Motown Records, artists, and the Motown sound.
Test your knowledge with these top questions!
Which house band played instruments on most Detroit-era Motown hits?
The Funk Brothers played on most Detroit-era Motown hits with bassist James Jamerson and drummer Benny Benjamin.
Which Supremes single became their first number-one hit in 1964?
Where Did Our Love Go topped the Hot 100 in August 1964 as the first of five straight chart-toppers.
Which vocal harmony group scored twelve number-one hits with Diana Ross before 1970?
The Supremes scored twelve number-one singles with Diana Ross before her solo departure in January 1970.
Which city served as Berry Gordy's original Motown headquarters from 1959 to 1972?
Berry Gordy founded Motown in Detroit in 1959 and ran Hitsville U.S.A. there until moving to Los Angeles in 1972.
Which songwriting trio wrote The Supremes' Motown hits Baby Love and Stop in the Name of Love?
Holland-Dozier-Holland wrote ten number-one hits for The Supremes during the 1960s Motown era.
What linked the Jackson 5's first four Motown singles on the U.S. pop chart?
The run made the Jackson 5 the first act to top the Hot 100 with its first four hits.
Before his solo career, Marvin Gaye played which instrument for Smokey Robinson and the Miracles?
A young Gaye also played drums on the Spinners' debut single, "That's What Girls Are Made For."
Which Motown act recorded Holland-Dozier-Holland's "Stop! In the Name of Love"?
The song became the fourth in the Supremes' record streak of five consecutive U.S. No. 1 singles.
Which percussion gives "Where Did Our Love Go" its marching opening pulse?
The simple stomp-led rhythm helped turn the Supremes' breakthrough single into an early Motown signature.
What executive role did Smokey Robinson hold at Motown for nearly three decades?
Robinson balanced the post with work as a Motown producer, talent scout, songwriter, and performer.