The Best of Funk and Motown Music

Welcome to The Best of Funk and Motown Music! Here we celebrate the classics from two of the most influential genres in music history.

We’ll be sharing our favorite tracks, album reviews, and artist profiles, so stay tuned for the latest and greatest from the world of Funk and Motown!

Funk

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

Origins of Funk

The origins of the word funk are disputed. One theory is that it derives from “funky”, meaning musty or moldy. Other theories suggest it originated in New Orleans slang meaning “bad body odor”. Funk has been used in various music genres such as rock, R&B, soul, and pop. The term has been used as a adjective (e.g., “a funky bass line”), verb (“to funk up”), and noun (“a funk”).

Funk Artists

Funk is a style of music that originated in the African-American community in the United States in the late 1960s and early 1970s. It combines elements of Soul, R&B, and Jazz, and is characterized by a walking bass line, funky rhythms, and call-and-response vocals. Some of the most popular Funk artists include James Brown, Parliament-Funkadelic, Bootsy Collins, and Prince.

Funk Songs

There are many great funk songs that have become classics over the years. Here are just a few of the best:

-“Superstition” by Stevie Wonder
-“I Want You Back” by The Jackson 5
-“Ain’t No Sunshine” by Bill Withers
-“Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” by The Temptations
-“Let’s Get It On” by Marvin Gaye
– “Sex Machine” by James Brown

Motown

Motown Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on January 12, 1959, and was incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. The name, a blend of motor and town, has also become a nickname for Detroit, where the label was originally headquartered. Motown played an important role in the racial integration of popular music as an African American-owned label that achieved significant crossover success. In the 1960s, Motown and its subsidiary labels were the most successful proponents of what came to be known as the Motown Sound, a style of soul music with a distinct pop influence. Motown was the first record label owned by an African American to primarily feature African American artists.

Origins of Motown

Motown is a style of popular music that was developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s by African-American musical groups in the Detroit area. The style is characterized by a strong beat, soulful vocals, and often sexually suggestive lyrics.

Motown became one of the most successful music genres of the 20th century, and its influence can still be heard in many popular music styles today. The term “Motown” is often used to refer to the record label that was founded by Berry Gordy, Jr. in 1959, but it can also be used to describe the entire musical genre that Gordy helped to create.

Motown Artists

The Motown sound is a style of popular music produced by Motown Records, a record label founded in 1960 in Detroit, Michigan, United States by Berry Gordy. Motown played an important role in the crossover of black pop music from the ghetto to mainstream popularity. Many of Motown’s biggest stars achieved crossover success, including Marvin Gaye, the Supremes, Diana Ross and the Jackson 5, who began their musical careers with the label.

The careers of Motown’s first generation of artists were developed and nurtured by a number of important figures within the company. Among these were Ross’ father and brother; Smokey Robinson; Gloria Williams; lamont Dozier; Brian Holland; As well as Claudette Robinson (Marvin Gaye’s first wife). All of these people background made for an interesting mix that helped shape the distinctive “Motown Sound”.

Motown Songs

There are many great Motown songs that have been released over the years, and it can be hard to choose which ones are the best. However, there are a few that stand out above the rest. These are some of the best Motown songs of all time:

-Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell
-I Heard It Through the Grapevine – Marvin Gaye
-My Girl – The Temptations
-I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch) – The Four Tops
-Stop! In the Name of Love – The Supremes
-Ain’t Too Proud to Beg – The Temptations
-Baby I Need Your Loving – The Four Tops
-You Can’t Hurry Love – The Supremes
-I Want You Back – The Jackson 5