Motown music was largely connected to cultural fashion, but it is not the only modern genre to deal with the issue of fashion. For example, Emotional Rock, or Emo Rock, started out as a perfectly legitimate sub-genre of Rock. However, over the past decade it has become more of a fashionable teenage cult, than a form of music. Now the term Emo is used, more often than not, as a term for a semi-popular teen fashion trend of self-mutilation and depression. Now the term Emo is hardly ever used to describe music, and when it is, the artists described as Emo, such as Green Day and My Chemical Romance, usually do not like to be labeled as Emo.

Early Motown groups were, quite honestly, prepackaged, robotic soul artists. They did help to establish a black identity in the form of music, and also helped to show that black businesses could make just as much, and even more, money as white businesses. However, these groups were taken from their original raw talent form, then forced to attend an etiquette school. Then, most artists would record and perform songs they did not write, with the Funk Brothers, a band the original artists shared no connections with.

The Funk Brothers served to tack on the signature Motown sound with every recording produced. Nevertheless, early Motown artists were an invaluable tool in the creation of a black identity. The creation of this black identity, however, should not be solely accredited to Motown. James Brown, and other influential soul artists, helped popularize the music and were able to connect with African Americans on not only a musical level, but also a political level, that Motown artists could not reach.

These non-Motown were not subject to Berry Gordy’s policy of not making music political in order to keep all of his white audiences. In essence, Berry Gordy was a sell out. He gave up his beliefs of equality and freedom in order to earn a larger profit, caring more about green than black. Although, this conclusion can only be deduced by looking at the big picture, and the views of the time; Gordy was careful to make sure his music never actually sounded like he was selling out, and this made all the difference. He kept the black music, but he disposed of the black politics. After the early Motown music had begun to fade, the Motown artists began to base their music on political topics, such as racial equality and civil rights. It was not until 1971, twelve years after the creation of Motown, before the music began its change from prepackaged, refined talent, to real soul and Rhythm and Blues.

The year 1971 was so significant for Motown records because Berry Gordy gave Marvin Gaye complete artistic control over his recordings, which resulted in a number six album, and three top ten singles. The album itself, “What’s Going On”, was also a milestone for Motown because it was the first album dealing with political issues that had major success. This album served also as a milestone for the black community, as it expressed major social issues, while connecting on an honest musical level, without any tacked on Motown sound. Gordy had finally stopped selling out, and he allowed African American artists to stand up for what they believed in. Finally, in 1974 Gordy allowed the Commodores to perform without going through etiquette school.

Although this may have seemed like a loss to Gordy, it was a victory for the African American community as a whole. Now, black artists could record and perform as themselves, not a completely changed Motown group. This served as a powerful step towards racial equality, as every song recorded was purely black culture. Much like Motown artists, emotional rockers did not set out to create a fashion trend, and nor did a fashion trend create them. Nevertheless, a fashion trend stemmed from the sub-genre. Unfortunately for the performers that held true to the musical aspect, this fashion trend has been plagued, rightfully so, by labels of it being dangerous.

The actual musical aspect has died down, as most people the consider themselves Emo, are fans of bands that don’t want to be considered Emo. Holtzman, Linda. Media messages: what film, television, and popular music teach us about race, class, gender, and sexual orientation.

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