America’s Soundtrack: Music of the 1960s

The 1960s witnessed the emergence of several popular musical styles and genres. Black and white artists used music to address issues related to the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War. With musicians such as Bob Dylan and Joan Baez and their acoustic folk music, music was more than entertainment; it was a clarion call for social justice and human rights. The various interpretations of rock and roll, however, led the charts. Bands, including The Beach Boys and The Beatles, were known for their softer rock music. Janis Joplin hit the charts with her psychedelic rock, while Jimi Hendrix was celebrated for his contribution to acid rock. But the defining music of the 1960s originated with Detroit, Michigan’s Motown Records. A wordplay on its original location, Motor Town, Motown Records was founded by Berry Gordy in 1959. With chart-topping hits by Black artists who were popular among Black and white audiences, Motown originated a catalog of sound that became known as the “Sound of Young America.”

Motown Records would not have been Motown Records without its hitmakers. Some of today’s most considerable musical talents received their start at Motown, such as Diana Ross and The Supremes, Smokey Robinson, The Temptations, and Stevie Wonder. Christened the “Prince of Motown,” Marvin Gaye was at the top of the list with hit records that blended sultry soul with pop rhythm. Like many artists, Marvin grew up singing in the church as his father was a preacher in Washington, D.C. Gospel music served as the undertone to Gaye’s music, whether it be the songs he wrote or the tunes crooned in concert. Gaye helped define the Motown sound with songs such as “How Sweet It Is” and his rendition of “I Heard it Through the Grapevine,” further complemented by duets with Diana Ross, Tammi Terrell, Kim Weston, and Mary Wells.

Cover of the 1962 Album: Meet The Supremes (Motown Records, fair use) Cover of Marvin Gaye’s 1968 LP Album In the Groove, (later retitled I Heard It Through the Grapevine after that recording’s success), his first solo studio album in two years since his successful duets with artists such as Tammi Terrell and Kim Weston. (Tamla Records, fair use)

Although Aretha Franklin never signed with Motown Records, she was undoubtedly a reigning voice of the 1960s. The year was 1964. Aretha Franklin had just finished performing at Chicago’s Regal Theater – a performance venue synonymous with New York’s Apollo Theater. D.J. and promoter Pervis Spann called Franklin back to the stage, placed a crown on her head, and dubbed her “The Queen of Soul.” Trained in the gospel music tradition and a pioneer of R&B and pop music, Franklin’s six-decade-long career, however, spilled Aretha Franklin, circa July 1967, from a trade ad outside of the mainstream music scene and into the for Franklin’s single “Baby I Love You”. (Photo Credit: Atlantic Records, public domain) winds of the Civil Rights Movement as well as the burgeoning Feminist Movement. For instance, her 1967 rearrangement of the Otis Redding tune, “Respect,” became an anthem of empowerment for Black people and women of all races.

Stevie Wonder during rehearsal for the Dutch Television and Radio organization TROS-TV on Oct 30, 1967. (Dutch National Archives, Photo credit: Jack de Nijs for Anefo, public domain) Photo of singer and songwriter Otis Redding, circa 1967. (Photo Credit: Stax Records, public domain)