Except for the songs that made my Top 20 Songs of 2008 and the representative tracks from my Top 20 Albums of 2008, these are the rest of the best soul/r&b tracks of 2008. To be eligible, a song needed to be included on an album released in the United States between December 1, 2007 and November 30, 2008.

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1. Erykah Badu “The Healer” New Amerykah, Pt. 1: 4th World War (Universal Motown)

2. Nikka Costa “Keep Pushin’” Pebble to a Pearl (Go Funk Yourself/Stax)

3. Jazmine Sullivan “Need U Bad” Fearless (J Records)

4. Jazmine Sullivan “Fear” Fearless (J Records)

5. Lyfe Jennings “Never Never Land” Lyfe Change (Sony)

6. Ne-Yo “Single” Year of the Gentleman (Def Jam)

7. Ne-Yo “Nobody” Year of the Gentleman (Def Jam)

8. Jennifer Hudson “Spotlight” Jennifer Hudson (Arista)

9. Jazmine Sullivan “Live A Lie” Fearless (J Records)

10. Jazmine Sullivan “My Foolish Heart” Fearless (J Records)

11. Nikka Costa “Cry Baby” Pebble to a Pearl (Go Funk Yourself/Stax)

12. Q-Tip featuring Norah Jones “Life Is Better” The Renaissance (Universal Motown)

13. John Legend featuring Estelle “No Other Love” Evolver (G.O.O.D. Music/Columbia)

14. Janet “Can’t B Good” Discipline (Island)

15. Erykah Badu “Soldier” New Amerykah, Pt. 1: 4th World War (Universal Motown)

16. Nikka Costa “Pebble to a Pearl” Pebble to a Pearl (Go Funk Yourself/Stax)

17. Jazmine Sullivan “One Night Stand” Fearless (J Records)

18. Lyfe Jennings “Cops Up” Lyfe Change (Sony)

19. T.I. featuring John Legend “Slide Show” Paper Trail (Grand Hustle/Atlantic)