Motown
Detroit's musical nickname
Motown is a style of soul music that emerged from Detroit in the 1960s, characterized by polished production, catchy melodies, and crossover pop appeal.
The name blends "motor" and "town," reflecting Detroit's automotive industry.
Originally the record label founded by Berry Gordy, Motown now refers broadly to the sound and era: classic Motown hits, the Motown sound.
The label launched artists like Stevie Wonder, the Supremes, and Marvin Gaye.
- SupremesTop court judges, slangily
- Four Tops1960s Motown vocal group
- Smokey RobinsonMotown singer-songwriter, Miracles leader
- Diana RossMotown diva, solo legend
Marvin Gaye · Stevie Wonder · Jackson 5 · record label · quality control · crossover hits · chart-toppers
Simultaneous complementary melodic lines
- backbeatAccent on weak beats
- tambourineJingling handheld percussion instrument
- basslineLow-register musical foundation
- grooveNarrow cut or routine
call-and-response · handclaps · orchestration · strings · horns · choreography · doo-wop · danceable
Decade after the fifties
- vinylSynthetic resin plastic
- 45rpmRecord rotation rate
- jukeboxCoin-operated music player
- record playerDevice playing vinyl albums
oldies · retro · American Bandstand · Ed Sullivan · civil rights · segregation · integration · crossover
Deeply and sincerely meant
- emotionComplex psychological state
- passionIntense emotional drive
- gospelSacred choral tradition
- croonerSoft-voiced romantic vocalist
falsetto · expressive · romantic · yearning · fervor · smooth · sensual · sentimental
Longing for the past
- soundtrackMusic accompanying visual media
- influencePower to affect others
- timelessUnaffected by eras
- standardsAccepted levels of quality
catalog · reissues · samples · covers · tributes · Broadway · jukebox musical · documentary
Berry Gordy
- SupremesTop court judges, slangily
- Four Tops1960s Motown vocal group
- Smokey RobinsonMotown singer-songwriter, Miracles leader
Marvin Gaye · Stevie Wonder · Diana Ross · Jackson 5 · record label · quality control · crossover hits · chart-toppers
vocal harmonies
Simultaneous complementary melodic lines
- backbeatAccent on weak beats
- tambourineJingling handheld percussion instrument
- basslineLow-register musical foundation
groove · call-and-response · handclaps · orchestration · strings · horns · choreography · doo-wop · danceable · uptempo
1960s
Decade after the fifties
record player · oldies · retro · American Bandstand · Ed Sullivan · civil rights · segregation · integration · crossover · Black excellence
heartfelt
Deeply and sincerely meant
crooner · falsetto · expressive · romantic · yearning · fervor · smooth · sensual · sentimental · vocalist
nostalgia
Longing for the past
- soundtrackMusic accompanying visual media
- influencePower to affect others
- timelessUnaffected by eras
standards · catalog · reissues · samples · covers · tributes · Broadway · jukebox musical · documentary · Hall of Fame
- MichiganAnn Arbor, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Kalamazoo, Saginaw
- Black MediaBET, Ebony, Essence, Black Twitter, Soul Train
- Metro DetroitDearborn, Livonia, Troy, Pontiac, Royal Oak
- record labelsAtlantic Records, Columbia Records, Capitol Records, Epic Records, Def Jam
- music genresblues, pop, jazz, rock, classical
- American musicjazz, blues, country music, rock, country
Motownpunk rock
Stripped-down aggressive rock genre
grunge · heavy metal · psychedelic rock · lo-fi · death metal
MotownNashville
Tennessee's largest city
West Coast sound · Los Angeles · New York · Laurel Canyon · Seattle
- motor oilPetroleum for machinery
- motor skillsCoordinated bodily movement ability
- motor homeSelf-propelled living quarters
- motor boatEngine-propelled water vessel
- electric motorConverts current to motion
- motor scooterSmall motorized two-wheeler