Impact on America
Motown Records had a great impact on America. Not only did it influence the style of American pop music and performance, Motown also impacted the culture of the American society as a whole. Before Motown, it would have been practically impossible for a black artist to get airtime on national radio. A few years before Gordy founded Motown, Elvis Presley, one of the most influential musicians in rock 'n' roll history, was denied airplay for some radio stations because he "sounded black" (32). However, Motown would soon make a way for minorities to succeed in the world of popular music and culture.
Because of Gordy's standard for high quality, he allowed for his music to appeal to a wider audience, extending to the whole nation. In the 1960's, Motown was the nation's largest black owned company (33). As a result, Motown Records achieved great accomplishments and many firsts for black artists and musicians. Gordy was able to book some of his artists to play live on popular TV shows like American Bandstand and the Ed Sullivan show, shows which catered to white audiences and typically only had white people appear on their show up until the Motown era (34). This not only allowed for Motown Records to gain publicity throughout the nation, but it also opened doors for other black artists to be more widely accepted. Also, the Supremes were the first R&B act to perform live in NY Copacabana, a prestigious night club in New York City, again showing Motown's impact on popular American society (35).
Because of Gordy's standard for high quality, he allowed for his music to appeal to a wider audience, extending to the whole nation. In the 1960's, Motown was the nation's largest black owned company (33). As a result, Motown Records achieved great accomplishments and many firsts for black artists and musicians. Gordy was able to book some of his artists to play live on popular TV shows like American Bandstand and the Ed Sullivan show, shows which catered to white audiences and typically only had white people appear on their show up until the Motown era (34). This not only allowed for Motown Records to gain publicity throughout the nation, but it also opened doors for other black artists to be more widely accepted. Also, the Supremes were the first R&B act to perform live in NY Copacabana, a prestigious night club in New York City, again showing Motown's impact on popular American society (35).
"The Marquee of the Apollo Theatre." Newyork.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 May 2015. <http://www.newyork.com/articles/attractions/on-view-the-motown-sound-at-the-schomburg-center-for-research-in-black-culture-94170/>.
Supremes Poster. Pinterest.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 May 2015. <https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/93/d6/57/93d657ee163deb5af2f34fc87b4fd4a6.jpg>.
"Ed Sullivan with the Jackson Five." Spokeo.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 May 2015. <http://www.spokeo.com/Diana+Ross+1/Sep+18+1970+Other+Photos>.
Supremes Poster. Pinterest.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 May 2015. <https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/93/d6/57/93d657ee163deb5af2f34fc87b4fd4a6.jpg>.
"Ed Sullivan with the Jackson Five." Spokeo.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 May 2015. <http://www.spokeo.com/Diana+Ross+1/Sep+18+1970+Other+Photos>.
Motown's achievements can also been seen though the success of its songs and its rankings on the national billboard charts. Motown's first hit song was Barrett Strong's “Money (That's What I Want)”, which was listed as #2 on Billboard R&B 1959 (36). In 1961, the Marvelettes' "Please Mr. Postman" became the first Motown song to hit the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 and Smokey Robinson's "Shop Around" became the first Motown single to sell a million records (37). In 1968, Motown Records had five records in the Top 10 Billboard Hot 100 and also held the top three spots for a solid month (38). In Motown's first ten years of existence (between 1960 and 1969), 79 of Motown's records were in the Top Ten of the Billboard Hot 100 record chart. In fact, around 75% of all Motown songs landed on top charts (39). All of these accomplishments clearly depict the impact Motown was having on American society and culture at the time because, where before black artists would not have been accepted or played on
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the radio, they were now not only being played on the radio, but also rising to the top of the charts.
Motown also impacted how white society accepted black artists and music. According to a article in the New York Times, it "used to be you had 'good' music or popular music and you had 'race' music... now Motown has bridged the gap between pop and R&B" (40). Before Motown, R&B was not considered to be popular music and the only accepted form of R&B was "whitened R&B" like Elvis or British artists (41). However, because of Motown, pop music and R&B were no longer designated as a certain race's style of music. According to the WMCA DJ Joe O'Brien, "These boundaries no longer mean a damn thing" (42). Black artists were no longer dismissed, good music was good regardless of who was singing it. Motown helped bring the country together, despite race, through music. In an interview in 2009, Mary Wilson, one of the members of the Supremes, recalled that they "represented a social environment that was changing... The experience we had known being black was not being bona fide citizens, not being able to drink out of the same water fountains, playing to segregated audiences. When that started to fall away, and you saw that music was one of the components that was helping it fall away, that's when it really felt like we were doing something significant" (43) Through his record company, Motown, "Gordy endeavored to reach across the racial divide with music that could touch all people, regardless of the color of their skin" (44)
Jackson 5. Time.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 May 2015. <http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/0,28757,1871275,00.html>
"The Supremes: Detroit's Own Dreamgirls." Detnews.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 May 2015. <http://forums.detnews.com/pix/photogalleries/newsgallery/supremes_01192007/index19.htm>.
"The Supremes: Detroit's Own Dreamgirls." Detnews.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 May 2015. <http://forums.detnews.com/pix/photogalleries/newsgallery/supremes_01192007/index19.htm>.