Motown

American  

[moh-toun] / ˈmoʊˌtaʊn /

noun

1. 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.

2. a nickname for Detroit, Michigan.

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Motown British  

/ ˈməʊˌtaʊn /

noun

1. music combining rhythm and blues and pop, or gospel rhythms and modern ballad harmony

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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

"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

By 1972, Mr. Wonder had gained autonomy at Motown and was writing independently.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026

The next is a winding presentation by BJ to Tae Young about the influence of Motown groups like the Jackson 5 and boy bands like New Edition on the momentum of K-pop’s rise.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 23, 2026

Neo-soul was christened by D'Angelo's own manager Kedar Massenburg, a US record producer who would later serve as president of Motown Records.

From BBC • Oct. 15, 2025

He turned on his car radio and tuned in an old Motown song, started singing the words.

From "We Were Here" by Matt De La Peña