Motown

The Golden Age of the Motown Sound

After some success as a songwriter, Berry Gordy began producing acts, including the Miracles; he also began a publishing company called Jobete Music. In January 1959 he borrowed $900 (or $700, as some accounts have it) to start the Tamla record label.

Gordy's sisters Anna and Gwen, along with Billy Davis, owned Anna Records; in early 1960 Berry leased the Tamla recording "Money" (recorded by Barrett Strong) to Anna Records, who had a distribution agreement with Chess. "Money" reached the #23 spot on the charts.

Berry Gordy formed a second record label called Motown (after Detroit, or "Motortown"). He released the Miracles' third recording ("Bad Girl") on Motown; in 1961, Anna Records was "absorbed" into the Motown label.

The Motown "complex" promoted about 535 singles between 1960 and 1970; 357 made the pop charts. This extraordinary success rate is due to a great extent to Gordy's marketing skills. The Motown formula consisted of simple pop lyrics, simple melodies and harmonies, and quality studio musicians recorded with a high degree of technical perfection. On live appearances, most of his acts wore formal attire such as tuxedos or formal gowns.