Stax Records: R&B
Founded 1957 in Memphis, US
About
Stax Records launched in Memphis in 1957 as Satellite Records before rebranding in 1961. The label defined Southern soul through house band Booker T. & the MGs, whose tight, stripped-back arrangements created a rawer, earthier sound than its Motown rival. Stax collapsed financially in 1975 but its catalog endures as one of the most important in American music.
Producer notes
Stax recordings sit in a narrow frequency range (bass-heavy, midrange-forward, with minimal top-end sheen) which makes them sit perfectly under sampled beats without heavy EQ. The interplay between guitar, organ, and horns leaves enormous negative space for producers to work within.
Notable R&B artists
Otis ReddingIsaac HayesSam & DaveBooker T. & the MGsThe Staple SingersRufus ThomasCarla Thomas
Dig Stax Records
Each press plays a random r&b record from the label.