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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!

Playlist

Funky Vibes: The Past and Present of Funk Music
show_chartTitlePlaylistOne point
1eastTreasureBruno MarsSpeaking of Bruno Mars, 2010…
2eastGet Up(I Feel Like Being)A Sex MachineJames BrownTo begin with, funk music is, 196…
3eastPlaygroundSteve LacyThe alternative R&B of the 2010s...
4eastAutomatonJamiroquaiThe effectively… of Jay Kay from the United Kingdom…
5eastKing JamesAnderson .PaakIn 2021, he teamed up with Bruno Mars...
6eastUptown Funk ft. Bruno MarsMark RonsonA resounding revival of 80s disco and funk...
7eastTalkin’ LoudIncognitoCentered on “danceable jazz,” targeting the club generation…
8eastChameleonHerbie HancockA classic of electric jazz-funk…
9eastLose Yourself to DanceDaft PunkOn February 22, 2021, on YouTube…
10eastGood TimesChicReleased in 1979, at the height of the disco boom…
11east(Not Just) Knee DeepFunkadelicAs a feature on funk music, um...
12eastThem ChangesThundercatBorn in Los Angeles, raised in a musical family, s...
13eastSuperstitionStevie WonderWhile bearing the handicap of blindness, from a young age...
14eastMaria TambiénKhruangbinAmong current funk bands, particularly noteworthy…
15eastGive Up The Funk (Tear The Roof Off The Sucker)ParliamentA regular on the theme of funk classics, and...
16eastSuper FreakRick JamesTo music lovers who adore funk music...
17eastKissPrince & The RevolutionIn addition to writing lyrics, composing, and singing, they also play a wide range of instruments...
18eastDo ItTuxedoDebuting in the late 2000s, Blu…
19eastLevitatingDua LipaIn 2020, I took my career up not just one, but two levels...
20eastWord UpCameoA quintessential figure of the 1980s, New York’s ...
21eastPowerMarcus MillerTo make the bass the star of the track and let it sing is proof...
22eastThe Adventures of Rain Dance MaggieRed Hot Chili PeppersRed Hot Chili Pepper…
23eastPaint ItLucky DayeAmerican singer-songwriter, Lucky…
24eastGidget (feat. Anderson .Paak & T.Nava)Free NationalsMedium tempo, romantically mellow…
25eastFunk #49James GangIt’s funk in a full-on locking style, but, um…
26eastShining StarEarth, Wind & FireEarth, Wind & Fire and...
27eastStretchin’OutBootsy CollinsStyled funk into a comical look…
28eastCallingQUINThis is a singer from California...
29eastManeaterDaryl Hall & John OatesIt’s a band with white and Black members, and it’s very soulful…
30north_eastPick up the PiecesAverage White BandAverage White Band is a British...
31north_eastSweet NothingsFat NightFrom Chicago, the hotbed of bands, a funk ban...
32north_eastTightropeJanelle Monáe ft. Big BoiOften called the queen of modern funk, Ameri…
33north_eastFreedomJimi HendrixJimi, known as the god of rock guitar, …
34south_eastThe PathRalph MacDonaldThe Caribbean sun and New York’s urban sensibility...
35eastFunknRoll!PrinceBy the American artist Prince...
36eastMolassesKwaku AsanteA young singer-songwriter based in London...
37eastFantastic VoyageLakesideLakeside also represents Ohio funk...
38east1999PrinceIt begins with a voice played from tape at a slow speed...
39eastSir DukeStevie WonderA vocalist in the funk world, which is full of big-name veterans…
40eastValdez in the CountryCold BloodIt's old-school funk from the '70s, but wow...
41eastKung Fu fightingCarl DouglasKnown in Japan as the song “Roar, Dragon,” …
42eastBrick houseCommodoresThis groove-driven track made its way to the United States and…
43eastKing KuntaKendrick LamarBy Kendrick Lamar, 20…
44eastJungle BoogieKool and The GangBy Kool & the Gang, 1…
45eastDo It RogerRoger TroutmanA core member of Zapp, Roger Traw...
46eastSuperflyCurtis MayfieldCurtis Mayfield has created numerous masterpieces...
47eastCome And Get ItJohn NewmanAn English singe… who debuted in 2013
48eastSupernovaSunni ColónThis one with its irresistible mysterious vibe is…
49eastHigh On YouSly StoneThe leader of Sly & The Family Stone…
50eastGet Down On ItKool and The GangThis is a group that reached the peak of its popularity in the 1980s. Uh…
51south_eastGet Down On ItKool and The GangKool & the Gang is an American…
52eastWhy can’t we live togetherTimmy ThomasIt’s characterized by conveying its message over a heavy, brooding tone.
53eastLucky StrikeBerhanaA singer-songwriter from Atlanta, United States...
54eastBlack catJanet JacksonThe album “Rhythm Nation 1814,” released in 1989…
55eastStone RollinRaphael SaadiqSadiq’s soulful soul music
56eastI’ll Take You ThereThe Staple SingersThe Staple Singers' classic
57eastRespect YourselfThe Staple SingersA song of the soul after the Civil Rights Movement, conveying hope and courage
58eastI Can’t stand the rainAnn PeeblesActive as a soul singer from Missouri...
59eastRock SteadyAretha FranklinAretha F..., also known as the Queen of Soul
60eastI know you got soulBobby ByrdCovers the genres of soul, R&B, and funk…
61eastAnother You (Feat. Ruckazoid)BreakbotBreakbot really excels at disco-funk…
62eastle freakChicEven if you don't know the artist's name, freak...
63eastSuper StupidFunkadelicIt’s also a track by another group from P-Funk. It’s li...
64eastHairGraham Central StationIntensely with Sly & The Family Stone…
65eastIt’s Just BegunJimmy Castor BunchThe Japanese hip-hop group “RHYMES…”
66eastEvan Finds The Third RoomKhruangbin“Khruangbin” means “airplane” in Thai…
67eastFeel RightMark Ronson feat. MystikalMark, a producer from the United Kingdom…
68eastLove RollercoasterOhio PlayersBy the Ohio Players in 1975…
69eastFlash LightParliamentA large ensemble popularly known as P-Funk...
70eastFamily AffairSly & The Family StoneA moody, duet-style song with a laid-back, behind-the-beat feel…
71eastThank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)Sly & The Family StoneSly & The Family Sto…
72eastARKADE FUNKTROUBLE FUNKPeople often say this band is all about “energy and nothing else”…
73eastAin’t We Funkin NowThe Brothers JohnsonLegendary producer, Quincy Jones...
74eastCissy StrutThe MetersWhen it comes to New Orleans funk, the …
75eastFireThe Ohio PlayersDebuted in 1968 and continued into the 2000s…
76eastHanda WandaThe Wild MagnoliasThe Wild Magnolias are also New Orleans’...
77eastSmiling face sometimesUndisputed truthThis song, which was released in the 1970s, is...
78eastso ruff, so tuffzapp and rogerInfluenced the aforementioned “Uptown Funk”…
79eastF.U.N.K.Betty DavisHe was a trumpeter who represented modern jazz, a...
80eastMr. Big stuffJean KnightJean, who is from New Orleans, USA, 1…
81eastPick Up The PiecesAverage White BandIt seems to be by Average White Band…
82eastFantasyEarth, Wind & FireA byword for danceable Western music—not just in the funk world...
83eastLong Hot Summer NightJames “JT” TaylorBy the late 1970s, cool … had begun to falter.
84eastThis LoveMaroon 5It's not a funk band, but this song...
85eastGonna Be Just Me (feat. Adryon de León)The New MastersoundsThe New Mastersound is…
86eastMe and Your MamaChildish GambinoAmerican rapper and singer Child…
87eastPOUND FOR POUNDFEDERATION OF THE DISCO PIMPCreating modern-style funk from Scotland...
88eastSorryBeyoncéLilly by Beyoncé in 2016…
89eastWhat Is Hip?Tower Of PowerAs one of Tower of Power’s signature songs, Fa...
90eastThe Great DivideMayer HawthorneA singer who won a Grammy Award in 2013…
91eastFunkentownSlaveSlave is also a funk band from Ohio...
92eastYou Dropped A Bomb On MeThe Gap BandA hit song from 1982 that shines in the history of funk...
93eastGot to Get DownAnalog SonA funk band from the state of Colorado in the United States...
94eastSomeday We’ll Get ByAztecaA band that helped build one of the pillars of Bay Area funk, ...
95eastYou Are The First, My Last, My EverythingBarry WhiteIt’s a vocal track, and while it doesn’t have a sticky/persistent groove, …
96eastUse meBill WithersIt’s also famous as a song called “Lovely Day,” and...
97eastTake Me There (ft. Nicole Willis)BosqIf you’re someone who likes disco-funk, then Bosq is for you…
98eastDazzBrickThis blend of disco, jazz, and funk...
99eastSugar.Honey.Ice.TeaCharlie WilsonThe frontman of The Gap Band…
100eastWarning feat KaiitCookin’ On 3 BurnersA funk act hailing from Melbourne, Australia...
101eastUpside down (inside out)Diana RossAmerican singer Diana Ross sang...
102eastOld SchoolDirty Dozen Brass BandThe Dirty Dozen Brass Band is also, New…
103eastRight place, wrong timeDr. JohnHe began his career as a guitarist in the 1950s and...
104eastChurchGalacticGalactic is also a band from New Orleans...
105eastPowGraham Central StationThe bassist who left Sly Stone…
106eastShake ItHip Spanic AllstarsNot just funk, but music with a Latin vibe…
107eastYou sexy thingHot ChocolateA British group formed in 1970...
108eastGet Up Offa That ThingJames BrownAlso known as the Godfather of Soul and Funk…
109eastToo much to loseJeff BeckOne of the world’s three greatest rock guitarists, Jeff…
110eastI GocchaJoe TexJoe Tex released this song in the 1960s...
111eastFencewalkMandrillCentered around the Wilson brothers, who were born in Panama...
112eastcutie pieOne WayAn artist who covers a wide range of genres,…
113eastCome Get It BaePharrell WilliamsBy Pharrell Williams…
114eastLa Negra (Bosq Remix)Son PalenqueThis person is from Latin America and is African…
115eastDo MeTeddy PendergrassThe song for “Hige Dance” by Ken Shimura and Cha Kato…
116eastBrick HouseThe CommunardsLater, they transitioned to a solo singer and gained worldwide popularity…
117eastBetween The SheetsThe Isley BrothersJimi Hendrix in his anonymous days wa...
118eastWho’s That ladyThe Isley BrothersA group that has been active for a very long time, with hits…
119eastState Of ShockThe JacksonsMichael Jackson, after his time with the Jackson 5, conti…
120eastSquib CakesTower Of PowerA group that represents Oakland funk…
121eastSo Nice You Name Him TwiceWilliam Bootsy CollinsJames Brown’s band has a funk vibe...
122eastMore Bounce to the OunceZapp「More Bounce to the …
123eastMore Bounce To The OunceZappAn American funk [group/act] active since 1977…
124eastOnce In A LifetimeTalking HeadsBy Talking Heads in 198...
125eastLow riderWarThis band, formed by the former Animals vocalist...
126eastBe thankful for what you gotWilliam DeVaughnAn American singer from Washington, D.C., and a si…
127eastBlended Family (What You Do For Love)Alicia Keys ft. A$AP RockyA tra… that sings about love, growth, and healing.
128eastCommodoresBrick HouseThe Commodores are a soul group that represents America...
129eastWord Up!CameoCameo is an American funk band.
130eastLazarusDavid BowieIn 2015 by David Bowie…
131eastGetawayEarth, Wind & FireIt’s a group that’s well-known in Japan too. The ’70s…
132eastAtomic DogGeorge ClintonAbout the reason why men are always chasing women…
133eastI Want You BackThe Jackson 5The King of Pop, Michael Jackson, is in...
134eastMr. DivaKaleta & Super Yamba BandKaleta & Super Yamba…
135eastMemphis Soul StewKing CurtisSaxophonist King Curtis. A…
136eastHow We Gonna Work It Out (Bosq remix)KokoloThis group is known as an Afrobeat band...
137eastJuicy FruitMTUMEA funk and soul group from New York…
138eastBefore I Let GoMazeMaze is a San Francisco–based band that has been active since 1976…
139eastGive Up the FunkParliamentA cheerful chorus and synthesizers put you in a great mood...
140eastMary JaneRick JamesAn irresistibly fat, lo‑fi bass has me as a total fan…
141eastTell me something goodRufus and Chaka KhanThis song was by Stevie Wonder in the 1970s...
142eastI Want to Take You HigherSly & The Family StoneLike James Brown, the 60s s...
143eastPeaches N CreamSnoop Dogg ft. Charlie WilsonIn 2015 by Snoop Dogg...
144eastFreakshow On The Dance FloorThe Bar-KaysThe Bar-Kays, too, with their disco-esque style of the ’80s...
145eastI will take you thereThe Staple SingersThe Staple Singers from Chicago, sou...
146eastPapa Was A Rollin’ StoneThe TemptationsIt was the key to the Motown sound of the 1960s…
147eastJungle LoveThe TimeIt was rel… in 1984 by The Time
148eastThe BirdThe TimeIt’s a band that branched off from Prince’s circle. It’s kind of…
149eastAmen brotherwinstonsA fan from Washington, D.C. in the 1960s...
150eastWarEdwin StarrActive in Detroit since the mid-1960s, …
151eastPlay That Funky MusicWild CherryThis one’s also a manly, straight-up, one-hit Code E fa…
152eastSugah DaddyD’Angelo and The VanguardFunky grooves and a soulful piano…
153eastFireOhio PlayersIt became a hit at the height of the 1970s disco sound.
154eastElectric KingdomTwilight 22Stevie Wonder and Herbie...
155eastI Got My Mind Made UpInstant FunkThey’re not a very well-known group, but their ability…
156eastLet It WhipDazz BandThe Dazz Band, who were active in the early 1980s...