Vocal Group R&B
tagStarted 1961Peak 1964-1973Last big hit 1976
Located in 1 route
The classic male R&B group: matching suits, choreographed steps, a designated lead and a tight three-or-four-voice background trading harmonies and answer lines. Hooky, radio-built arrangements where the group blend is the instrument. Punchy mid-tempos and dramatic ballads anchored by a recognizable lead voice.
History
Codified at Motown and other 60s soul labels, which paired street harmony groups with staff writers, choreographers and crack session bands. The Temptations and Four Tops set the template; rivals across Detroit, Chicago and the South followed. The format ran straight through the 70s and seeded every later harmony-group revival.
Defining artists
Essential listening
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motown
- https://www.allmusic.com/style/vocal-groups-ma0000004447
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Temptations