Music douce

Soul music is the ultimate "feel-good (or feel-everything)" genre. Born in the late 1950s, it combined the grit of Gospel with the rhythm of R&B and Jazz. ​The Icons: Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, and Ray Charles. ​The Motown Era: Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, and Diana Ross brought soul into the mainstream with polished production and catchy hooks. ​Neo-Soul: The modern evolution. Think Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, and D'Angelo—slower tempos, deeper basslines, and conscious lyrics.