1. Parliament — Mothership Connection (1975)
The mothership lands here. "Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker)" is the national anthem of the funk nation, and the whole album is a masterclass in groove architecture. On vinyl, Bernie Worrell's synth bass is a physical experience.
2. Funkadelic — Maggot Brain (1971)
Eddie Hazel's ten-minute title-track guitar solo is one of the greatest recorded performances in any genre. The rest of the album veers from cosmic funk to gospel-tinged soul. Dark, heavy, essential.
3. The Isley Brothers — 3 + 3 (1973)
The album where the Isleys added the younger brothers and became a self-contained funk machine. "That Lady" with Ernie Isley's searing guitar lead is worth the price alone — and it sounds enormous on a good system.
4. Ohio Players — Honey (1975)
"Love Rollercoaster" and "Sweet Sticky Thing" — the Players at their slippery, irresistible peak. The grooves on this record are so deep you could lose a stylus in them. A crate-digging rite of passage.
5. Stevie Wonder — Songs in the Key of Life (1976)
Not strictly "funk," but no funk education is complete without it. Two LPs plus a bonus 45 of Stevie at his absolute creative peak. "Sir Duke," "I Wish," "As" — the hits barely scratch the surface of this double album's depth.
6. Earth, Wind & Fire — That's the Way of the World (1975)
"Shining Star" and the title track in one package. Maurice White's kalimba, the Phenix Horns, Charles Stepney's lush production — this is funk as high art, and original pressings sound phenomenal.
7. Curtis Mayfield — Superfly (1972)
The soundtrack that outgrew its film. Curtis's falsetto over those slinky, socially conscious grooves invented a whole lane. "Freddie's Dead" and "Pusherman" remain devastating — musically and lyrically.
8. Teena Marie — It Must Be Magic (1981)
Lady Tee's Motown masterpiece. "Square Biz" is the funkiest thing to ever hit the pop charts, and the ballads showcase one of the great voices in R&B history. An essential that too many collections sleep on.
9. Prince — 1999 (1982)
Before Purple Rain made him a superstar, Prince made this sprawling double-album funk manifesto almost entirely by himself. The LinnDrum programming on the title track rewired pop music. A Minneapolis monument.
10. Marvin Gaye — What's Going On (1971)
The soul album against which all soul albums are measured. James Jamerson's bass work alone is a masterclass — and on vinyl, through a decent system, you can hear every nuance of his touch. Start or end here; either way, you end up here.
"Buy the records. The streaming version is a postcard — the vinyl is the place itself."
Keep them sounding right
Essential records deserve proper care. Read Vinyl Care 101 before your first deep clean, and make sure your turntable is up to the task.