Funk Music: The Best of the Best

A comprehensive guide to the best funk musicians and bands of all time.

Introduction

In the 1970s, a new type of music emerged that combined elements of soul, R&B, and Funk. This new style of music came to be known as “funk.” Over the years, funk has evolved and changed, but it has always remained a popular genre.

There are many great funk bands out there, but some have truly risen to the top. In this article, we will take a look at the best of the best when it comes to funk music.

The Origins of Funk

The origins of funk music can be traced back to the early 1970s, when African American musicians began fuse elements of soul, R&B, and jazz to create a new, more danceable sound. This new genre was initially popularized by artists such as James Brown and Parliament-Funkadelic, who would go on to influence countless other musicians in the years to come.

Today, funk is enjoyed by people of all ages and backgrounds, and its grooves can be heard in everything from pop and hip-hop to electronic dance music. If you’re looking for a funky good time, look no further than this list of the best funk songs of all time!

The Funk Sound

The funk sound is a style of music that is characterized by a heavy groove and a driving rhythm. Funk music often has a thick, distorted bass line and frequently employs syncopated rhythms. The style is named after the genre of music that originated in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Funk music was created by black musicians who were looking for a way to express themselves without following the traditional rules of rhythm and blues. The genre was heavily influenced by James Brown, who is often credited with creating the funk sound. Funk music was also influenced by other styles of music, including soul, jazz, and African rhythms.

Funk music became popular in the 1970s, thanks in large part to the success of George Clinton and his band Parliament-Funkadelic. Clinton’s unique blend of R&B, soul, and funk helped to popularize the genre and make it more acceptable to mainstream audiences. Funk music reached its peak in the late 1970s and early 1980s, with bands like Earth, Wind & Fire, Kool & the Gang, and Cameo achieving widespread success.

While funk music has never been as popular as it was in the 1970s and 1980s, the genre has continued to influence other styles of music. Hip hop, for example, would not exist without the influence of funk. Many modern musicians have also been heavily influenced by funk, including Prince, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Lenny Kravitz, and Outkast.

The Funk Groove

A funk groove is a distinctive style of rhythm guitar playing within the genre of funk music. It is characterized by a percussive, “stuttery” sound created by any combination of strings being muted by the player’s left hand while being strummed with a pick or plectrum by the player’s right hand.

The stuttery sound is created by the player muting strings that would otherwise ring out (open strings) while strumming others. This creates a rhythmic “machine gun” effect. Funk grooves are often syncopated, meaning that they don’t fall evenly on each beat, but this is not always the case.

The best funk guitarists make the groove sound effortless, but in reality, it can be quite challenging to play a tight, consistent funk rhythm. Many beginner and intermediate guitarists struggle with muting unwanted string noise while simultaneously strumming the correct notes.

The Funk Attitude

In order to understand funk, one must first understand the Funk Attitude. The Funk Attitude is all about being cool, confident, and in control. It’s about knowing who you are and not being afraid to show it. This attitude is reflected in the music itself, which is often groove-based and laid back. The emphasis is on the pocket, not on technical prowess or flashy solos.

Funk is also about taking inspiration from a variety of sources and creating something new and unique. Funk musicians are often influenced by other genres such as soul, jazz, and rock. They create their own sound by blending these disparate elements together. This results in a style of music that is both familiar and yet fresh at the same time.

If you’re looking for some of the best funk music out there, then look no further than the songs listed below. These tunes exemplify everything that is good about this genre. So put on your dancing shoes and get ready to funk it up!

The Funk Bands

Funk is a popular music genre that originated in the United States in the 1970s. Funk is a blend of African-American rhythm and blues with elements of jazz, soul, and psychedelic rock. The genre is characterized by a groovy bassline, complex horn rhythms, and very danceable beats.

The best funk bands have achieved international popularity and have influenced many other genres of music. Here are some of the greatest funk bands of all time:

– James Brown and the JBs
– Parliament-Funkadelic
– Sly and the Family Stone
– Bootsy’s Rubber Band
– The Meters
– George Clinton and Bootsy Collins

The Funky Singers

There is no shortage of great funk singers, but these are the best of the best.

1. James Brown
The Godfather of Soul is also the king of funk. With hits like “I Got You (I Feel Good)” and “Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine,” James Brown created a new subgenre of R&B that would come to be known as funk.

2. Sly & The Family Stone
Sly Stone was one of the most innovative and influential musicians of the 20th century. His band Sly & The Family Stone combined elements of rock, soul, pop, and funk to create a unique sound that was unlike anything else being made at the time. Hits like “Everyday People” and “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)” helped to make Sly & The Family Stone one of the most popular groups of the late 1960s and early 1970s.

3. Parliament-Funkadelic
Parliament-Funkadelic was a musical collective led by George Clinton that began releasing music in the early 1970s. Parliament-Funkadelic combined elements of R&B, soul, rock, and funk to create a unique style of music that they dubbed “P-Funk.” Parliament-Funkadelic is considered to be one of the most influential groups in music history, and their hits “(Not Just) Knee Deep” and “One Nation Under a Groove” are considered to be among the greatest funk songs ever made.

4. Prince
Prince was one of the most successful musicians of the 1980s thanks to his combination of R&B, pop, rock, and funk sensibilities. His hit songs “1999” and “Purple Rain” helped put him on the map, but it was his album 1999 that solidified his place as one of the greatest funk musicians of all time.

5. Red Hot Chili Peppers
The Red Hot Chili Peppers were originally a punk rock band, but they embraced their funky side on their 1991 album Blood Sugar Sex Magik. The album features some of their biggest hits like “Give It Away” and “Under the Bridge,” both of which are now considered to be classics of the alt-funk genre.

The Funk in Film

Funk’s rebellious, danceable groove also caught on in Hollywood. The blaxploitation genre of the early 1970s featured soundtracks laden with hard-hitting funk tunes, such as James Brown’s Super Bad (1971) and Isaac Hayes’ Shaft (1971). Later films, such as Pulp Fiction (1994) and Jackie Brown (1997), would revive interest in classic funk tracks.

The Funk on TV

Funk music has been a part of television since the early days of the medium. The first funk song to appear on TV was “Mashed Potato Time” by Dee Dee Sharp, which was used as background music on American Bandstand in 1962. Funk continued to be used on TV throughout the 1960s and 1970s, appearing on shows like Soul Train, Dance Fever, and The Mike Douglas Show.

In the 1980s, funk saw a resurgence in popularity thanks to MTV. Shows like Solid Gold and Friday Night Videos featured funk songs prominently, and artists like Prince and Rick James became superstars. Funk also became a staple of movies and television commercials in the 1980s, with songs like “Pick Up the Pieces” by Average White Band appearing in films like Animal House and “Funkytown” by Lipps Inc. being used in commercials for 7-Up and Budweiser.

In the 1990s, funk experienced another resurgence in popularity, thanks to hip-hop. Artists like Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg sampled classic funk songs extensively on their albums, and groups like Arrested Development and Digable Planets had hits with their own modern take on the genre. Funk also became popular again in advertising, with songs like “Whoomp! (There It Is)” by Tag Team appearing in commercials for Bud Light and Reebok.

Today, funk continues to be popular in both music and television. Artists like Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson have had massive hits with their retro-funk sound, while shows like Black-ish and Insecure feature contemporary takes on the genre. And there’s no shortage of classic funk songs being used in commercials, from “Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine” by James Brown to “Can You Feel It” by The Jacksons.

The Future of Funk

Funk is a genre of music that is often described as a mix of soul, R&B, and psychedelic rock. Funk songs are often characterized by their use of funk basslines, syncopated drum patterns, and horn sections. The genre first gained popularity in the 1970s with artists such as James Brown and Parliament-Funkadelic. In the 1980s, artists like Prince and Rick James helped to popularize the genre with mainstream audiences. In the 1990s and 2000s, artists like Outkast and Snoop Dogg helped to keep funk alive with a new generation of fans.

So what does the future hold for funk music? Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure: funk is here to stay.