#1971 school

[soundsof71]

Stevie Wonder and Berry Gordy, 1971,  via medium.

Stevie had been angling for artistic independence at Motown, which label chief Berry had resisted. When Stevie turned 21 on May 13, 1971, he let his contract expire and walked away, completely changing the dynamic of negotiations. He forced Motown into an era-defining contract with the highest royalties Motown had ever paid, ownership of his master recordings, and complete creative control -- the most artist-empowering contract in music history.

What did Stevie do with all that power? Dropped six stone-cold classics in five years is what:

Where I'm Coming From (1971) Music of My Mind (1972) Talking Book (1972) Innervisions (1973) Fulfillingness' First Finale (1974) Songs in the Key of Life (1976)

Much more to say about this remarkable artist’s world-changing 1971 soon.

[soundsof71]

The Doors, 13, a forgotten curio -- their first anthology, which peaked at #25 in the US for two weeks in January 1971, via wikipedia.

The story of The Doors changed on April 19, 1971 with the release of LA Woman, and again on July 3 with Jim’s passing, but this was a tasty snack whose cover still looks very pretty to me. Needless to say, Jim hated it.