Berry Gordy's Influence On The American Music Industry

Berry Gordy played a significant role in the 1960’s African American shift into the American Music Industry through the establishment of the highly recognised company and genre “Motown”. As the Founder of Motown Records Berry Gordy introduced to the American Music Industry some of the biggest artists of all time take the stage and within a decade created the “Black Pop” genre, which was listened to and purchased from a segregated audience. The business changed the way record labels would polish, nurture and distribute their artist, having an impact on the number of jobs that were introduced into the Music Industry, dealing and consulting with marketing, artist development, choreography, stylists and costume designers. With Berry Gordy’s all

After being established as the most successful black-owned music business of all time Motown Records became one of the most enduring independent record label in the history, it was established in a row of houses in Detroit, known as Hitsville USA. The success of Motown arose from Berry Gordy’s great business mind and additionally the sound that played in his head. Berry Gordy mixed together a group of professional musicians who specialized in their instruments, well known as the Funk Brothers who played essentially on every record that came out of Hitsville USA during its famous “Golden Decade” (1962 – 1971). The result of this risky combination came to life from Berry Gordy’s desired sound for Motown Records “we started to hear it from the Funk Brothers, the powerful beat, the clever wordplay, the emphasis on hooks and bright, hot production. It was not quite pop, not quite soul, but distinct, compelling, and bristling with energy” (Gordy, 1994). Apart from the music and sound, the business structure of

Berry Gordy and his two younger sisters conducted Motown’s artists to precise training, however, the training did not include what most people would see as a fit for record labels. The artists were not just trained as singers, but as young men and young ladies, and as entertainers. They were taught to tailor themselves, how to walk, how to speak, and how to use a salad fork, this to Berry Gordy was highly important for the success of Motown Records, as he comments “to dress neatly and conservatively, to speak without an accent, to defer with respect to others, these are the signs of refinement and the path to achievement for many blacks in this decade” (Gordy, 1970). Gordy also saw the importance of stage presence when performing; the artists were trained not just to hit notes with perfection but how to handle a microphone, and how to move with beauty on-stage so that the artist were respected with the highest regard. Motown’s vision was to have its artists performing in theatres and stadiums, not too just hear themselves on radio stations but also on television and movies, and conclusively the artists did. Gordy’s motto was “someone will walk into Hitsville as a nobody and walk out as a star” to keep this reoccurring Gordy was the one who accepted through