The Best Soul Music Hits of the 60s and 70s

Looking for the best soul music hits of the 60s and 70s? Look no further than our ultimate playlist. Featuring classic tracks from the likes of Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder, this is the perfect way to get your groove on.

Introduction

While the roots of soul music go back to the church, its true origins are often credited to the secular music of the early 1950s that combined blues and rhythm and blues. By the end of the decade, soul music had emerged as a distinct genre with a large following, particularly among African Americans. In the 1960s and 1970s, soul music became one of the most popular genres in the world, with artists such as James Brown, Marvin Gaye, and Aretha Franklin becoming international superstars. The best soul music hits of the 60s and 70s are still beloved by fans today.

What is soul music?

Soul music is a genre of African American popular music that led to the creation of funk and inspired the development of other genres, including rock. It originated in the late 1950s and early 1960s with artists such as Sam Cooke, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Otis Redding and Stevie Wonder.

The best soul music hits of the 60s

Are you looking for the best soul music hits of the 60s? If so, you’ve come to the right place. This list of songs includes some of the most popular and influential soul tracks of the decade, including classics by Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, and Otis Redding. Whether you’re a fan of Motown or southern soul, there’s something on this list for everyone.

So turn up the volume, sit back, and enjoy some of the best soul music hits of the 60s.

-Respect – Aretha Franklin (1967)
-Ain’t No Mountain High Enough – Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell (1967)
-I Heard It Through the Grapevine – Marvin Gaye (1968)
-(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay – Otis Redding (1968)
-Chain of Fools – Aretha Franklin (1968)
-I Can’t Get Next to You – The Temptations (1969)
-My Girl – The Temptations (1964)

The best soul music hits of the 70s

70s Soul Music experienced a surge in popularity with the release of Marvin Gaye’s 1971 album What’s Going On. The socially conscious record topped the R&B charts and crossed over to the pop Top 40. Other soul artists followed suit, releasing albums that tackled social issues such as poverty, drug addiction, and racism. This new wave of “message music” helped to solidify soul’s place as one of the most popular genres of the 1970s.

While socially conscious anthems dominated the charts, there were also plenty of feel-good love songs that crossed over to become mainstream hits. The sweet sound of Phillip Bailey’s “(Every Time I Turn Around) Back in Love Again” and The Stylistics’ “You Make Me Feel Brand New” are just two examples of the great love songs that came out of the 1970s Soul music scene.

Then, of course, there was disco. A subset of soul music, disco took the genre in a new direction in the late 1970s. Thanks to acts like Donna Summer and The Bee Gees, disco became one of the most popular genres of the decade–and continues to be loved by many fans around the world today.

Conclusion

There you have it, the best soul music hits of the 60s and 70s. We hope you enjoyed this trip down memory lane and discovered some new artists along the way. What are your favorite soul songs from this era? Let us know in the comments below.