The Best of Late 1970s Funk Music

Looking for some great late 1970s funk music to add to your collection? Check out our list of the best funk albums from that era!

Introduction

The late 1970s was a great time for funk music. many of the best funk bands of all time were in their prime, and the genre was reaching its commercial and artistic peak. If you’re a fan of funk music, or just want to check out some of the best music of the 1970s, here are 10 of the best funk albums of the late 1970s.

The Birth of Funk

Funk is a style of danceable, rhythmic music with an emphasis on the groove. It originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Houston, Dallas, and Memphis in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Funk is often seen as a style of music that is associated with the African-American culture. The term “funk” can also be used to refer to a style of African-American dance.

James Brown and the J.B.’s

James Brown and the J.B.’s were a funk and soul band formed in 1965 by James Brown. The band originally served as the backing band for James Brown and featured several of James Brown’s relatives, including his sister on saxophone and his brother-in-law, Fred Wesley, on trombone.

The J.B.’s helped to pioneer funk music and are considered to be some of the best musicians of their time. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012.

Sly and the Family Stone

Sly and the Family Stone was an American band from San Francisco. Active from 1966 to 1983, the band was pivotal in the development of funk, soul, rock, and psychedelic music. He led his eponymous band from 1967 to 1975, and his playing style was characterized by fast tempos, virtuosic technique, and innovative sound effects that expanded the role of bass guitar in popular music.

The Family Stone’s 1968 album Stand! is among the most significant and influential works in rock history, containing themes of love, unity, black pride, and social protest that were considered radical for their time. In 2010, they were ranked 43rd in Rolling Stone’s list of “The 100 Greatest Artists of All Time”. The band’s 1970 album Fresh is often ranked as one of the greatest albums of all time.

Parliament-Funkadelic

Formed in the late 1960s, Parliament-Funkadelic was an American funk music collective spearheaded by George Clinton. The group’s style drew on a diverse range of influences, including psychedelia, soul, and rhythm and blues.

The collective’s most successful period came in the 1970s, when they released a string of groundbreaking albums that helped to define the genre of funk. funkadelic’s biggest hits included “One Nation Under a Groove” and “Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker)”.

Although Parliament-Funkadelic disbanded in the early 1980s, their influence can still be heard in many modern funk and hip-hop artists.

The Mainstreaming of Funk

Funk music became more popular and mainstream in the late 1970s. The genre was developed in the mid-1960s by Black musicians as a way to express their dissatisfaction with the state of the music industry. However, it was not until the late 1970s that funk music became more widely known and accepted by the mainstream music industry. This section will explore the reasons for the mainstreaming of funk music in the late 1970s.

George Clinton’s Solo Career

In the 1970s, Clinton began to release a series of solo albums on various labels that achieved moderate success; his biggest hit from this period was the single “(Not Just) Knee Deep” from hisalbum Computer Games (1982), which peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard R&B chart and No. 36 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Bootsy’s Rubber Band

Bootsy’s Rubber Band was a funk band formed in 1976 by bassist Bootsy Collins. The band’s style was a synthesis of Parliament-Funkadelic’s “P-funk” style and James Brown’s grooves. The band had several hit songs, including “Stretchin’ Out (In a Rubber Band)”, “I’d Rather Be with You”, and “Bootzilla”.

The Meters

The Meters were one of the most influential funk bands of the late 1960s and 1970s. They were originally formed as the backing band for singer songwriter Allen Toussaint, but soon developed a sound and style all their own. They became one of the most popular bands in New Orleans, and their music has been sampled and covered by many artists over the years.

The Legacy of Funk

Funk is a music genre that emerged in the late 1960s and early 1970s. It is a style of music that is characterized by a strong groove and a heavy emphasis on bass and drums. Funk music is often considered to be a form of African-American music, but it has also been popular among white audiences.

Hip Hop and Funk

The 1970s are often thought of as a time when disco music ruled the dance floors, but funk was also a very popular genre during this decade. Funk is a style of music that combines elements of rhythm and blues, soul, and jazz. It is characterized by a strong bass line, complex drum patterns, and often includes horns and keyboards.

Funk began to gain popularity in the late 1960s with artists like James Brown and Sly and the Family Stone. By the early 1970s, funk bands like Parliament-Funkadelic and Earth, Wind & Fire were topping the charts. These bands would go on to have a big influence on hip hop music in the 1980s and 1990s. Hip hop is a genre that emerged in the 1970s, which uses elements of spoken word poetry,DJing, and sampling. Like funk, it has a strong emphasis on rhythm and groove.

If you’re interested in learning more about funk music, we’ve put together a list of some of the best funk songs from the late 1970s. This era saw the genre reach its commercial peak, with many funktastic hits crossing over into the pop charts. So put on your dancing shoes and get ready to boogie down to some of the best funk tunes from this golden age of grooves!

Funk Today

Though not nearly as popular as it was several decades ago, funk music is still around and appreciated by many music lovers. While the original artists from the 1970s have mostly retired or passed away, their influence can still be felt in the music of today.

There are a number of modern funk bands that are keeping the genre alive. Some, like Vulfpeck and Lettuce, are composed of musicians who grew up listening to the likes of Parliament-Funkadelic and James Brown. Others, like Dumpstaphunk and The Meters, feature members who actually played with the original artists.

No matter what their connection to the past may be, these contemporary funk bands are keeping the spirit of funk alive and well. If you’re a fan of funk music, be sure to check out some of these modern bands!