The Best of Soul Music in the 80s

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Contributors: Andranick Tanguiane, Fred Lerdahl,

Contents

The 80s was a great decade for soul music. Here are some of the best soul songs of the 80s.

The Birth of Soul Music

The term “soul” was first used in the music industry to describe African American rhythm and blues music in the late 1950s. The style combined gospel, R&B, and jazz and was most popular in the 1960s and 1970s. However, the roots of soul music go back much further, to the early days of the African American experience in the United States.

What is soul music?

Soul music is a genre that combines elements of rhythm and blues, gospel, and sometimes jazz. It is widely considered to be one of the most influential genres of music in the 20th century.

The term “soul” can be traced back to the 1850s, when it was used to describe African-American Christian music. In the 1960s, soul music became popular with a wider audience, and by the 1970s, it had become one of the most popular genres of music in the world.

The 80s were a particularly strong decade for soul music, with artists like Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson, and Prince all releasing classic albums. If you’re a fan of soul music, then these are certainly some albums that you need to check out.

The origins of soul music

Soul music is a genre that originated in the United States in the 1950s and 1960s. It combines elements of African-American gospel music, rhythm and blues, and jazz. The genre developed during the Civil Rights Movement and reached its height of popularity in the 1970s.

The term “soul” was originally used to describe music that was created by African-American artists that was seen as having a more “authentic” sound than other genres like pop or rock. The term has since been expanded to describe any music that has a similar sound or feel, regardless of the artist’s race or ethnicity.

Soul music is known for its emotional lyrics and often upbeat tempo. It is also known for its ability to cross racial boundaries and appeal to a wide range of listeners.

The Golden Age of Soul Music

The 80s was a special time for soul music. It was a time when the genre was truly flourishing and artists like Lionel Richie, Marvin Gaye, and Whitney Houston were at the height of their powers. If you’re a fan of soul music, then the 80s were definitely the golden age.

The best soul songs of the 80s

Aretha Franklin, Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Whitney Houston, Tina Turner… all 80s icons who brought us some of the greatest soul songs of all time. The 80s was a decade that truly saw soul music come into its own. With the advent of new technology and a new generation of artists, soul music reached new heights and became one of the most popular genres of the decade.

Here are just a few of the best soul songs of the 80s:

-Aretha Franklin – “Respect”
-Lionel Richie – “All Night Long”
-Stevie Wonder – “I Just Called to Say I Love You”
-Marvin Gaye – “Sexual Healing”
-Whitney Houston – “Saving All My Love for You”
-Tina Turner – “What’s Love Got to Do with It”

The best soul artists of the 80s

The 1980s was the golden age of soul music, with many of the genre’s most iconic artists releasing their greatest work during the decade. From massive superstars like Michael Jackson and Prince to critical darlings like Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye, the 80s was a decade when soul music truly ruled the world.

Here are 10 of the best soul artists of the 1980s:

1. Michael Jackson
2. Prince
3. Stevie Wonder
4. Marvin Gaye
5. Aretha Franklin
6. Whitney Houston
7. Quincy Jones
8. Lionel Richie
9. James Brown
10. Ray Charles

The Legacy of Soul Music

When it comes to music, the 80s was a decade that saw the birth of many genres. One genre that gained popularity during this time was soul music. This type of music is a blend of rhythm and blues, gospel, and pop. It appeals to the emotions and is often used to express the struggles of life. Today, soul music is still popular and has influenced many other genres. Let’s take a look at the legacy of soul music.

The influence of soul music

The impact of soul music on popular culture was immense. The genre gave rise to a number of sub-genres including funk, disco and urban contemporary, and had a profound effect on the development of other genres such as rock and roll, pop and dance music. Soul music dominated the airwaves in the United States during the 1960s and 1970s, and its influence can still be felt today.

The origins of soul music can be traced back to the African-American community in the early 1940s. Gospel music was extremely popular at that time and it served as the template for soul music. The first soul songs were mostly ballads that conveyed messages of love and heartache, but as the genre developed, artists began to experiment with different styles and arrangements.

By the late 1960s, soul music had reached its commercial peak. Artists like Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder were producing some of the most popular and influential music of the era. The 1970s saw the rise of disco, which drew heavily from soul music. As disco fever began to wane in the early 1980s, soul music evolved into urban contemporary or new jack swing.

Today, soul music is still widely beloved by fans around the world. Many modern artists have been influenced by soul music, and the genre continues to enjoy considerable popularity.

The future of soul music

In the late ’80s, a new generation of artists took soul music in directions that would have been unthinkable a decade earlier. Pioneered by Prince and Michael Jackson, pop-soul crossed over to mainstream audiences like never before, while artists like Bobby Brown and Janet Jackson brought a new level of sensuality to the music. At the same time, rap music was evolving from its party-oriented roots into a more conscious and introspective art form, as artists likePublic Enemy and N.W.A explored the realities of life in America’s inner cities.

The future of soul music was impossible to predict in the late ’80s, but one thing was certain: the genre had never been more popular, or more varied.

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