5 Of The Most Beautiful Voices In Motown History

In an era filled with some of music's most memorable voices, one particular label and sound packed an impressive amount of talent into one spot: Motown. The Detroit based company produced some of the finest acts of the 1960s and beyond, and in particular showed off many of the most talented singers of the century — so we've rounded up five of the best and most beautiful voices to come through Motown Records.

A beautiful voice is hard to analytically define, as singers with both calculated, polished vocalizations and raw, emotional expression can each achieve the heights of beauty. What's most important is the feeling a voice gives us, often stemming from some otherworldly and jaw-dropping quality that many of these Motown artists had. We'll hear from some of the most emotionally inspiring vocalists of the 20th century, particularly R&B and soul icons who paved the way for countless singers to come. Notably missing from this list is the iconic Michael Jackson, who was under Motown during his years with the Jackson 5 — but didn't spend his stellar solo career as part of the label. With both solo acts we know and love, as well as lead singers of accomplished vocal groups, these are the five most beautiful voices that Motown ever produced.

This Detroit native was a natural fit for Motown Records and churned out a number of hit records as the lead singer for one of the greatest girl groups of all time. Diana Ross' voice was one of one during her time with the Supremes and throughout her solo career afterward, capturing emotion at another level than many of the artists and hitmakers of her era. Ross' light and airy tone took over the '60s with the Supremes, landing 12 No. 1 hits across the 60s and a number of other great successes, all helmed by the electric vocals of Ross.

Her effortless soars across pop and soul hits alike were easy to notice on each song, and she headlined almost too many standout tracks to count. With the Supremes, you can't go wrong with "You Can't Hurry Love" or "Someday We'll Be Together," and her solo records like her cover "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," notably sung by another beautiful Motown voice to come, as well as "Touch Me In The Morning" which also reached No. 1 behind an expressive and dramatic performance. Diana Ross was one of the most recognizable popstars of many decades for a reason, with her dynamic voice outputting true beauty almost every time she touched the microphone.

There are few singer-songwriters with the combined talent and pedigree of this titan of soul and R&B, whose career began in his early teens and still continues today. Stevie Wonder's catalog, even starting with his teenage work, was absolutely special, as both his personal songwriting and his knack for catchy melodies turned his singles into major successes — but it was his voice that took these songs over the edge. Wonder's Motown records made clear that he was a true virtuoso vocally, soaring between octaves and styles in an always-inspiring execution.

Aside from all his stunning technical capabilities, each era of Stevie Wonder's voice possesses an electric joy that radiates through his songs. Little moments, simple choruses, and straightforward love songs become grander and more cinematic thanks to his warm and effortless cadence. In the '60s, Top 5 hits like "My Cherie Amour" and "Uptight (Everything's Alright)" best showed off the power of his tone, while '70s No. 1s "I Wish" and "Sir Duke" (a standout hit of '77) were highlights of one of the best albums of all time, both vocally and instrumentally. For every kind of music fan, there's something to admire and enjoy in the songs of Stevie Wonder, which are all aptly sung in his beautiful key of life.

One of the smoothest and most effortless singers of all time, this soul and R&B titan was one of Motown's leading acts for his entire career — and though his strengths as a songwriter and composer are largely responsible, most of the credit goes to his one-of-a-kind voice. Marvin Gaye's talent took over the 1970s in particular, though his late '60s catalog holds up among the best of the decade's soul and pop music. A voice struck with similarly gorgeous and inviting presence, Gaye brings the listener into a starry world on every track, no matter the song's content. He often sang glorious and heartbroken love songs, but he also tackled timeless protest music that would define the era he performed in.

First fully breaking out in his solo career with the No. 1 smash "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" in 1967, which spent seven weeks in the top spot, Gaye's most gorgeous hits included the luscious "Mercy, Mercy Me (The Ecology)," the sensual "Sexual Healing," and the jazzy "I Want You," all of which showed off the generational pipes he possessed. Each of the albums and songs across his discography holds up just as strongly today. Whether he was being silky smooth or impossibly raw and emotional, no one did it like Marvin Gaye, even amidst the most esteemed company of Motown.

Though this integral Motown cog never sang a No. 1 hit on his own, he was responsible for many of the label's successes as a songwriter as well as the lead of the renowned group that began with the label in the '50s. Smokey Robinson was first known for his time with the Miracles (later renamed Smokey Robinson & The Miracles), who landed a wide array of '60s hits including "Shop Around" and "You've Really Got A Hold On Me." Robinson's voice shines in many of their tracks, with his sweet and even angelic sound laying the groundwork for much of the Motown audio aesthetic.

Robinson's vocals were often tied to the romantic, whether it was heart eyes or heartbreak, in his Motown tracks — and each holds a completely undisputed beauty. Hits like "Ooo Baby Baby" with the Miracles, as well as Top 5 solo smashes like "Cruisin'" and "Being With You," highlight Robinson's agile and heartfelt singing, but like the rest of the artists on this list, it's almost impossible to find a song where Robinson doesn't vocally hold up. To be a truly elite singer is to be consistent, and Smokey Robinson has certainly been that across decades of work.

Another of the Motown brand's defining stars, this excellent singer actually spent less than a decade with the label. Despite this relatively short stint compared to some of the company's defining stars, Gladys Knight was still a Motown staple, blending R&B and pop with a gospel-like voice into a number of hits across the late '60s and '70s. Her primary work with Motown was atop the group Gladys Knight and the Pips, which produced a handful of solid hits in this time period. Knight's voice was especially beautiful no matter which genre she took on, using the era's styles to wield a nostalgic charm in her songs.

Some of her standout performances include the 1967 hit "I Heard It Through The Grapevine," an up-tempo and raucous tune that peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as the charged and raw "If I Were Your Woman" in 1970 and the joyous "Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me" in '74. Her tone simply fits its needed role every time, turning these popular ditties into memorable cuts that can still be spun today. Motown aside, Knight was definitively one of the top female vocalists of the '60s as well — she is a classic voice you should absolutely revisit.