The New Orleans legends perfected a balance of funk, rock and Dixie R&B in these top Billboard singles.

The Meters burst onto the late 60’s soul scene as one of the nation’s pioneering funkateer groups. At a time when funk, soul and R&B were making explosive rounds throughout the states, the four-piece band from New Orleans established itself as classic Crescent City groove merchants as they formulated a sound and style, full of red-hot funk, that could only be described as their own. 

LISTEN: The Meters’ Essentials Playlist

Led by founder and frontman Aaron Neville, the mighty Meters immediately made their mark in the music world with their staggering first single, “Sophisticated Cissy.” Virtuoso instrumentalists, the band not only contributed in-house for producer Allen Toussaint’s, but also backed Paul McCartney, opened for the Rolling Stones and played on multiple Dr. John hits. 

Though the bandmates split ways in 1980 (and eventually reformed), the music of the Grammy Lifetime Achievement awardees became immortalized through the countless samples of major rap and hip hop artists of the 90s, including A Tribe Called Quest, 2 Pac and beyond. We’ve paying homage to the first-class funksters below with a compilation of The Meters’ Top 5 Billboard hits throughout the years. 

5. “Ease Back”

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4. “Chicken Strut”

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3. “Look-Ka Py Py”

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2. “Sophisticated Cissy”

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1. “Cissy Strut”

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