Murzyński kwintet wokalny założony w 1968 r. przez członków filadelfijskich zespołów The Monarchs i The Percussions. W skład grupy weszli Russell Thompkins Jnr (ur. 21.03.1951 r.), Airrion Love (ur. 8.08.1949 r.), James Dunn (ur. 4.02.1950 r.), wszyscy z Filadelfii w stanie Pensylwania, oraz James Smith (ur. 16.06.1950 r. w Nowym Jorku, USA) i Herbie Murrell (ur. 27.04.1949 r. w Lane w stanie Południowa Karolina).
Pierwszy singel grupy, „You Are A Big Girl Now", wydała lokalna, niezależna wytwórnia Sebring. Firma Avco wykupiła szybko nakład, wypromowała nagranie na listy przebojów i przekazała grupę pod muzyczny nadzór kompozytora i producenta Thoma Bella, twórcy przebojowego brzmienia grupy The Delfonics. Utalentowany promotor szybko zorientował się, że nowi podopieczni sprawdzą się najlepiej w lirycznym soulu. Wraz z autorką tekstów Lindą Creed skomponował dla The Stylistics serię chwytliwych tematów („You Are Everything", „Betcha By Golly Wow", ,,I'm Stone In Love With You"), goszczących na listach przebojów w latach 1971-1972.
Wszystkie cechowała namiętna wokaliza Thompkinsa, wspomagana wielogłosem i równie oszczędną, co pomysłową instrumentacją. W 1974 r. temat „You Make Me Feel Brand New" wszedł na drugą pozycję list brytyjskiej i amerykańskiej. Wkrótce potem grupa zaprzestała współpracy z Bellem, skłaniając się ku łatwiejszemu repertuarowi. Aranżacje Vana McCoya zamieniły słodycz w sacharynę, materiał stawał się coraz bardziej jednostajny, zaś niegdyś wzruszający falset Thompkinsa raził sztucznością.
Pomimo spadku popularności w USA, zespół odnosił spore sukcesy w Wielkiej Brytanii (single „Sing Baby Sing", „Can't Give You Anything (But My Love)" oba z 1975 r. i „16 Bars" z 1976 r., oraz kompilacyjny album The Best Of The Stylistics). Puryści uznali jednak nowy repertuar za parodię dawnego brzmienia The Stylistics.
W 1978 r. Dunn musiał z przyczyn zdrowotnych opuścić grupę. Po odejściu z Avco kwartet nagrywał przez krótki okres dla wytwórni Mercury, a w 1980 r. podpisał kontrakt z TSOP/Philadelphia International. Nowe nagrania nawiązywały znów do najlepszych dni, lecz tym razem barierą okazały się finansowo-prawne problemy wytwórni. Późniejsze płyty, rejestrowane dla firmy Streetwise, pojawiały się sporadycznie na listach rhythm'n'bluesowych, ale złote lata zespołu przeminęły bezpowrotnie.
Single | ||||||
| Tytuł | Wykonawca | Data wydania | UK | US | Wytwórnia [US] | Komentarz |
| You' re a big girl now/Let the junkie bust the pusher | Stylistics | 01.1971 | - | 73[7] | Avco Embassy 4555 | [written by Marty Bryant, Robert Douglas][produced by Marty Bryant, Bill Perry][7[15].R&B Chart] |
| Stop ,look,listen [To your heart]/If i love you | Stylistics | 06.1971 | - | 39[16] | Avco Embassy 4572 | [written by Linda Creed, Thom Bell][produced by Thom Bell][6[12].R&B Chart] |
| You are everything/Country living | Stylistics | 11.1971 | - | 9[16] | Avco 4581 | [gold-US][written by Linda Creed, Thom Bell][produced by Thom Bell][10[17].R&B Chart] |
| Betcha by golly,wow/Ebony eyes | Stylistics feat Russell Thompkins | 02.1972 | 13[12] | 3[16] | Avco 4591 | [gold-US][written by Linda Creed, Thom Bell][produced by Thom Bell][2[13].R&B Chart] |
| People make the world go round/Point of no return | Stylistics | 06.1972 | - | 25[11] | Avco 4595 | [written by Linda Creed, Thom Bell][produced by Thom Bell][6[10].R&B Chart] |
| I' m stone in love with you/Make it last | Stylistics | 10.1972 | 9[10] | 10[13] | Avco 4603 | [gold-US][written by Linda Creed,Anthony Ball Thom Bell][produced by Thom Bell][4[15].R&B Chart] |
| Break up to make up/You and me | Stylistics | 02.1973 | 34[5] | 5[14] | Avco 4611 | [gold-US][written by Linda Creed,Kenny Gamble Thom Bell][produced by Thom Bell][5[11].R&B Chart] |
| You' ll never get to heaven [If you break my heart]/If you don't watch out | Stylistics | 05.1973 | 24[9][12.76] | 23[10] | Avco 4618 | [written by B.Bacharach & H.David][produced by Thom Bell][8[9].R&B Chart] |
| Peek -a-boo | Stylistics | 07.1973 | 35[6] | - | Avco 6105 023 [UK] | [written by George David Weiss,Hugo E. Peretti,Luigi Creatore,Guess, Knox][produced by Hugo E. Peretti,Luigi Creatore] |
| Rockin' roll baby/Pieces | Stylistics | 10.1973 | 6[9] | 14[18] | Avco 4625 | [written by Linda Creed, Thom Bell][produced by Thom Bell][3[18].R&B Chart] |
| You make me feel brand new/Only for the children | Stylistics | 03.1974 | 2[14] | 2[25] | Avco 4634 | [gold-US][silver-UK][written by Linda Creed, Thom Bell][produced by Thom Bell][5[16].R&B Chart] |
| Let' s put it all together/I take it out on you | Stylistics | 07.1974 | 9[9] | 18[12] | Avco 4640 | [written by George David Weiss, Hugo E. Peretti, Luigi Creatore][produced by Hugo E. Peretti, Luigi Creatore][8[14].R&B Chart] |
| Heavy fallin' out/Go now | Stylistics | 10.1974 | - | 41[11] | Avco 4647 | [written by George David Weiss, Hugo E. Peretti, Luigi Creatore][produced by Hugo E. Peretti, Luigi Creatore][4[15].R&B Chart] |
| Star on a TV show/Hey girl,come and get it | Stylistics | 01.1975 | 12[8] | 47[7] | Avco 4649 | [written by George David Weiss, Hugo E. Peretti, Luigi Creatore][produced by Hugo E. Peretti, Luigi Creatore][13[12].R&B Chart] |
| Thank you baby/Sing baby sing | Stylistics | 04.1975 | - | 70[6] | Avco 4652 | [written by George David Weiss,Hugo E. Peretti,Luigi Creatore][produced by Hugo E. Peretti,Luigi Creatore][7[12].R&B Chart] |
| Sing baby sing/Thank You Baby | Stylistics | 05.1975 | 3[10] | - | Avco 6105036 [UK] | [silver-UK][written by George David Weiss,Hugo E. Peretti,Luigi Creatore][produced by Hugo E. Peretti,Luigi Creatore] |
| Can' t give you anything [But my love]/I'd tather be hurt by you [Than be loved by somebody else] | Stylistics | 07.1975 | 1[3][11] | 51[6] | Avco 4656 | [gold-UK][written by George David Weiss, Hugo E. Peretti, Luigi Creatore][produced by Hugo E. Peretti, Luigi Creatore][18[12].R&B Chart] |
| Na na is the saddest word | Stylistics | 11.1975 | 5[9] | - | Avco 6105 041 [UK] | [silver-UK][written by George David Weiss, Hugo E. Peretti, Luigi Creatore][produced by Hugo E. Peretti, Luigi Creatore] |
| Funky weekend/If you are there | Stylistics | 12.1975 | 10[7] | 76[9] | Avco 4661 | [written by George David Weiss, Hugo E. Peretti, Luigi Creatore][produced by Hugo E. Peretti, Luigi Creatore][23[11].R&B Chart] |
| Can' t help falling in love | Stylistics | 05.1976 | 4[7] | - | H&L 4669 | [61 hit-Elvis Presley][written by George David Weiss, Hugo E. Peretti, Luigi Creatore][produced by Hugo E. Peretti, Luigi Creatore,Van McCoy][52[7].R&B Chart] |
| You are beautiful/Michael or me | Stylistics | 03.1976 | - | 79[7] | Avco 4664 | [written by Linda Creed,Thom Bell][produced by Thom Bell][17[10].R&B Chart] |
| 16 bars | Stylistics | 08.1976 | 7[9] | - | H & L 610 5059 | [written by George David Weiss,Hugo E. Peretti,Luigi Creatore][produced by Hugo E. Peretti,Luigi Creatore] |
| Because I Love You, Girl/You Are | Stylistics | 09.1976 | - | - | H&L 4674 | [written by Hugo, Luigi, George David Weiss][43[9].R&B Chart] |
| You'll Never Get to Heaven | Stylistics | 11.1976 | 24[9] | - | H & STYL 001 | [written by Bacharach, David][produced by Thom Bell] |
| $7000 and you | Stylistics | 03.1977 | 24[7] | - | H & L 6105073 [UK] | [written by George David Weiss, Hugo E. Peretti, Luigi Creatore][produced by Hugo E. Peretti, Luigi Creatore] |
| Shame And Scandal In The Family/That Don't Shake Me | Stylistics | 04.1977 | - | - | H&L 4681 | [written by Lord Melody, Sir Lancelot][produced by Hugo, Luigi][87[2].R&B Chart] |
| I'm Coming Home/I Run To You | The Stylistics Featuring Airrion Love And Russell Thompkins, Jr. | 07.1977 | - | - | H&L 4686 | [written by Hugo, Luigi, George David Weiss][produced by Hugo, Luigi][90[3].R&B Chart] |
| First Impressions/Your Love's Too Good To Be Forgotten | Stylistics | 07.1978 | - | - | Mercury 74006 | [written by Teddy Randazzo, Bobby Weinstein, Bobby Hart][produced by Teddy Randazzo][22[14].R&B Chart] |
| Love At First Sight/Broken Wing | Stylistics | 02.1979 | - | - | Mercury 74042 | [written by Teddy Randazzo, Roger Joyce][produced by Teddy Randazzo][93[4].R&B Chart] |
| Hurry Up This Way Again/It Started Out | Stylistics | 09.1980 | - | - | TSOP 4789 | [written by D. Wansel, C. Biggs][produced by Dexter Wansel][18[22].R&B Chart] |
| And I'll See You No More/Driving Me Wild | Stylistics | 02.1981 | - | - | TSOP 4798 | [written by R. Thompkins Jr., R. Johnson][produced by Dexter Wansel, Russell Thompkins Jr.][70[4].R&B Chart] |
| What's Your Name?/Almost There | Stylistics | 08.1981 | - | - | TSOP 02195 | [written by D. Wansel, C. Biggs][produced by Dexter Wansel][79[4].R&B Chart] |
| Give A Little Love | Stylistics | 11.1984 | - | - | Streetwise 1136 | [written by Maurice Starr, Michael Jonzun][produced by Maurice Starr][47[10].R&B Chart] |
| Some Things Never Change/Row Your Love | Stylistics | 02.1985 | - | - | Streetwise 1137 | [written by Maurice Starr, Michael Jonzun][produced by Maurice Starr][86[2].R&B Chart] |
| Love Is Not The Answer/Just The Two Of Us | Stylistics | 08.1985 | 91[2] | - | Virgin VS 793 [UK] | [written by M. Starr, M. Jonzun][produced by Maurice Starr, Arthur Baker] |
| Special/Love Is Serious | Stylistics | 03.1986 | - | - | Streetwise 1138 | [written by Maurice Starr, Gordon Worthy][produced by Maurice Starr][77[7].R&B Chart] |
| Let's Go Rockin' (Tonight) | Stylistics | 06.1986 | - | - | Streetwise 2241 | [63[7].R&B Chart] |
| Me -U =Blue | Glenn Medeiros & Stylistics | 11.1990 | - | 78[4] | ||
| Love Talk/You're My Woman, You're My Lady | Stylistics | 08.1991 | - | - | Amherst 334 | [written by Frannie Golde, Andy Goldmark][produced by Randy Waldman][68[19].R&B Chart] |
| Always on My Mind | Stylistics | 02.1992 | - | - | Amherst 335 | [written by Wayne Carson, Johnny Christopher, Mark James][89[5].R&B Chart] |
Albumy | ||||||
| Tytuł | Wykonawca | Data wydania | UK | US | Wytwórnia [US] | Komentarz |
| The Stylistics | Stylistics | 12.1971 | - | 23[38] | Avco 33 023 | [gold-US][produced by Thom Bell] |
| Round 2:The Stylistics | Stylistics | 11.1972 | - | 32[38] | Avco 11 006 | [gold-US][produced by Thom Bell] |
| Rockin' roll baby | Stylistics | 11.1973 | 42[3] | 66[44] | Avco 11 010 | [silver-UK][produced by Thom Bell] |
| Let' s put it all together | Stylistics | 05.1974 | 26[14] | 14[31] | Avco 69 001 | [gold-US][silver-UK][produced by Hugo & Luigi, Thom Bell] |
| Heavy | Stylistics | 11.1974 | - | 43[16] | Avco 69 004 | [silver-UK][produced by Hugo & Luigi] |
| The best of Stylistics | Stylistics | 02.1975 | 1[9][63] | 41[30] | Avco 69 005 | [platinum-US][produced by Thom Bell, Hugo & Luigi] |
| From the mountain | Stylistics | 03.1975 | 36[1] | - | Avco 9109 002 [UK] | |
| Thank you baby | Stylistics | 06.1975 | 5[23] | 72[13] | Avco 69 008 | [gold-UK][produced by Hugo & Luigi] |
| You are beaufiful | Stylistics | 11.1975 | 26[9] | 99[11] | Avco 69 010 | [silver-UK][produced by Hugo & Luigi] |
| Fabulous | Stylistics | 06.1976 | 21[5] | 117[6] | H&L; 69 013 | [produced by Hugo & Luigi] |
| Best of Stylistics Vol.2 | Stylistics | 09.1976 | 1[1][21] | - | H&L; 9109 010 [UK] | [gold-UK][produced by Hugo & Luigi] |
| Hurry up this way again | Stylistics | 11.1980 | - | 127[12] | TSOP 36 470 | |
| The greatest hits of The Stylistics | Stylistics | 10.1992 | 34[3] | - | Mercury 5129852 | |
| The Very Best of the Stylistics | Stylistics | 11.2007 | 30[10] | - | UMTV 5303961 | |
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