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.
- Recommended Japanese funk bands. Funky Japanese artists.
- [Western Music] Tracing the Roots of Funk: Essential Albums Beginners Should Hear at Least Once
- 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
- Dance music in Japanese (J-pop) that people in their 50s used to listen to. Nostalgic classic hits.
- [Japanese R&B] Notable Classics & New Tracks, Representative Songs of Japanese R&B
- Relive those feelings from back in the day! Youth anthems recommended for the Yutori generation
- A roundup of classic Western jazz-funk albums—from staples to the latest releases
- [For Beginners] A Roundup of Classic Popular Soul/Funk Bands
Feelin’ Funky: Funk Music Past and Present (11–20)
SuperstitionStevie Wonder
While carrying the handicap of blindness, Stevie Wonder has displayed his talents from a young age as a multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter, continually producing works that will go down in history.
“Superstition,” included on his 1972 masterpiece Talking Book—released when Stevie was just 22—is a single that topped the U.S.
charts and stands as one of his signature songs.
Although it was originally written for Jeff Beck, famed as one of the world’s three great guitarists, Stevie ultimately released it himself after his manager at the time objected.
Beyond its undeniable funkiness, outstanding catchiness, and unimpeachable perfection as a classic, a key highlight is the brilliantly prominent use of the Clavinet performed by Stevie himself.
KissPrince & The Revolution
Prince was a genius artist who did everything by himself—songwriting, composing, singing, playing numerous instruments, and even producing—and especially at his peak, he stirred up sensational headlines while blazing through his 57-year life, leaving an indelible mark on music history.
In Japan, he’s also affectionately known as “His Highness,” and while his musicality can’t be summed up in a few words, Kiss—one of his signature songs, released in 1986 under the name Prince & The Revolution on the album Parade—topped the U.S.
charts and can be called the ultimate form of minimal funk.
Stripping out the bass, an instrument considered vital in funk music, and building the track out of drum machine, choppy guitar, and His Highness’s alluring falsetto vocals, the stark, spacious funkiness is nothing short of overwhelming.
Immerse your whole body in Prince’s brand of funk.
Do ItTuxedo
Debuting in the late 2000s and beloved in Japan as a pinnacle of blue-eyed soul, Mayer Hawthorne teamed up with renowned hip-hop producer Jake One to form the unit Tuxedo, and this is their signature track—a modern disco-boogie classic! It’s a song that bursts with love for ’70s–’80s disco and funk, boasting top-tier pop sensibilities and catchiness that earned rave reviews worldwide, including in Japan.
Many people likely discovered Mayer through Tuxedo’s 2015 debut album, Tuxedo, which includes this track.
It’s a tune that makes you want to start dancing just by listening, and the music video—where everyone is joyfully dancing—fits it perfectly.
The quality they achieved is something only true music obsessives and outstanding musicians could deliver, and even those from the original era can’t help but tip their hats in admiration!
Maria TambiénKhruangbin
Among today’s funk bands, the most talked-about rising act is surely Khruangbin, a trio from Houston, Texas.
Their name, which you might not know how to pronounce at first glance, is said “Kruangbin,” and it was chosen by the group’s elegant lone female member, bassist Laura Lee, who studied Thai.
Drawing influence from funk in Thailand, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East, they craft exotically tinged grooves that have already earned high praise worldwide.
The track featured here, Maria También, appears on their breakout second album from 2018, Con Todo El Mundo.
It’s a cool, danceable number that incorporates flavors of Afghan music, among others.
The main guitar phrase feels completely different from what you’d call a typical rock approach, giving it a uniquely beguiling charm.
Keep in mind: this is the kind of funk that’s being made right now, in real time!
LevitatingDua Lipa
In 2020, Dua Lipa—a young British singer-songwriter and pop icon who propelled her career not just one but two levels higher—made a huge splash.
Among the standout tracks on her massively successful second album, Future Nostalgia, which embraces themes like disco and funk, this time we’re highlighting Levitating, said to be the song that inspired the album’s overall concept.
It’s irresistibly pop and catchy—a track that updates a retro ’80s disco-funk vibe for today in a way that’s so fun and danceable it almost feels crude to try to put it into words.
The rap-like vocal parts are apparently imagined as if Blondie, the quintessential ’80s new wave band, were rapping in British English—how fascinating is that? By the way, the version featuring DaBaby was released as a single and became a major hit.
And the fact that there’s also a remix featuring Madonna and Missy Elliott? Say no more—totally fitting!
Word UpCameo
Cameo is one of the great funk bands born in New York that defined the 1980s.
From the formation of their predecessor band in 1974 to the 2020s today, they have continued to perform with Larry Blackmon at the center.
Originally a large ensemble, they gradually reduced both the number of members and the density of their arrangements, shifting their sound toward an era-conscious electric funk.
As a trio, they released their biggest hit, “Word Up!,” in 1986.
With its drum-machine-hard snare, Larry’s raw, feral vocals, popping bass lines, and synth textures, it’s a killer tune packed with sounds that could only come from the ’80s.
Many bands and artists have covered it, so it’s fun to compare the different versions, too.
Funky Mood: The Past and Present of Funk Music (21–30)
PowerMarcus Miller
Marcus Miller proved that the bass can take center stage in a song and truly sing.
Of course his stylish slap technique is a highlight, but his fretless bass playing—strongly influenced by Jaco Pastorius—is also a must-see.
If you want to hear the coolest, funkiest bass around, there’s no one else like him.