| Minneapolis sound | |
|---|---|
| Stylistic origins | Pop rock, funk, New Wave, synthpop, R&B |
| Cultural origins | Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Typical instruments | Drum machine (or drums), guitars, keyboards, synthesizers |
| Mainstream popularity | 1980s |
| Derivative forms | Dance-pop |
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| Other topics | |
| Prince | |
The Minneapolis sound is a hybrid mixture of funk, rock, pop, R&B and New Wave that was pioneered by Prince in the late 1970s. Its popularity was given a boost throughout the 1980s, thanks to his musical adherents, including The Time, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Morris Day, Vanity 6, Apollonia 6, Ta Mara & the Seen, Sheila E., Jesse Johnson, Brownmark, Mazarati, and The Family.
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."[1]
Prince's third album Dirty Mind from 1980 also earns credit. Pepe Willie, who brought his brand of music to Minneapolis from Brooklyn, New York, in the mid-70's, is credited with being the first to bring Prince into the studio professionally to play on his group, 94 East's, demo.
Some artists who came from Minnesota were influenced by Prince's work and some came from other parts of the U.S. or world, such as Scottish star Sheena Easton, Flint, Michigan's Ready for the World, Augusta, Georgia's Le Klass and Los Angeles, California's Cherrelle. The music is also known as a form of funk-rock.
While the "Minneapolis sound" was a form of funk, it had some distinguishing characteristics:
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