Essential 1970s funk albums: where to start
Funk is easy to love and hard to navigate. These eight albums each represent a different strand of the 1970s sound. Start anywhere, then follow the “next” suggestion.
If you want the backstory first, read our overview of 1970s funk. Otherwise, here’s where to start. The albums are in release order, not ranked.
1. Sly & the Family Stone, There’s a Riot Goin’ On (1971)
After a run of joyful, integrated-band hits, Sly Stone made a dense, murky record, much of it layered up in the studio by Sly himself, with an early drum machine keeping time. “Family Affair” still went to No. 1. Listen for how little is happening in each part, and how much the groove carries anyway.
Next: Sly & the Family Stone’s Fresh (1973), which is brighter and tighter.
2. Funkadelic, Maggot Brain (1971)
The title track is a roughly ten-minute guitar solo by Eddie Hazel, recorded after George Clinton reportedly told him to play as if his mother had died. The rest of the album moves between heavy rock-funk and gospel-tinged songs. It’s the rock side of P-Funk.
Next: Funkadelic’s One Nation Under a Groove (1978), for the dance-floor side.
3. Curtis Mayfield, Super Fly (1972)
A film soundtrack that outgrew its film. Mayfield’s songs, including “Freddie’s Dead” and “Pusherman,” look hard at the drug trade the movie glamorised, set to wah-wah guitar, congas and strings. It’s proof that funk could carry a message without losing its groove.
Next: War, The World Is a Ghetto (1972).
4. Stevie Wonder, Innervisions (1973)
Wonder played most of the instruments himself and worked closely with synthesizer programmers Malcolm Cecil and Robert Margouleff. “Living for the City” and “Higher Ground” are funk built largely from keyboards and synth bass, a sound that points ahead to the 1980s.
Next: Songs in the Key of Life (1976), bigger and more expansive.
5. The Meters, Rejuvenation (1974)
New Orleans funk: sparse, syncopated and rooted in parade rhythms. Zigaboo Modeliste’s drumming is the thing to follow here, loose-sounding but precise. “Hey Pocky A-Way” is the easy way in.
Next: Dr. John’s In the Right Place (1973), with the Meters as his band.
6. Ohio Players, Fire (1974)
A tight, horn-driven band at its commercial peak. The title track, with its siren intro, was a No. 1 hit. This is funk as a well-drilled party band, less experimental than P-Funk but hard to resist.
Next: Kool & the Gang, Wild and Peaceful (1973).
7. Earth, Wind & Fire, That’s the Way of the World (1975)
Maurice White’s band combined funk, jazz harmony, a full horn section and Philip Bailey’s falsetto. “Shining Star” is the hit; the title track shows their smoother, more spiritual side. The production is clean and wide, and it rewards good speakers.
Next: Gratitude (1975), a largely live double album.
8. Parliament, Mothership Connection (1975)
The most focused P-Funk record and the best introduction to George Clinton’s world. Bootsy Collins’ bass, Bernie Worrell’s keyboards and horns including Maceo Parker and Fred Wesley lock into long grooves. “Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker)” is the anthem.
Next: Bootsy’s Rubber Band, Stretchin’ Out in Bootsy’s Rubber Band (1976).
Where to go after these eight
- For the jazz side: Herbie Hancock’s Head Hunters (1973).
- For the disco crossover: Chic’s C’est Chic (1978).
- For where the breaks went next: early hip-hop.
- For the 80s evolution: the sound of 1980s R&B.
Think you know this sound? Try the Funk & Disco crate in the Crate Digger Challenge, our five-record music game with a new crate every day.
Playing funk on vinyl
Many of these albums are widely reissued, and 70s funk is one of the most rewarding genres to dig for used. Two practical points:
- Bass needs real speakers. Funk is built on the low end, and small Bluetooth speakers lose it. See powered speakers for a small listening room.
- Used funk records have often been played hard. Party records got party treatment. Clean them before playing, both for the sound and for your stylus. See record cleaning and storage essentials.