The Best Funk Music of All Time

From James Brown to Parliament-Funkadelic, here are the greatest funk hits ever.

Funkadelic- “One Nation Under a Groove”

“One Nation Under a Groove” is a 1978 song by the American funk band Funkadelic. It was released as the lead single from their album of the same name. The song became one of the band’s most popular, and helped propel the album to number one on the Billboard Hot 200, making it their only album to achieve that feat. The song features George Clinton’s now- iconic chant of “Can you get up?” and has been sampled and covered numerous times.

Parliament- “Flash Light”

“Flash Light” is a song by Parliament, released as a single in 1977 on Casablanca Records. The song was written by Parliament frontman George Clinton, bassist Bootsy Collins, and Keyboardist Bernie Worrell. It was the first single from Parliament’s fifth album, Funkentelechy Vs. the Placebo Syndrome.

The song features a prominent bassline by Collins and Worrell’s use of the talk box, which helped to make the track one of the most iconic songs in funk music. “Flash Light” peaked at number sixteen on the Billboard Hot 100 and became one of Parliament’s signature songs.

In 2003, “Flash Light” was ranked number ninety-one on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 greatest songs of all time.

Bootsy’s Rubber Band- “Stretchin’ Out”

“Stretchin’ Out” is one of the best funk songs of all time. The song was released in 1976 by Bootsy’s Rubber Band and was featured on their album, Bootsy? Player of the Year. The song is a funk classic and is considered one of the most influential funk songs of all time.

James Brown- “Sex Machine”

James Brown’s “Sex Machine” is one of the best funk songs of all time. The song was released in 1970 and is considered one of Brown’s signature songs. “Sex Machine” is a fun, upbeat song that features Brown’s signature style of funk. The song has been covered by many artists and has been featured in movies and TV shows.

Sly and the Family Stone- “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)”

“Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)” is a song recorded by Sly and the Family Stone in 1969. The song was written by Sly Stone and produced by Jerry Wexler, Arif Mardin, and Tom Dowd. It peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and remained there for three weeks. The song was Sly and the Family Stone’s third and final number-one hit on the Hot 100 chart.

The song features a blend of soul, R&B, and psychedelic rock elements. The opening bassline is iconic and has been sampled numerous times in subsequent songs. The lyrics are about giving thanks for what one has, even though they may not have much.

Sly and the Family Stone were an influential funk band that formed in 1967. They were known for their incorporation of different genres into their music, as well as their social commentary. The band’s members included Sly Stone, Freddie Stone, Rose Stone, Larry Graham, and Cynthia Robinson.