Soul music emerged during the 1950s and ’60s from rhythm & blues and gospel genres, and its harmonic nature became a driving force of its development. Songwriters and producers utilized artistic sensibility when crafting three-minute hits.
Motown Records in Detroit, Atlantic Records in New York City and Stax Records in Memphis all played key roles in helping develop this genre, while pioneers such as Ray Charles, Sam Cooke and Otis Redding helped set standards in their fields.
Motown Records
Berry Gordy established Motown Records in Detroit in 1959, which would go on to revolutionize the music industry. Motown produced some of the most beloved soul music ever and continues to influence artists today; from The Temptations’s silky harmonies and Diana Ross’ sultry voice, its classic catalogue stands the test of time.
Motown music has made an enormous mark on both R&B and pop music genres, often described as an appealing blend of smooth sensuality. Distinguished by simple structures with intricate melodies, four-beat drum patterns, regular use of horns and strings as well as its signature “trebly” mixing technique that accentuated high frequencies to be effective on AM radio stations, Motown was widely appreciated across both demographics.
Motown artists were drawn from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, united by their love of music. Motown acts include influential African American musicians like Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, Marvin Gaye and the Temptations; alongside Marvelettes Lionel Richie Rick James and Teena Marie who came together through Motown music.
Motown saw 110 US Top 10 hits during its peak period. Most notable among them were songs by The Supremes, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles and Stevie Wonder; other artists included Temptations, Four Tops and Martha and Vandellas among many more.
Gordy sought out talent, nurturing it to create skilled artists. He helped them define their individual musical styles so they would stand out from competitors without being lumped together with similar groups. Additionally, Gordy hired producers such as Barrett Strong and Deke Richards as consultants in refining technique of his artists.
Motown Records had several subsidiary labels that released recordings in different genres. Workshop Jazz featured Earl Washington Reflections and All Stars while Mel-o-dy Records produced country songs. Rare Earth provided blues-oriented recordings while S.O.U.L Records hosted artists like Jr. Walker & The All Stars, Shorty Long Gladys Knight & The Pips, Jimmy Ruffin as well as Jimmy Ruffin.
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records was one of the pioneering labels of soul music. Beginning as a jazz label and later branching out into R&B music, its roster included stars like Sam Cooke, Aretha Franklin and the Staple Singers; their songs often addressed issues faced by African Americans while simultaneously conveying powerful emotions such as yearning or hope that brought people together through song.
Jerry Wexler was instrumental in popularizing black music. His influence helped shape an original sound fusing rhythm and blues with gospel; Wexler also introduced instruments like saxophones, trumpets, bass guitars, piano and others into soul music of the 1950s and 60s characterized by rhythmic beats, soulful vocals, spiritual themes and positive energies that remain popular to this day.
Atlantic helped popularize soul music by making it accessible to more white listeners, and its artists influenced later musical genres, including disco and funk. You can see its influence today when musicians combine elements from soul with other forms to craft their own sounds.
Atlantic Records capitalized on this demand during the 70s as Black middle class growth gave way to demand for sophisticated sounds. Roberta Flack and Billy Cobham produced albums through Atlantic, giving soul music an entirely new direction by using reggae, samba and funk styles in their albums.
Many of the greatest soul songs were written and performed by black artists, like Sam Cooke who rose to prominence thanks to “Ain’t That Good News”. This hit remains one of the most iconic tracks in American music history with its haunting vocals and poignant lyrics serving as an enduring guidepost for young singers today.
Atlantic Records had an influence beyond R&B and soul music on other genres of rock music. Artists signed by Atlantic shaped the styles of bands like Led Zeppelin and Crosby Stills & Nash.
Stax Records
Stax Records’ story is one of the most fascinating in American music history. Starting as a mom-and-pop record label that flourished into an international powerhouse renowned for creating Southern Soul Music and The Memphis Sound, its success helped launch Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Isaac Hayes Wilson Pickett Booker T & the MGs Rufus Carla Thomas Eddie Floyd among many others. Today the Stax Museum of American Soul Music serves both tourists and community members with over 40 free programs annually at its home base: both tourist destination and community venue alike!
Stax Records was founded by Jim Stewart and Estelle Axton in 1960, creating a relaxed family atmosphere in its early years. Both black and white musicians worked side-by-side without worrying about union session rates or fitting songs into radio charts; as a result incredible creativity took shape, leading to hits like Otis Redding’s “(Sittin’ on) the Dock of the Bay,” Booker T & the MGs’s “Green Onions,” as well as Isaac Hayes’ theme song for Shaft movie soundtrack.
Al Bell, co-founder of Stax Records, initiated an unprecedented period of prolific recording that united all its creative forces: this was called the Soul Explosion period – during which thirty singles and 27 albums were recorded within eight months, giving Hayes complete artistic control resulting in breathtaking music. Stax artists also released songs with important messages during this time that resonated during the Civil Rights Movement.
By the end of the decade, Stax Records had shrunk to just two labels – Stax and its subsidiary Truth – while other labels had folded, leaving Stax alone to slowly fade into history. But its influence continues to shape popular music today.
The Stax Museum of American Soul Music in Clarksdale, Mississippi tells the tale of how a local record label became an international powerhouse that transformed soul music worldwide. Featuring more than 150 original Stax recordings along with memorabilia and photographs documenting their rich history; in addition to showing its effect on African-American culture; its exhibition serves as a reminder that music transcends cultures while helping create understanding in the globalized world we inhabit today.
Hi Records
Because of this growing sense of African-American pride, soul music evolved with different styles that celebrated culture and highlighted black identity. Detroit soul was known for its catchy melodies and high-production values, and artists like Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, Martha Reeves & the Vandellas, Stevie Wonder & Marvin Gaye as well as Diana Ross & The Supremes were prolific hitmakers during this era. Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff used strings and brass instruments to add texture to Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes, the Delfonics, and The O’Jays of Philadelphia; New Orleans offered up its signature boogie-woogie sound driven by rolling piano chords and honking saxophones; in Chicago Curtis Mayfield composed powerful songs about civil rights issues with themes like Keep on Pushing and People Get Ready.
Soul music’s roots run deep. Many of its songwriters learned their craft in Black churches. Idioms from Black gospel music such as call-and-response vocals between lead singer and chorus are often found in soul songs; additionally, blues harmonic language is widely utilized; although blues tends to feature more masculine harmony while soul tends toward feminine ones.
By the 1970s, southern soul had come into its own as a distinct sound, led by Memphis-based labels Stax Records and Hi Records. Artists like Ann Peebles and Reverend Al Green created popular soulful erotica songs for adults such as Ann Peebles’ “Soulful Erotica.” Today its influence can still be felt today among R&B artists like Janelle Monae and Sampha who use acoustic instruments to produce moody beats that accompany haunting lyrics about depression or heartbreak.
Recently, a more modern style of soul has surfaced that blends elements from jazz and electronic music into its distinctive sound. Known as alternative R&B, this genre has gained considerable popularity among young music fans. Artists such as Abel Tesfaye (The Weeknd) and Frank Ocean are leading this movement forward by exploring different sonic textures; their work often compares favorably with early works of soul as a precursor for hip-hop soul and neo-soul genres.