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History of Soul Music Timeline

(Late 1950s - Present)

Soul music is a popular music genre that emerged in the United States in the late 1950s and early 1960s, blending African American gospel music, rhythm and blues, and jazz. Characterized by emotive vocals, call-and-response patterns, and rich instrumentation, soul became a powerful cultural force during the Civil Rights era. Pioneered by artists like Ray Charles and Sam Cooke and popularized by labels such as Motown and Stax Records, the genre evolved into substyles including Southern soul, Memphis soul, Philadelphia soul, and funk, profoundly influencing modern pop, R&B, and hip-hop. Less

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Origins

Ahmet Ertegun founds Atlantic Records

1947

Ahmet Ertegun, who had anticipated being a diplomat until his father died in 1944, founded Atlantic Records in 1947 with his friend Herb Abramson. The label would go on to become one of the most important homes for rhythm and blues and soul music.

Image source: Atlantic Records

Ahmet Ertegun founds Atlantic Records

Vee Jay Records produces soul recordings

1953 - 1966

Vee Jay Records, which lasted until 1966, produced recordings by Jerry Butler, Betty Everett, Dee Clark, and Gene Chandler, contributing significantly to early soul music.

Image source: Vee-Jay Records

Vee Jay Records produces soul recordings

Ray Charles releases "I Got a Woman"

1954

Ray Charles is often cited as popularizing the soul music genre with his series of hits, starting with 1954's "I Got a Woman", which blended gospel fervor with secular rhythm and blues.

Image source: Ray Charles

Ray Charles releases "I Got a Woman"

Sam Cooke records "You Send Me"

1957

Sam Cooke's recording of "You Send Me" in 1957 launched a successful pop music career for the former gospel singer, helping bring gospel-influenced singing to mainstream audiences.

Image source: Sam Cooke

Sam Cooke records "You Send Me"

Jackie Wilson hits with "Reet Petite"

1957

Jackie Wilson, a contemporary of both Sam Cooke and James Brown, achieved crossover success, especially with his 1957 hit "Reet Petite".

Image source: Jackie Wilson

Jackie Wilson hits with "Reet Petite"

"A Fool in Love" crosses over to pop charts

1960

The duo's debut single "A Fool in Love" crossed over to the pop charts in 1960, marking their breakthrough success.

Image source: Ike & Tina Turner

"A Fool in Love" crosses over to pop charts

Term "Soul music" first attested

1961

According to AllMusic, "Soul music was the result of the urbanization and commercialization of rhythm and blues in the '60s." The phrase "soul music" itself, referring to gospel-style music with secular lyrics, was first attested in 1961.

Image source: Soul music

Term "Soul music" first attested

Golden Era

Aretha Franklin begins making secular recordings

1960

Aretha Franklin, originally a gospel singer who began to make secular recordings in 1960, would later become the most important female soul singer to emerge, with her career later revitalized by her recordings for Atlantic.

Image source: Aretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin begins making secular recordings

Solomon Burke's "Just Out of Reach" succeeds

1961

Guralnick wrote that soul started, in a sense, with the 1961 success of Solomon Burke's "Just Out of Reach", marking an early milestone for the genre.

Image source: Solomon Burke

Solomon Burke's "Just Out of Reach" succeeds

Ben E. King scores with "Stand by Me"

1961

Ben E. King achieved success in 1961 with "Stand by Me", a song directly based on a gospel hymn, exemplifying the genre's gospel roots.

Image source: Ben E. King

Ben E. King scores with "Stand by Me"

Otis Redding begins recording soul ballads

1962 - 1964

Between 1962 and 1964, Otis Redding recorded a series of soul ballads characterized by unabashedly sentimental lyrics, usually begging forgiveness or asking a girlfriend to come home.

Image source: Otis Redding

Otis Redding begins recording soul ballads

Sam Cooke records "Bring It On Home to Me"

1962

Sam Cooke's 1962 recording of "Bring It On Home to Me" has been described as "perhaps the first record to define the soul experience".

Image source: Bring It On Home to Me

Sam Cooke records "Bring It On Home to Me"

Ike & Tina Turner earn Grammy nomination

1962

Ike & Tina Turner earned a Grammy nomination for their song "It's Gonna Work Out Fine" in 1962.

Image source: It's Gonna Work Out Fine

Ike & Tina Turner earn Grammy nomination

Aretha Franklin signs with Atlantic Records

1966

Aretha Franklin's career was revitalized by her recordings for Atlantic Records after she began making secular recordings in 1960.

Aretha Franklin records "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man"

1967

Franklin's 1967 recording of "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man", written by Chips Moman and Dan Penn, was among her significant and commercially successful recordings.

Image source: Do Right Woman, Do Right Man

Aretha Franklin records "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man"

Aretha Franklin records "Respect"

1967

In 1967, Aretha Franklin recorded "Respect", written and originally recorded by Otis Redding. Her version became one of the most significant and commercially successful recordings in soul history.

Image source: Respect (song)

Aretha Franklin records "Respect"

Aretha Franklin records "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)"

1967

Among her significant and commercially successful 1967 recordings was "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)", which helped establish Aretha Franklin's reign as the Queen of Soul.

Image source: I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You

Aretha Franklin records "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)"

Otis Redding triumphs at Monterey Pop Festival

Jun 1967

Otis Redding was a huge success at the Monterey International Pop Festival in 1967, winning over a largely new, crossover audience.

Image source: Monterey International Pop Festival

Otis Redding triumphs at Monterey Pop Festival

Fragmentation

Soul music splinters into subgenres

1968

By 1968, while at its peak of popularity, soul began to fragment into different subgenres, and the soul music genre had begun to splinter.

Isaac Hayes records "Walk On By"

1969

Isaac Hayes's 1969 recording of "Walk On By" is considered a "classic" of prog-soul, according to City Pages journalist Jay Boller.

Image source: Isaac Hayes

Isaac Hayes records "Walk On By"

Television and Media

Soul Train debuts on television

1971

The syndicated music/dance variety television series Soul Train, hosted by Chicago native Don Cornelius, debuted in 1971.

Hip-hop begins overshadowing soul on Soul Train

1980

Beginning in the 1980s, other predominantly African-American music genres such as hip-hop began overshadowing soul on the show.

Soul Train airs its final episode

Mar 25, 2006

The TV series continued to air until 2006, ending a remarkable run of more than three decades celebrating African-American music and dance.

Image source: Soul Train

Soul Train airs its final episode

Neo Soul and Revival

Neo soul develops

1994

Neo soul, which adopted hip-hop influences, developed around 1994, blending classic soul aesthetics with contemporary sounds.

United States sees development of neo-soul

1994

The United States saw the development of neo-soul around 1994, as artists fused soul traditions with hip-hop influences.

Image source: Neo soul

United States sees development of neo-soul

Amy Winehouse leads soul revival

2006

In the late 2000s, the style was revisited by contemporary soul singers such as Amy Winehouse, who brought retro-soul sensibilities to global audiences.

Image source: Amy Winehouse

Amy Winehouse leads soul revival

Raphael Saadiq releases The Way I See It

2008

In the late 2000s, the classic soul style was revisited by Raphael Saadiq, specifically on his 2008 album The Way I See It.

Image source: Raphael Saadiq

Raphael Saadiq releases The Way I See It

Solange Knowles releases Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams

2008

Solange Knowles revisited the classic soul sound with her 2008 album Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams, part of the late-2000s soul revival.

Image source: Solange Knowles

Solange Knowles releases Sol-Angel and the Hadley St. Dreams

Key Facts

  1. Soul music originated in the African American communities of the United States in the late 1950s, combining gospel, rhythm and blues, and jazz elements.
  2. Ray Charles's 1954 song 'I Got a Woman' and Sam Cooke's crossover hits are often credited as foundational recordings that helped define the soul sound.
  3. Motown Records, founded by Berry Gordy in Detroit in 1959, produced stars like Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, and The Supremes, becoming one of the most successful Black-owned businesses in America.
  4. Stax Records in Memphis, home to Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, and Booker T. & the M.G.'s, developed the grittier 'Southern soul' or 'Memphis soul' style.
  5. During the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, soul music served as an anthem of Black pride and empowerment, with songs like Aretha Franklin's 'Respect' and James Brown's 'Say It Loud – I'm Black and I'm Proud.'

Source

This History of Soul Music timeline was generated with the help of AI, using information found on the internet.

We work hard to keep these timelines accurate, but mistakes do get through. If you spot one, email us at [email protected] and we'll fix it for future visitors.

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