Thing is with Motown. It's been around for 50 years in one guise or another. From the early transitional sounds of The Satintones and Gordy's compositions that were cutting edge at the time, through to the Boyz To Men phenomena and beyond. It always seemed to find it's own little niche in the industry in whatever decade. I'd wager that pound for pound, the talent that emerged from West Grand Boulevard and later at MoWest, matches anything that any other company enjoyed and actually surpasses most if not all,and I include some legendary labels (people) in that statement. Okeh, George Leaner's labels, Mirwood, to name just three set ups that were fantastic but fell short of Motown's contribution to, not just black American music, but music in general.To dismiss SW is to dismiss one of the most innovative musicians of his generation whilst to do the same to the Jackson 5 is to ignore the contribution that they made to a company that put the whole world on a dance-floor over a couple of decades. Stevie fills stadiums still and MJ (ahem) doesn't but probably still would if not for his 'personal life' being so 'bizarre'. And not all the fans are 50 somethings looking to tap their feet to Uptight!
To put Motown and it's contribution to music, especially ours, in perspective is simple. Forget the label, forget the logo, forget the rose tinted glasses even. Just sit and contemplate the PEOPLE who were responsible for the music it produced. Many of them became real legends, not just with fans but with other world respected musicians. Gordy, Smokey, Levi, Stevie, Diana, Tops, Tempts, Supremes, Vandellas...etc etc. These front of house names became so famous that the average guy in the street knew which label they made rekkids on. How many other labels could claim the same? Lets try with these 5:
Everley Bothers?
Altman Brothers Band?
The Mamas and The Papas?
Dylan?
Roy Orbison?
Think the man in the street would know? I doubt it.
Motown - Leave it alone. It paid it's dues, a few howlers along the way? Sure, no argument there but out of a catalogue of that size I reckon it's entitled.
As for some of the songs/artists mentioned in this thread? Well, many ended up with the trappings of success and that was due to millions of people appreciating what they did enough to pay their bucks and buy the songs. Compared to the X Factor/Pop Idol/Reality TV shite foisted on a public so devoid of quality options as far as music is concerned, I'll take Holland Dozier Holland over Mark ronson 7 days a week, fifty two weeks a year.
And (said in best Forrest Gump accent), "that's 'bout all I have to say 'bout that".