10 funkiest songs of 1980

A few very famous funk anthems lead this list but  stick around. If I turn you on to Defunkt and Junie Morrison my work here is done.

1
Zapp : More Bounce To The Ounce

Dayton Ohio's Zapp recorded the funkiest song of the year, a #2 hit on the R+B charts.

2
The Gap Band: I Don't Believe You Want To Get Up And Dance 

Oops Upside Your head! Inspired by his cousin Bootsy Collins (ding!), The Gap Band's Charlie Wilson pays tribute to the P-Funk sound with an unforgettable anthem.

3 

Prince : Head

Prince's song about oral sex just might be the funkiest song he ever recorded.

4 
Defunkt : Strangling Me With You Love

Funk meet jazz with a side order of punk. Partially responsible for the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

5 
Fatback: Gotta Get My Hands On Some Money

A #6 R+B hit for this NYC funk outfit. Even features some old skool rap.

6
Cameo : Throw It Down

Aaron Mills's pulsating bass gets the lead off track from Feel Me on he list. 

7

Sweat Band : Freak to Freak

When Bootsy Collins (ding!) lost the name Rubber Band in a lawsuit, he changed the band's name to Sweat and invited all of his P-Funk friends to the party.

9

Bootsy Collins : Fat Cat

The Sweat Band sessions also lead to Ultra Wave, Bootsy's ( ding!) solo album.

9
Con Funk Shun : Got To Be Enough

This #8 R +B hit also got a lot of play at the disco for obvious reasons. It makes the list for the bass line by Cedric Martin. 

10
Junie Morrison : Love Has Taken Me Over (Be My Baby)

The musical director of P-Funk recorded this Bread Alone track in 1980. De La Soul sampled the solo on "Me Myself and I". 

The electrifying Zapp records 1980's funkiest song

Zapp : More Bounce to the Ounce

[Purchase]

In July of 1980, Zapp released its self-titled debut album, featuring the year's funkiest groove in the single "More Bounce To The Ounce", a #2 hit on the R+B charts that peaked at  #86 on the Hot 100. The album is produced by Zapp founder Roger Troutman and Bootsy Collins, who says George Clinton played a role in the hit single:

George Clinton just happened to step into the studio this night and he really liked this one part that we had already re-did on 'Funky Bounce'. He advised us to loop that section and put the other talk-box parts over it. At that time, this was considered a genius act, because you had to actually cut the tape and make the right cut, line it up and loop it. So let us not forget that Dr. Funkenstein was way ahead of his time as well.

The song has been sampled by many West Coast rappers including "California Love" by 2Pac & Dr. Dre, "Snoop Bounce" by Snoop Doggy Dogg, "Going Back to Cali" by Notorious B.I.G , "The Nigga Ya Love to Hate" by Ice Cube and eventually in "Uptown Funk" by Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars .