Motown
Americannoun
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Also called Motown sound. an upbeat, often pop-influenced style of rhythm and blues associated with the city of Detroit and with numerous Black vocalists and vocal groups since the 1950s, characterized by compact, danceable arrangements.
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a nickname for Detroit, Michigan.
noun
Etymology
Origin of Motown
First recorded in 1965–70; from Motown, proprietary name for records released by the Motown Record Corporation of Detroit, Michigan, shortened from Motor Town, in reference to Detroit's major role as a motor vehicle producer
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In 1971, the group opened for the Jackson 5, helping them gain national exposure and leading them to sign with Motown Records in 1972.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 1, 2026
"There's a thing I miss in in pop music today, which is that kind of Motown feeling, that classic feeling, that analogue feeling," she said.
From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026
"There's a there's a thing I miss in in pop music today, which is that kind of Motown feeling, that classic feeling, that analogue feeling," she told me last year.
From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026
Since recordings made more money, she auditioned in New York before trying Motown.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026
“How about one of the Motown pieces from the 1970s?”
From "Amina's Voice" by Hena Khan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
