Northern Soul Records Tracks to Look For

One of the great things about being a music lover is that there are endless genres, movements, and artists to explore. There are types of music designed to match your every mood and experience, from the excitement and adventure of young adulthood, to the melancholy blues of experience. If you're looking for a new musical genre to explore, there's a good chance you've probably never heard of northern soul records before. Popular for a little over a decade in the late 1960s to early 1980's, this soul music had its origins in America, but was cherished and encouraged in England.As a music lover, it's easy to get caught up in the endless vortex that is the American music scene. There's no denying that the United States has been the birth place of many different types and styles of music, but it's important to remember that it isn't the only place a musical movement was ever started. Northern soul records are considered to those that are part of a large collection of tunes played by disc jockeys in Britain during the final days of the mod scene. Mostly consisting of little-known singles from rare artists in Motown, New York and Chicago, this "outdated" music became the inspiration for a movement of thousands of fans that still lives today.

These days it might seem funny to think about young kids getting fanatical about Motown records, but in the late 1960's an entire underground subculture built around dancing to and listening to these northern soul records was erected. Kids would gather in ultra cool clubs like the Twisted Wheel in Manchester, the King Mojo in Sheffield, and the Catacombs in Wolverhampton. Northern soul lovers would gather in these venues for all night dance parties, similar to the dance music raves of today.

Determining the best northern soul records is always a subjective classification, but there are some lists that have been widely agreed upon by the lingering leaders of the movement. Near the top of any of these lists you're likely to find Do I Love You (Indeed I Do) by Frank Wilson, Out on the Floor by Dobie Gray, Long After Tonight is Over by Jimmy Radcliffe, Seven Day Lover by James Fountain, and Only the Strong Survive by Jerry Butler. Northern soul has a characteristically upbeat attitude, and the dance moves that went along with it were incredibly active and exciting.