Soul

Soul music is a genre of popular music that originated in the African American community in the United States in the 1950s and early 1960s. It combines elements of African-American gospel music, rhythm and blues, and jazz. Soul music became popular for dancing and listening in the United States, where record labels such as Motown, Atlantic, and Stax were influential during the Civil Rights Movement. Soul music often has a strong gospel influence, and lyrics are often emotionally charged and deal with personal and social issues. Soul music has been described as having a "deep, heavy, and intense" sound, and its rhythms and melodies are often characterized by call-and-response patterns.