The Momentum of Motown
How Motown amplified the sounds of Black voices
Written by Ali Wagman, Contributing Writer
Photo compiled by Jessica Katz, Online Editor
Stevie Wonder, The Jackson 5 and Otis Redding. Although you have most likely heard these names, you may not be aware of the significance their rise to fame holds.
Art often emerges from times of difficulty, and the 1970s were no exception to this pattern. From the depths of oppression, Black culture rose and began to share a genre of music that had been evolving for many years—soul. Without the creation of Motown, a record label founded by Berry Gordy, soul music would have struggled to thrive in an industry that was otherwise dominated by white musicians.
As we celebrate Black History Month, we would be remiss to leave Motown out of our conversations. Though we don’t recognize it enough, music created by Black artists has had an enormous impact on American culture to this day.
Exposed to artists such as Billie Holiday and T-Bone Walker in the 1950s, Gordy’s interest in music deepened, leading to dreams of writing and producing for artists. In 1959, he used the $500 given to him by his mother to start his own record label. As if it wasn’t already difficult enough to find success in the music business, Gordy discovered the struggles of producing music created by Black artists. The original plan was to solely have black listeners, but as Black people only constituted 12 percent of the population at the time, this proved itself to be unsustainable (Paese, n.d.).
Thus began his search for the answer to the daunting question, “how to allow for black artists to appear on mainstream radio.” Amidst the vapid racism of the 1960s, white listeners held many predisposed ideas about what Black music would do to American culture, suggesting it held the potential to pervert the youth. This was only a few years after Elvis Presley had been denied a spot on the radio for simply “sounding black” (Schweikart, 2003).
The solution lay in how Gordy’s artists chose to portray themselves. It wasn’t the music that had to change, but how society perceived the musicians. Gordy understood that to make his performers sophisticated in the eyes of a white audience, he would have to make them appear more familiar to artists they were already interested in. White listeners wanted to hear music they deemed “polished,” and Gordy responded by hiring people to teach his artists to speak with “proper English and social skills.” As a result, Motown began to sell hits. Some of the most famous artists were the Supremes, The Temptations, Martha and the Vandellas, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson and The Jackson 5 (Schweikart, 2003).
The timelessness of soul is evident from the success of these artists. Black music continues to evolve to this day. Some artists choose to embrace the sounds of the 1970s, like Leon Bridges, Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak. Newer genres, like rap, also have roots in soul. Kanye West, one of the currently most well-known rappers, even samples “Try A Little Tenderness,” a song from Motown artist Otis Redding.
Not only does soul have roots in gospel, rhythm, blues and jazz, but it originates from many locations in America. The elements that have influenced its sound are a result of many different African American identities, allowing Black listeners to embrace a part of themselves they had been forced to hide for so long. The story of Motown reminds us to appreciate where art comes from. Though Motown is no longer a record label, Gordy’s efforts remain influential. Before you listen to artists that identify as soulful, remember the story behind their sound.
Sources:
Paese, M. (n.d.). Soul Music. The History of Rock and Roll Radio Show.
Schweikart, L. (2003). Berry Gordy Jr. and the Original" Black Label". Ideas on Liberty, 53, 40-43.