| Soul | |
|---|---|
.png) Ray Charles in 1967. Charles was one of soul music's pioneers and most influential artists. | |
| Stylistic origins | |
| Cultural origins | Late 1950s – early 1960s, United States |
| Derivative forms | |
| Subgenres | |
| Fusion genres | |
| Regional scenes | |
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| Local scenes | |
| Other topics | |
| List of soul musicians | |
| This article is a part in a series on |
| Gospel music |
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See also: |
Soul music is a popular music genre that originated in African-American communities throughout the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s.[2] It has its roots in African-American gospel music and rhythm and blues.[3] Soul music became popular for dancing and listening, and U.S. record labels such as Motown, Atlantic and Stax were influential in its proliferation during the civil rights movement. Soul also became popular worldwide, directly influencing rock music and the music of Africa.[4] It had a resurgence in the mid-to late 1990s with the subgenre neo soul,[5] which incorporated modern production elements and hip hop influences.
The genre emerged from the power struggle to increase black Americans' awareness of their African ancestry, as a newfound as a newfound consciousness led to new styles of music that boasted pride in being black.[6][7] Soul music primarily combines elements of gospel, R&B and jazz.[8] Catchy rhythms, stressed by handclaps and extemporaneous body movements, are an important hallmark of soul. Other characteristics are a call and response between the lead and backing vocalists, an especially tense vocal sound, and occasional improvisational additions, twirls, and auxiliary sounds.[9] Soul music is known for reflecting African-American identity and stressing the importance of African-American culture.
Soul music dominated the U.S. R&B charts in the 1960s, and many recordings crossed over into the pop charts in the U.S., United Kingdom, and elsewhere. Many prominent soul artists, including Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, and various acts under the Motown label, such as The Supremes and The Temptations, were highly influential in the genre's development and all gained widespread popularity during this time.[10] By 1968, the soul music genre had begun to splinter. Some soul artists moved to funk music, while other singers and groups developed slicker, more sophisticated, and in some cases more socially conscious varieties.[11] By the early 1970s, soul music had begun to absorb influences from psychedelic rock and progressive rock, among other genres, leading to the creation of psychedelic soul and progressive soul. Prominent soul artists of this era include Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Curtis Mayfield, Isaac Hayes, Al Green, and Bill Withers. Neo soul, which adopted hip hop influences, emerged around 1994.
Other subgenres of soul include the "Motown sound", a more rhythmic and pop-friendly style that originated from the eponymous label; Southern soul, a driving, energetic variety combining R&B with southern gospel music influences;[12] Memphis soul, a shimmering, sultry style; New Orleans soul, which emerged from the rhythm and blues style; Chicago soul, a lighter gospel-influenced sound; and Philadelphia soul, a lush orchestral variety with doo-wop-inspired vocals.
- ^ Fontenot, Robert (February 24, 2019). "What Is Swamp Rock? A look at this Southern mix of country, funk, and soul". Liveabout. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
- ^ "Soul Music" - Encyclopedia.com.
- ^ "soul music" - Encyclopædia Britannica.
- ^ Max Mojapelo (2008). Beyond Memory: Recording the History, Moments and Memories of South African Music. African Minds. pp. 1–. ISBN 978-1-920299-28-6. Retrieved September 11, 2013.
- ^ Cochrane, Naima (March 26, 2020). "2000: A Soul Odyssey". Billboard. Retrieved November 2, 2022.
- ^ Maultsby, Portia K. (September 1983). "Soul Music: Its Sociological and Political Significance in American Popular Culture". The Journal of Popular Culture. 17 (2): 51–60. doi:10.1111/j.0022-3840.1983.1702_51.x. ProQuest 1297350556.
- ^ Szatmary, David P. (2014). Rockin' in Time. New Jersey: Pearson. p. 176.
- ^ Paese, Meagan. "Soul Music | The History of Rock and Roll Radio Show". Retrieved December 5, 2022.
- ^ Valter Ojakäär (1983). Popmuusikast. Eesti Raamat.
- ^ "Soul music | Definition, Songs, Artists, & Facts | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved December 5, 2022.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
bbcwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Digging Into the Classic Soul of Stax Records". Bandcamp Daily. June 13, 2022. Retrieved May 6, 2024.