The Top Funk Music Labels You Need to Know
Looking for some new funk music to add to your collection? Check out our list of the top funk music labels you need to know!
Introduction
Funk is a style of popular music that originated in the mid-1960s. It has been described as a mix of soul, R&B, and Afro-Cuban rhythms. Funk samples have been used in hip hop and electronic music.
The term “funk” was first used to describe a style of music in the early 1970s. The genre developed from a combination of African-American musical traditions, including blues, soul, and rhythm and blues. Funk is often credited as the first African-American musical genre to cross over into the mainstream.
There are many different funk labels, but here are some of the most well-known:
Daptone Records is an independent record label based in Brooklyn, New York. The label was started in 2001 by Neal Sugarman and Gabriel Roth. Daptone specializes in funk and soul music. They have released albums by artists such as Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, Charles Bradley, Lee Fields, Naomi Shelton & The Gospel Queens, and The Budos Band.
Stones Throw Records is an independent record label based in Los Angeles, California. The label was founded in 1996 by Peanut Butter Wolf (real name Chris Manak). Stones Throw specializes in hip hop, funk, soul, jazz, and electronica. They have released albums by artists such as Madlib, J Dilla, MF DOOM, Dam-Funk, and Jerry Paper.
Ubiquity Records is an independent record label based in Santa Cruz, California. The label was founded in 1995 by Michael McFadin and Japanese DJ/producer Tanaka Hideki. Ubiquity specializes in jazz, funk, soul, Latin music, and hip hop. They have released albums by artists such as Orgone, Quantic Soul Orchestra, Amy Winehouse (with Mark Ronson), Anderson .Paak (with Knxwledge), and Miguel Migs.
P-Funk
P-Funk, also known as The Parliaments-Funkadelic, was an American rock, soul and R&B band that was most prominent in the 1970s. The band was led by singer George Clinton and featured a rotating cast of musicians. P-Funk’s style was a blend of rock, soul, R&B and funk. The band was known for its outrageous stage performances, which featured colorful costumes, elaborate light shows and outlandish props. P-Funk’s music was also influential in the development of hip hop and electronic dance music. P-Funk disbanded in the 1980s, but Clinton continued to record and tour with various incarnations of the group into the 21st century.
The Meters
The Meters was an American funk band, active from 1965 to 1977, founded in New Orleans by Zigaboo Modeliste (drums), George Porter Jr. (bass guitar), Leo Nocentelli (guitar), and Art Neville (keyboards). The group is best remembered for a series of self-produced singles that became hits on the pop and soul charts of the late 1960s and early 1970s; among their best-known songs are “Cissy Strut” and ” Look-Ka Py Py”. Band members Porter, Neville and Modeliste later achieved fame as members of The Neville Brothers and The Funky Meters, respectively.
The Meters served as the house band at Joe Banashak’s Baton Rouge label Soul Train Records and had their own studio at Sea-Saint Records in New Orleans. In 1969 they released their seminal first album Funkify Your Life: The Meters Anthology. On the majority of these tracks, the four core members were augmented by a horn section. Despite critical acclaim, their records met with little commercial success outside of New Orleans. In 1975 the group disbanded but reformed in 1989 without guitarist Nocentelli.
Porter, Neville and Modeliste continued to record and tour throughout the 1990s and 2000s as The Meters; keyboardist Russel Batiste joined them on many occasions. Art Neville died in 2019, leaving Porter, Modeliste and Batiste as the only living members of the band’s classic lineup; all three are still musically active.
The Ohio Players
The Ohio Players were an American funk and R&B band, most popular in the mid-1970s. The group is best known for their hit singles “Fire” and “Love Rollercoaster”. They were the first band to have five singles top the Billboard R&B chart. The Ohio Players originated from Dayton, Ohio. In 1959, they formed as The Wildcats and later changed their name to The Travis Circuit Playboys and finally in 1962 they settled on The Ohio Untouchables. Early members of the band included Robert Ward, Marshall “Rock” Jones, Rap Matthews (drummer), Clarence “Satch” Satchell (saxophone), Greg Webster (trumpet), Walter Nave (guitar), Walt Maddox (keyboards) and Glenn Hughes (trombone).
War
Funk music started in the 1960s as a way to combine the soul music of the black community with the burgeoning sound of rock and roll. The result was a new style of music that was faster, harder, and more danceable than anything that had come before. Over the next few decades, funk would become one of the most popular genres in the world, spawning dozens of sub-genres and influencing countless other musical styles.
In the early days of funk, there were no real record labels specializing in the genre. Most funk bands were signed to major labels like Motown or Atlantic, who didn’t always know how to market this new style of music. As funk grew in popularity, though, a few key labels began to emerge as leaders in the genre. These are some of the top funk music labels you need to know.
Cooltempo
Founded in 1986, Cooltempo was one of the first record labels to specialize in funk music. The label was home to a number of famous funk bands, including The Brand New Heavies and Incognito. Cooltempo also helped to launch the career of acid jazz legend Jamiroquai.
P-Vine Records
P-Vine Records is a Japanese label that has been releasing funky sounds since 1978. The label’s roster includes both international artists like Maceo Parker and local Japanese acts like Osaka Monaurail. P-Vine is also home to one of Japan’s most famous funk clubs, Nublu Tokyo.
ochenKlangfarbe
ochenKlangfarbe is a German label that specializes in rare groove and nu-funk sounds. The label has released music by everyone from Lee Fields to Quantic Soul Orchestra, and is known for unearthing lost gems from the golden age of funk.
Now-Again Records
Now-Again Records is one of the world’s leading reissue labels, specializing in forgotten gems from across the musical spectrum. The label’s Funkadelic reissues are especially beloved by fans of George Clinton’s legendary band, and their compilation albums are essential listening for any fan of funk music.
Parliament
Parliament is a legendary funk band that was originally formed in the 1960s. The band is best known for their hit song, “Flash Light.” Parliament is considered to be one of the most influential funk bands of all time, and their music has been sampled by numerous artists over the years.
Funkadelic is another hugely influential funk band that was formed by George Clinton in the late 1960s. Funkadelic is best known for their classics such as “One Nation Under a Groove” and “I Got a Thing, You Got a Thing, Everybody’s Got a Thing.”
The Meters are a New Orleans-based funk band that were hugely popular in the 1970s. The Meters are best known for songs such as “Cissy Strut” and “People Say.”
BreaksCo is a contemporary funk label that was founded in 2006. The label has released music by artists such as James Brown, Parliament, Funkadelic, and The Meters.
Bootsy’s Rubber Band
Funk is a genre of music that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s. Influenced by soul, jazz, and R&B, funk typically consists of a strong rhythmic groove with prominent basslines. Bootsy’s Rubber Band was one of the most influential funk bands of the 1970s. The group was led by bassist Bootsy Collins and featured singer Parliament-Funkadelic frontman George Clinton. Bootsy’s Rubber Band helped to pioneer the use of synthesizers in funk music and their style has been influential on subsequent generations of funk and hip-hop artists.
Conclusion
Here are the top funk music labels you need to know.
-The Funk Music Institute-The FMIF is a not-for-profit educational organisation dedicated to the preservation and promotion of funk music and culture. They offer funk history courses, run a funk music festival, and release compilations of rare and hard-to-find funk tracks.
-Funkadelic Records-Funkadelic Records is the label set up by George Clinton to release his group Funkadelic’s records. The label has also released solo albums by Clinton and other members of Parliament-Funkadelic.
-Westbound Records-Westbound Records was a record label set up in Detroit in 1970 to release Funkadelic’s records, as well as those of other motown artists including The Undisputed Truth and Honey Comb.
-Paisley Park Records-Paisley Park Records was Prince’s record label, set up in 1985. The label released records by Prince and The Revolution, as well as solo albums by members of The Revolution and other artists such as Sheila E.
