soul music

noun

: music that originated in African American gospel singing, is closely related to rhythm and blues, and is characterized by intensity of feeling and vocal embellishments

Examples of soul music in a Sentence

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On the city’s West Side, the site of storied clubs such as Silvio’s as well as the Maxwell Street Market, blues musicians developed a style of electric blues in the 1950s that typically included a horn section (prefiguring soul music). René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 July 2026 The gallery-like white room, abstract paintings and jazzy soul music provide a classy backdrop. The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 July 2026 Armed with a powerhouse voice evocative of soul music’s greats, the singer-songwriter explores the many facets of longing on an album that bridges the genre’s past and future. Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Pitchfork, 14 July 2026 Sly Stone famously titled the album as a response to Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On, and those 1971 releases stand tall today as two very different monuments to the creative and political possibilities of soul music. Al Shipley, SPIN, 7 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for soul music

Word History

First Known Use

1964, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of soul music was in 1964

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Cite this Entry

“Soul music.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/soul%20music. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

Kids Definition

soul music

noun
: music that originated in Black American gospel singing, is closely related to rhythm and blues, and is characterized by intensity of feeling and earthiness

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