1960's Motown
Where soul met swagger and rhythm met riffs.
The Temptations – Especially during their psychedelic soul era with songs like Ball of Confusion and Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone.
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Stevie Wonder – As his sound evolved in the '70s, it mixed rock, funk, and soul seamlessly (Superstition is a prime example).
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The Jackson 5 – Their energy and instrumentation had a pop-rock flavor underpinned by Motown soul.
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Rare Earth – One of the first white rock bands signed to Motown; hits like Get Ready had serious rock muscle.
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Edwin Starr – War is a powerfully rock-infused protest anthem with Motown soul at its core.
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Marvin Gaye – Especially with tracks like What’s Going On, which layered rock instrumentation into social commentary soul.
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Smokey Robinson & The Miracles – Brought sophisticated songwriting that inspired many rock and soul crossovers.
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The Four Tops – Their emotional delivery and tight arrangements influenced rock acts across the pond.
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Martha and the Vandellas – Songs like Dancing in the Street became rock rallying cries as well as soul staples.
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The Isley Brothers – Though not always on the Motown label, their Twist and Shout and later funk-rock tracks had a huge influence.
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Rockwell – From the Motown dynasty, his hit Somebody’s Watching Me (with Michael Jackson) had a rock-tinged synthpop edge.
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