[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: A Collection of Must-Listen Classic Albums for Beginners (21–30)
Lady Cab DriverPrince
When it comes to pioneers of the Minneapolis sound, Prince is the first name that comes to mind.
Among his work, this song could be considered one of his signature pieces.
It’s also a track recommended by Toshinobu Kubota, one of Japan’s leading funk singers.
Needless to say, Prince, who released countless remarkable songs, has had a tremendous impact on today’s music scene.
More Bounce To The OunceZapp & Roger
It’s the opening track from the debut album by the American funk band Zapp.
It was produced by the band’s central member, Roger Troutman.
The song is also featured in the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.
Papa’s got a brand new bagJames Brown
A track produced and performed by James Brown himself.
It became his first Grammy Award-winning song.
When it was selected for single release from the album of the same name, it was rearranged into a more sped-up version by raising both the tempo and pitch by half.
Get Down On ItKool and The Gang
Formed in New Jersey in 1964, they are a flagship band of the soul-funk scene with a long-running career.
After their 1973 single “Funky Stuff” became a smash hit, they followed up with a string of successes like “Jungle Boogie” and “Hollywood Swinging.” Even into the 1980s, they continued to release many hit singles, including “Celebration” and “Get Down On It.” Their 1983 compilation album, Never Cool With Kool & The Gang, features many of their peak-era hits, making it a quick and easy way to enjoy the charm of a group renowned for crafting funky, pop-savvy tracks.
UpTown FunkMark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars
Released in 2015, this song won numerous music awards and arguably reintroduced the brilliance of funk music to the world.
By proving that funk never loses its shine, it reached listeners of all ages in all kinds of settings.