Realising that the way to make money was to produce his own records for his own label, in 1959 he founded Tamla Records (taking the name from the hit Debbie Reynolds film Tammy. Tamla would soon be joined by Motown – a cannibalisation of ‘Motor Town’, a nickname for Detroit).
What is Motown’s biggest hit?
1 Billboard hit singles, including “Where Did Our Love Go,” “Baby Love,” “You Can’t Hurry Love,” “You Keep Me Hangin’ On,” and “Stop! In the Name of Love,” The Supremes is considered Motown’s greatest commercial success.
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.
Who is the president of Motown Records?
Music Group. Motown President Ethiopia Habtemariam was highlighted in a Billboard feature as the most powerful African-American woman at Universal Music Group, the parent label to Motown Records.
Who is the founder of Motown?
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.
What made Motown stand out?
A key element in Gordy’s strategy was to make his records appeal to EVERYONE, which is how and why he came up with the slogan – the Sound of Young America. While ‘the sound’ of Motown appeared to be simple, it was pop music of an incredibly sophisticated kind.
What is the Motown sound known for?
For many music fans, the Motown Sound is the defining sound of the 1960s pop, R&B, and soul music. The distinctive musical style—all tambourines, driving bass lines, and gospel-influenced vocal harmonies—became synonymous with the Detroit studio where the songs were recorded and the stars who sang them.
When did Motown start?
Sixty years ago, Berry Gordy set up the hit factory of Motown. Arwa Haider looks at how an independent record label created one of the most influential sounds of the 20th Century. On 12 January 1959, the music sensation that changed America – and the world beyond it – was set in motion.
Does Tamla Motown still exist?
Motown celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2019, having been launched as Tamla Records by Berry Gordy back in 1959. For several decades, it was one of the leading record labels in the world, scoring countless hits and launching the careers of icons such as Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross and Michael Jackson.
What was the first Motown song?
The label’s first ever hit, ‘Money (That’s What I Want)‘, was written by Motown’s founder Berry Gordy, back when the label was still called Tamla.
What is the number one Motown song of all time?
1. The Temptations – ‘My Girl’ The Temptations were a popular act before they released “My Girl,” but that song forever changed the vocal group. The Smokey Robinson-penned song was their first to cross over into the Top 10 on the Hot 100, ultimately reaching Number One.
What year did Motown leave Detroit?
When Motown Records shut down its operations in Detroit at the end of June, 1972, it was a shock – or at least it seems so, in retrospect.
Does Diana Ross own Motown?
The singer Diana Ross has become a part owner of Motown Records and has agreed to resume recording for the label she helped propel to popularity in the 1960’s. Motown with the Supremes in the 1960’s but left in 1980 to sign with RCA Records, signed an exclusive contract with Motown, the company said.
Is Motown still a label?
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. Now, it’s Motown in name only.
Who was the first artist Berry Gordy signed?
He began auditioning neighborhood talent, and in walked 19-year-old Smokey Robinson, who became the label’s first star and continued churning out hits for two decades. In the early 1960s, Gordy signed the Supremes, the Marvelettes, Martha and the Vandellas, the Temptations and Marvin Gaye.
Who received the title The First Lady of Motown?
Claudette Robinson, dubbed the First Lady of Motown by the Motown’s founder, Berry Gordy, was the sole female member of The Miracles, the first group signed to Motown, the American record company that changed the world of entertainment.
Who was Motown’s biggest act?
Michael Jackson is considered the biggest artist to ever come out of Motown Records.
What is the number 1 best selling song of all time?
The Guinness World Records named the holiday single “White Christmas” (1942) by Bing Crosby as the best-selling single worldwide. According to Guinness, “White Christmas” sold over 50 million copies. The single is known as the “best-selling single of all time”.