The Legal War Motown Tried to Hide from the Fans

Motown gave the world the greatest run of hit records in American history. What it gave the people who made them is a very different story. Behind "My Girl," "Money," "Dancing in the Street" and "I Want You Back" sat contracts that most of these artists signed as teenagers — contracts that charged them for their own studio time, their own wardrobe, their own charm school, and left them owing the company money at the height of their fame. When they asked to see the books, the lawsuits started. When they tried to leave, the label reminded them who owned their names. In this episode of R&B Wonders we count down 10 legal battles Motown would rather you never heard about. A group forbidden from using the name they made famous. A songwriter whose credit was quietly amended off the biggest record of 1959. A house band that played on more number 1 hits than the Beatles and Elvis combined, and was left behind when the trucks pulled out for Los Angeles. A founder who signed one release at 25 and died on public assistance at 32. The music was never the lie. The paperwork was. If a name in this video is new to you, drop it in the comments — that's the whole reason this channel exists. Subscribe for more of the stories classic soul radio never tells. Timestamps 0:00 Cold open Number 10 The Jackson 5 Number 9 Martha and the Vandellas Number 8 The Temptations Number 7 The Supremes Number 6 Holland–Dozier–Holland Number 5 Teena Marie Number 4 The Funk Brothers Number 3 Mary Wells Number 2 Barrett Strong Number 1 Florence Ballard #Motown #ClassicSoul #RnB #MusicHistory #SoulMusic #FlorenceBallard #TheTemptations #MaryWells #FunkBrothers #BarrettStrong #TeenaMarie #Jackson5 #MotownRecords #60sMusic #70sMusic