Independent Soul Music: What’s It All About?

Independent soul music is its own unique genre, and it’s all about creating music from the heart. If you’re looking for something different from the mainstream, this is the place to start.

Defining Independent Soul

Independent soul music is a genre that is hard to define, but easy to feel. It’s music that comes from the heart and soul, and isoften created by independent artists who are following their own musical vision. This genre of music often has a strong message, and is created with the intention of touching the lives of those who hear it.

The Motown Sound

The Motown sound was a style of popular music created by Motown Records in the 1960s. It was characterized by a heavy bass, simple melodies, and soulful vocals. The sound was an important part of the Civil Rights Movement and is often considered one of the most influential musical genres of the 20th century.

Motown Records was founded in 1959 by Berry Gordy, Jr., who used the record label to create a new sound that would appeal to both black and white audiences. Gordy took inspiration from gospel, jazz, and blues music to create what would become known as the “Motown sound.” The sound was characterized by its heavy bass, simple melodies, and soulful vocals.

The Motown sound became one of the most popular musical genres in the United States in the 1960s. It was an important part of the Civil Rights Movement and helped to break down racial barriers in popular music. The sound continues to be popular today and has influenced many other genres of music.

The Philly Sound

In the early 1970s, a new sound began to emerge from the soul music scene in Philadelphia. This sound, which came to be known as the Philly sound, was a soulful,post-Motown style that incorporated elements of pop, rock, and disco. The Philly sound was pioneered by producers like Gamble and Huff and artists like The O’Jays and Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes. It would go on to dominate the soul charts in the 1970s and 1980s.

The Birth of Independent Soul

Independent soul music is a subgenre of soul music that developed in the United States in the late 1960s. The term “independent soul” was first used in the early 1970s to describe record labels that produced soul music outside the major record label system. The music was often produced on a shoestring budget and sold out of the trunks of cars.

The Stax Records Sound

Stax Records was founded in 1957 in Memphis, Tennessee. The company had a major impact on the development of soul music, and is often referred to as the ” birthplace of independent soul.”

The Stax sound was a product of the blending of different musical genres, including gospel, R&B, pop, and blues. This unique mixture of styles was further developed by the talented team of musicians who worked at the label, including Booker T. & the MGs, Isaac Hayes, Otis Redding, and Sam & Dave.

The Stax sound became famous for its ” Memphis Soul” style, which featured a distinctive horn section and a focus on groove and feeling over technical virtuosity. This approach helped to make soul music more accessible to a wider audience, and helped to launch the careers of many iconic artists.

The Sound of Southern Soul

The sound of Southern soul is a unique blend of R&B, gospel, and country music that originated in the American South in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It was a sound that was created by African-American musicians who were influenced by the music of their homeland, but who also wanted to create something new.

Southern soul was a reaction to the perceived limitations of what was considered “acceptable” African-American music at the time. It was also a way for these musicians to assert their independence from the mainstream music industry, which they felt was not adequately supporting or promoting their work.

Independent soul labels such as Stax and Motown were incredibly successful in promoting and popularizing this new sound, and it soon became one of the most popular genres of music in the United States. Southern soul artists like Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, and Wilson Pickett went on to have hugely successful careers, and their influence can still be heard in today’s R&B and hip-hop music.

The Rise of Independent Soul

In recent years, there has been a rise in popularity of independent soul music. This type of music is typically made by artists who are not signed to a record label, and instead choose to release their music independently. There are a few key reasons why this type of music has become so popular in recent years. Let’s take a look at a few of them.

The Chicago Sound

Independent Soul is a subgenre of Soul music, which is a African American pop music genre that arose in the late 1950s and early 1960s. It later developed into Rhythm and Blues and Funk. Soul music combined elements of Gospel, R&B, and Jazz, and was very popular in the 1970s. In the 1980s, Independent Soul emerged as a new genre, characterized by a more modern sound and an independent attitude.

Independent Soul artists are usually signed to small, independent labels, rather than major labels. They have more control over their music and image, and are often able to retain creative control. This allows them to create music that is more personal and reflective of their own experiences.

The term “Independent Soul” is used to describe both the sound and the attitude of the artists who make this type of music. The sound is usually a mix of traditional Soul influences with modern R&B, Hip Hop, or Pop. The attitude is confident and independent-minded, with anemphasis on personal expression.

Independent Soul artists are often storytellers, using their music to share their own unique perspective on life. They sing about love, heartbreak, friendship, betrayal, struggle, and triumph. Their lyrics are honest and relatable, reflecting the realities of everyday life.

Some of the most popular Independent Soul artists include D’Angelo, Lauryn Hill, Maxwell, Erykah Badu, Bilal, Musiq Soulchild, Alicia Keys, India Arie, Jill Scott, Mario Winans, Lupe Fiasco, Frank Ocean, Janelle Monae,. Daniel Caesar,. H.E.R.,and SZA.

The New York Sound

Though it has been argued that soul music began in the African-American church, the genre is most commonly associated with the “city sound” that arose in the late 1950s and early 1960s. This sound was characterized by a harder, more urbanized approach to the music than had previously been seen. It was also marked by a stronger focus on musicality and instrumentation, as well as a greater emphasis on vocals.

The New York Sound is often considered to be the first truly independent soul sound. This is largely due to the fact that it was created by a group of young African-American musicians who were not signed to major record labels. These artists instead chose to release their music on smaller, independent labels. This gave them a greater degree of control over their artistry, and allowed them to experiment with new sounds and styles.

The New York Sound quickly gained popularity within the African-American community, and soon began to spread to other parts of the United States. It would go on to have a major impact on the development of soul music as a whole, and would ultimately give rise to some of the genre’s most iconic artists.

The Legacy of Independent Soul

Independent soul music has always had a place in the African American community. It is a genre that is true to its roots and tells the stories of real life experiences. Independent soul artists are not afraid to be different and they are not bound by the expectations of the mainstream music industry. This type of music is about expression and connecting with the listener on a personal level.

The Sound of Today

Independent soul is a term used to describe a type of soul music that is produced and released outside of the major record label system. This type of music is often created by small, independent labels or artists who produce and release their own music.

There are many different subgenres of independent soul, but the common thread that ties them all together is a focus on creativity and artistic expression, rather than commercial success. This type of music often has a more organic sound, and the lyrics are often more personal and introspective than those found in mainstream soul.

Independent soul has its roots in the Sound of Philadelphia in the 1970s, but the genre has grown and evolved over the years to include artists from all over the world. Today, there are countless independent soul artists making incredible music, and the genre shows no signs of slowing down.