What is Funk Music?

Question: What is Funk Music?

Answer: The word "funk" has many meanings, but in music, it refers to a type of dance music that was particularly popular during the late 1960s to the late 70s. Funk music evolved from different types of African-American music such as blues and soul. It's characterized by syncopated rhythms, with emphasis on the first beat, distinctive grooves, melodic basslines and thoughtful lyrics often expressing political views or social commentaries. Other music genres evolved from funk, including hip-hop.

Artists representative of this genre include:

Art Blakey

James Brown

Funkadelic

Herbie Hancock

Kool and the Gang

Rick James

Charles Mingus

Parliment

Prince

Horace Silver

Sly & The Famly Stone

Stevie Wonder

The Isley Brothers

The Temptations

Some examples of funk songs or those that have a "funk groove" include:

"Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" by James Brown

"Wild and Peaceful" (album) by Kool and the Gang

"Black Sweat" by Prince

"Innervisions" (album) by Stevie Wonder

"All Directions" (album) by The Temptations

More Information
Read "Top 10 Funk Artists" from our R&B guide.

Music Sample
Listen to James Brown sing "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" courtesy of YouTube.