VH1 Soul
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| Type | Digital cable |
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| Country | United States |
| Availability | USA |
| Owner | MTV Networks (Viacom) |
| Launch date | 2000 |
VH1 Soul is a digital cable and satellite television channel, it is a sister network to VH1. It showcases R&B, funk, soul, and Motown music from past and present.
The channel debuted in 2000 as part of the "MTV Suite" lineup of digital/satellite channels that included new MTV and VH1 channels that played non-stop music videos, as well as several new Nickelodeon-spinoff channels, for example Nick GAS, NickToons Network, The N (formerly Noggin), VH1 Classic, CMT Pure Country, MTV2, and MTVX. The "MTV Suite" package was sold to cable companies and satellite providers as a bundle, so they could either choose to offer their customers all the channels or none of them.
For its first couple of years, VH1 Soul's main focus was on R&B and soul videos of the 80's, 90's, and live performance clips from even earlier years. Janet Jackson, Prince, TLC, Usher, Tony Toni Tone, Aretha Franklin, and Stevie Wonder were some of the channels' main staples. By 2003, the channel removed most of the pre-90's videos that it had once played, since they were often played on VH1 Classic's Classic Soul program. The channel then gradually began to focus a little more on underground, alternative, and old school hip-hop videos, as well as continuing to break new R&B musicians.
Presently, a modest selection of R&B hits from the past ten years, as well as several 80's and early 90's hip-hop videos, can be seen on VH1 Soul. Several of the more R&B-influenced, more socially conscious modern-day rappers and their newest videos can also be regularly seen in heavy rotation on VH1 Soul; for example: The Roots, De La Soul, Kanye West, Common, and Talib Kweli. Still, once in a while, VH1 Soul airs an older 80's or early 90's R&B/soul hit that is also old enough to be seen on VH1 Classic, for example Prince's "Kiss", Mariah Carey's "Vision Of Love", Stevie Wonder's "Superstition", or Chaka Khan's "I Feel For You". But, these older videos are currently played with far less frequency or variety as they were during the channel's beginning.
However on February 1, 2006, VH1 Soul revamped its format which was no longer a random rotation of videos,the videos were separated into shows which focused on different types of music videos. In November 2007, the network also had their first event program, airing the Vibe Awards, which moved from the now defunct UPN network and did not take place in 2006 due to the new CW network declining to air the program.
In the spring of 2007 VH1 Soul, along with its sister networks MTV Jams and MTV Hits, were briefly dropped from Time Warner Cable's lineup in Southern California when those franchises transitioned from Adelphia and Comcast. However all three channels returned to that lineup within a couple of months, under a new, specialized tier of service. To date however, the three networks remain conspicuously absent from many of Time Warner and Brighthouse Networks' systems, most notably in New York City, as well as both major satellite TV providers (DirecTV and DISH Network, respectively).
[edit] Shows currently airing on VH1 Soul
VH1 Soul Player- A random rotation of videos. The format is similar to the how the channel was before February 1st 2006.
The Soul Story- A block of videos by a single artist or group that are mostly shown in chronological order.
Soul Squared-A block of old and current videos by various artists which airs two videos from the same artist back to back format similar to VH1 Classic's Classic/Current Show.
Sub Soul- This show features videos by Underground Soul artists.
Soul School- This show features Old school hip-hop and R&B music videos.
Island Soul- This show features music videos by dancehall and reggae artists.
Speak Your Soul- A viewer requested video block. Viewers can make requests on the channel's official site.
Live Soul (rarely aired)-This show features live performance clips by soul artists.
Top 10 Best in Soul- This show features videos by the hottest artists in R&B and hip-hop music. The show's format is similar to MTV's Big 10.
Soulprodisiac- A Quiet Storm formatted show. The show primarily shows love songs and slow jams, and is similar to BET After Dark or Midnight Love.
One Planet, One Soul (Added Feb '07)-This show features International artists.
[edit] External links
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