Minneapolis sound

Subgenre of funk rock

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Minneapolis Sound

Prince (pictured in 1980) was a pioneer of 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 that incorporates elements of new wave and synth-pop. Started at Sound 80 with tracks like “Funkytown” by Lipps, Inc and pioneered by Minneapolis-based musician Prince and André Cymone beginning in the late 1970s, the musical style's heyday extended through the late 1980s.[1] The style was often heard at city clubs like First Avenue and was exemplified by Prince-affiliated acts, including the Time, Vanity 6, Apollonia 6, Sheila E., the Family, Wendy & Lisa, Brownmark, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Morris Day, and Jesse Johnson, and by acts neither affiliated with Prince nor native to Minneapolis, such as Flint, Michigan's Ready for the World.

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]

## Identifying characteristics

[edit]

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While the Minneapolis sound incorporates many of funk's quintessential elements, it bears several 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 generally less syncopated than traditional funk, owing much to new wave music. At the same time, dominant rhythm lines are often accented with repeating percussive fills at fixed intervals, often courtesy a Linn or other drum machine.
* Lead guitar is frequently much louder and more aggressively processed during solos than in most traditional funk, while a wah-wah effect is heavily relied upon for rhythm guitar accompaniments.
* Compositions often incorporate orchestral string arrangements, adding a symphonic pathos.
* The "bottom" of the sound is less bass-heavy than traditional funk; drums and keyboards fill more of the "bottom".

## 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 978-0495505303.
2. ^ Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian David, eds. (2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. Simon and Schuster. p. 655\. ISBN 9780743201698.

## 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)
* Mittie Maude Lena Gordon (grand-aunt)

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
* Minneapolis sound
* Punk funk
* Funktronica
* G-funk
* Go-go
* Jazz-funk
* Nu-funk
* Psychedelic funk

Related|

* Acid jazz
* Afrobeat
* List of funk musicians
* Funk carioca
* Funk melody
* Funk ostentação
* Funk ousadia
* Proibidão
* Rasteirinha
* Funky house
* Liquid funk
* Neurofunk
* P-Funk
* Post-disco
* Rare groove
* Samba rock
* Samba funk
* 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
* Windmill scene

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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