Collection: Soul Music

Soul music, emerging in the late 1950s and early 1960s in the United States, blends African American gospel, rhythm and blues (R&B), and jazz. Characterized by emotive vocals, call-and-response techniques, and strong rhythmic grooves, it became a powerful medium for expressing deep emotions and social themes. Key figures include Ray Charles, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, and Sam Cooke. The 1960s marked the golden age of soul with influential labels like Motown and Stax. Evolving into funk and disco in the 1970s, soul music's legacy endures, influencing genres like hip-hop, neo-soul, and contemporary R&B.