Motown: The Home of Soul

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One of the most successful groups in rock-and-roll history, the Supremes recorded twelve No. 1 hits between 1964 and 1969, including “Where Did Our Love Go,” “Baby Love,” “Come See About Me,” and “Stop! In the Name of Love.” The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.

As rock attracted more and more devotees, it resurrected interest in styles of music from which it had originated. Throughout the 1960s, black singers like James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding, and Ike and Tina Turner picked up on this interest—transforming the rhythms and melodies of older R&B, pop, and early rock and roll into what became known as soul. These artists attracted large and racially diverse audiences, countering the British invaders with powerful vocal performances.

The most prominent independent label supporting black songwriters’ and performers’ work was Motown, started in 1959 by former Detroit autoworker and songwriter Berry Gordy. Motown signed many successful black artists and groups, including the Four Tops (“Baby I Need Your Loving”), the Marvelettes (“Please Mr. Postman”), Marvin Gaye (“What’s Going On”), and the Jackson 5 (“I’ll Be There”). But the label’s most successful group was the Supremes, featuring Diana Ross, who scored as many as twelve No. 1 singles between 1964 and 1969 (including “Where Did Our Love Go” and “Stop! In the Name of Love”). The Supremes’ success showed Motown producers that songs emphasizing romance and featuring a danceable beat won far more young white fans than those trumpeting rebellion and political upheaval.