Funky Vibes: The Past and Present of Funk Music
Even if you don’t actually listen to funk as a music genre, many people unconsciously use the adjective “funky,” don’t they?
As a word that’s already woven into everyday life, what kind of image do you all have of “funk”?
Funk, whose prototype is said to have emerged in the 1960s, has continued to be loved into the 2020s, evolving in form and powering countless hit songs.
This time, we’ll bring you a wide array of classics—from foundational funk essentials to disco, mellow groove, and contemporary funk.
You just might encounter the destined masterpiece that awakens the funkiness sleeping inside you!
- Recommended Western funk bands. Popular overseas bands.
- Recommended Japanese funk bands. Funky Japanese artists.
- [Western Music] Tracing the Roots of Funk: Essential Albums Beginners Should Hear at Least Once
- Why Classic Disco Music Is Still Loved Today
- Legends of soul music: its history and allure revisited through classic songs
- Summary of representative Western funk artists and groups
- A classic jazz-funk masterpiece. A popular recommended track that offers a different flavor from traditional jazz.
- [Definitive Edition] Masterpieces of 70s Disco Music
- Dance music in Japanese (J-pop) that people in their 50s used to listen to. Nostalgic classic hits.
- [Japanese R&B] Notable Classics & New Tracks, Representative Songs of Japanese R&B
- Relive those feelings from back in the day! Youth anthems recommended for the Yutori generation
- A roundup of classic Western jazz-funk albums—from staples to the latest releases
- [For Beginners] A Roundup of Classic Popular Soul/Funk Bands
Funky Vibes: The Past and Present of Funk Music (1–10)
Talkin’ LoudIncognito
Centered on “danceable jazz,” Incognito is a quintessential acid jazz band born from the club generation.
Since forming in 1979, they’ve remained a towering presence—the pinnacle of London-born jazz-funk—still thriving in the 2020s.
“Talkin’ Loud,” from their classic 1993 album Positivity, is flawless on every front: a rock-solid yet supple groove from the rhythm section, irresistibly dance-inducing guitar chops, a lavish brass section, and Maysa Leak’s radiant vocals with superb vocal arrangements.
It’s guaranteed to put you in a happy mood just by listening.
Incidentally, the album was released on the label “Talkin’ Loud,” founded by Gilles Peterson, one of the creators of Acid Jazz Records, the label that helped spearhead the acid jazz boom.
Uptown Funk ft. Bruno MarsMark Ronson
Speaking of songs that loudly proclaim the revival of 80s disco and funk and became massive hits in the 2010s, it has to be 2014’s “Uptown Funk.” It’s the smash collaboration between music producer Mark Ronson—who has worked on countless albums by major artists since the 2000s and is also active as a solo artist—and hugely popular singer-songwriter Bruno Mars.
The track was a colossal hit worldwide, and in Japan it was even used in commercials, so even those who don’t often listen to Western music have likely heard it at least once.
Its flawless pop sensibility and funkiness need no explanation, and its timeless appeal—so compelling that Akiko Wada, known as the queen of Japanese R&B with a career spanning over 50 years, chose to cover it—transcends eras.
Lose Yourself to DanceDaft Punk
On February 22, 2021, the French male duo Daft Punk announced their breakup on their official YouTube channel.
Not only were they pioneers who elevated French house music, but their genre-defying sound kept producing global hits, so news of their split saddened many music fans.
Among their magnificent discography—which includes songs so iconic that even people who rarely listen to Western music know them—this time I’d like to introduce Lose Yourself to Dance from Random Access Memories, their biggest hit and effectively their final album.
It’s a disco-funk tune featuring Nile Rodgers—guitarist of the quintessential American funk band Chic and an accomplished producer—and Pharrell Williams, a hitmaking producer and popular solo artist, on vocals.
Beyond its sound, the subtly nostalgic melody invites listeners back to the evocative atmosphere of the 1980s.
Good TimesChic
This is CHIC’s classic that topped the U.S.
charts in 1979 at the height of the disco boom and profoundly influenced popular music as a whole! As a flagship funk-to-disco band, CHIC was formed in 1977 in New York State by two musicians from the jazz world, Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards.
In addition to their work as a band, both have also been globally renowned as hit-making music producers.
As mentioned at the start, the most famous example of the broad influence of the song we’re featuring—Good Times—is The Sugar Hill Gang’s Rapper’s Delight, released the same year and considered one of the earliest rap records.
It used a track that re-performed and quoted elements like the bassline from Good Times, and became the first Top 40 hit in hip-hop history—an achievement that speaks to CHIC’s role in crafting the cutting-edge funkiness and groove of the time.
The ultimate funk beat that moves listeners on sheer instinct is right here!
ChameleonHerbie Hancock
Released in 1973, Head Hunters is a classic of electric jazz-funk and is regarded not only as a landmark in jazz but as an important album in music history.
The band formed by the genius behind the release, Herbie Hancock, was also named The Headhunters—a pioneering fusion group whose crossover sound blended jazz, funk, and rock.
Among the tracks, the opening number Chameleon—an extended piece running over 15 minutes—is not only a masterpiece of electronic funk but has also been widely sampled, exerting a profound influence beyond jazz.
Its distinctive bass line boldly expresses the track’s funkiness.
Incidentally, Hancock is sometimes called the “Chameleon of Jazz” in reference to this tune.
Looking at his flexible and free-ranging musical career, it’s easy to see why he earned that nickname.