Credit: Far Out / Underground England / Album Covers / Public Domain

The five perfect songs to start your journey into northern soul

Wed 3 September 2025 17:30, UK

All-night dances, amphetamines, and eye-wateringly expensive vinyl; the northern soul scene might have blossomed in the industrial surroundings of 1970s-era England, but the scene continues to attract new devotees in the modern age, too.

As opposed to various other cultural trends and subcultures which emerged back in the 1970s – think space hoppers, Creamola Foam, and the prevalence of mustard – northern soul has never really slipped away. On any given week, you can still find a plethora of northern soul events and all-nighters up and down the country.

Even if some of the scene’s most iconic venues, the likes of Wigan Casino, The Twisted Wheel, or The Torch, have long since shut down, a lot of the original DJs from those clubs are still knocking around, continuing to introduce new audiences to the infectious rhythm of obscure American soul. What’s more, there are still club nights out there, like Leeds Central Soul Club or 6TS in London, which have been serving dancefloors with soul goodness since the very early days of the movement.

Particularly in recent years, a new generation of people have become exposed to the power of northern soul, too. Clubs and DJs like Deptford Northern Soul Club, for instance, weren’t around for the first wave of the scene back in the 1970s, but their increasingly in-demand club nights around the country have converted a lot of young people, who might previously have never heard of northern soul, into dedicated soul devotees.

For those younger followers, though, breaking into northern soul can be something of a daunting task. After all, the scene was built upon incredibly obscure soul singles released back in the 1960s and 1970s; there is a seemingly endless volume of material out there, the trouble is where to find it all.

There is, of course, no substitute for actually going to northern soul events and hearing the incredible tracks played by the DJs there, but if you’re after something of a head-start (albeit five decades after it all started), we have crafted a list of five essential northern soul masterpieces that should set you on the right track.

Five northern soul gateway tracks:

Billy Butler – ‘The Right Track’ (1966)

An indisputable northern soul classic, Billy Butler’s ‘The Right Track’ has been acting as a gateway into the scene since way back in the late 1960s. Originally released in 1966 via the legendary Okeh Records, the track sees the Chicago vocalist deliver a stellar performance, flanked by the kind of orchestral arrangement and beating rhythm section that typified the landscape of mid-1960s soul.

Like plenty of northern soul staples, the single didn’t make much noise when it first came out. But with its upbeat vibe and infectious, foot-stomping rhythm, it slotted perfectly into the northern soul scene that was exploding through the ’60s and ’70s. Even now, it’s a regular at soul nights — and if that’s not enough, original pressings are still going for peanuts. So really, no excuses.

Gloria Jones – ‘Tainted Love’ (1965)

Even if you have never set foot on a sprung dancefloor or ever contemplated buying a pair of incredibly baggy trousers, you are probably already aware of ‘Tainted Love’ through the 1980s synth-pop rendering of the tune, which became a number-one single for Soft Cell. That cover was reportedly inspired by Marc Almond’s early experiences attending northern soul nights, and that is part of the reason why ‘Tainted Love’ is such an ideal gateway song into the world of northern soul.

In the unlikely case that you have been living under a rock and somehow haven’t come across the Soft Cell version, Gloria Jones’ powerful vocal abilities coupled with the blaring horns and compelling energy of the 1965 recording are enough to get anybody out on the dancefloor. Sure, it isn’t the most obscure or underground anthem from the northern soul scene, but even the most ardent northern soul purists cannot help but bask in the brilliance of this timeless classic.

Frank Wilson – ‘Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)’ (1965)

Frank Wilson - Do I Love You (Indeed I Do) - 1994

Dividing opinions within the northern soul scene, ‘Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)’ is routinely hailed among the movement’s defining songs, while others denounce the song as being ‘overplayed’. Still, something doesn’t become overplayed without reason, and Frank Wilson’s magnificent performance on the 1965 track has been keeping northern dancefloors moving since it was first introduced back in the mid-1970s.

Wilson was a producer for Motown Records during its mid-1960s golden age, and label boss Berry Gordy wasn’t too keen on the idea of him becoming a recording artist in his own right. So, this gem of a single was shelved and the vast majority of demo copies were destroyed – making the few remaining copies some of the most valuable records in the world.

It was only when the song was rescued from the Motown vaults and brought over to the UK the following decade that it became a regular spin at Wigan Casino, and it still remains close to the hearts of soul obsessives everywhere.

The Flirtations – ‘Nothing But A Heartache’ (1968)

The Flirtations - Nothin’ But A Heartache - 1968

On the topic of Motown Records, the unparalleled success of the Detroit operation back in the 1960s led countless small, independent labels across America to try and emulate Berry Gordy’s formula. Although very few of those attempts were successful in rivalling Motown’s empire, they did succeed in creating a deluge of northern soul favourites, with The Flirtations’ ‘Nothing But A Heartache’ being a particular favourite.

With dramatic horns and angelic harmonies, the Deram-released single many of the hallmarks of a group like The Supremes, who were Motown’s flagship act at that time. Rather than being an unimaginative attempt to cash in on the success of the Diana Ross-fronted outfit, though, The Flirtations made that pop-centric sound their own, adding new layers of soulful appeal and even a certain degree of late-1960s flower-power.

Despite being a minor hit upon its initial release, the song found legions of disciples within the ranks of the northern soul scene; listen to those horns and try to sit still, I defy you.

Edwin Starr – ‘Back Street’ (1966)

If you’re searching for a bridge between the mainstream soul of the 1960s and 1970s, and the obscure sounds that were coveted by northern soul DJs, Edwin Starr is probably your best bet.

The Nashville vocalist has a number of anthems that could easily have filled this spot on our list, but the 1966 single ‘Back Street’ feels particularly relevant when discussing the northern scene. With lyrics concerning underground dance scenes and a rejection of the mainstream, the song might as well have been the theme tune to the early days of northern soul.

This particular single was initially released via Detroit’s Ric-Tic Records, a cult label among northern soul followers which was originally attempting to rival Motown. Ultimately, though, Motown bought out the label in 1968, and the likes of Edwin Starr moved over the Hitsville USA, where he eventually found colossal mainstream success with the number-one single ‘War’ in 1970. Ultimately, though, it is his Ric-Tic era recordings which still form the backbone of so many northern soul sets.