Motown music is a genre of music that combines the sounds of rhythm and blues (R&B) and pop music. It is performed with a wide range of musical instruments, including electric and acoustic instruments. Despite the fact that Motown employs a wide range of instruments, percussion instruments and distinctive vocals are two of the most common sounds.
Despite the fact that R&B and pop influenced Motown’s sound, the vocals are very similar to those found in gospel music. This is a well-known style of music because of the strong vocals and distinct sound of the blended sound of the tambourine, drums, and bass guitar.
The term was coined to honor the place where the musical style originated. The first official home of this sound was Detroit, also known as the motor city. In 1959, the musical form that erupted in Michigan gave way to a record label.
In 1959, in Detroit, Michigan, Berry Gordy, Jr. founded the Motown record label. It was the first African-American-owned and operated record label, and it primarily featured African-American musicians.
The Motown sound and its record label artists soared in popularity across the country beginning in 1959. By the middle of the 1960s, the record company had grown to be the largest and most successful independent record label in the United States.
Motown was the first genre to feature all female groups, rather than just led female artists, and it was a huge success. However, female groups were not the only performers in this genre, and many well-known bands and artists got their start on the Motown label. The Supremes, The Miracles, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, The Four Tops, and Diana Ross were among the performers.
Berry Gordy, Jr. owned the Motown record company until 1988, when he sold it to the Music Corporation of America (MCA). The label is no longer based in Detroit, also known as the Motor City. It is now headquartered in Los Angeles, California, alongside its parent company, MCA.