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What time period was Motown?

Author

Jessica Cortez

Updated on May 07, 2026

1960s

Correspondingly, is Motown 60s or 70s?

Founded in 1959 as Tamla by Detroit songwriter Berry Gordy Jr, the label that soon came to be known as Motown – named after the city's motor industry, quickly made its mark as one of the greatest record labels of all time. Putting out hit after hit, the label's output in the 1960s and 1970s cannot be underestimated.

Beside above, where was Motown founded? January 12, 1959, Detroit, MI

Also question is, what was Motown and where was it located?

Motown, in full Motown Record Corporation, also called Hitsville, recording company founded by Berry Gordy, Jr., in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., in January 1959 that became one of the most successful Black-owned businesses and one of the most influential independent record companies in American history.

When did the Motown era end?

1972

Related Question Answers

What style of music did Motown lead to in the 70s?

rhythm and blues music

What is Motown era?

Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. Motown was the most successful soul music label, with a net worth of $61 million. During the 1960s, Motown achieved 79 records in the top-ten of the Billboard Hot 100 between 1960 and 1969.

Why did Berry Gordy move to Los Angeles in 1972?

In some ways it is understandable why Motown packed up and moved to Los Angeles in 1972. For one thing, Berry Gordy wanted to get into moviemaking, and he is to be admired for expanding his and the company's horizons. And there was the Funk Brothers, some of whom made the move to Los Angeles.

Did Al Green sing Motown?

Al Green

Al Green was born in Arkansas in 1946. He and his family relocated to Grand Rapids, Michigan in the 50s. Green was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995. He was with numerous record labels, but never with Motown.

Who was the most successful Motown artist?

Diana Ross and The Supremes were the most successful group or artist in Motown's history by at least one measure — their 12 Billboard No. 1 singles. The trio's run of hits started with 1964's "Where Did Our Love Go" and stretched into the early 1970s.

What was the first Motown song?

Fifty years ago today (May 16, 1964) the Motown Records label celebrated its first No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100 with Mary Wells' "My Guy," a song written and produced by Smokey Robinson.

What year did Motown start?

January 12, 1959, Detroit, MI

Who was Motown's biggest star?

Michael Jackson Still, Motown was Jackson's launchpad to success and the label's biggest star.

Where is Motown now?

In 1988, Gordy sold Motown to MCA Records. Today, the company is owned by Universal Music Group. It may have left Detroit, but Motown didn't stop producing hit music. Many Motown classics still sound fresh today.

What was the nickname of Motown's first headquarters?

Hitsville U.S.A.

When was Motown sold?

1988

Who signed Motown Records?

The list of Motown artists reads like a who's who in music—Diana Ross & the Supremes, Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, Stevie Wonder, the Temptations, the Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, Michael Jackson & the Jackson 5, the Marvelettes, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Lionel Richie, The Commodores,

Who is president of Motown Records?

Ethiopia Habtemariam

How many #1 hits did Motown?

25 #1 songs

How old is Barry?

91 years (November 28, 1929)

Are there any white Motown singers?

Reba Jeanette Smith (February 1, 1928 – February 17, 2001), known professionally as Debbie Dean, was an American singer who was the first white solo artist to record for Motown.

Who wrote most of the Motown songs?

The trio wrote, arranged and produced many songs that helped define the Motown sound in the 1960s.

Holland–Dozier–Holland.

Holland-Dozier-Holland
Origin Detroit, Michigan, United States
Genres Motown sound, rhythm and blues, soul, funk
Occupation(s) Songwriters, record producers
Associated acts The Supremes The Four Tops Michael Jackson

What does Motown sound like?

The Sound of Motown

A strong, steady four-beat drum tempo. Frequent use of strings and horns. Pop vocal stylings embellished with gospel-influenced chorals. Complex chord changes and sophisticated melodies.

Is Motown still recording?

Motown, as we've come to know it, does not exist anymore. It appears to not be a label, but more of a "label group," now paired with Universal. We know that Berry Gordy sold Motown way back when, but at least then Motown was still a functioning entity.

Why was Motown sold?

Many of its songs have become popular standards, frequently appearing on the record charts in updated versions by modern artists. Gordy, in an interview with the entertainment newspaper Daily Variety, said he had decided to sell Motown because, "In today's economy, the big get bigger and the small get extinct. ...

Is Motown still open?

The beloved museum on West Grand Boulevard where Berry Gordy Jr. launched his music empire is closed until the summer of 2022 after museum officials moved up their timeline to shut down tours for the second phase of expansion plans.

Who started Motown?

Berry Gordy