What is Motown Records?
Motown Records is a recording company developed by record executive Berry Gordon and owned by Universal Music Group. Motown specializes in soul music with a pop influence. Due to that crossover as a Black-owned record label, Motown played a huge role in the racial integration of popular music. Motown has such an unique sound that it has been trademarked the “Motown Sound”.
Who are some Motown Records artists?
The Supremes: originally made up of Florence Ballard, Betty McGlown, Diana Ross, and Mary Wilson, The Supremes was a singing group that acted as the premier act for Motown Records during the 1960s. With songs like “You Can’t Hurry Love”, “Where Did Our Love Go?”, and most popularly “Stop! In The Name Of Love”.
The Jackson 5: made up of brothers Michael Jackson, Tito Jackson, Jermaine Jackson, Marlon Jackson, and Jackie Jackson, the Jackson 5 was a very popular band that has been signed to Motown Records in addition to Steel town, Philadelphia International, and Epic Records. With songs like “ABC”, “I’ll Be There”, and “I Want You Back”.
Diana Ross: Ross is a singer, actress, and record producer with songs like “Missing You”, “Love Child”, and “Someday We’ll Be Together”.
Stevie Wonder: Wonder is a singer, songwriter, instrumentalist, and record producer with songs like “As”, “Isn’t She Lovely”, and “You Are The Sunshine of my Life”.
Smokey Robinson: Robinson is a singer, record producer, and record executive with songs like “Cruisin'”, “Quiet Storm”, and “Really Gonna Miss You”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCZ22D2SRD0
Motown’s sound successfully brought together the sounds of pop and r&b and people from all races and all ages together to listen to good music. This is something that we often see today, there typically isn’t just one type of person listening to pop music, r&b music, or hip hop music.
