Northern Soul

A music and dance movement that emerged in Northern England and the English Midlands from the British mod scene, based on a particular style of Black American soul music with a heavy beat and fast tempo (100 BPM and above). The songs were often by lesser-known soul artists from northern cities such as Detroit and Chicago, eschewing Motown or Motown-influenced popular hits. Northern soul dancing became more athletic, somewhat resembling the later dance styles of disco and break dancing; featuring spins, flips, karate kicks, and backdrops, club dancing styles were often inspired by the stage performances of touring American soul acts. The northern soul movement spawned an active market in reissuing older soul recordings in the UK, several of which became popular enough to make the UK charts years after their original issue. 1960s–2000s.