Motown of course, stands for more than just historic music. The label and it’s remarkable legacy is a reflection is the hard work of dedicated individuals overcoming incredible obstacles to achieve a great success. Because Detroit, has long been known as the “Motor City”, Gordy in tribute what he felt like was down-home quality of the warm, soulful people he grew up around, used town in place of city. Which gave him the contraction “Motown” and the perfect name for his company and new label “Motown”. A man of vision, drive, talent, and determination, Berry Gordy was also a producer, Innovative entrepreneur, and teacher. The great success of Motown records contributes all the embodies and all the talent he brought out in others. Under his leadership and through determination and support of the family Motown and artist, Gordy forged new grounds
Motown broke down racial prejudice by becoming the most successful independent record company in history and the most successful African-American owned business in America. In 1968, the company has 5 records out of the top 10 on Billboard’s hot 100 chart. In the late 80s and 90s all of Motown’s major artist were inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame. Upon his own induction in 1988, Motown’s founder was given the follow tribute: “ Gordy endeavored to reach across the racial divide with music that could touch all people, regardless of the color of their skin. Under this tutelage, Motown became a model of black capitalism, pride and self expression and a repository for some of the greatest talent ever assembled at one company...Motown’s stable of singers, songwriters, and musicians took the concept of simple, catchy pop songs to a intensity...After Motown, black popular music would never again be dismissed as a minority taste...Aesthetically no less than commercially, Motown’s achievements will likely remain unrivaled and
...influenced by many genres of music and wanted to cultivate a sound that was their own and like nothing else out there. Artist flocked to them to receive something that was completely different and to bring out put out the best recordings that were possible. The studio was influenced an array of artists who possessed individuality, a sound that differentiated them from other artists, and a will to try to experiment. The studio created a sound like no other studio and much different from the prominent studios from the north, west, and south. It was a studio that will leave a legacy of risk takers, who had a desire to produce a sound that would stand the test of time and influence many generations to come. Their production style mixed genres and may music boundary less. It influenced the sound of today’s music to not be boxed in or classified as just one type of genre.
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
This paper will be an updated version of my last paper which talked about a portion of Barry Gordy's background, Diana Ross and the Supremes, the Four Tops, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, the Temptations and their start at Motown. How Motown was the first American music label owned by an African-American, the first music label to successfully market black artists to white mainstream audiences. How Motown was responsible for discovering, mentoring, and perfecting a lot of American popular music's most influential and successful artists and the best albums and artists and what new artists have entered Motown.
Motown is the sound that changed America. No other record company in history had more than 180 number 1 hit songs worldwide and counting. Motown just recently celebrated their 50th anniversary of the company’s founding. Marvin Gaye, Temptations, Jackson 5, and many much brought together racially divided country and segregated society around the world. In this essay I first will tell you more information about Motown and where it got its name from, I then will tell you about Marvin Gaye and his history dealings with Motown, next I will talk about Stevie Wonder and explain his life and how he became a part of Motown, and lastly I will talk about Jackson 5 and talk about how they became a group and their dealings with Motown.
Though many whites saw Motown as another form of pop music of the time African American saw it as a way to make decent money and to let their voice and opinions become heard, it offered them some way of freedom. Motown helped break down some racial barriers during this era. Motown forced America to confront its own feelings about race, community, intolerance, justice and reality. It was another way for African American voices to be heard on a much greater scale both national and international. Motown artist could appeal to whites their image was positive and tasteful. It paved the way peaceful integration by forcing a common ground for races though music in a time of social injustice. His artist crossed over the charts in a heavily whites dominated the
The development of Rock ‘n’ Roll in the late 1940s and early 1950s by young African Americans coincided with a sensitive time in America. Civil rights movements were under way around the country as African Americans struggles to gain equal treatment and the same access to resources as their white neighbors. As courts began to vote in favor of integration, tensions between whites and blacks escalated. As the catchy rhythm of Rock ‘n’ Roll began to cross racial boundaries many whites began to feel threatened by the music, claiming its role in promoting integration. This became especially problematic as their youth became especially drawn to ...
Memphis is considered to be a dangerous city by many around the country with not many attractions besides Martin Luther king, jr. What they do not know is that Memphis is full of rich music and history. Various genres have made an impact on people’s daily lives such as gospel, soul, funk, blues, jazz, R&B, pop, country, and rap. Stax records were found in in 1957 which was known as satellite radio at the time. Stax has made a major impact on helping the lives of people in Memphis. Stax has overlooked the obstacles of color and racism by giving many artists of different races the opportunity they dreamed of. Stax has made a major impact by helping the lives of people in Memphis, breaking color and racism barriers, and most importantly by making music. (Stax Museaum)
Record labels played a big role in bringing the black struggle to the mainstream through their artists music. In particular, two labels were the frontrunners for producing records that would continue to promote addressing the black struggle: Motown and Stax. Motown, a black-owned label, was seen as a more assimilationist and industrial record label that was successful in making hits that appealed to both black and white audiences, earning it the nickname of “Hitsville, U.S.A.” Stax, a white-owned label, was seen as being more representative of black self-reliance and an overall more authentic, black record label that appealed much more to the black audience, earning it the nickname of “Soulsville, U.S.A.” Despite their differences, both labels used their own style of music production and distribution to help surface the black struggle in very similar ways, and in turn they helped pave the way for black consciousness to emerge through soul music.
"Motown Music - The Sound that Changed America - Motown Museum Home of Hitsville U.S.A.." Motown
One would think his music would be heard among today’s teenagers and young adults. However, the current teenage generation and the generation before it idolizes bands like The Rolling Stones and The Beatles, groups Chuck Berry directly influenced. Rolling Stones and The Beatles seem to be everywhere in 21st century culture. This is proof Chuck Berry has been not only instrumental but also highly underappreciated. To know Chuck Berry, one must know his early life, his influence, and the way he uses many different genres in his music.
The birth of Motown music came to be in a small recording studio aptly named Hitsville, U.S.A. Barry Gordy, who came from a large middle class family had borrowed money in order. The main stage of Motown music came from a small house that had been remodeled into a recording studio, the name of the company was Hitsville, U.S.A. Mr. Gordy had gathered the best jazz and blues players in and Motown was born through his genius. This small but dynamic record company has produced and help make many stars that we all know today such as Diana Ross and the Supreme, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, and more recently the Jackson 5, Boyz II Men , and Queen Latifah. It is very surprising that both the genre of Motown and Hitsville remind unharmed by racism for the most since Detroit has been historically known for severe racism and segregation. Hitsville U.S.A. was one of the first African American owned record companies, this was just one step in popularizing and taking a step for African’s Americans many talents to become well known and chart topping.
The most important thing that music and art effected was the population of Detroit. The music of Motown and the art changed the culture of Detroit. As the population grew so did its diversity. Detroit’s music and art scene brought in many different ethnicity adding to its great culture. As these ethnicity began to flow into Detriot their heritage began to be present in Detroit. The different ethnicity could be seen in the food, the buildings, entertainment, and language, make Detroit a melting pot of
Berry Gordy's "Motown" had the largest impact on music on behalf of its direction and redefinition. Berry Gordy's "Motown" impact music through cutting across divisions of race, region, and class. According to Schloss, Joseph G. et al., "unlike the music of earlier black-owned record companies, Motown's music was not directed primarily at black audiences." Gordy is characterized
Before the war started, a wealthy white man by the name of John Hammond worked to integrate black and white music.1 Since his childhood, he enjoyed the music of numerous black artists, and he wanted to share his love with the rest of America. He used much of his inherited fortune to make this possible. He went against the general opinion of society and his parents, who despised black people. Hammond refused to ignore black artists’ musical abilities because of their color, “I did not revolt against the system, I simply refused to be a part of it.”2 He used his money to organize the most eclectic group of musicians ever assembled, for an integrated audience of his time. Hammond’s efforts made an indelible impact on the music industry. The musicians Hammond introduced in...
Negus, Keith. "The Business of Rap: Between the Street and the Executive Suite." Rpt. in That’s the Joint!: The Hip-Hop Studies Reader. Ed. Murray Forman and Mark Anthony Neal. New York, NY: Routledge, 2004. 525-540. Print.