James Brown: '70s

In the '70s, The Godfather of Soul became The King of Funk. Having laid the foundation for funk in the late '60s, he turned down-and-dirty grooves into a musical revolution, inspired dozens of other artists to get on the good foot, and got the whole planet dancing. The singles Brown cut in the '70s elevated rhythm to an artform, and their funky power remains impossible to resist decades later.