Funky Vibes: The Past and Present of Funk Music
Even if you don’t actually listen to funk as a music genre, many people unconsciously use the adjective “funky,” don’t they?
As a word that’s already woven into everyday life, what kind of image do you all have of “funk”?
Funk, whose prototype is said to have emerged in the 1960s, has continued to be loved into the 2020s, evolving in form and powering countless hit songs.
This time, we’ll bring you a wide array of classics—from foundational funk essentials to disco, mellow groove, and contemporary funk.
You just might encounter the destined masterpiece that awakens the funkiness sleeping inside you!
- Recommended Western funk bands. Popular overseas bands.
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- Why Classic Disco Music Is Still Loved Today
- Legends of soul music: its history and allure revisited through classic songs
- Summary of representative Western funk artists and groups
- A classic jazz-funk masterpiece. A popular recommended track that offers a different flavor from traditional jazz.
- [Definitive Edition] Masterpieces of 70s Disco Music
- A roundup of classic Western jazz-funk albums—from staples to the latest releases
- [For Beginners] A Roundup of Classic Popular Soul/Funk Bands
- [Definitive Edition] Masterpieces and Hit Songs of 80s Disco
- R&B Masterpieces in Western Music: From the Latest Hits to Timeless Classics [2025]
- Back to those nostalgic days… Classic and hit Western songs of the 1960s
- Classic fusion music masterpieces. Recommended staple tracks.
Funky Vibes: The Past and Present of Funk Music (61–70)
HairGraham Central Station
Larry Graham, who delivered powerful slap bass and deep vocals with Sly & The Family Stone, formed his own band, Graham Central Station.
The slap-bass intro of “Hair” has become a canonical example of funk bass.
It’s Just BegunJimmy Castor Bunch
This is the song that became famous after the Japanese hip-hop group RHYMESTER sampled it in their signature track “B-BOY Izm.” The Jimmy Castor Bunch was active from the 1960s to the 1970s and released many songs that made it onto the Billboard charts.
Evan Finds The Third RoomKhruangbin
“Khruangbin” means “airplane” in Thai, so you might expect an exotic Southeast Asian band, but they’re actually from the United States.
They’ve been gaining recognition among music enthusiasts and have even performed live in Japan.
Rather than bright, upbeat funk, the band specializes in mellow, laid-back grooves—perfect for nighttime listening.
Feel RightMark Ronson feat. Mystikal
A collaboration between British producer Mark Ronson and American rapper Mystikal.
Released in 2015, it became a hit in the United States, Mexico, and various European countries.
It was first performed on the television show Saturday Night Live in November 2014.
Love RollercoasterOhio Players
A track released by the Ohio Players in 1975 that reached No.
1 on the U.
S.
charts.
A rumor spread that the scream heard during the instrumental break was the voice of a woman murdered in the studio.
It was sampled in Club’s 2004 track “Deep Inside.”
Flash LightParliament
It’s a large funk group known as so-called P-Funk.
This track, released in ’77, is said to be the first in the world to use a synthesizer as the bass.
Its squishy, very psychedelic vibe fits funk perfectly.
They’re an essential group when talking about late-’70s Black music.
Family AffairSly & The Family Stone
It’s a moody, duet-style song with a laid-back, behind-the-beat funk groove.
I want to keep listening to this track on vinyl while sipping a drink at a bar.
I realized how versatile funk is—it pairs perfectly with a richly vintage sound and a dandy, suave vocal.