The eternal struggle: In search of the best soul album ever
Soul Music has the power to touch the soul and evoke emotions like no other music genre. But what makes a soul album truly legendary? In this blog, we delve deeper into the eternal question: what is the best soul ever?
The Essentials from Soul
To understand what sets a soul album apart, we first need to grasp the essence of soul music. From the heart-wrenching vocals to the profound lyrics and the unmistakable rhythm, soul music is a genre that speaks to the core of emotions. From creative detours to political outrage and straight-up floor-fillers, anything goes in this genre.
Many different styles within soul
Motown – Detroit Soul
Think of Detroit soul, which was naturally dominated by the Motown sound, more focused on hits for the broader audience, you could call it a poppy sound. Artists like Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder changed this sound by producing their own albums under the Motown label.
Southern soul and Deep soul
Personally, I find Southern soul and Deep soul a delightful style within soul music. This style is more funky and heavily influenced by gospel. One of the most influential figures in the development of Southern Soul Music was Otis. But also think of The Staple Singers. The Stax label is the most famous Southern Soul label.
Philadelphia soul
Another great style I find is Philadelphia soul, where you hear more strings and horns, and doo-wop inspired vocals. Famous artists include Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, the Stylistics, and the Spinners.
There are so many more styles within the soul genre that I could almost make a separate blog about it. For now, I’ll stick with these three styles.
My personal preferences
As you could read above, I find many different styles of soul music beautiful, and therefore, I also appreciate many different artists. That’s why I’ve made 3 top 10 lists of soul albums by men, women, and bands:
- Tune into the soulful stories of women through 10 iconic albums
- Soulful Chronicles: Journey Through 10 Masterpieces by Men
- Bandstand Chronicles: Groove through 10 Soulful Albums by Iconic Bands
Iconic Soul Albums
Of course, we can’t talk about the best soul album without mentioning some of the most iconic releases, such as:
- Marvin Gaye – What’s Going On
- Aretha Franklin – I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You
- Stevie Wonder – Songs in the Key of Life
- Sam Cooke – Ain’t That Good News
- Al Green – Let’s Stay Together
- Otis Redding – Blue Otis
- Curtis Mayfield – Move On Up
- Bill Withers – Just As I Am, which features the beautiful Ain’t No Sunshine and Grandma’s Hands
The Influence on Culture
Soul is also power, connection and truth. Throughout its history, artists have used its charm to spread political messages and cautionary tales.
Sam Cooke
Sam Cooke’s song A Change is Gonna Come, inspired by Bob Dylan’s song ‘Blowin’ in the Wind’. And is about over experienced by African Americans living in the US.
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye – What’s Going, On Despite Founder of Motown Berry Gordy’s hesitations towards the album being released, What’s Going On was a critical and commercial success. Marvin Gaye didn’t hold back from discussing the abysmal treatment of people and the planet, from racism and police brutality to environmental decline and war.
James Brown
James Brown – Say It Loud – I’m Black and I’m Proud solidifying its status as the anthem for the Black Power Movement.
And there are many more albums and songs. What do you think of these?
- Roberta Flack – Tryin’ Times
- The Impressions’ Keep On Pushing
- Aretha Franklin’s 1967 version of Otis Redding’s Respect
The hidden gems
Countless soul albums have been made, and soul music is still audible in today’s music. Just think of Silk Sonic – An Evening With Silk Sonic or the amazing musician Leon Bridges, and the label Daptone Records, which releases both older and newer artists.
Many albums have also been buried over the years. Hidden Gems such as
- Bobby Patterson – It’s Just A Matter Of Time
- Bobby Taylor – Taylor Made Soul
- F.B.I. – F.B.I.
- Claudia Lennear – Phew!
- Lee Moses – Time And Place
- Alex Brown – In Search Of Love
- Baby Huey – The Baby Huey Story (The Living Legend)
- Cecil Lyde – Stone Free
And there are a lot of underrated and overlooked soul albums
- Doris Duke – I’m A Loser
- Myrna Summers – Myrna
- Al Johnson – Back For More
- Betty Padgett – Betty Padgett
- Barbara Mason – Transition
- Paulette Reaves – Secret Lover
Music Taste
What is the ultimate soul album for one person may not be the same for another. The subjective nature of music taste means that the best soul album for each individual can vary based on personal experiences, memories, and preferences. And that’s the beauty of music, everyone experiences it differently.
As we consider different albums, we are confronted with an eternal struggle between the classics. Fans will disagree on which album deserves the title of the best soul album, and that’s a debate that will likely never end.
Determining the best soul album ever is a challenging task because it depends on individual music tastes, but regardless of which album tops the list, one thing is certain: Soul music will always remain a timeless source of inspiration and comfort for listeners around the world.
