Legends of soul music: its history and allure revisited through classic songs
The great artists who illuminated the American music scene.
From Marvin Gaye, Otis Redding, and Stevie Wonder—legendary singers whose timeless masterpieces live on—to modern torchbearers of soul like Bruno Mars and D’Angelo.
We invite you into the world of soul music, where captivating vocals and irresistibly groovy sounds resonate deep in your heart.
Enjoy a musical journey filled with emotion and excitement.
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Legends of Soul Music: A Look Back at Its History and Allure Through Classic Songs (71–80)
Save the last dance for meThe Drifters
The Drifters, which Ben E.
King belonged to, are a Black vocal group.
They sent numerous songs up the hit charts and introduced Black soul music into the world of oldies, where white music and rock ’n’ roll predominated.
Sweet InspirationThe Sweet Inspiration
A charming track featuring a melody that lifts the heart and harmonies crafted by beautiful chorus work.
The Sweet Inspirations are known as a female R&B and soul vocal group that rose to prominence in the 1960s.
They sing sweetly about their feelings for a loved one.
I Will SurviveGloria Gaynor
American singer Gloria Gaynor, who rose to fame in the disco era, released her signature song “I Will Survive” in 1978.
It reached No.
1 on the U.S.
Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart, and won the Grammy Award for Best Disco Recording.
The song enjoyed renewed popularity on TikTok in 2020, and the official video on YouTube has been played 130 million times, making it a standout hit.
Summer BreezeIsley Brothers
This is a quintessential work by The Isley Brothers, who could be called pioneers of lover’s soul.
Many people probably first learned the word “mellow” from this song.
The Isley Brothers have been active since the 1950s, and they’re also famous for hiring legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix as a backing member and helping launch him into the world.
I wanna testifyParliament
Released in the 1960s, this song by The Parliaments is performed in a soul style.
They later became known as the band Funkadelic-Parliament.
It’s a track sung as if speaking to a beloved woman.
SuperstitionStevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder is a soul singer who enjoys tremendous popularity in Japan as well.
He’s one of the pioneers who sparked the so-called New Soul movement.
Alongside Marvin Gaye and Donny Hathaway, he helped lay the foundation for contemporary R&B and neo-soul.
His song “Superstition” is a work defined by its strikingly funky rhythm.
Though it sings about superstition, the melody is incredibly cool.
Even today, it feels fresh, with an innovative structure that never seems dated.
Soul Bossa NovaQuincy Jones
This is a promotional commercial for the PayPay Scratch Lottery, which every SoftBank user is guaranteed to win.
Playing on the scratch theme, Masahiro Nakai appears as “Paytoku” in the role of a DJ, and the Dad humorously chimes in with, “Not that kind of scratch!!” In the latter half of the commercial, the familiar BGM, Quincy Jones’s ‘Soul Bossa Nova,’ plays.
