Mainstream R&B radio, retail and video industries never had cause to pay retro-soul much mind until Amy Winehouse demonstrated its commercial potential.
Either way, for most of its history, retro-soul was a niche style with a cult following to match. Then came Amy Winehouse.
Prior to 2007's Back to Black, she was an up-and-coming vocalist with torch-singer sensibilities. But on her sophomore album, Winehouse and producers Mark Ronson and Salaam Remi spun a heady mix of Motown rhythms, Brill Building hooks and TMZ punchlines into a surprising success (more than two million albums sold). Backed by the Dap-Kings Horns in the studio and on tour, Winehouse catapulted retro-soul styles into the mainstream, igniting a mini-renaissance at the decade's end that's brought artists such as Raphael Saadiq, Little Jackie and Myron & E into the fold. Retro-soul's sudden vogueness won't likely lose Beyonce Knowles any sleep, yet younger sister Solange released a notably throwback soul CD in 2008 (Sol-Angel & The Hadley St. Dreams).
2 million albums sold? Thought it was 11 million. Maybe in US?
And special quote for Lainey:
Retro-soul offers a familiar, comfortable contrast -- an analog escape from the digital avalanche of ringtone rhythms and AutoTune-philia.
http://www.npr.org/b...ys_present.html