Elliot Kim
Motown Record Company, founded by Berry Gordy Jr. in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, was one of the first sizeable Black-owned music companies in America. It became one of the most successful Black-owned businesses and one of the most influential independent record companies in American history. Motown and its subsidiaries were the most prominent exponents of what became known as the Motown sound, a style of soul music with a mainstream pop-influenced sound and appeal. The Motown sound was a spiritual sound that came from the people that made it happen. It was a unique blend of rhythm and blues, gospel, swing, and pop, with lyrical ballads of great melodic charm sung to a strong rhythmic accompaniment.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Founder | Berry Gordy, Jr. |
| Year founded | 1959 |
| Location | Detroit, Michigan, US |
| Genre | Soul music |
| Artists | Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, The Temptations, Marvin Gaye, Martha and the Vandellas, The Marvelettes, The Four Tops, Boyz II Men, Diana Ross, The Commodores, Gladys Knight and the Pips, The Isley Brothers, Tammi Terrell, The Jackson Five, Jr. Walker & the All Stars, Jimmy Ruffin, Shorty Long, the Originals, Earl Washington, Rare Earth, Lionel Ritchie |
| Songwriters | Smokey Robinson, Holland-Dozier-Holland, Norman Whitfield, Mickey Stevenson, Ivy Joe Hunter, Gordy, Sylvia Moy, Pamela Sawyer, Gloria Jones, James Dean, William Weatherspoon, Johnny Bristol, Harvey Fuqua, Gil Askey, Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson, Frank Wilson, Barrett Strong |
| Producers | Norman Whitfield, William "Mickey" Stevenson, Smokey Robinson, Barrett Strong, Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson, Frank Wilson, Pamela Sawyer, Gloria Jones, Johnny Bristol, Harvey Fuqua, Gil Askey, Stevie Wonder, Gordy |
| Musicians | Funk Brothers, Earl Van Dyke, Benny Benjamin, Uriel Jones, James Jamerson, Dave Hamilton |
| Influence | Influenced several non-Motown artists of the mid-1960s, including Dusty Springfield and the Foundations |
| Racial barriers | Broke racial barriers and appealed to both black and white audiences |
| Impact | Artists became etched in the nation's collective consciousness, achieving crossover success and widespread popularity |
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What You'll Learn
Motown's influence on civil rights
Motown, founded by Berry Gordy in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, became one of the most successful Black-owned businesses and influential independent record companies in American history. It was also the source of a popular Black music variant that earned worldwide acclaim in the 1960s.
The Motown sound was a unique style of soul music with a mainstream pop-influenced sound and appeal. It blended R&B, gospel, swing, and pop, and featured lyrical ballads of great melodic charm sung to a strong rhythmic accompaniment with a surprising lightness of touch. The music was crafted and packaged for the masses, with impeccable harmonies and finely-tuned stage choreography.
The Motown record label produced some of the best-selling and most iconic acts of the 1960s and beyond, including The Supremes, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Martha and the Vandellas, and Smokey Robinson and the Miracles. These artists and their music played a significant role in breaking racial barriers and changing white people's attitudes towards Black people.
The widespread appeal of Motown's music was due in part to Gordy's practice of using a highly select and tight-knit group of studio musicians, known as the Funk Brothers, to record the instrumental tracks for the majority of Motown recordings. Gordy also set certain standards for his artists, ensuring they were impeccably clothed, taught deportment, and given dance routines and stagecraft instruction.
In addition to its musical impact, Motown also contributed to the civil rights movement of the time. The company's success served as a powerful example of Black artistic expression and Black capitalism, challenging racial barriers and promoting equality. As one commentator noted, "I could get those [Motown] stations, and they played an awful lot of Motown music. And I—it just—it was so important in changing white people's attitudes towards black people. And you were as important an ingredient in civil rights as Martin Luther King, Jr. was."
Furthermore, some of the songs recorded by Motown artists contained subtle messages of equality and unity, such as Martha and the Vandellas' "Dancing in the Street," which could be interpreted in different ways, including as a call to riot or simply enjoyed as a catchy tune. Thus, through its unique sound, talented artists, and universal themes, Motown played a significant role in shaping American culture and promoting racial equality during the civil rights era.
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Berry Gordy's role in Motown's success
Motown founder Berry Gordy, born in 1929, was a songwriter, record producer, film producer, and television producer. He founded the label in 1959 with an $800 loan from his family and established its Detroit headquarters, Hitsville U.S.A. Gordy's vision for Motown was to create a trailblazing new sound in American music, and he succeeded in shaping the nation's story.
Gordy's gift for identifying and bringing together musical talent, along with the careful management of his artists' public image, was key to the label's success. He signed numerous legendary artists, including the Supremes, Marvin Gaye, the Temptations, the Four Tops, Gladys Knight & the Pips, and Stevie Wonder. Gordy was also a songwriter and producer himself, co-writing hits such as "Lonely Teardrops" and "Reet Petite" for Jackie Wilson. He also co-wrote songs for the Jackson 5, including "I Want You Back" and "ABC".
Gordy's practice of using a highly select and tight-knit group of studio musicians, known as the Funk Brothers, to record the instrumental tracks for most Motown recordings, was a major factor in the widespread appeal of the label's music. The Funk Brothers were made up of some of the best nightclub and bar musicians in Black Detroit, including Earl Van Dyke on keyboards, Benny Benjamin and Uriel Jones on drums, and James Jamerson on bass.
Gordy's business acumen and entrepreneurial spirit were also crucial to Motown's success. He incorporated Motown Records in April 1960, and the company became the highest-earning African-American business for decades, with a net worth of $61 million in 1988. Between 1960 and 1969, Motown had 79 songs reach the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100.
In addition to his musical pursuits, Gordy ventured into film and television production. He produced hit movies featuring Motown artists, such as the film adaptation of the Broadway musical "The Wiz," starring Diana Ross and Michael Jackson. Gordy's success in the music industry and his role in shaping American culture have been recognized through various awards, including the National Medal of Arts, the Kennedy Center Honors, and an honorary doctorate from the University of Michigan.
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Motown's unique sound
Motown Records, founded by Berry Gordy Jr. in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, became one of the most successful Black-owned businesses and one of the most influential independent record companies in American history. It was also the source of a popular Black music variant that earned worldwide acclaim in the 1960s.
The Motown sound was a unique style of soul music with a mainstream pop-influenced sound and appeal. It was a blend of rhythm and blues, gospel, swing, and pop. The music was presented in a way that broke racial barriers and appealed to people of all skin colours.
The Motown sound featured lyrical ballads of great melodic charm sung to a strong rhythmic accompaniment with a surprising lightness of touch. The songs were written by a variety of songwriters, including Holland–Dozier–Holland (Lamont Dozier and brothers Brian and Eddie Holland), Smokey Robinson, and Gordy himself.
The company's artists were impeccably clothed and taught deportment to ensure they remained coolly dignified. They were given dance routines and instructed in stagecraft. Their records were properly recorded, and for the most part, given a certain sound so fans would know it was a Motown release.
The Motown sound was also influenced by the use of a highly select and tight-knit group of studio musicians, collectively known as the Funk Brothers, who recorded the instrumental or "band" tracks of a majority of Motown recordings. The Funk Brothers were made up of some of the best nightclub and bar musicians in Black Detroit, including Earl Van Dyke on keyboards, Benny Benjamin and Uriel Jones on drums, and James Jamerson on bass.
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Motown's impact on black capitalism
Motown Record Company, founded in 1959 by Berry Gordy Jr., was one of the first sizeable Black-owned music companies in America. Gordy started the company with an $800 family loan and soon produced some of the best-selling and most iconic acts of the 1960s and beyond. Motown's artists included Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, The Temptations, Marvin Gaye, Martha and the Vandellas, and many others.
The Motown sound was a unique style of soul music with a mainstream pop-influenced sound and appeal. It combined rhythm and blues with gospel music styles and featured lyrical ballads with strong rhythmic accompaniment. The music was crafted and packaged for the masses, with Gordy setting certain standards for his artists. They were well-dressed, taught deportment, and given dance routines and stagecraft instruction. Their records were properly recorded, and for the most part, given a certain sound so fans would know it was a Motown release.
Motown's music was a revolution, presenting a great example of black artistic expression and a sense of black capitalism. It broke racial barriers, appealing to both Black and White audiences and helping to change White people's attitudes towards Black people. The company's success demonstrated the opportunity for Black people to take their music and present it to the rest of the world, contributing something unique to American culture.
In addition to its musical impact, Motown also expanded into film and television production. The company's success and influence made it a game-changer for Black Americans, providing a platform for Black artistic expression and helping to break down racial barriers in the music industry and beyond.
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Motown's influence on soul music
Motown Records, founded by Berry Gordy Jr. in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, became one of the most successful Black-owned businesses and one of the most influential independent record companies in American history. Gordy, a successful rhythm-and-blues songwriter, started Motown with an 800 family loan. He placed a sign on the headquarters reading "Hitsville U.S.A.", and the slogan proved to be accurate.
The Motown sound was a style of soul music with a mainstream pop-influenced sound and appeal. It was a branch of soul music that featured more sophisticated arrangements and orchestration than the grittier Southern soul that flourished contemporaneously as the Memphis Sound. Motown added the Isley Brothers, Gladys Knight and the Pips, and Tammi Terrell to its talent roster in 1966. By this time, the company virtually dominated Black popular music and had attracted a significant White audience.
The Motown record label produced some of the best-selling and most iconic acts of the 1960s and beyond. Names like The Supremes, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Martha and the Vandellas, and Smokey Robinson and the Miracles became etched in the nation's collective consciousness. The crossover success achieved by Motown artists was unlike anything that came before. They truly were "the sound of young America."
The Motown sound was not just an audible sound; it was spiritual and came from the people who made it happen. Gordy's practice of using a highly select and tight-knit group of studio musicians, collectively known as the Funk Brothers, to record the instrumental or "band" tracks of a majority of Motown recordings, was one of the major factors in the widespread appeal of Motown's music. Motown broke racial barriers to move everyone, no matter their skin colour.
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Frequently asked questions
The Motown sound is a style of soul music with a mainstream pop-influenced sound and appeal. It features lyrical ballads of great melodic charm sung to a strong rhythmic accompaniment with a surprising lightness of touch.
Berry Gordy founded Motown Records in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959. It became one of the most successful Black-owned businesses and one of the most influential independent record companies in American history.
The Motown sound broke racial barriers and played an important role in changing white people's attitudes towards black people. It was a game-changer for black musicians who had previously struggled to break into a music business that was divided by race.
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