Why or why not was Motown so important to the music industry - Essay Example

The Motown Music Company was founded in the year 1959. Motown was a Detroit based music company. It was Berry Gordy who was a visionary and the real founder of the Motown Music Company. Motown Music Company’s formation has been considered as a milestone for the American music industry. Due to its establishment it helped the black’s in America to very well integrate their music in to the community, which was totally dominated by the whites. This resulted in a revolution in the music industry not only within America but also influenced the music of the entire world. (www.helium.com) During the early part of the 1950’s the music companies particularly in the area of Detroit comprised a majority of whites, who were particularly jazz musicians and they did not allow the blacks to get into the music industry.

There was also a very large following for the jazz musicians. As a result of the rapid economic progress of Detroit brought in many black workers, who were racially discriminated. Black musicians also did not have any influence in the music industry. These were the factors that contributed to forcing the blacks to form a music company of their own in Detroit and they named it as Motown. (www.helium.com) The Motown’s music influence became so much felt that it broke all the cultural as well as racial barriers and black music penetrated making its presence within the millions of white households.

This could be really considered as the greatest contribution of Motown since the black community started to get an identity of their own and were able to express freely through the medium of music, which spread like wildfire in America and also across the globe. (www.helium.com) Black singers and musicians started to get popular and got recognition within a short span of time, which gave the whole community a facelift. If it was not due to Motown several of the world renowned talented musical geniuses would have otherwise gone unnoticed to the world.

To name a few are the world famous personalities like Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Marvin gay and many others who have made their mark in the music industry. These groups of highly talented musicians and singers have indeed done a remarkable contribution not only to the music industry by furthering their careers but also made the music industry to know the importance and realize the hidden talents of the blacks. (www.popmatters.com) Through the introduction of blacks into the music industry arena, Motown brought a revolution that resulted in the formation of a different type of music altogether.

The black singers and musicians brought with them new types of improvisation along with very effective movements of the body, which was a quite new approach to the music industry. Other types of improvisations brought in by the blacks included the rhythmic clapping of the hands, which was really considered to be a fresh approach to the music industry. It was the American’s real inclination and interest towards the jazz music as well as the existence of the various night clubs across America, which really helped Motown’s survival and resulted in the boost of their popularity among the masses. (www.popmatters.com) Indeed it has been all these factors that have resulted in the gaining of international recognition for Motown, which also improved the prospects and flow of talents into the music industry in America, as well as the world across.

The Motown’s music company started to make great contributions to the music industry with its group of highly talented musicians and singers, which made the company world renowned from its formative years till the 1980’s. This itself speak volumes of the tremendous influence that Motown had in the music industry, since most of the music albums produced by this company, started to top the charts in the world. To be true it gave the platform for the black singers and musicians to showcase their hidden musical talents with total freedom and without an element of discrimination, which had been till then their curse. (www.brandlady.com) The generations that had followed ever since the formation of Motown, had been religious followers of the company’s musical albums, which became synonymous for music.

Such was the influence and respect that Motown received from the people world over that, it became deeply engraved within the minds of millions of music lovers. It was also because of the great dedication that was shown by the individuals of Motown, that has changed the course of the music industry and at the same time, allowed them to enjoy overwhelming success over their competetitors.Thus it can be very well concluded that the establishment of Motown Music Company not only enabled the black community to showcase their musical talents but also helped in the start of an era within the music industry, that has left its mark and influence on the field of world music even to the present day. (www.brandlady.com) References: Bohannon John “These are the Breaks: The Motown Sound’s Influence on Hip-Hop Sampling” www.

popmatters.com January28. 2009. Web. March31. 2011 Nelson Edmonson Gloria “Motown’s role in helping integrate American life” www.helium.com August27. 2009. Web. March31.2011 Pomoni Christina “How Motown changed the American sound” www.brandlady.com September14, 2009. Web. March31. 2011