Soul Singers Essentials

Apple Music Soul/Funk
Updated Friday

Editors' Notes In the '60s, when the rest of the world was in upheaval, R&B evolved too, garnering influences from country, gospel, and rock—and soul music was the result. First-gen soul singers like Otis and Aretha came up in the civil rights era, when African-Americans needed a sound that dug deeper than ever into, well, the soul. Funkier, more fervent, and more sensual than anything in R&B's past, the music mutated over the decades. Artists like Marvin Gaye, who became famous crooning love tunes in the mid ‘60s, started spinning socially conscious messages in the ‘70s. Likewise, the seeds people like James Brown sowed early on eventually sprouted into a full-blown funk revolution. The tree grew different branches with each successive generation, such as the smooth Philly soul of the '70s and the organic neo-soul of the '90s, but the music always retained its intense emotional core.
Sam & Dave
Soul Men
2:39
 
Aretha Franklin
I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You (Mono)
2:25
 
Bill Withers
Just As I Am
2:06
 
D'Angelo
Voodoo
7:15
 
Jackson 5
Third Album
3:59
 
The Originals
Baby, I'm For Real
3:21
 
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
Going to a Go-Go
2:47
 
Sam Cooke
Ain't That Good News
3:12
 
Marvin Gaye
What's Going On
3:52
 
Earth, Wind & Fire
That's the Way of the World
4:59
 
The Staple Singers
Be Altitude: Respect Yourself (Stax Remasters)
4:49
 
Junior Walker & The All Stars
Shotgun
2:56
 
Stevie Wonder
Talking Book
4:26
 
LaBelle
Nightbirds
3:57
 
Lyn Collins
Think (About It)
3:24
 
Bobby Womack, Peace
Across 110th Street
3:46
 
Al Green
Let's Stay Together
3:19
 
The O'Jays
Back Stabbers
2:58
 
Marlena Shaw
The Spice of Life
2:57
 
Otis Redding
The Dock of the Bay
2:46
 
The Pointer Sisters
Motown: The Revolution
6:02
 
Curtis Mayfield
Move On Up (Single Edit) - Single
2:45
 
Etta James
Tell Mama
2:24
 
Edwin Starr
Soul Master / 25 Miles
2:42
 
Ben E. King
Don't Play That Song!
2:55
 
Erykah Badu
Baduizm
3:45
 
Ray Charles
The Genius Sings the Blues (Mono)
3:24
 
Rufus
Rags to Rufus
4:37
 
The Temptations
Cloud Nine
3:31
 
Donny Hathaway
Never My Love: The Anthology
4:21
 
Roberta Flack
Killing Me Softly
4:46
 
L.T.D.
Classics, Vol. 27 (feat. Jeffrey Osborne)
4:35
 
Jackie Wilson
Jackie Sings the Blues
2:51
 
Gladys Knight & The Pips
Imagination
4:39
 
Nina Simone
Silk & Soul
3:08
 
Timmy Thomas
Why Can't We Live Together
4:37
 
Alicia Keys
The Diary of Alicia Keys
6:06
 
Minnie Riperton
Perfect Angel (Deluxe Edition)
3:37
 
Rose Royce
Car Wash (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture)
3:36
 
Dionne Warwick
The Valley of the Dolls
2:57
 
The Miracles
The Fabulous Miracles
2:57
 
Cornelius Brothers, Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose
Heart of Soul: Too Late to Turn Back Now
2:40
 
Ike & Tina Turner
Workin' Together (with Tina Turner)
2:35
 
The Drells, Archie Bell
Tighten Up
3:16
 
Amy Winehouse
Back to Black
4:17
 
Baby Huey & The Baby Sitters
The Baby Huey Story - The Living Legend
3:23
 
James Brown
Funk Power 1970: A Brand New Thang (feat. The Original J.B.s)
12:05
 
Patti LaBelle
I'm in Love Again
4:58
 
Aaron Neville
Tell It Like It Is (Stereo Version) - Single
3:07
 
Ray Charles
The Best of Ray Charles: The Atlantic Years
5:07
 
Billy Preston
The Kids & Me
2:36
 
Four Tops
Four Tops - Second Album
2:42
 
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Now
2:19
 
The O'Jays
Back Stabbers
3:06
 
Stevie Wonder
Innervisions
3:42
 
Jean Knight
Mr. Big Stuff (Remastered)
2:44
 
Fontella Bass
The 'New' Look
2:51
 
Chairmen of the Board
Soul Agenda
2:40
 
Charles Bradley
Changes
5:42
 
Billy Paul
360 Degrees of Billy Paul (Expanded Edition)
3:41
 
Alabama Shakes
Boys & Girls
3:46
 
D'Angelo
Brown Sugar
4:22
 
Erykah Badu
Erykah Badu: Live
3:41
 
Gil Scott-Heron
Pieces of a Man
3:19
 
Honey Cone
Sweet Replies
2:48
 
Jerry Butler
The Ice Man Cometh
2:59
 
Leon Ware
Musical Massage
3:23
 
Gladys Knight & The Pips
If I Were Your Woman
3:14
 
Mary J. Blige
My Life
4:39
 
Phyllis Hyman
Phyllis Hyman
6:59
 
The Young Rascals
Groovin' (Mono)
2:31
 
The Temptations
The Temptations Sing Smokey
2:44
 
Roberta Flack, Donny Hathaway
Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway
3:34
 
Sam & Dave
I Thank You
2:54
 
Eric B. & Rakim
Paid In Full
4:44
 
Jackie Wilson
Higher and Higher
2:59
 
Solomon Burke
The Very Best of Solomon Burke
2:46
 
Eddie Floyd
Knock On Wood
3:09
 
The Spinners
Spinners
3:08
 
Wilson Pickett
In the Midnight Hour
2:37
 
Sly & The Family Stone
Eat, Pray, Love (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
4:49
 
Dusty Springfield
Dusty in Memphis (Remastered Deluxe)
2:28
 
Nina Simone
I Put a Spell On You
2:57
 
Maze
Golden Time of Day (feat. Frankie Beverly)
5:33
 
Eddie Kendricks
People... Hold On
5:40
 
Donny Hathaway
Everything Is Everything
3:29
 
Arthur Conley
Sweet Soul Music
2:21
 
Aretha Franklin
Young, Gifted and Black
3:14
 
Sharon Jones, The Dap-Kings
Naturally
4:31
 
Billy Paul
When Love Is New
4:58
 
The Impressions
People Get Ready
2:43
 
Corinne Bailey Rae
Corinne Bailey Rae (Deluxe Edition)
3:33
 
Freda Payne
Band of Gold
2:58
 
George McCrae
Rock Your Baby
6:24
 
The Five Stairsteps
Stairsteps (Bonus Track Version)
3:17
 
Millie Jackson
Millie Jackson
3:40
 
Nina Simone
Broadway-Blues-Ballads
2:45
 
The Emotions
Flowers (Bonus Track Version)
4:28
 
Blue Magic
Blue Magic
4:11
 
99 SONGS, 6 HOURS, 10 MINUTES

Featured Artists