 | About Soul Soul borrowed the hysteria from sanctified church services and applied it to more sensual themes. Its artists sung messages of painful sincerity and personal redemption. This was sacred music made secular.
Read more about soul ...
5 things you have to know | |
Want to get yourself some sweet soul music? Radio 2's Mica Paris tells you how.
|
5 albums you have to own | |
Must have albums for your Soul collection - find out more.
|
Key events in soul  Disco Inferno
Born out of soul, thedisco craze of the 70s inspires artists like The Bee Gees, Donna Summer, Chic, Michael Jackson and Sylvester. It also inspires some of the most cringe-inducing fashions ever.Ray Charles
1959: Ray Charles plays a legendary gig at the New York's temple of black music, the Apollo Theatre in Harlem. His gospel and blues-inspired music outrages the black church but helps to define the sound of soul.Motown Rules
Motown - Berry Gordy's massively successful Detroit record company -polishes up the soul sound and then sells it to white America. The original hit factory, it features acts like The Supremes, Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye.What's Goin' On?
What’s Goin’ On by Marvin Gaye brings Gaye's deep spiritual beliefs and his views on issues ranging from poverty and discrimination to the environment, drug abuse, political corruption and Vietnam, right to the forefront of his music. An evolution for Motown, Gaye and Soul in general.
Key soul songwriters |  | Brian and Eddie Holland and Lamont Dozier (pictured) teamed up in 1963 and in the next four years wrote and produced hundreds of Motown hits during the label’s golden period, nearly every one a soul classic – songs such as "Stop! In the Name of Love", "Quicksand", "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)", "Reach Out I’ll Be There" and "You Can’t Hurry Love".
 Stop! In The Name Of Love, performed by The Supremes
I'm Ready For Love, performed by Martha Reeves And The Vandellas
Reach Out I'll Be There, performed by The Four Tops
| | | |  | A musical prodigy, Stevie Wonder bought soul and R'n'B into the modern world, updating it with flavoursome melodies, a pop instinct and an occasionally political worldview. A series of albums and hit singles in the 70s sealed his reputation.
Superstition
Sir Duke
Uptight
| | | |  | The self-styled Godfather of Soul, James Brown is dedicated to the groove. Certainly, nobody has contributed more to the development of funk - "Out of Sight", "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag", "Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine", every one a winner.
Get Up ( I Feel Like Being A ) Sex Machine
It's A Man's, Man's. Man's World
Make It Funky Pt.1 | | |
|
Music latestBBC Music Profiles
Discover all you need on your favourite artist in BBC Music's great collection of profiles.
 | | | DON'T MISS | | | |  | | Doves
Special guests on Dermot's show this week
| |
|
|
Full Schedule
Genres
Newsletter sign-up