Hitsville USA: The Sound of Motown

60's

Logo in the early 60's

It all started when Berry Gordy opened a record store in Detroit called 3D Record Mart where he introduced people to Jazz. The store didn't last long but he kept his interest for music and became part of a songwriter group including his sister Gwen Gordy and Billy Davis. They wrote songs for artists like Jackie Wilson. "Reet Petite" was their first hit in 1957. In that same year Berry met Smokey Robinson with his band The Matadors. He managed to contract them to a larger record company called  End Records in New York. The first single was "Got a Job". The band of Smokey was renamed to The Miracles. He kept on doing this for artists and contracted them to United Artists. For regional releases in Detroit the family Gordy decided to start their own label Tamla in 1959. Berry and his sister Gwen founded the label Anna Records that released some singles in 1959/1960. The most famous song on that label is Barrett Strong's "Money (That's What I Want)". Nationally in the US the released by Anna Records and Tamla were distributed by Chess Records. They recorded songs in many studios in Detroit.

Hitsville USA

Mid 1959 Berry bought a photography studio at 2648 West Grand Boulevard and converted the main floor to a recording studio and office space. No longer dependent on other record companies or studios Tamla and the new label Motown produced their work. Smokey Robinson became the vice president of the company (and later named his daughter "Tamla" and his son "Berry"). The whole family Gordy was given a job in the company. The building at West Grand Boulevard now became Hitsville USA.

The Supremes

Tammi Terell and Marvin Gaye

Jackson 5

Within seven years they also bought all the houses around Hitsville USA. "Shop Around" then recorded by the Miracles was their first hit reaching #2 in the US. In 1960 Motown Records was born when Tamla and Motown merged into one record company. For those who didn't know where the name Motown stand for: It comes from the nickname Motor Town for Detroit. Because it was the heart of the Automobile industry. In 1961 the first #1 hit in the USA was released by Motown called "Please, Mister Postman" by The Marvelettes. 

Logo since 1964

From 1961 to 1971 had 110 top 10 hits in the USA. Top artists of those days were: The Supremes, The Four Tops,  Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder, Billy Preston, Syreeta, Marvin Gaye and The Miracles. Songs were written by their successful songwriters group: Holland-Dozer-Holland (Lamont Dozer and brothers Brian and Eddie Holland). They had their own group of studio musicians to do most of the music for their artists. They were called The Funk Brothers.

Berry Gordy presenting Supremes' "Where Did Our Love Go" LP

In 1967, Berry Gordy purchased what is now known as Motown Mansion in Detroit's Boston-Edison Historic District as his home, leaving his previous home to his sister Anna and then-husband Marvin Gaye (where photos for the cover of his album What's Going On were taken).  Their hit writters trio Holland-Dozer-Holland left Motown due to disputes about royalties.

They realized they were not only making music but making history.

70's/80's
Motown Productions was established to promote Motown artists on special TV shows: TCB (Taking Care of Business) - a musical revue by The Supremes and The Temptations, Diana! - A music show presented and with performances by Diana Ross and Goin' Back To Indiana - A live soundtrack by the Jackson 5. More artists on the label can choose to write their own songs instead of Motown song writers. For example Marvin Gaye with his album "What's Going On" and Stevie Wonder had the opportunity for the first time on his album "Where I'm Coming From". Stevie Wonder became the first Motown artist to negotiate a contract that allowed for complete artistic control of his music.

Debarge

The Commodores

In 1972 Motown moved to Los Angeles with a number of artists from the label. Some artists were left behind in Detroit or left Motown in favour of other record companies or in some cases they didn't get the opportunity to write their own songs with Motown. For example Michael Jackson as well as the Jackon 5 left Motown. The Jackson 5 changed their name to The Jacksons. 

Motown Productions also started making movies: Lady Sings The Blues (1972), Mahogany (1975), Scott Joplin (1977), Thank God It's Friday (1978) and The Last Dragon (1985). The best known movie they released was The Wiz (1978).

New artists that got popular in the 70's and 80's include: The Commodores, Rick James, Debarge, Lionel Richie and The Dazz Band.

In the mid-80's Motown started to lose money and Berry Gordy sold his ownership to MCA Records. Motown Productions was sold to Motown Executive Suzanne de Passe who renamed it to de Passe Entertainment.

Erykah Badu

90's and after that
By 1998 Motown was owned by the Universal Music Group. At first they wanted to shut down the Motown Label but decided to restructure it and Kedar Massenburg was now the head of the label. New artists in this period were: Erykah Badu, Michael McDonald and India Arie. Many changes in the structure and leadership keep on coming after 2005.

LISTS

• The Supremes were the most succesfull act of Motown with the most #1 hits
• The biggest-selling Motown singles in the UK were “I Just Called To Say I Love You” by Stevie Wonder, and “Hello” by Lionel Richie

#1 hits in the US:

• THE MARVELETTES, “Please Mr. Postman” (Tamla 54046) 11/12/1961
• LITTLE STEVIE WONDER, “Fingertips – Pt. 2” (Tamla 54080) 10/8/1963
• THE SUPREMES, “Baby Love” (Motown 1066) 31/10/1964
• THE SUPREMES, “Come See About Me” (Motown 1068) 19/12/1964
• THE TEMPTATIONS, “My Girl” (Gordy 7038) 6/3/1965
• THE SUPREMES, “Stop! In The Name Of Love” (Motown 1074) 27/3/1965
• THE SUPREMES, “Back In My Arms Again” (Motown 1075) 12/6/1965
• THE FOUR TOPS, “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)” (Motown 1076) 19/6/1965
• THE SUPREMES, “I Hear A Symphony” (Motown 1083) 20/11/1965
• THE SUPREMES, “You Can’t Hurry Love” (Motown 1097) 10/9/1966
• THE FOUR TOPS “Reach Out I’ll Be There” (Motown 1098) 15/10/1966
• THE SUPREMES, “You Keep Me Hangin’ On” (Motown 1101) 19/11/1966
• THE SUPREMES, “Love Is Here And Now You’re Gone” (Motown 1103) 11/3/1967
• THE SUPREMES, “The Happening” (Motown 1107) 13/5/1967
• DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES, “Love Child” (Motown 1135) 30/11/1968
• MARVIN GAYE, “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” (Tamla 54176) 14/12/1968
• THE TEMPTATIONS, “I Can’t Get Next To You” (Gordy 7093) 18/10/1969
• DIANA ROSS & THE SUPREMES, “Someday We’ll Be Together” (Motown 1156) 27/12/1969
• THE JACKSON 5, “I Want You Back” (Motown 1157) 31/1/1970
• THE JACKSON 5, “ABC” (Motown 1163) 25/4/1970
• HE JACKSON 5, “The Love You Save” (Motown 1166) 27/6/1970
• EDWIN STARR, “War” (Gordy 7101) 29/8/1970
• DIANA ROSS, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” (Motown 1169) 19/9/1970
• THE JACKSON 5, “I’ll Be There” (Motown 1171) 17/10/1970
• SMOKEY ROBINSON & THE MIRACLES, “The Tears Of A Clown” (Tamla 54199) 12/12/1970

Best albums:

• Where Did Our Love Go, The Supremes
• Up-Tight Everything’s Alright, Stevie Wonder
• Reach Out, Four Tops
• Make It Happen, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
• United, Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
• You’re All I Need, Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
• ABC, The Jackson 5
• Ben, Michael Jackson
• Talking Book, Stevie Wonder
• Music of My Mind, Stevie Wonder
• Diana & Marvin, Diana Ross & Marvin Gaye
• Let’s Get It On, Marvin Gaye
• Caught In the Act, The Commodores
• I Want You, Marvin Gaye
• Hot On the Tracks, The Commodores
• Songs In the Key of Life, Stevie Wonder
• Diana (1980), Diana Ross
• Worlwide Underground - Erykah Badu
• Can't Slow Down - Lionel Richie

My personal Motown album top 3:

1. Marvin Gaye - What’s Going On (1971)
2. Stevie Wonder - Where I’m Coming From (1971)
3. Jackson 5 - Get It Together (1973)

VIDEOS:

Movie: The Wiz

Supremes - "The Happening" in Ed Sulivan Show

Diana! TV Show feat. Jackson 5

Billy Preston & Syreeta Wright - It Will Come In Time

Marvin Gaye - What's Going On - Live 1972

El Debarge - Who's Johnny

Erykah Badu - Next Lifetime