Motown’s Top 10: Songwriter Smokey

To celebrate the Motown icon William “Smokey” Robinson, here are his biggest hits – but for others. These are the highest-charted songs written (or co-written) by him, as recorded by both Motown and non-Motown artists. In other words, this Top 10 excludes hits by his group, the Miracles, and by himself as a solo star.

The countdown is based on each record’s chart peak on the Billboard Hot 100, with ties broken by weeks in the Top 10. (If that doesn’t produce a winner, then the number of weeks on the Hot 100 does the trick.)

This also marks the debut of Motown’s Top 10, a regular feature which will appear every month through 2019 to celebrate the achievements of Hitsville U.S.A.

Motown’s Top 10: Songwriter Smokey

Things you need to know. This time: Smokey’s biggest songs by others (ranked by chart peak on the Billboard Hot 100, ties broken by weeks in Top 10/Top 40)

1) My Guy – Mary Wells (1) 1964

2) My Girl – The Temptations (1) 1965

3) Shop Around – The Captain & Tennille (4) 1976

4) Get Ready – Rare Earth (4) 1970

5) The Way You Do The Things You Do – Ub40 (6) 1990

6) Ooo Baby Baby – Linda Ronstadt (7) 1979

7) Two Lovers – Mary Wells (7) 1963

8) Don’t Mess With Bill – The Marvelettes (7) 1966

9) Ain’t That Peculiar – Marvin Gaye (8) 1965

10) The One Who Really Loves You – Mary Wells (8) 1962