Motown

What people respond to in a Motown song, after the rhythm, wit, and piquancy, is the sound — the ethos — of the love of freedom. Only in America could a company like Motown Records exist. ~ Armond White

Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on 12 January 1959 and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on 14 April 1960.

Quotes

• As far as I’m concerned, Motown was a once-in-a-lifetime musical event. Nothing like that happened before. I seriously doubt anything like that will ever happen again...
  • Smokey Robinson, “Let Smokey Robinson Tell You About Changing Music The living legend on his life, legacy, and Motown” in New York Magazine (2020 Nov 19)

• [C]ritics usually disparage Motown as watered-down blues or lesser soul music, but they ignore the essence of Motown’s urbane soulfulness. ... What people respond to in a Motown song, after the rhythm, wit, and piquancy, is the sound — the ethos — of the love of freedom. Only in America could a company like Motown Records exist.
  • Armond White, "On Motown" (27 July 2020), National Review

See also

• Marvin Gaye
• Holland-Dozier-Holland
• Jackson 5
• Smokey Robinson
• Diana Ross
• Stevie Wonder

External links

• Encyclopedic article on Motown on Wikipedia