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• African American culture (45)
• African-American history (127)
• American record labels (563)
• Hip hop record labels (36)
• History of Detroit (19)
• Michigan culture (15)
• Motown (6)
• Pop record labels (100)
• Record labels established in 1959 (9)
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• Soul music record labels (18)
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Encyclopedia: Motown Records

Incorporated on January 12, 1959 by Berry Gordy, Jr. as Tamla Records, Motown has, over the course of its history, owned or distributed releases from more than 45 subsidiaries in varying genres, although it is most famous for its releases in the musical genres of R&B, pop, and soul music. Motown left Detroit for Los Angeles in 1972, and remained an independent company until 1988, when Gordy sold the company to MCA. Now headquartered in New York City, Motown Records is today a subsidiary of the Universal Motown Records Group, itself a subsidiary of Universal Music Group.

In the 1960s, Motown and its soul-based subsidiaries were the most successful proponents of what came to be known as The Motown Sound, a style of soul music with distinctive characteristics, including the use of tambourine along with drums, a prominent and often melodic bassline played by the electric bass guitar, a distinctive melodical and chord structure, and a call and response singing style originating in gospel music.

Translations

How to say "Motown Records" in other languages:

	(Chinese)	汽车城唱片
	(Japanese)	モータウン
	(German)	Motown
	(Spanish)	Motown
	(French)	Motown
	(Italian)	Motown Records

Search results

Berry Gordy

Berry Gordy (Detroit November 28,1929) American producer who was the man behind the Motown label. Had his own subsidiary, Gordy Records. In 1972 he relocated the Motown Records company to Los Angeles...

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Studio band

A studio band is a musical band that is in the regular employee of a music recording business for the purpose of playing music on recordings featuring a separate performer. The most famous studio band is the Funk Brothers, Motown Records' main band from 1959-1972...

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702 (band)

Down Star (featuring Clipse) I Still Love You Discography No Doubt (Biv 10 Records; 1996) 702 (Motown Records; 1999) Star (Motown Records; 2003... their recorded debut on Subway's hit single "This Lil' Game We Play." Missy Elliott crafted four...

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Bob Babbitt

Bob Babbitt was an American bassist, most famous for his work as a member of Motown Records' Funk Brothers house band. Notable songs: Midnight Train in Georgia (Gladys Knight), Signed, Sealed, Delivered and We Can Work it Out (Stevie Wonder), War (Edwin Starr), Tears of a Clown (Smokey Robinson...

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Lee Young

record labels as Vee-Jay Records and Motown Records...

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Standing in the Shadows of Motown (film)

Standing in the Shadows of Motown is a 2002 documentary film about the story of the Funk Brothers, Motown Records' primary studio band from 1959 to 1972. The film covers the career of this band with interviews with band alumni and dramatic recreations of specific episodes. In addition, footage...

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Brian Holland

Holland-Dozier-Holland that was responsible for much of the Motown sound that dominated American popular music in the 1960s. The trio wrote songs, and helped on record production, for a number of stars who recorded with Motown Records, including Heat Wave for Martha and the Vandellas, How Sweet It Is...

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Cindy Birdsong

DePasse at Motown Records. In 1987, Cindy returned to singing, and recorded (and released) the single, "Dancing Room" on Hi-Hat Records. Other songs were demoed, but none released. She is currently a...

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Edward Holland, Jr.

Holland-Dozier-Holland that was responsible for much of the Motown sound that dominated American popular music in the 1960s. The trio wrote songs, and helped on record production, for a number of stars who recorded with Motown Records, including Heat Wave for Martha and the Vandellas, How Sweet It Is (To...

→  read in the encylopedia

Holland-Dozier-Holland

Holland and Edward Holland, Jr. that was responsible for much of the Motown sound that dominated American popular music in the 1960s. The trio wrote songs, and helped on record production, for a number of stars who recorded with Motown Records, including Heat Wave for Martha and the Vandellas, How Sweet...

→  read in the encylopedia