What is Considered Soul Music?

Most people can agree that soul music is a genre that is full of emotion and passion. But what exactly makes a song qualify as soul music? In this blog post, we’ll explore the various elements that come together to create this unique and timeless genre.

Introduction

The term “soul music” was first used in the late 1950s in the United States. It was a style of music that combined elements of gospel, R&B, and blues. Soul music became popular in the 1960s and 1970s with artists such as James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, and Marvin Gaye. In the 1980s and 1990s, soul music lost some of its popularity but was revitalized in the 2000s by artists such as Alicia Keys, Beyoncé, Usher, and Jennifer Hudson.

The Birth of Soul Music

Soul music is a genre that originated in the African-American community in the late 1950s. It combines elements of gospel, R&B, and blues. Soul music became popular in the 1960s with artists like James Brown and Aretha Franklin.

Gospel Music

The roots of soul music can be traced back to the African-American churches of the South, where gospel music has been an important part of worship services for centuries. In the early 20th century, some gospel songs began to be used in popular music settings, eventually leading to the development of a new genre known as soul music.

While there is no single defining style of soul music, it is generally characterized by a heavy emphasis on vocals, often with emotionallycharged lyrics that deal with personal themes such as love, relationships, and struggle. The genre also make liberal use of elements from other musical styles, including gospel, blues, jazz, and R&B.

The term “soul” can be traced back to the early 1950s, when it was used to describe a new style of African-American popular music that was starting to develop. This style would eventually come to be known as rhythm and blues (or R&B), and it would lay the foundation for soul music.

Rhythm and Blues

It’s generally accepted that rhythm and blues (R&B) is the music that led to the birth of soul. R&B is a term used to describe a wide range of popular music that originated in the African-American community in the 1940s. The term “rhythm and blues” was first used in 1947 by record company executive Jerry Wexler.

Before then, African-American music was often referred to as “race records.” While the term R&B initially referred to music by black artists that was aimed at a black audience, it eventually came to be used as a general term to describe all black popular music, regardless of genre or target audience.

In the early 1950s, R&B began to evolve into a new sound that would come to be known as soul. This new sound was influenced by a variety of factors, including gospel music, the rise of rock and roll, and the increased popularity of country music.

The Elements of Soul Music

There are a few key elements that make up soul music. These elements include but are not limited to: a strong emphasis on emotion, a focus on the groove, and the use of elements from both gospel and blues music. Soul music is a genre that is known for its ability to touch people’s hearts and make them feel something.

The Funk

The Funk is a subgenre of Soul music, characterized by a strong backbeat, Danceable grooves, and often Political lyrics.
The Funk first emerged in the late 1960s when African American musicians began recombining elements of Rhythm and Blues, Jazz, and Gospel music.
By the early 1970s, the Funk sound had been influental in the creation of disco music and would go on to be a major building block of Hip Hop music.

The Groove

The groove is the element of soul music that is most associated with the concept of “feel.” The groove is created by the use of rhythm, which provides the foundation that the other elements are built on. It is the pulse of the music, and it is what makes soul music so danceable. The term “groove” can also refer to a specific section of a song that is particularly memorable or catchy.

The Feel

The feel of a record is just as important, if not more important than the groove. The feel is what makes the music swing, and it’s what makes you want to move your body when you hear it. A lot of times, the feel of a record is determined by the pocket that the drummer is playing in, and how tight he or she is with the bass player. But it’s also determined by the way the rest of the band is playing around that pocket. Are they pushing or pulling? Are they laying back or pushing forward? All of these things contribute to the overall feel of the record, and they’re all important elements of soul music.

The Legacy of Soul Music

Soul music is a genre that originated in the United States in the 1950s. It is a combination of African-American gospel music, rhythm and blues, and jazz. Soul music became popular in the 1960s and 1970s with artists like James Brown, Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, and Stevie Wonder.

Motown

Motown is a style of pop music that was developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s by African American artists at the Motown record label in Detroit, Michigan. The sound of Motown is characterized by a heavy rhythm section, catchy melodies, and soulful vocals. The style became one of the most popular genres of the 20th century, with artists like Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, and Diana Ross achieving global fame.

Stax Records

One of the most important and influential soul music labels of all time, Stax Records was based in Memphis, Tennessee, and operated from 1957 to 1975. The label was originally started as a country music label called Satellite Records before changing its focus to soul and R&B. Over the years, Stax released music by artists such as Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, and Booker T. & the M.G.’s, all of whom helped define the sound of soul music.

After falling on hard times in the early 1970s, Stax declared bankruptcy in 1975 and was sold to volunteers from the Soulsville USA Foundation, which still operates the Stax Museum of American Soul Music in Memphis. In recent years, there has been a resurgence of interest in Stax’s music, due in part to reissues of its classic albums and compilations like Soulsville U.S.A.: The Songs That Saved a City.

Conclusion

In conclusion, soul music is a genre that has been incredibly influential in the development of popular music as a whole. With its origins in the African-American community, soul music has come to be loved by people of all backgrounds. While there is no one definitive answer to what makes something soul music, the genre is typically characterized by its emotional intensity, its focus on personal and social issues, and its use of heavy bass and groove-oriented rhythms. If you’re looking for something to make you feel good, soul music is definitely worth checking out!