Minneapolis sound

Subgenre of funk rock

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Minneapolis Sound

Stylistic origins|

* Funk rock
* new wave
* synth-pop
* R&B

Cultural origins| Late 1970s, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
Derivative forms| Dance-pop
Other topics
Prince

The Minneapolis sound is a subgenre of funk rock with elements of new wave and synth-pop, that was pioneered by Minneapolis-based musicians Prince and Alexis Carias in the late 1970s.[1] Its popularity was given a boost throughout the 1980s by Prince and groups he organized or produced, including the Time, Vanity 6, Apollonia 6, Sheila E., the Family, and the offshoots from his band the Revolution, Wendy & Lisa and Brownmark. After leaving the Time, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Morris Day, and Jesse Johnson all moved on to successful careers. Minnesota acts indirectly associated with or not associated with Prince also utilized this musical style, including Ta Mara & the Seen, Mazarati and the Jets.

Morris Day and The Time performing in 2024

According to the Rolling Stone Album Guide, "the Minneapolis sound... loomed over mid-'80s R&B and pop, not to mention the next two decades' worth of electro, house, and techno."[2]

Those inspired by the style were not necessarily from Minnesota. While some artists who came from Minnesota were influenced by Prince's work, others came from elsewhere, such as Flint, Michigan's Ready for the World.

## Identifying characteristics

[edit]

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While the "Minneapolis sound" is a form of funk, it has some distinguishing characteristics:

* Synthesizers generally replace horn sections of trumpets and saxophones, and are used more as accent than as fill or background.
* The rhythm is often faster and less syncopated than traditional funk, and owes much to new wave music.
* Guitars, while usually playing "clean" for rhythm parts, are frequently much louder and more aggressively processed during solos than in most traditional funk.
* The "bottom" of the sound is less bass-heavy than traditional funk; drums and keyboards fill more of the "bottom".
* The drums are more highly processed than in traditional funk, and on recordings are often replaced with a drum machine.

## See also

[edit]

* Twin Cities hip hop
* Music of Minnesota

## Sources

[edit]

* Henderson, Alex. "The Minneapolis Sound". Allmusic. Archived from the original on November 3, 2011.
* Ohmes, Jeremy (June 4, 2009). "The Minneapolis Sound". PopMatters.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Campbell, Michael (2008). Popular Music in America: The Beat Goes On. Cengage Learning, 2008. p. 300\. ISBN 0495505307.
2. ^ Prince: Biography : Rolling Stone

## External links

[edit]

* Rashad Shabazz, How Minneapolis made Prince. The Conversation, January 27, 2020.

* v
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Prince

* Albums discography
* Singles discography
* Videography
* Unreleased projects
* Awards and nominations
* Associates

Concerts|

* Controversy Tour
* Purple Rain Tour
* Parade Tour
* Nude Tour
* Diamonds and Pearls Tour
* The Ultimate Live Experience
* Jam of the Year World Tour
* Musicology Live 2004ever
* The Earth Tour: 21 Nights in London
* Super Bowl XLI halftime show
* 20Ten Tour
* Welcome 2
* Hit and Run Tour
* Piano & a Microphone Tour

Filmography|

* Purple Rain
* Under the Cherry Moon
* Sign o' the Times
* Graffiti Bridge

Videography|

* Prince and the Revolution: Live
* Diamonds and Pearls Video Collection
* The Hits Collection
* 3 Chains o' Gold
* Rave Un2 the Year 2000
* Live at the Aladdin Las Vegas

Software|

* Prince Interactive

Stage productions|

* Glam Slam Ulysses
* Billboards

Associated companies|

* Paisley Park Records
* NPG Records

Associated artists and bands|

* The Time
* Vanity 6
* Dez Dickerson
* The Revolution
* Sheila E.
* Apollonia 6
* Clare Fischer
* The Family
* Mazarati
* 94 East
* Madhouse
* Jill Jones
* Eric Leeds
* The New Power Generation
* Carmen Electra
* 3rdeyegirl

Family|

* Mayte Garcia (first wife)
* Manuela Testolini (second wife)
* John L. Nelson (father)
* Tyka Nelson (sister)

Related|

* NPG Music Club
* Minneapolis sound
* Purplish Rain

* v
* t
* e

Funk music

Genres|

* Avant-funk
* Brit funk
* Deep funk
* Free funk
* Funk rock
* Funk metal
* Funktronica
* G-funk
* Go-go
* Jazz-funk
* Minneapolis sound
* Nu-funk
* Psychedelic funk
* Punk funk

Related|

* Acid jazz
* Afrobeat
* List of funk musicians
* Funk carioca
* Funk melody
* Funk paulista
* Proibidão
* Rasteirinha
* Funky house
* Liquid funk
* Neurofunk
* P-Funk
* Post-disco
* Rare groove
* Samba rock
* Skweee
* Swamp rock
* Timba
* Zamrock

* v
* t
* e

New wave and post-punk

Associated
genres or scenes|

* Avant-funk
* Alternative dance
* Grebo
* Art punk
* Coldwave
* Dance-rock
* Dance-punk
* New rave
* Deathrock
* Dark wave
* Ethereal Wave
* Neoclassical
* Electroclash
* Electropunk
* Garage rock revival
* Gothic rock
* Indie pop
* Jangle pop
* Madchester
* Baggy
* Minimal wave
* Minneapolis sound
* Mod revival
* Neo-psychedelia
* Dream pop
* Shoegaze
* Neue Deutsche Welle
* New pop
* New Romantic
* New wave of new wave
* No wave
* Post-hardcore
* Post-punk revival
* Romo
* Sophisti-pop
* Synth-pop
* Electroclash
* Electropop
* Electropunk
* Freestyle
* 2 Tone
* Ultra

Lists|

* New wave artists
* Post-punk bands
* Synth-pop artists

Other topics|

* C86
* CBGB
* Chillwave
* Electro
* New Wave Theatre
* Neue Deutsche Welle
* Neue Deutsche Härte
* La Movida Madrileña
* Little band scene
* Punk rock
* Industrial
* Rip It Up and Start Again
* Second British Invasion
* Sounds
* Synthwave
* Vaporwave
* Yugoslavian new wave

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