[Western Music] Tracing the Roots of Funk: Essential Albums Beginners Should Hear at Least Once
This may be sudden, but are you familiar with the music genre called “funk”? Even if you aren’t, you’ve probably heard the word “funky” in everyday life.
As a music genre, funk took shape in the 1960s and reached its peak from the 1970s onward, when many popular bands released hit funk tracks.
Funk music has had a major influence on later generations—modern hip-hop artists still love sampling songs from that era.
In this article, especially for beginners, we’ll introduce must-listen classic funk albums to get you started!
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[Western Music] Tracing the Roots of Funk: Essential Albums You Should Hear at Least Once [Beginners] (61–70)
So Ruff, so TuffZapp
American funk musician and producer Roger Troutman, a source of national pride, achieved great success not only with Zapp, the band he formed with his brothers, but also as a solo artist.
His 1981 solo debut album, The Many Facets of Roger, was a hit and features his cover of Marvin Gaye’s “I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” along with tracks like “So Ruff, So Tuff” and “Do It Roger.” The six-track album showcases his signature talk box-driven vocals and breezy funk-to-dance tunes.
It’s the perfect starting point—highly recommended!
Mary JaneRick James
Rick James is a bassist who represents the soul and funk music world, as well as a singer and producer.
Known for his wild, larger-than-life lifestyle, he finally found success in his thirties with the release of the 1978 album Come Get It!, which I’d like to introduce.
The record is a highly polished set that includes classics like the disco anthem You and I, where feel-good funk explodes, and Mary Jane, whose mellow yet hard-hitting bass line is irresistibly cool.
It’s also a work that has been heavily sampled and referenced in later R&B and hip-hop, making it essential listening for anyone interested in those genres.
FunkytownLipps Inc
A track from Lipps Inc.’s debut album, known for American disco.
It reached No.
1 in 28 countries, including the United States, Germany, and Austria.
The song was written by the band while they were in Minneapolis, dreaming of moving to New York.
Watching YouSlave
Speaking of heavyweight funk bands from Ohio, Slave, who were active from the 1970s to the early 1980s, comes to mind.
This track, released as a single in 1980, is also well known for being sampled in Hip Hop artist Snoop Dogg’s smash hit “Gin and Juice.”
Disco to GoBrides Of Funkenstein
This is the debut album released in 1978 by a female duo who made a strong impression with both their album cover and unit name, and who were active as backing vocalists for Funkadelic and Parliament.
As you’d expect, George Clinton, the founder of P-Funk, handled production, with the P-Funk crew—led by Bootsy Collins—providing rock-solid support.
While it’s fundamentally rooted in the P-Funk sound, the jazz-tinged arrangements that pop up throughout are a fascinating touch.
It’s not flashy, but it’s a must-hear for any P-Funk aficionado.