The Ultimate List of ’90s Funk Music
Looking for some groovy tunes to take you back to the ’90s? Check out our ultimate list of the best funk songs from that decade!
’90s Funk Music Overview
The ’90s was a great decade for music, and funk was no exception. Funk was a popular genre of music that originated in the African-American community in the early 1970s. It was a mix of soul, R&B, and jazz, and it was characterized by a strong bass line and a funky groove. If you’re a fan of ’90s funk music, then you’ll love this list.
Defining Funk
Funk is a style of music that originated in the mid-1960s with African American artists. It is characterized by a groove-oriented sound and often featuressyncopated rhythms, basslines, and horn sections. Funk music evolved out of soul and R&B and was popularized by artists such as James Brown, Sly & The Family Stone, Parliament-Funkadelic, and George Clinton.
In the 1990s, funk underwent a resurgence in popularity thanks to artists like Red Hot Chili Peppers, Primal Scream, and Fishbone. Funk also had a significant impact on hip hop music, with artists like Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, and Warren G incorporating elements of the genre into their songs.
If you’re looking for a list of the best ’90s funk songs, look no further! This ultimate list includes classics like “Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker),” “Can’t Stop,” “Aeroplane,” and “Sir Duke.”
The ’90s Funk Sound
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-1960s with African American artists such as James Brown and Sly and the Family Stone. It is characterized by a strong rhythmic groove, often with a syncopated bassline, and call-and-response vocals.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Parliament-Funkadelic created a style of music that combined elements of funk, soul, psychedelic rock, and R&B. They were one of the first groups to use extensive use of distorted guitar and synthesizers.
George Clinton’s Parliament-Funkadelic became one of the most influential groups of the ’70s with their blend of R&B, soul, and funk. They incorporated elements of psychedelia and rock into their music and are credited with being one of the first groups to use distorted guitar and synthesizers extensively.
During the 1980s, many funk artists began to experiment with new wave and hip hop. This resulted in a style of funk that was more electronic and danceable. Some notable artists from this era include Zapp, D-Train, Cameo, and The Gap Band.
In the 1990s, there was a resurgence of interest in funk music. Artists such as Prince, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Lenny Kravitz, and Living Colour brought the sound back to mainstream audiences. This new generation of funk artists combined elements of R&B, soul, hip hop, and rock to create a unique sound that was distinctly ’90s.
Notable ’90s Funk Artists
Funk music first became popular in the early ’70s with bands like Parliament-Funkadelic and James Brown. The genre continued to gain popularity throughout the ’80s and ’90s with artists like Prince, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Sly and the Family Stone. If you’re a fan of ’90s funk music, check out this list of notable artists from the genre.
Parliament-Funkadelic
Formed in the late 1960s, Parliament-Funkadelic is a collective of funk artists by George Clinton. The group has undergone several lineup changes over the years, but Clinton has always remained the leader. They’re known for their psychedelic and spacey sound, as well as their outrageous stage shows. Some of their most popular songs include “Flash Light,” “Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker),” and “One Nation Under a Groove.”
Prince
Prince (born Prince Rogers Nelson on June 7, 1958 in Minneapolis, Minnesota) was an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and actor. He was a musical prodigy and released his debut album For You at the age of 20. Throughout the ’80s, he achieved tremendous success with a string of soundtrack albums and pop hits, including “1999,” “Purple Rain,” “Little Red Corvette” and “When Doves Cry.” In 1984, he starred in and recorded the soundtrack album for the semi-autobiographical film Purple Rain, which earned him an Academy Award for Best Original Score. He continued to enjoy success with albums like Sign o’ the Times (1987), LoveSexy (1988) and Diamonds and Pearls (1991), but his relationships with his record label Warner Bros. Records became increasingly strained in the early ’90s. After changing his stage name to an unpronounceable symbol in 1993 and releasing the album The Gold Experience that year, he finally left Warner Bros. for good in 1996. Following a three-year hiatus from recording music, he returned with the albums Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic (1999) and The Rainbow Children (2001). Although his popularity had diminished somewhat by the early 2000s, Prince remained a relevant and popular recording artist until his untimely death from an accidental fentanyl overdose at the age of 57 on April 21, 2016.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
One of the definitive funk-rock bands, the Chili Peppers mixed biting guitar work and often-raunchy lyrics with Parliament-Funkadelic bass lines to create some of the most innovative and popular music of the ’90s. The band formed in Los Angeles in 1983 and released its debut album, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, the following year. The record was a minor success, but it was their second album, Freaky Styley (1985), that made them stars in the underground funk scene.
Sly and the Family Stone
Formed in 1967, Sly and the Family Stone’s unique blend of R&B, soul, rock, and jazz made them one of the most popular and influential bands of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Although the group only achieved moderate success with its first few singles, its 1971 album There’s a Riot Goin’ On spent five weeks at number one on the Billboard 200 and went on to be certified quadruple platinum by the RIAA. The album featured the hit single “Family Affair”, which topped the Billboard Hot 100.
Sly and the Family Stone’s next two albums, 1972’s Fresh and 1973’s Small Talk, were also both critical and commercial successes, spawning the hit singles “Fresh” and “If You Want Me to Stay”. The group’s 1974 album Stand!, which features the iconic funk anthem “I Want to Take You Higher”, was equally successful, reaching number four on the Billboard 200 and going double platinum. Sly and Stone continued to release successful albums throughout the 1970s, but by 1977, creative differences between Stone and band members as well as drug abuse problems had begun to take their toll on the group. Sly Stone attempted to carry on as a solo artist, but touring commitments and financial problems led to his arrest for cocaine possession in 1980. He would not release another album under his own name until 1987’s A Whole New Thing.
’90s Funk Songs
Funk songs dominated the ’90s music scene. They were catchy, upbeat, and everyone was dancing to them. If you’re looking for a throwback to the ’90s, these funk songs will definitely get you in the mood.
“Can’t Stop” – Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Can’t Stop” is a true ’90s funk song. The bass line is funky and catchy, the guitar riff is downtempo and groove-oriented, and the lyrics are playfully sexy. This song epitomizes the ’90s funk sound and is a must-have for any fan of the genre.
“Kiss” – Prince
The song was released as the lead single from the album on February 7, 1994. The song is a mix of rock, R&B, new jack swing, and hip hop styles, with a central rap performed by Mayte Garcia. “Kiss” peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks, becoming Prince’s second and (to date) final American number-one hit. It also topped the charts in Australia, Canada, Finland, New Zealand and Spain.Prince won a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for “Kiss” at the 38th Grammy Awards in 1996.
“Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker)” – Parliament-Funkadelic
“Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker)” is a song by Parliament-Funkadelic. It was released as a single in 1976 and became a hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart and number fifteen on the Billboard Hot 100. The song appears on Parliament’s album The Mothership Connection.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the ’90s was a great decade for funk music. With so many different artists and styles to choose from, there’s something for everyone. Whether you’re a fan of the classic sound of George Clinton or the more contemporary style of Snoop Dogg, there’s sure to be something on this list that you’ll enjoy. So get out your dancing shoes and get ready to Funk it up!
