Motown facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Motown Records
Parent company	Universal Music Group
Founded	January 12, 1959; 66 years ago (1959-01-12)
Founder	Berry Gordy
Distributor(s)	Capitol Music Group (United States) Motown UK/EMI (United Kingdom) Island Def Jam (France) UMe (Reissues)
Genre	Various
Country of origin	United States
Location	Los Angeles, California, U.S.

Motown is a famous American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was started by Berry Gordy Jr. on January 12, 1959, as Tamla Records. It officially became Motown Record Corporation in April 1960. The name "Motown" comes from "motor" and "town," which is a nickname for Detroit. That's where the company first began.

Motown was very important in bringing different kinds of music together. It was owned by African Americans and became super popular with everyone. In the 1960s, Motown and its other labels, like Tamla Motown (used outside the US), created the "Motown sound." This was a special kind of soul music that also appealed to pop fans. Motown was the most successful soul music label. Between 1960 and 1969, Motown had 79 songs in the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 chart!

After some big changes in Detroit in 1967, and when key songwriters Holland–Dozier–Holland left due to money disagreements, Berry Gordy moved Motown to Los Angeles, California. Motown then started making movies and TV shows too.

Motown was an independent company until MCA Records bought it in 1988. Later, PolyGram bought it in 1993, and then Universal Music Group took over in 1999.

For a while in the 2000s, Motown was based in New York City. From 2011 to 2014, it was part of The Island Def Jam Music Group. But in 2014, Motown moved back to Los Angeles and joined the Capitol Music Group. In 2018, Motown was honored by being added to the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame.

In 2021, Motown became its own label again, separate from the Capitol Music Group. In 2022, Ethiopia Habtemariam stepped down as the head of Motown.

Today, Motown has many popular artists, especially in hip-hop and R&B. Some of these artists include City Girls, Diddy, Migos, Lil Baby, Lil Yachty, Smino, Vince Staples, and YoungBoy Never Broke Again.

How Motown Started

Berry Gordy first became interested in the music business when he opened a record store in Detroit, Michigan. He wanted to share his love for jazz music. Even though his store didn't last long, Gordy's passion for music stayed strong. He visited nightclubs in Detroit and met Al Green, who managed a music publishing company. Gordy soon joined a group of songwriters, including his sister Gwen Gordy and Billy Davis. They wrote songs for musician Jackie Wilson. Their first big hit was "Reet Petite" in 1957.

The Hitsville U.S.A. Motown building in Detroit. This was Motown's main office from 1959 to 1968. Today, it is the Motown Historical Museum.

In 1957, Gordy met Smokey Robinson, a 17-year-old singer who led a group called the Matadors. Gordy liked their doo-wop style. In 1958, Gordy recorded their song "Got a Job." He released it by working with a bigger company in New York called End Records. This was common for small producers back then. "Got a Job" was the first song released by Robinson's group, which was later called the Miracles.

In 1958, Gordy wrote and produced "Come to Me" for Marv Johnson. Gordy saw that this song could be a hit for many different audiences. He decided to release it locally on his own new label, Tamla. He needed $800 to make this happen, so he borrowed money from his family's savings. In January 1959, "Come to Me" was released on the Tamla label. Gordy wanted to name it "Tammy Records" after a popular song, but that name was already taken, so he chose Tamla. In April 1959, Gordy and his sister Gwen started Anna Records. One of their most popular songs was Barrett Strong's "Money (That's What I Want)."

Gordy wanted to be more independent. In June 1959, he started his own music publishing company called Jobete. He applied for copyrights for over 70 songs that year. People in Detroit started to notice Gordy's work. He was the president of Jobete, Tamla, and another music company called Rayber.

Gordy used different studios in Detroit to make recordings. But it was expensive. So, in mid-1959, he bought a photography studio at 2648 West Grand Boulevard. He turned the main floor into a recording studio and office. Now, he could release his own songs using the Tamla and Motown labels. He officially started Motown Records in April 1960.

Smokey Robinson became the company's vice president. Many of Gordy's family members also worked in important roles at Motown. His partner at the time, Raynoma Liles, also helped a lot. She led the company's first group of session singers, The Rayber Voices.

The Hitsville U.S.A. Studio

The studio Gordy bought in 1959 became Motown's famous Hitsville U.S.A. studio. The photography studio in the back was turned into a small recording studio. The Gordy family lived upstairs. Within seven years, Motown bought seven more houses nearby to expand its offices:

• Hitsville U.S.A. (1959): This was the main building with offices, a recording studio (Studio A), and where the Gordy family first lived.
• Jobete Publishing office (1961): Handled sales, billing, and public relations.
• Berry Gordy Jr. Enterprise (1962): Offices for Berry Gordy Jr. and his sister Esther Gordy Edwards.
• Finance department (1965): Managed money, royalties, and payroll.
• Artist personal development (1966): This was a special department where artists learned how to look and act like stars. Maxine Powell taught them manners and poise. Maurice King was the vocal coach, and Cholly Atkins taught them dance moves.
• Two houses for administrative offices (1966): Used for sales, marketing, and mixing music.
• ITMI (International Talent Management Inc.) office (1966): Managed the artists.

By the end of 1966, Motown had over 450 employees and was making $20 million!

Motown's Golden Years: 1959–1972

Early artists on the Tamla/Motown labels included Mable John, Eddie Holland, and Mary Wells. "Shop Around" by the Miracles was their first number 1 R&B hit in 1960. It was Tamla's first song to sell over a million copies. In April 1960, Motown and Tamla Records joined to form Motown Record Corporation. A year later, the Marvelettes had Tamla's first US number-one pop hit with "Please Mr. Postman". By the mid-1960s, Motown was a huge force in music. This was thanks to amazing songwriters and producers like Smokey Robinson, William "Mickey" Stevenson, Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, and Norman Whitfield.

From 1961 to 1971, Motown had 110 songs in the top 10 charts! Some of the biggest artists on the Motown label were the Supremes (with Diana Ross), the Four Tops, and the Jackson 5. Artists like Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, the Marvelettes, and the Miracles had hits on the Tamla label.

Motown also had other labels:

• Gordy Records (originally "Miracle") featured the Temptations, the Contours, Edwin Starr, and Martha and the Vandellas.
• V.I.P. released music by the Velvelettes, the Spinners, and the Monitors.
• Soul featured Jr. Walker & the All Stars, Gladys Knight & the Pips, and the Originals.
• Other labels like Workshop Jazz (for jazz) and Rare Earth (for rock) explored different music styles.

Motown's slogan was "The Sound of Young America." Their music was loved by both black and white audiences.

Smokey Robinson talked about Motown's huge impact:

In the 1960s, I didn't realize we were making history, but I saw the impact. Our acts went all over the world. I saw the barriers we broke down with music. I lived it. When we first went to the South, audiences were separated. Then Motown music came, and when we went back, the audiences were mixed, and kids were dancing together.

Berry Gordy's house, also known as Motown Mansion, in Detroit.

In 1967, Berry Gordy bought a house in Detroit known as the Motown Mansion. He moved his offices to the Donovan building in 1968. He also bought Golden World Records, and its studio became "Studio B" for Motown.

In the United Kingdom, Motown records were first released on different labels like London, Fontana, and Oriole American. In 1963, Motown signed with EMI's Stateside label. Finally, EMI created the Tamla Motown label in 1965, which became the main way Motown music was released in the UK.

Motown Moves to Los Angeles: 1972–1998

After the songwriting team Holland–Dozier–Holland left in 1967, Norman Whitfield became the main producer. He made hits for the Temptations, Marvin Gaye, and Gladys Knight & the Pips. Berry Gordy also started Motown Productions to make TV shows for Motown artists, like TCB with Diana Ross & the Supremes.

Motown started letting its artists write and produce more of their own music. This led to amazing albums like Marvin Gaye's What's Going On (1971) and Stevie Wonder's Talking Book (1972).

Motown had opened offices in New York City and Los Angeles in the mid-1960s. By 1969, they started moving more of their work to Los Angeles. In June 1972, Motown moved all its operations to Los Angeles. Many artists stayed in Detroit or left the company. Motown wanted to get into the movie business. Motown Productions made hit movies for Diana Ross, like Lady Sings the Blues (1972). Other Motown films included The Wiz (1978).

Some people felt that Motown's quality changed after leaving Detroit. John McClain, a music executive, said that Motown stopped being innovators and started following trends.

Even after losing some key people, Motown still had successful artists in the 1970s and 1980s. These included Lionel Richie and the Commodores, Rick James, Teena Marie, and DeBarge. By the mid-1980s, Motown started losing money. Berry Gordy sold Motown to MCA Records and Boston Ventures in 1988 for $61 million. Gordy later sold the music publishing part of the company, Jobete, to EMI Music Publishing.

In the 1990s, Motown had successful artists like Boyz II Men. However, the company itself faced many changes in leadership. In 1991, Motown sued MCA to end their deal and started working with PolyGram. PolyGram then bought Motown in 1994.

Motown Today: 1999–Present

By 1998, Motown had stars like Erykah Badu and Brian McKnight. In December 1998, PolyGram was bought by Seagram, and Motown became part of the Universal Music Group. Universal thought about closing the label but decided to reorganize it instead. Kedar Massenburg became the head of Motown. He oversaw successful recordings from Badu, McKnight, and new artist India.Arie.

Some of Motown's original stars, like Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, and the Temptations, stayed with the label for a long time. While some left for a few years, they often returned. Stevie Wonder was the last of the original artists to leave the label in 2020.

In 2005, Motown merged with Universal Records to create Universal Motown Records. This was part of a larger group called Universal Motown Republic Group. Motown celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2009 with a big party in Detroit, featuring Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, and the Temptations.

In 2011, Motown became its own brand again and joined The Island Def Jam Music Group. Ne-Yo joined Motown in 2012 as an artist and as a Senior Vice President. In 2014, Motown became a part of Capitol Records. In late 2018, Motown started celebrating its 60th anniversary by re-releasing many classic albums.

Motown UK started in September 2020 under Universal UK's EMI Records.

Current Artists

The Motown Sound

Motown was known for its special "Motown sound." This sound was made to be catchy and popular. It often used tambourines to highlight the beat, clear and catchy electric bass-guitar lines, unique melodies, and a "call-and-response" singing style, like in gospel music. In 1971, Jon Landau wrote that the sound had simple song structures but fancy melodies. It also used a four-beat drum pattern, horns, and strings. The mixing made the sound bright and clear, especially for radio. They avoided complicated arrangements and fancy vocal parts. Motown producers believed in keeping it simple!

The way Motown made music was very organized, almost like a factory. The Hitsville studios were open almost all day and night. Artists would go on tour, then come back to Detroit to record many songs quickly, and then go back on tour. Berry Gordy had meetings every Friday morning to make sure only the very best songs were released. A song had to sound like it could be one of the top five pop songs of the week. Some songs that later became huge hits, like Marvin Gaye's "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", were first turned down by Gordy! Producers would often rework songs until they were approved.

Many of Motown's most famous songs, especially for the Supremes, were written by the team of Holland–Dozier–Holland (Lamont Dozier and brothers Brian and Eddie Holland). Other important Motown songwriters and producers included Norman Whitfield, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, and Berry Gordy himself.

The Motown sound greatly influenced other artists in the 1960s, like Dusty Springfield. In the United Kingdom, the Motown sound was key to the "northern soul" music style.

The Funk Brothers

One big reason for Motown's success was a special group of studio musicians called the Funk Brothers. They played the music for most Motown songs. These musicians included keyboard players Earl Van Dyke and Joe Hunter, guitarists Robert White and Eddie Willis, drummers Benny Benjamin and Uriel Jones, and bassists James Jamerson and Bob Babbitt. A 2002 movie called Standing in the Shadows of Motown showed that these musicians played on more number-one songs than The Beatles, Elvis, The Rolling Stones, and The Beach Boys combined!

The Motown sound often used many layers of instruments. Songs usually had two drummers and three or four guitar parts. Bassist James Jamerson played many of the famous basslines in Motown songs.

Artist Development

Motown had a special department for "artist development." This was a big part of Berry Gordy's plan. Motown artists were carefully trained, dressed, and taught how to perform live. They were told that their success helped other African-American artists. They were encouraged to act like royalty to change how black musicians were seen by some people at the time. Many young artists came from humble backgrounds and needed this training. This department helped create the elegant style that Motown became known for. More experienced artists like Marvin Gaye didn't need these classes.

Many young artists went on yearly tours called the "Motortown Revue." These tours were popular and helped younger artists improve their performance skills. They also learned from the more experienced artists.

Motown's Other Labels

To avoid problems with radio stations playing too many songs from just one label, Berry Gordy started Motown Records as a second label in 1960. Both labels used the same writers, producers, and artists.

Motown later created many other labels. Most of the differences between these labels were just for marketing. The same people worked on all of them, and artists often moved between labels. All these records are usually thought of as "Motown" records, no matter which specific label they were on.

Main Labels

• Tamla Records: Started in 1959, this was the original label for R&B/soul music. Famous Tamla artists included Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, and the Marvelettes.
• Motown Records: Started in 1960, this is the main label for R&B/soul music, and now hip-hop. Famous Motown artists include Mary Wells, the Supremes, Four Tops, the Jackson 5, Michael Jackson, Boyz II Men, and Erykah Badu.
• Gordy Records: Started in 1962, this was also a main label for R&B/soul music. It was first called "Miracle Records." Famous Gordy artists included the Temptations, Martha and the Vandellas, Rick James, and Teena Marie.
• Tamla Motown Records: This was Motown's label for countries outside the US, started in 1965. It released songs from the American Motown labels.

Other Labels for Different Music Styles

• MoWest Records: A short-lived label (1971–1973) for R&B/soul artists on the West Coast. It closed when Motown moved to Los Angeles.
• Soul Records: Started in 1964 for R&B/soul music with more of a blues feel. Famous Soul artists included Jr. Walker & the All-Stars and Gladys Knight & the Pips.
• V.I.P. Records: Started in 1964 for R&B/soul music. Famous V.I.P. artists included the Velvelettes and the Spinners.
• Mel-o-dy Records: Started in 1962, this label later focused on white country music artists.
• Workshop Jazz Records: Motown's jazz label, active from 1962 to 1964.
• Rare Earth Records: Started in 1969, this label focused on rock music and progressive rock. It was named after the band Rare Earth.
• Black Forum Records: A short-lived label (1970–1973) that released spoken-word albums, often about civil rights. It featured recordings by Martin Luther King Jr.

See also

In Spanish: Motown para niños

• Hitsville USA
• Music of Detroit