Hall and Oates

OK, don’t laugh — but the undeniable funk in Hall and Oates’ songs is also clearly seen in the Weeknd’s work. Just think: “I Can’t Feel My Face” is like the bastard child of “I Can’t Go for That” — and is just as catchy and bouncy.

Aaliyah

Aaliyah may have died at 22, but the songs she left behind — chill R&B slow jams that didn’t feature the power vocals that were so huge at the time — were definitely proto-PBR&B. And sampling experimental beats (who can forget the baby’s cry in “Are You that Somebody?”) is an act the Weeknd has carried over into his own work. He pays homage to Aaliyah by sampling "Rock the Boat" on fan favorite "What You Need."

See what else made it into our Top 8 by visiting its official page.