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
Feeling Funky: The Past and Present of Funk Music (101–110)
Shake ItHip Spanic Allstars
For those of you who love not just funk but also Latin vibes, I recommend Hip Spanic Allstars’ “Shake It”! It kicks off with a dope Latin groove, and once the drums come in, it shifts into a funky feel.
I never imagined a passionate, tropical-tinged sound would mesh this well with a funk beat.
The horn section is awesome too!
You sexy thingHot Chocolate
Hot Chocolate is a British group formed in 1970.
They gained popularity with a versatile style spanning funk, R&B, and disco, yet—as exemplified by this song, which climbed to No.
3 in the U.S.—they never lost their pop sensibility.
You Sexy Thing was released in 1976, and it has since been featured in many films, TV shows, and commercials.
Get Up Offa That ThingJames Brown
A track released in 1976 by James Brown, also known as the Godfather of Soul and Funk.
It reached No.
4 on the U.S.
charts and was sampled in Savage Garden’s 1995 track “I Want You.”
Too much to loseJeff Beck
Jeff Beck, one of the world’s three greatest rock guitarists, doesn’t just play rock—he also has stylish funk tracks like this.
For guitarists who admire Jeff Beck, his exploration of such a wide range of genres is likely one of the reasons why.
The guitar melody, which has a chorus-like quality, feels incredibly good.
I GocchaJoe Tex
Joe Tex wrote this song in the 1960s, but it wasn’t released until the 1970s.
It was issued as the B-side to a track called “Mother’s Player.” In the 1990s, it also became known for being covered by a band from Australia.