Motown

First black-owned US record company, founded in Detroit (Mo[tor] Town) in 1959 by Berry Gordy, Jr (1929- ). Its distinctive, upbeat sound (for example, the Four Tops and the Supremes) was a major element in 1960s pop music.

The Motown sound was created by in-house producers and songwriters such as Smokey Robinson and the team of Holland-Dozier-Holland; performers included Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, and the Temptations. Its influence faded after the company's move to Los Angeles in 1971, but it still served as a breeding ground for such singers as Lionel Richie (1949- ) and Michael Jackson. Gordy sold Motown to the larger MCA company in 1988.