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Overview

Coined by Frankie Crocker in 1974 as a synonym for Black music, "urban contemporary" began as a radio format for the music he was broadcasting at WBLS, the Black music radio station in New York-mainly rhythm and blues, hip-hop, rap, and disco. Other stations with medium to large Black communities in cities across the United States followed similar radio formatting/programming. Thus, "urban contemporary" became a term associated with music by and for Black people until June 5, 2020, when Republic Records announced that it was removing it from all its music material. Then, finally, it appeared the industry was serious about getting it right or at least was moving in the right direction when identifying specific African American music styles, genres, and representative artists.

Be ready to:

Explain the use of the term "urban contemporary," it's positive and negative effects on categorizing music, and the current state regarding its continued use.

Explain the phrase "Black-sounding" music as it relates to rhythm and blues and other label identifiers.

Identify specific African American music styles, their representative performers, and their songs that were on the Hot Black music chart.

Recall the term used to identify Black-sounding music after Hot Black and identify specific African American music styles, their representative performers, and their songs under this new music chart name.

Define "neo-soul."

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References

Hot Soul: 1970s

Billboard Hot Soul Chart 1973

Besides simply describing this era of music and its key performers, it is important to note during this time the label of "urban contemporary" grouped too many disparate music styles together just because they were "Black sounding," as was done in the past. As indicated in the music categorical list above, with Billboard's use of the chart name "soul" in 1969 as a replacement for the outdated term "rhythm and blues," it seems to be clear to them and other music executives that the word "soul" was more marketable than "rhythm and blues," and certainly more appropriate than the non-music style "urban contemporary" (though this term was used on radio).

Although the music categorized as Hot Soul during the 1970s was not significantly different, except those influenced by funk and disco, than 1960s soul music, the term itself garnered enough attention that it remained in use for nine years. One of the reasons why soul of the 1970s was not distinctly different than soul of the 1960s, is due to influences from popular performers of the 1960s that were still influencing the music during the 1970s. Some of these include James Brown, Ray Charles, Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, and Stevie Wonder. Some of the performers that were influenced by the aforementioned performers include:

Blue Magic (" Sideshow♫," 1974)

BT Express (" Do It ('Til You're Satisfied)♫," 1974)

William DeVaughn (" Be Thankful for What You Got♫," 1974)

The Isley Brothers (" Summer Breeze♫" 1974)

LaBelle (" Lady Marmalade♫," 1974)

The New Birth (" Wild Flower♫," 1974)

The Ojay's (" For the Love of Money♫," 1974)

The Pointer Sisters (" How Long (Betcha Got A Chick On The Side)♫," 1975)

Rufus featuring Chaka Khan (" You Got the Love♫," 1974)

Dionne Warrick and The Spinners (" Then Came You♫," 1974)

Bill Withers (" The Same Love That Made Me Laugh♫" 1975)

R&B group Labelle's top hit Lady Marmalade (1974) held the number-one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for one week

In a previous paragraph, it was mentioned that soul music was also being influenced by current styles of the day, namely funk and disco. It is for this reason we can see some difference between 1960s and 1970s soul. The table on the next page list some of these songs and their influences from funk and or disco.

Earl Hines and His Orchestra

You were the sunshine, baby, whenever you smiled
But I call you Stormy today
All of a sudden that ole rain's fallin' down
And my world is cloudy and gray
You've gone away
Oh Stormy, oh Stormy
Bring back that sunny day

Frankie Crocker

May you live as long as you want, never want as long as you live, may you live to be 100, and me 100 but minus a day, so I'll never know nice people like you have passed away.