The Force MD's - "Love is a House"

(Not Available on iTunes)

(Debuted August 29, 1987, Peaked #78, 9 Weeks on the Chart)

Formed in Staten Island, New York in 1981, the Force MD's were a band that utilized the burgeoning hip-hop/quiet storm sound and mixed in the doo-wop influence from vocal groups of years past. Though not as well-regarded or considered to be as crucial as many other contemporary acts by the critics, they made their mark in the business. Their song "Tender Love" made an appearance in the film Krush Groove and became a Top 10 hit in 1986, giving them exposure to a wider audience. Although "Love is a Hose" failed to make the pop Top 40, it would become their first #1 R&B single and is still considered to be one of their finest singles.

However, as the "New Jack Swing" movement took hold by the end of the decade, the smoother R&B harmonies fell out of favor and the band's successes began to fade. There was some shuffling of membership, and eventually parts of the group's 1980s-era core were more permanently sidelined: Charles "Mercury" Nelson died from a heart attack in 1995 and Antoine "T.C.D." Lundy fell victim to Lou Gehrig's disease in '98. Furthermore, DJ Dr. Rock also died in the meantime.