The Best of 70s Soul Music

Looking for the best 70s soul music? Check out our top picks for the best soul tracks from the 1970s.

The Birth of Soul

The ’70s was a decade that saw the birth of a new genre of music: soul. This new sound was a combination of rhythm and blues, gospel, and jazz, and it quickly became popular with listeners of all ages. The best of 70s soul music captured the emotions of the time, from the funk of James Brown to the smoother sounds of Marvin Gaye. Join us as we take a look at some of the greatest soul hits of the 1970s.

Motown sound

The Motown sound is a style of R&B music developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s by Berry Gordy, Jr.’s Motown record label, in Detroit, Michigan. It featured a distinctive bass line accented with a punchy horn section. The style was marked by intricate vocal arrangements, often with background vocalists singing in low harmony parts.

The Motown sound achieved widespread appeal during the 1960s due to the success of artists such as Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Diana Ross and the Supremes, Stevie Wonder, and the Temptations. It was also notable for its production values, which Gordy took great care to develop.

Despite its initial commercial success, the Motown sound began to lose favor with audiences in the late 1960s as artists such as James Brown and Sly and the Family Stone began to experiment with more Funk-influenced styles of R&B. The label continued to produce hits into the 1970s with acts such as Marvin Gaye, Lionel Richie, and the Jackson 5, but by this time the “Motown sound” had been largely overshadowed by more experimental styles.

Funk

Funk is a music genre that originated in African-American communities in the mid-1960s. Funk is a style of dance music that is often associated with a particular fashion, or style of dress. The word funk can also be used to describe a type of food, or something that has a strong odor.

The Afrobeat movement of the 1970s was a direct outgrowth of Funk, and was spearheaded by Nigerian bandleader Fela Kuti. Afrobeat combined elements of traditional Nigerian music, jazz, and Funk. The result was a uniquely African version of Funk that quickly gained popularity throughout the continent.

In the United States, Funk began to gain popularity in the late 1960s with James Brown’s hit song “Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine.” Brown’s brand of Funk was based on a heavy use of the “wa-wa” guitar sound, and emphasized the downbeat. This style of Funk would come to be known as “booty music,” due to its focus on the lower body. Booty music would go on to be an important influence on Hip Hop culture in the 1980s and 1990s.

Other important early Funk artists include Parliament-Funkadelic, Sly and the Family Stone, and George Clinton. Clinton’s bands Parliament and Funkadelic were particularly influential in creating a new sound that blended elements of Rock, Soul, R&B, and Jazz. Clinton’s distinctive lyrics and stage shows helped to popularize Funk among white audiences as well.

The Golden Age of Soul

The 1970s was a golden age for soul music. With the advent of Funk, soul music reached a wider audience and artists began experimenting with different sounds. This decade saw the rise of many great soul artists, who would go on to influence the sound of soul music for decades to come.

The Temptations

The Temptations are an American vocal group who announced their departure from the classic Motown sound in the early 1970s. Under the leadership of Otis Williams, the Temptations embraced psychedelic soul and funk to create a new sound that would secure their place as one of the most popular and influential acts of the decade. With hits like “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” and “Ball of Confusion,” the Temptations helped to define the sound of seventies soul music.

Marvin Gaye

Marvin Gaye was one of the most successful soul artists of the 1970s. He was known for his smooth, velvety voice and his heartfelt lyrics. He had a string of hits including “I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” “Let’s Get It On,” and “Sexual Healing.” Gaye was also a pioneer in blending soul and R&B with other genres such as funk and disco. He helped to shape the sound of 70s soul music.

Aretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin (born March 25, 1942) is an American singer, songwriter and musician. She began her career as a child singing gospel at New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit, where her father, C. L. Franklin, was minister. In 1960, at the age of 18, she embarked on a secular career, recording for Columbia Records but only achieving modest success. Following her signing to Atlantic Records in 1967, Franklin achieved commercial acclaim and success with songs such as “Respect”, “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” and “Think”. These hits and more helped her to gain the title The Queen of Soul by the end of the 1960s decade. During this time, Franklin continued to record acclaimed albums such as I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You (1967), Aretha Arrives (1967) and Lady Soul (1968).

In 1998, Franklin won the Grammy Legend Award. In 2005, she was awarded the National Medal of Arts. In 2009, she received the Kennedy Center Honors. In 1987, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame becoming the first female performer to be inducted; in 2010, she was placed second on Rolling Stone’s list of their 100 Greatest Singers of All Time; in 2012, she ranked fourth on VH1’s 100 Greatest Women in Music; and in 2015 she received Billboard’s Century Award for distinguished achievement in music industry.

The Legacy of Soul

70s Soul music was a genre that truly defined a generation. The music was a mix of African-American styles such as gospel and rhythm and blues. This decade of music gave way to some of the most iconic names and faces in the industry.

Whitney Houston

One of the most successful performers of all time, Whitney Houston was a musical icon whose career spanned four decades. A powerhouse vocalist with a five-octave range, Houston dominated the pop charts in the 1980s and ’90s with hits like “Saving All My Love for You,” “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me),” and “How Will I Know.” She also appeared in several films, most notably The Bodyguard (1992), for which she recorded the Oscar-winning song “I Will Always Love You.” Outside of her music and acting careers, Houston was married to fellow superstar Bobby Brown from 1992 to 2007; their tumultuous relationship was chronicled in the reality TV series Being Bobby Brown (2005). She also battled substance abuse issues for much of her life, which took a toll on her health and career in the 2000s. In February 2012, Houston was found dead in a Beverly Hills hotel bathtub at the age of 48. Her death was later ruled a drowning, with heart disease and cocaine use listed as contributing factors.

Alicia Keys

As one of the best-selling female R&B artists of all time, Alicia Keys has made a name for herself not only with her soulful voice, but also with her impressive piano skills. Born and raised in New York City, she began playing piano at the age of seven and was signed to a record label at the age of 15. Her debut album, Songs in A Minor, was released in 2001 and went on to sell over 12 million copies worldwide.

Over the course of her career, Keys has won 15 Grammy Awards and has released seven studio albums. In 2016, she released her most recent album, Here, which debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 chart. Outside of her solo work, Keys is also known for her collaborative efforts, most notably with Jay-Z on their hit song “Empire State of Mind.”

Beyonce

Beyonce rose to fame in the late 1990s as the lead singer of Destiny’s Child, one of the best-selling girl groups of all time. Her solo career began in 2003 with the release of her debut album, Dangerously in Love, which featured the No. 1 single “Crazy in Love.” She has since released six additional albums, all of which have topped the Billboard 200 chart.Beyonce is one of the most successful solo artists of all time, with multiple Grammy Awards, sold-out tours, and numerous No. 1 singles. She is also an accomplished actress, with starring roles in such films as Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002), Dreamgirls (2006), and Obsessed (2009). In 2018, she gave birth to twins Rumi and Sir Carter.