Smooth soul

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title: "Smooth soul" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["soul-music-genres", "1970s-in-music"] description: "Music genre" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smooth_soul" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Music genre ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox music genre"]

Field	Value
name	Smooth soul
stylistic_origins
cultural_origins	Early 1970s, United States
instruments
derivatives
regional_scenes
::

| name = Smooth soul | stylistic_origins = | cultural_origins = Early 1970s, United States | instruments = | derivatives = | subgenres = | fusiongenres = | regional_scenes = | other_topics =

Smooth soul is a fusion genre of soul music that developed in the early 1970s from soul, funk, and pop music in the United States. The fusion genre experienced mainstream success from the time of its development to the late 1970s, before its succession by disco and quiet storm.

Style

Smooth soul is characterized by melodic hooks, funk influence and smooth production style. Allmusic describes smooth soul as "smooth, stylish, and romantic." Unlike pop-soul, which predominantly featured dance-oriented music at the time, smooth soul was more ballad-oriented with generally romantic and seductive lyrical themes. However, its melodic hooks were ideal for crossover play, much like the former. The funk influence of smooth soul's beats also gave the subgenre its distinction from pop.

Popularity

The music enjoyed commercial success during the early to mid-1970s through the works of such artists as Al Green, The Spinners, Marvin Gaye, Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, Bill Withers, Minnie Riperton, Smokey Robinson, Earth, Wind & Fire and The Stylistics. Well-known works of the smooth soul genre include Let's Get It On (1973), Spinners (1972), Just as I Am (1971) and Let's Stay Together (1972). As pop-soul had metamorphosed into disco during the late 1970s, smooth soul was eventually followed by the development of the quiet storm format.

Notable artists

• Ashford & Simpson

• Smokey Robinson

• The Chi-Lites

• Tyrone Davis

• The Delfonics

• The Dells

• Lamont Dozier

• The Dramatics

• Earth, Wind & Fire

• The Emotions

• Roberta Flack

• The Manhattans

• Marvin Gaye

• Al Green

• The Main Ingredient

• Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes

• New York City

• The O'Jays

• Teddy Pendergrass

• The Persuaders

• Minnie Riperton

• The Spinners

• The Stylistics

• The Whispers

• Barry White

• Bill Withers

• Stevie Wonder

• The Isley Brothers

• The Commodores

• Silk Sonic

References

References

1. [{{AllMusic
2. [{{AllMusic
3. [{{AllMusic
4. [https://web.archive.org/web/20200805013549/https://www.bet.com/shows/soul-train-awards/2016/r-n-b-suite/soul-defined/smooth-soul.html Smooth Soul. Soul Defined]
5. [http://www.asseenontvreport.com/smooth-soul-cd-set-10-discs Smooth Soul CD Set (10 Discs) - As Seen on TV Report]

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