Smokey Robinson - Cruisin'

What this video is

Released in August 1979 on Motown's Tamla label, 'Cruisin'' marked Smokey Robinson's most significant commercial solo breakthrough of the decade, hitting #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the Cash Box chart. The song helped define the 'quiet storm' sub-genre Robinson had pioneered with his 1975 album of the same name — a sensual, sophisticated strand of soul oriented toward adult audiences rather than the teen…

Why it matters

A landmark of late-Motown smooth soul and quiet storm, 'Cruisin'' demonstrated that Robinson could reposition the classic Motown romantic idiom for an adult contemporary crossover audience without abandoning Black musical tradition. Its commercial success — Billboard Hot 100 #4, Cash Box #1 —…