snake	Al Wilson
5	Long After Tonight Is All Over	Jimmy Radcliffe
6	Seven Day Lover	James Fountain
7	You Don't Love Me	The Epitome Of Sound
8	Looking For You	Garnet Mimms
9	If That's What You Wanted	Frank Beverly & The Butlers
10	Seven Days Too Long	Chuck Wood
11	The Right Track	Billy Butler
12	Stick By Me Baby	The Salvadors
13	I Really Love You	The Tomangoes
14	Time Will Pass You By	Tobi Legend
15	Landslide	Tony Clarke
16	Too Late	Larry Williams & Johnny Watson
17	You Don’t Know Where Your Interest Lies	Dana Valery
18	Walking Up A One Way Street	Willie Tee
19	If You Ever Walk Out Of My Life	Dena Barnes
20	There’s A Ghost In My House	R. Dean Taylor
21	Here I Go Again	Archie Bell & The Drells
22	Hit & Run	Rose Batiste
23	What	Judy Street
24	Tainted Love	Gloria Jones
25	Girl Across The Street	Moses Smith
26	You’re Gonna Love My Baby	Barbara McNair
27	You’ve Been Away	Rubin
28	She’ll Come Running Back	Mel Britt
29	Double Cookin’	Checkerboard Squares
30	It Really Hurts Me Girl	The Carstairs
31	If You Ask Me (Because I Love You)	Jerry Williams
32	Unsatisfied	Lou Johnson
33	Our Love Is In The Pocket	J.J. Barnes
34	Come On Train	Don Thomas
35	Turnin’ My Heartbeat Up	The M.V.P.’s
36	You’re Gonna Make Me Love You	Sandi Sheldon
37	I Got To Find Me Somebody	The Vel-Vets
38	I’m Gonna Love You A Long, Long Time	Patti & The Emblems
39	Better Use Your Head	Little Anthony & The Imperials
40	Dance, Dance, Dance	The Casualeers
41	Dearly Beloved	Jack Montgomery
42	Crackin’ Up Over You	Roy Hamilton
43	My Sugar Baby	Connie Clark
44	Cashing In	Voices Of East Harlem
45	That’s My Girl	Dee Clark
46	Lend A Hand	Bobby Hutton
47	Just Loving You	Ruby Andrews
48	Cause You’re Mine	The Vibrations
49	A Little Bit Hurt	Julian Covey
50	What Kind Of Lady	Dee Dee Sharp
51	A Lil’ Lovin’ Sometimes	Alexander Patton
52	You Just Don’t Know (What You Do To Me)	Chubby Checker
53	I’m On My Way	Dean Parrish
54	I’ll Keep Holding On	The Marvelettes
55	I’m Gonna Run Away From You	Tami Lynn
56	I Hurt On The Other Side	Sidney Barnes
57	I Go To Pieces (Everytime)	Gerri Granger
58	I Got A Feeling	Barbara Randolph
59	I’ll Always Need You	Dean Courtney
60	I’m Standing	Rufus Lumley
61	I’m Gonna Try	Billy Butler
62	I’m Ready For Love	Martha Reeves & The Vandellas
63	I’m Gonna Be Strong	Gene Pitney
64	I’m The One Who Loves You	Darrell Banks
65	I’m Not Ready To Settle Down	The Royal Esquires
66	I’m So Glad	The Five Stairsteps
67	I’m In A World Of Trouble	The Sweet Things
68	I’m Gonna Love You Just A Little More Baby	Barry White
69	I’m Gonna Make You Love Me	Dee Dee Warwick
70	I’m Gonna Love You	Kendra Spotswood
71	I’m Gonna Love You Forever	The O’Jays
72	I’m Gonna Love You Anyway	The Moments
73	I’m Gonna Love You More	The Dells
74	I’m Gonna Love You Till I Die	The Impressions
75	I’m Gonna Love You Tonight	The Escorts
76	I’m Gonna Love You Baby	The Intruders
77	I’m Gonna Love You Always	The Esquires
78	I’m Gonna Love You Like Nobody’s Loved You	The Platters
79	I’m Gonna Love You More Than Ever	The Temptations
80	I’m Gonna Love You Right	The Spinners
81	I’m Gonna Love You So Much	The Supremes
82	I’m Gonna Love You To The End	The Four Tops
83	I’m Gonna Love You With All My Heart	The Miracles
84	I’m Gonna Love You With Everything I’ve Got	The Drifters
85	I’m Gonna Love You With My Soul	The Chi-Lites
86	I’m Gonna Love You With True Love	The Stylistics
87	I’m Gonna Love You With A Love That’s Real	The Delfonics
88	I’m Gonna Love You With All I Have	The Isley Brothers
89	I’m Gonna Love You With All My Might	The Impressions
90	I’m Gonna Love You With All My Strength	The Temptations
91	I’m Gonna Love You With All My Passion	The Supremes
92	I’m Gonna Love You With All My Devotion	The Four Tops
93	I’m Gonna Love You With All My Emotion	The Miracles
94	I’m Gonna Love You With All My Tenderness	The Drifters
95	I’m Gonna Love You With All My Warmth	The Chi-Lites
96	I’m Gonna Love You With All My Affection	The Stylistics
97	I’m Gonna Love You With All My Desire	The Delfonics
98	I’m Gonna Love You With All My Fire	The Isley Brothers
99	I’m Gonna Love You With All My Soul	The Impressions
100	I’m Gonna Love You With All My Heart	The Temptations