When Was Funk Music Created?

Funk music is a genre that was created in the 1970s. It is a type of music that is based on a strong rhythm section and often has a groove-based feel. Funk songs often have a catchy melody and a strong bass line.

Origins of Funk

Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-1960s. It is a combination of African-American music styles such as soul, jazz, and R&B. Funk music is characterized by a thick, groovy bass line and syncopated rhythms. The genre is often associated with danceability and positive social messages.

Where did the word “funk” come from?

The word “funk” has been used in various music genres since the early 1900s, but it wasn’t until the 1970s that funk music as we know it today emerged.

The genre is said to have originated in the African-American community, and was heavily influenced by soul and R&B. Some believe funk was created as a way to resist the commercialization of popular music, and its focus on danceable grooves and funky basslines helped it gain popularity in the underground club scene.

Funk hits like Parliament’s “Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker)” and James Brown’s “Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine” brought the genre into the mainstream in the 1970s, and it has since been influential on a variety of other genres, from hip-hop to disco.

What influenced the creation of funk music?

Funk’s origins are in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana,[1][2] in the late 1960s and early 1970s.[1][3] Funk initially evolved from soul music[1][4][5] and rhythm and blues[6] after performers such as James Brown and Sly and the Family Stone began placing a greater emphasis on a groove-oriented sound with embellished rhythms that were often derived from African or Afro-Cuban percussion.

Funk recordings of the 1970s were often funk-oriented but incorporated elements of rock (guitar, bass guitar), pop (melody, vocals), disco (rhythmicorns horns) more than before.[7] This combination of influences lent funk music a great deal of variation. For example, George Clinton’s bands Parliament and Funkadelic featured musicians playing electric guitars, bass guitars, drums, saxophones, and keyboards;[8][9] whereas Bootsy Collins’ groups Bootsy’s New Rubber Band and The Bootsy Collins Space Bass Band focus more on synthesizers and bass guitars.[10][11]

Pioneers of 1970s funk included James Brown,[12] Sly & The Family Stone,[13] Parliament/Funkadelic,[14][15] The Meters,[16] Average White Band,[17][18], War[19], Mandrill,[20], 24-Carat Black[21], Black Heat[22], Kokomo[23], Con Funk Shun,[24], Kool & The Gang,[25], Ohio Players,[26][27], Rufus featuring Chaka Khan,[28], Slave,[29] The Brides of Funkenstein,[30][31], One Way featuring Al Hudson.[32][33], Fatback Band,, Cameo.,[34]. Parlet.,[35]. Zapp.,
Dazz Band,,
Dick Jensen -Change,,
Honeycone -Love Has Taken Me Away,,
Brownmark -Livin’ In A Movie,,
Junie Morrison -Property Of Spanglerism,,
Bootsy Collins -I’d Rather Be With You,,
Dennis Coffey -Scorpio,,
The J.B.’s -Doing It To Death

The First Funk Songs

Funk music was created in the late 1960s and early 1970s. James Brown and Sly and the Family Stone are often cited as the earliest funk music artists. George Clinton’s Parliament-Funkadelic collective and Bootsy Collins’ Rubber Band were also important early funk groups.

“Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine” by James Brown

“Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine” by James Brown is often cited as the first funk song. The track was released in 1970 and features Brown’s signature style of vocal delivery and rhythmic approach. This song set the stage for the emergence of funk as a distinct genre of music, characterized by its own specific sound and feel.

“Super Bad” by James Brown

Super Bad is a song by James Brown, released as a single in 1971. The song holds the distinction of being one of the first funk songs, and is credited with helping to create the genre. Super Bad is an upbeat, bass-driven track with horns and Brown’s signature vocals. The song has been covered by many artists, and has been featured in movies and television shows.

“Cold Sweat” by James Brown

James Brown is often cited as the creator of funk music with his 1967 hit, “Cold Sweat”. The song’s use of a wah-wah pedal, syncopated rhythms and horn riffs provided a new template for other artists to follow. George Clinton would build upon this foundation with his work in Parliament-Funkadelic, creating a more psychedelic and spacey sound that would come to be known as P-funk.

The Funk Era

Funk music originated in the mid-1960s with James Brown and Sly and the Family Stone. The style is characterized by its syncopated rhythms, soulful vocals, and psychedelic sounds. Funk music was created as a way to resist the strict rules of Motown and other record labels. The genre quickly gained popularity in the 1970s with artists like Parliament-Funkadelic, Bootsy Collins, and George Clinton.

The 1970s

Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid- to late-1960s when African American musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of soul music, jazz, and R&B. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground.

The word funk initially referred to a strong odor or smell. It is derived from the Latin word for pitch or tar. The word funk first appeared in print in the early 1930s in reference to music. Funk began to be used as a musical term in the mid-1960s, when it was used to describe James Brown’s music.

The term funk has been used in style guides to describe various elements of black music from the 1970s onwards, including disco, boogie, soul, Afrobeat, and rare groove.

The 1980s

The eighties were a decade that saw the birth and rise of funk music. This was a time when artists like James Brown, Parliament-Funkadelic, and Prince were creating some of the most iconic and influential funk songs of all time. It was also a time when many other artists were beginning to experiment with the genre, creating their own unique sounds.

Funk music really began to take off in the early 1980s with the release of albums like Funkadelic’s ‘Maggot Brain’ and James Brown’s ‘Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine.’ These albums helped to define what funk music was and set the stage for many other artists to follow.

Throughout the decade, funk music continued to evolve and change, with new artists bringing their own spin to the genre. By the end of the eighties, funk was firmly established as one of the most popular and influential genres of music.

The 1990s and Beyond

With the rise of digital music in the 1990s, funk continued to influence a wide range of genres, including hip hop, techno, and drum and bass. George Clinton’s work with Parliament-Funkadelic was an important influence on the development of hip hop, and his use of samples helped to develop the techno sound. In the 1990s, Clinton released several solo albums that further explored his trademark sound.

Funk also had a significant impact on dance music. In the early 1990s, a new style of house music called “funk house” emerged that incorporated elements of funk and R&B. This style was pioneered by English producer David Morales, who had a hit with his remix of Mariah Carey’s “Dreamlover” in 1993. Morales continued to produce funk-influenced house tracks throughout the 1990s, often working with singers like Lisa Stansfield and Ultra Naté.

Today, funk is enjoying something of a renaissance thanks to a new generation of artists who are carrying on its legacy. Artists like Bruno Mars, Mark Ronson, and Anderson .Paak are all helping to keep funk alive and well in the 21st century.