Five easy masterpieces: An introduction to Motown Records
Record labels come and go, but Motown Records left a colossal mark on the face of American music and popular culture when it hit the airwaves in 1959. Founded by Berry Gordy Jr with a small loan from his parents, the revolutionary sounds released by the Detroit label brought the sweet sounds of soul into the musical mainstream. In the process, Gordy’s company achieved a near-countless array of chart hits, launching a plethora of now-iconic artists, ranging from Diana Ross to Stevie Wonder to Lionel Richie.
From their very own studio, dubbed ‘Hitsville USA’, Motown created a self-sufficient ecosystem of trailblazing artists and hit records. Gordy gained an intimate knowledge of the American pop charts and—often through practices and policies that are regularly viewed as unethical or exploitative—he did everything he could to achieve those hits, so much so that the label spawned a whopping 110 top-ten hits during its 1960s golden age. That success was not limited to the USA, either.
Across the Atlantic, groups of young people across the United Kingdom were discovering the infectious soul sounds of The Supremes, The Four Tops, Stevie Wonder, and many other Motown artists. Soon, Motown became an inseparable part of youth subcultures in the UK, particularly the mod scene, and the later development of northern soul in places like Manchester, Wigan, and Stoke. Motown was much more than just another record label; it was a global phenomenon.
Given the label’s tendency to dominate the pop charts, Motown is often renowned for the countless singles it pumped out over the years. Long-play records were rarely as successful for the business as its 7-inch counterparts, but Gordy did oversee the release of a fair few masterpiece albums during his tenure over the label. Ranging from the pop perfection of The Supremes to the profound politics of Marvin Gaye, Motown’s LP releases were just as diverse and important as its army of hit singles. So, join us as we dive into five of the greatest examples of that fact.
Five essential Motown albums:
The Supremes – Where Did Our Love Go (1964)
From the moment they signed to Motown in 1961, The Supremes became Motown’s flagship group. Led by the now-iconic vocalist Diana Ross, the pioneering girl group earned Motown some of the most beloved hits. At their core, however, Ross’ band were much more than a vehicle for commercial hits. Both their 1962 debut Meet The Supremes and 1964’s Where Did Our Love Go represent a group at their very best, blending mainstream appeal with an incredible degree of originality and some of the greatest vocal performances of the 1960s.
For the purposes of our list, Where Did Our Love Go pips the band’s debut to the post, showcasing the band’s rapid development under the iron-fist management style of Berry Gordy. What’s more, the sophomore record features some of The Supremes’ most timeless tracks, including ‘Baby Love’, ‘Your Kiss of Fire’, and, of course, ‘Where Did Our Love Go’.
The Four Tops – Reach Out (1967)
Not every act signed to Motown had been plucked from obscurity by Berry Gordy. Detroit outfit The Four Tops have been around for a decade prior to being offered a contract with the music mogul. In turn, the band helped to establish the success of Motown abroad, finding particular success in the United Kingdom, where they became a major influence on the soul-obsessed mods and northern soul obsessives of the late 1960s.
Reach Out is undoubtedly the band’s masterpiece, bolstered by the infallible songwriting team of Holland–Dozier–Holland, who left Motown shortly after this album hit the shelves. You need look no further than the album’s opening track, ‘Reach Out I’ll Be There’, to understand the universal appeal of a group like The Four Tops. Sure, they might not have been as inventive as Stevie Wonder or as politically righteous as Marvin Gaye, but it is difficult to think of any other group who captured the inherent sound of the Motown revolution quite like The Four Tops.
Martha and the Vandellas – Watchout! (1966)
Another groundbreaking girl group that Motown launched into stardom, Martha and the Vandellas, produced some of the label’s most iconic tracks. For their fourth album on Gordy’s label, the Vandellas called upon a star-studded production team, including Holland–Dozier–Holland and Smokey Robinson, along with their own palpable quality as a vocal group in order to craft a record that is both earnest and full of commercial appeal.
Featuring hits like ‘Jimmy Mack’ and ‘I’m Ready For Love’, it is virtually impossible to listen to Watchout! without a smile on your face and your toe tapping along with the beating rhythm that became inseparable from the Motown sound. Like sonic velvet, the sweet tones of Martha Reeves guide you throughout the track listing with seemingly effortless grace, and it is her voice that forms the core appeal of this stunning album, but the typically compelling instrumentation of Motown often shines through.
Stevie Wonder – Innervisions (1973)<br>
Truthfully, this list could very well have been composed entirely of Stevie Wonder albums. After all, the songwriter and musician recorded his first LP for Motown – Tribute to Uncle Ray – at the age of only 11. If you look back at the discography of the record label, you can use its releases to chart Wonder’s musical development throughout his adolescence and into adulthood. The early 1970s was a particularly inventive period for the songwriter, culminating in his most innovative and ambitious project, Innervisions.
This was the album which cemented Wonder’s move from the ‘Little Stevie Wonder’ image of his preteen recordings into something much more mature and profound. Seeing the songwriter experiment with using a synthesiser in his work, Innervisions is as experimental as it is moving. In the years following this record, Wonder became a global superstar famed for his songwriting ability and clear musical skill, but it was this 1973 album that laid the foundations for that colossal reputation.
Marvin Gaye – What’s Going On (1971)
Not only is Marvin Gaye’s 1971 triumph What’s Going On one of the greatest records Motown ever published, it is among the greatest albums of all time. Gaye had signed to Motown back in 1961 and received a commendable degree of commercial success during his time on the label, but as the 1960s drew to a close, the vocalist found himself at a crossroads. Continuing to sing complacent pop songs while struggling with cocaine addiction, mental health struggles, the breakdown of his relationship, and the ever-worsening state of American society at the time just did not seem right to the singer.
Crafting the idea of a protest record, holding up a mirror to the injustice present throughout the US at the time, Gaye had to fight tooth and nail to get What’s Going On recorded and published. Reportedly, when the singer told Gordy of his plans, the label boss said, “Marvin, don’t be ridiculous. That’s taking things too far”.
Seemingly, Gordy’s worry was that an overtly political album would alienate mainstream audiences, but he could not have been more wrong.
Upon its release, What’s Going On became an immediate hit. Ushering in a new era for Gaye, the LP perfectly reflected the societal problems of the US, covering topics of drug addiction, homelessness, ecological problems, and the Vietnam war. It is the undisputed masterpiece of Motown, despite Gordy’s reservations about the project.
