"Bills, Bills, Bills" (1999) The Writing's on the Wall
Hot 100 Peak: #1
Overall score: 8.50 High score: 10 (3x)/Low score: 7 (3x)
The icy, fierce inquisitions of "Bills, Bills, Bills" gave women a rallying cry and drove the song to #1 on the Hot 100—the first of four such visits to the top for Destiny's Child. (Interestingly, it was written and produced by the same team behind TLC's similarly-themed "No Scrubs," a #1 hit of its own just a few months before.) Though the track scored fewer 10's from voters than almost any other entry in the top twenty of this countdown, it was also one of only six songs not to be awarded lower than a 7.
I was never here for Salt N Pepa although I gave 2 songs of them a 10.
I rated TLC and En Vogue real high since they're really incredible and they defined the girls' side of R&B and Rap very well during the day. For the record, according to their averages on my rates:
1. En Vogue
2. TLC
3. Destiny's Child
4. Salt N Pepa
5. PCD
Overall score: 8.50 High score: 10 (4x)/Low score: 5 (1x)
This ferocious kiss-off to former members LeToya Luckett and LaTavia Robertson ("Thought I wouldn't sell without you/Sold nine million") became a dance floor anthem for perseverance and prosperity. Kept from the top of the Hot 100 by Janet Jackson's "All For You," it was still massive enough to inspire an anti-defamation lawsuit by the song's unlucky targets, which settled out of court.
"Free Your Mind" (1992) Funky Divas
Hot 100 Peak: #8
Overall score: 8.58 High score: 10 (8x)/Low score: 2 (1x)
Combining euphoric harmonies with heavy metal guitars, En Vogue created a thrilling diatribe against prejudice and stereotypes (as well as the most iconic hook in the group's catalog). "Free Your Mind" was massively popular with voters, tying for the second-highest number of 10's in this rate, but two extremely low scores kept it out of the top ten.
"Giving Him Something He Can Feel" (1992) Funky Divas
Hot 100 Peak: #6
Overall score: 8.65 High score: 10 (3x)/Low score: 7 (2x)
This Motown-style ballad was the signature song from the 1976 film Sparkle. (Inspired by the career of the Supremes, its upcoming remake will star the late Whitney Houston.) Originally recorded for the soundtrack by Aretha Franklin, En Vogue pumps up the drama with some sexy horns and even sexier harmonies. Though its overall average was tied with the two tracks above it on the countdown, the low number of 10's cost "Giving Him Something He Can Feel" a spot in the top ten.