Minneapolis sound

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The Minneapolis sound is a subgenre of funk rock that incorporates elements of new wave and synth-pop. Started at Studio 80 with tracks like Funkytown by Lipps, Inc and pioneered by Minneapolis-based musician Prince beginning in the late 1970s, the musical style's heyday extended through the late 1980s. [1] The style was often heard at city clubs like First Avenue and was exemplified by Prince-affiliated acts, including the Time, Vanity 6, Apollonia 6, Sheila E., the Family, Wendy & Lisa, Brownmark, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Morris Day, and Jesse Johnson. and by acts neither affiliated with Prince nor native to Minneapolis, such as Flint, Michigan's Ready for the World.

Contents

According to the Rolling Stone Album Guide , "the Minneapolis sound... loomed over mid-'80s R&B and pop, not to mention the next two decades' worth of electro, house, and techno." [2]

Identifying characteristics

While the Minneapolis sound incorporates many of funk's quintessential elements, it bears several distinguishing characteristics:

See also

Sources

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References

  1. Campbell, Michael (2008). Popular Music in America: The Beat Goes On. Cengage Learning, 2008. p. 300. ISBN   0495505307.
  2. Prince: Biography : Rolling Stone