[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 [For Beginners] (11–20)
Maggot BrainFunkadelic
A pioneering American band essential to any discussion of soul and funk, Funkadelic created the historic masterpiece Maggot Brain.
Its eponymous title track—ten breathtaking minutes of Eddie Hazel’s guitar weeping and wailing—defines the album.
The solo, said to have been born from the instruction “Play as if your mother had just died,” leaves an unforgettable impact after a single listen.
At the same time, the album includes tracks with gospel brightness and heavy, rock-inflected numbers, giving the record a kaleidoscopic range of expressions.
Why not dive headlong into this intense yet beautiful sonic world that far surpasses the boundaries of funk?
That LadyIsley Brothers
Released in 1973, 3 + 3 is a landmark album from the Isley Brothers, a group with a remarkably long history dating back to the 1950s.
Originally a trio of vocal brothers, the group officially added three younger instrumentalists with this album, boldly fusing soulful vocals with elements of funk and rock.
As a result, there’s no pretension whatsoever—just a sound that’s powerful and passionate through and through.
In particular, That Lady, driven by Ernie Isley’s explosive guitar, delivers a shock that pierces straight to the depths of your heart.
Their cover of the classic Summer Breeze is also essential listening; they elevate the gentle original into an entirely new track with their signature groove.
Be sure to experience the fiery spirit of a band reborn.
Funky StuffKool and The Gang
“Funky Stuff,” a signature song by the American band Kool & the Gang.
It’s a track that later became a go-to source for samples in hip-hop and is well-known as the backbone for many beats.
The album that features this song as its opening track is Wild and Peaceful, released in 1973, which is said to have sparked the group’s breakthrough.
Seamlessly fusing funk, jazz, and R&B, their style moves effortlessly from hard-hitting, gritty funk tunes to mellow numbers—a true monument of funk! Be sure to check it out.
Chicken StrutThe Meters
The Meters, who were active in New Orleans, are a legendary band known as pioneers of funk.
Their third album, Struttin’, marked a bold shift from their previously instrumental-heavy approach by including vocal tracks for the first time.
From the R&B chart-stirring Chicken Strut onward, the uniquely New Orleans, tenacious groove runs throughout the album.
The raw performances—so vivid you can almost hear the band members breathing—and the jam session-like spontaneity make it an incredibly compelling listen.
This gritty yet comfortable sound went on to have a major influence on later hip-hop.
Who Can I Run ToThe Jones Girls
A highly skilled sister trio girl group well known among Philly soul fans.
Their self-titled debut, released in 1979, is packed with refined, high-quality songs, including the mellow classic “Who Can I Run To,” which topped the U.S.
R&B chart.
The funky disco number “You Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else,” quoted by Jay-Z, is also famous as a sampling staple.
The trio’s beautiful voices and the tight harmonies only sisters can achieve are simply outstanding—an essential masterpiece that everyone, not just soul fans, should hear at least once.
