What are the best Motown songs?
From Sixties pop smashes to Seventies protest classics
- 91 Marvin Gaye, "Trouble Man" (1972)
- 87 Mary Wells, "My Guy" (1964)
- 86 Stevie Wonder, "Sir Duke" (1977)
- 85 Boyz II Men, "End of the Road" (1992)
- 83 The Temptations, "Cloud Nine" (1968)
- 75 The Supremes, "Bad Weather" (1973)
- 74 Teena Marie, "Square Biz" (1980)
- 71 The Commodores, "Easy" (1977)
What are the characteristics of Motown music?
Motown music blends the sounds of r&b and pop music. The Motown sound has many characteristics including: the use of tambourines, prominent bass lines, and most importantly a call and response singing style that originated in gospel music.
What is the difference between Motown and soul music?
Motown music is either a product of Motown Records (with all that implies, like the team of studio musicians who recorded most of it, from 1959 onward), or Soul music is a slower variant of R&B music, much influenced by Gospel music. Soul features dramatic arrangements and very- melismatic vocals.
What Motown group had the most hits?
Motown’s Number Ones
- THE MARVELETTES, “Please Mr. Postman” (Tamla 54046) 11/12/1961 (1) “When Georgia [ Dobbins] brought the song to us, we learned the words that she and [ William] Garrett had ...
- LITTLE STEVIE WONDER, “Fingertips – Pt. 2” (Tamla 54080) 10/8/1963 (3) “It was through Dr. ...
- MARY WELLS, “My Guy” (Motown 1056) 16/5/1964 (2)
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How would you describe Motown music?
an upbeat, often pop-influenced style of rhythm and blues associated with the city of Detroit and with numerous Black vocalists and vocal groups since the 1950s, characterized by compact, danceable arrangements.
Is Motown considered a genre?
Motown, or the Motown sound, is a style of rhythm and blues music named after the record company Motown in Detroit, where teams of songwriters and musicians produced material for girl groups, boy bands, and solo singers during the 1960s and early 1970s.
What makes a song Motown?
Crafted with an ear towards pop appeal, the Motown Sound typically used tambourines to accent the back beat, prominent and often melodic electric bass-guitar lines, distinctive melodic and chord structures, and a call-and-response singing style that originated in gospel music.
What styles of music are part of the Motown sound?
Motown music is a musical genre that blends the sounds of rhythm and blues (R&B)and pop music styles. It is played with a variety of musical instruments, from electric to acoustic.
What are two characteristics of Motown music?
The Sound of Motown In the early to mid-1960s especially, the Funk Brothers gave Motown's records their signature sound characteristics, including: A strong, steady four-beat drum tempo. Frequent use of strings and horns. Pop vocal stylings embellished with gospel-influenced chorals.
Is Motown soul music?
The Motown sound, which came of age in the 1960s, must also be considered soul music.
What made Motown unique?
The Motown Sound owes some of its uniqueness to the reverb effect created by pumping tracks through the label's Echo Chamber, in the days before computers and synthesizers. True to his commitment to quality, Berry Gordy, Jr. would not slap a Motown label on every song his producers offered.
Does Motown still exist?
Motown, as we've come to know it, does not exist anymore. It appears to not be a label, but more of a "label group," now paired with Universal.
What instruments are used in Motown music?
The “Motown Sound”, also known by the company slogan “the sound of young America”, was comprised of musicians playing instruments common to American popular music: electric guitar, electric bass, drum set (or drum kit), piano, Hammond organ, horn sections with trumpet, baritone tenor and alto saxophones, and trombone.
What characteristics are common to the Motown sound of the 1960s?
An Overview of the Motown Music Genre The signature label sound that Berry Gordy created at 2648 West Grand Boulevard in Detroit, Michigan was a pop-soul hybrid he correctly dubbed "The Sound Of Young America." The typical Motown song was a bright, uptempo number done as a 2/4 shuffle or a hard 4/4 beat.
Is Motown folk or popular music?
The Motown sound was a combination of soul and popular music. Gordy signed a number of amazing artists, among them Marvin Gaye, the Jackson 5, the Supremes, the Temptations, Stevie Wonder, and Smokey Robinson and the Miracles.
Who started the Motown sound?
Encyclopedia Of Detroit With an $800 loan from his family, Berry Gordy, Jr. founded Tamla Records on January 12, 1959, adding the Motown label later that year.
Is Motown folk or popular music?
The Motown sound was a combination of soul and popular music. Gordy signed a number of amazing artists, among them Marvin Gaye, the Jackson 5, the Supremes, the Temptations, Stevie Wonder, and Smokey Robinson and the Miracles.
What era is Motown?
For now, here are 50 essential singles from Motown's Detroit era, defined as 1959-1972, as selected by the Detroit Free Press and its readers to commemorate the label's 50th anniversary.
What's the difference between Motown and soul?
The major difference between Motown and Southern Soul (Stax) lies within the lyrics of these songs. Southern Soul is much more dramatic and loose (dirtier), whereas Motown is much more controlled and polished.
Does Motown still exist?
Motown, as we've come to know it, does not exist anymore. It appears to not be a label, but more of a "label group," now paired with Universal.
What kind of music is Motown?
The music of Motown is a blend of popular (pop) and soul music. The Motown sound was soulful, sultry, uplifting, and relatable to the people of its...
Why is it called Motown?
The record label was called Motown after the nickname given to the city of Detroit. Motown is the nickname for Motor Town.
Who made up Motown?
Motown is the record label founded by Berry Gordy Jr. in 1959. The company was developed in Detroit, Michigan, Gordy Jr.'s hometown.
What is Motown?
One cannot speak about popular music without speaking about Motown, the historic record label founded in 1959 by musical genius, Berry Gordy Jr. As the label got its start in Detroit, Michigan, Gordy Jr. named the label Motown after Detroit's nickname, Motor Town. During this time, Detroit was home to the Ford motor plant and the city produced cars that were sold all around the world.
What is Motown known for?
Motown is remembered by music lovers for its role in integrating musical venues during the Civil Rights Era and bringing the world a new subgenre of music in the form of girl groups like Martha and The Vandellas and Diana Ross and The Supremes. One could argue that Motown is perhaps one of the most memorable record labels of all time. Its legacy of timeless hits and soul will live on for many generations to come.
What is the sound of Motown?
The sound of Motown was certainly one of a kind. The artists and songs combined mainstream popular music (pop music) and soulful sounds. This winning combination not only made Motown a household name, but it also afforded the record label 79 top-ten records during its first 10 years in business.
What did Motown artists do?
Motown artists stood out among the rest and gained a reputation for not only soul, but also class and style. They helped to integrate many all-white dance halls and audiences. Motown also stood out for championing the formation of a new subgenre in the music: girl groups. The emergence of groups like Diana Ross and The Supremes, The Ronettes, The Marvelettes, and Martha and The Vandellas did not eliminate the all-male groups; however, it did solidify the special place for all-female groups in the music industry.
Where was Motown founded?
Motown is the record label founded by Berry Gordy Jr. in 1959. The company was developed in Detroit, Michigan, Gordy Jr.'s hometown.
Who wrote Motown songs?
Gordy Jr. used his training from Ford Motor Company and incorporated many elements into the operating of Motown. Songs were not merely written, recorded, and released to the public. Focus groups were conducted to determine the possibility of a song being a hit, an instant favorite that would not only captivate the target audience but also hold a prominent spot on the music charts. Berry wrote many of the songs himself and hired other talented artists, like Smoky Robinson, to write as well. As a result of this process, Motown produced numerous hits and garnered Motown the nickname Hitsville.
Who sang lead in Motown?
William "Smokey" Robinson Jr. not only wrote songs for other Motown artists, but he also sang lead in a group with Bobby Rogers, Billy Griffin, and Claudette Rogers (who eventually became his wife). The group dazzled audiences with songs like "Tears of a Clown," "Shop Around," and "Tracks of my Tears."
What was the name of the group that recorded Motown?
In 1959, not long after recording Robinson’s group, the Miracles, for New York-based End Records and establishing Jobete Publishing Company, Gordy began Motown Records (its name derived from Detroit’s nickname, “Motor City”). A number of factors came together to make Motown’s success possible at this time. First, after World War II, big-band swing, the dominant popular dance music in the United States during the Great Depression, became passé. Big musical units were no longer economically feasible. Jazz had been taken over by a new group of Young Turk stylists; calling themselves beboppers, they were inclined to play music for listening rather than dancing.
When was Motown a success?
Motown enjoyed its greatest success between 1965 and 1968, when it dominated the Billboard charts. Although the company was never quite the force in the 1970s that it was in the ’60s (having lost several key performers), it was still a formidable enterprise with the Jackson 5, the Commodores, Wonder, and Ross.
What was the role of Motown in the 1960s?
During the 1960s Motown became one of the reigning presences in American popular music, along with the Beatles.
What is the name of the Motown record company?
See Article History. Alternative Titles: Hitsville, Motown Record Corporation. Motown, in full Motown Record Corporation, also called Hitsville, recording company founded by Berry Gordy, Jr., in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., in January 1959 that became one of the most successful Black-owned businesses and one of the most influential independent record ...
What were the factors that made Motown so successful?
First, after World War II, big-band swing, the dominant popular dance music in the United States during the Great Depression, became passé. Big musical units were no longer economically feasible.
Where is the Motown studios?
Motown studios, identified by the “Hitsville U.S.A.” banner, West Grand Boulevard, Detroit, Michigan.
Did Gordy read music?
Although he could not read music , he demonstrated an unerring ability to gauge whether a song had the elements of popular appeal. Before forming Motown, Gordy tried to make it as an independent songwriter and record producer, cowriting hit songs for Jackie Wilson, another former boxer and Detroiter, and Marv Johnson.
Who is the artist that created Motown?
Motown: The music that changed America. (Image credit: EMI Archive Trust and Universal Music Group) By Arwa Haider 9th January 2019. Sixty years ago, Berry Gordy set up the hit factory of Motown. Arwa Haider looks at how an independent record label created one of the most influential sounds of the 20th Century. O.
When did Motown release the Freedom Rally?
On the Gordy label, Motown released an album of Martin Luther King’s address to the Freedom Rally held in Detroit on 23 June 1963 (EMI Archive Trust and Universal Music Group) Motown would deliver more explicitly political anthems, too: notably Edwin Starr’s fiery 1970 classic War; its songwriters, Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong, ...
When did Gordy sell Motown?
Gordy sold his ownership in Motown in 1988, to major label MCA and an investment banking firm for $61million – noting that this was less than its full worth; indeed, five years later, Polygram would purchase Motown for $301million.
Who signed with Gordy before Motown?
Before Motown, Gordy had signed deals for two singles by rising R&B stars The Miracles, featuring a young Smokey Robinson – only to receive a royalty cheque for just $3.19. Robinson reportedly told Gordy: “You might as well start your own record label; I don’t think you could do any worse than this.”.
Is Motown still independent?
The ‘Motown Sound’ is unmistakeable for its glorious melodies and killer hooks; the Motown spirit – as embodied by the vivacious, tenacious Gordy himself (now 89) – is exceptional, even if the label is no longer independent (it’s currently part of Universal Records).
Is the music industry harmonious?
The music industry is not a naturally harmonious environment ; tensions and rivalries bristled from Motown’s earliest breakthroughs and its “assembly line” work ethic was not for the faint-hearted. Marvin Gaye once wryly quipped: “It was a loving Gestapo – because Berry is a loving cat – but it was still the Gestapo.”.
What is the Motown name?
Its name, a portmanteau of motor and town, has become a nickname for Detroit, where the label was originally headquartered. Motown played an important role in the racial integration of popular music as an African ...
Where is Motown from?
Record label originally from Detroit , Michigan. For the musical style associated with the label, see Motown (music style). For other uses, see Motown (disambiguation). For the city nicknamed Motown, see Detroit. This article needs additional citations for verification.
How did Motown production work?
The Motown production process has been described as factory-like. The Hitsville studios remained open and active 22 hours a day, and artists would often go on tour for weeks, come back to Detroit to record as many songs as possible, and then promptly go on tour again. Berry Gordy held quality control meetings every Friday morning, and used veto power to ensure that only the very best material and performances would be released. The test was that every new release needed to fit into a sequence of the top five selling pop singles of the week. Several tracks that later became critical and commercial favorites were initially rejected by Gordy, the two most notable being the Marvin Gaye songs " I Heard It Through the Grapevine " and " What's Going On ". In several cases, producers would rework tracks in hopes of eventually getting them approved at a later Friday morning meeting, as producer Norman Whitfield did with "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" and The Temptations' " Ain't Too Proud to Beg ".
What was the role of Motown in the 1960s?
In the 1960s, Motown and its subsidiary labels (including Tamla Motown, the brand used outside the US) were the most of the Motown sound, a style of soul music with a mainstream pop appeal. Motown was the most successful soul music label, with a net worth of $61 million. During the 1960s, Motown achieved 79 records in the top-ten of the Billboard Hot 100 between 1960 and 1969.
How many top 10 hits did Motown have?
From 1961 to 1971, Motown had 110 top 10 hits. Top artists on the Motown label during that period included the Supremes (initially including Diana Ross ), the Four Tops, and the Jackson 5, while Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, the Marvelettes, and the Miracles had hits on the Tamla label.
How many records did Motown have in the 1960s?
During the 1960s, Motown achieved 79 records in the top-ten of the Billboard Hot 100 between 1960 and 1969. Following the events of the Detroit Riots of 1967, and the loss of key songwriting/production team Holland–Dozier–Holland that year over pay disputes, Gordy moved Motown to Los Angeles, California.
What labels did Motown release?
In the United Kingdom, Motown's records were released on various labels: at first London (only the Miracles' "Shop Around"/" Who's Lovin' You " and "Ain't It Baby"), then Fontana ("Please Mr. Postman" by the Marvelettes was one of four) and then Oriole American (" Fingertips " by Little Stevie Wonder was one of many).