In 1959, Berry Gordy had an ingenious idea. Rather than create another R&B record label with the uncertainty of artists coming and going, he envisioned a steady stable of house songwriters and musicians backing singers who would be groomed for clubs, TV variety shows and the smooth white world of pop charts. After the Beatles arrived in 1964, the emotionalism of love songs escalated. When social consciousness and protest became louder, Motown addressed those themes starting in 1968. As we know now, Gordy succeeded beyond his wildest dreams, with the label playing an influential role in mainstreaming black soul-pop and helping to lower the barriers of segregation.
Here's Part 1 of a terrific BBC documentary on soul's crossover to the pop charts that devotes considerable time to the label's history...
Here's Part 2...
Here's Part 3...
And here's Part 4...
