Moods: Warm

Don't fight it, feel it! In the 1960s, gospel music met secular lyrics describing the black experience in America, and soul music was born. '60s soul singers demanded respect, begged for love, and told it like it was, changing popular music forever.

Take a trip from Haight on down to Sunset with these acoustic-centric songs by California artists from the late '60s and early '70s. Singer-songwriter, folk rock, country rock, soft rock. Lots of harmony, and plenty of mellow.

The retro sounds of '60s soul music have made a comeback. These contemporary artists are updating classic soul sounds for the 21st century.

Home to The Swampers, one of the greatest house bands in American R&B history, Muscle Shoals Studio in Alabama remains the go-to destination for artists seeking that iconic, soulful sound. These are the essential songs recorded there.

The perfect soundtrack of warm, acoustic songs handpicked for enjoying crisp autumn air, fall foliage, and hot apple cider.

The genius of Stevie Wonder is incontrovertible; his vibrant, ambitious songs are some of the most iconic ever. This playlist features his solo recordings, duets, and guest appearances, plus songs he wrote for others and the best covers of his originals.

This is the heartfelt sound of the South -- the intersection of country, soul, rockabilly and R&B in the '50s, '60s and '70s; songs of drinkin', cheatin', and lovin' with Louisiana brass and Nashville strings.

Known for its distinctive vintage sound and house band, Daptone Records has become one of the world's premier independent record labels. Listen to highlights of the best soul, funk, gospel and afrobeat released by this Brooklyn-based label.

From his vintage soul arrangements to his obscure rap and rock samples, Mark Ronson has become one of the most versatile figures in pop music. Listen to highlights from his prolific career as a DJ, bandleader, and producer.

Get down with these soul and R&B classics -- most of which are about food -- at your next barbecue.

Eclectic sounds from the African continent, from afrobeat, highlife and juju to desert blues and Ethio-jazz.

This playlist features comforting folk songs from the '60s to today, replete with warm acoustic guitars and soothing vocal harmonies.

Characterized by its lush vocal harmonies, "doomph, doomph" bass lines, group snapping, and high falsetto, doo-wop was one of the most popular musical styles of the '50s and '60s.

Kanye West remains one of the best sample-based producers around. Listen to a playlist of the vintage, funky and soulful records Yeezy has flipped.

This playlist takes you back to an idyllic '70s pool party where the bathing suits were as small as the sunglasses were big and Stealers Wheel was blasting out of the poolside AM and funky disco gems were spinning inside on the HiFi.

Tie a sweater around your neck and set sail for the high seas with these smoother than smooth yacht rock classics.

Get a taste of Jamaica with these sun-kissed reggae jams.

Listen to essential songs that have shaped the sound of contemporary South African music, from 1950s Zulu-influenced jazz to the traditional a cappella singing of isicathamiya music.

Summery, fun, and jangly lo-fi pop. Grab some friends, pack some munchies, and lie on the grass and watch clouds for hours.

The classic Beach Boys sound of the mid-to-late '60s has influenced generations of artists ever since. Listen to contemporary artists show off their devotion to the genius of Brian Wilson.

Reggae's uptempo predecessors are the focus of this playlist spanning ska, sound systems, bluebeat and rocksteady.

Classic roots reggae from the 1970s: Rasta, repatriation, and reefer.

In 1962, Bunny Livingston introduced Bob Marley to fellow Trench Town musician and guitar virtuoso Peter Tosh. Together they would form a band called The Wailers . Here are the best songs from The Wailers, their influences and members' solo careers.

The barrio meets black power in the coolest vintage Latin soul and boogaloo tracks.

Cool tunes from the golden age of pre-punk classic rock, 1965-'76, featuring deep tracks from the era's superstars as well as definitive songs from cult heroes and oddballs. Vintage doesn't have to mean old-fashioned.

An offshoot of hard bop that flourished in the '60s and early '70s, soul jazz fed on the bluesy passion of R&B. Most associated with hard-driving organ trios and honking, bluesy horns, it's jazz with groove, grit and soul.

These are the songs that take classic rock to another level: forgotten B-sides and sprawling deep cuts from the most iconic rock acts of the '60s and '70s.

Explore the fusion of jazz and rock, as heralded by Miles Davis and others in the late '60s. Coming at it from both the jazz and rock perspectives, this playlist showcases fusion at its most fearlessly experimental and lushly pretty.

All of the vintage records sampled by the visionary '90s hip hop collective.

It's easier than ever to lose it these days, so here's a little music therapy from the '70s. Enjoy these songs of comfort, joy, and common sense from the "Me" generation.

Manhattan was the center of jazz in the 1950s and '60s, from post-bop to modal experimentation to the controversial "New Thing" of free jazz. Revisit that vibrant time and place.

It's mambo time with the best of the Cuban big band era. Explore the music that inspired dancemania in Havana and around the world.

An eclectic mix of sultry soul and funk throughout the years that sounds best in the midnight hour.

Northern Soul is the British label given to a specific sound: the heavy-hitting backbeat and lush production epitomized by Motown's glorious mid '60s heyday. These are the songs energized Northerners would dance to all night long.

Up-tempo funk grooves, danceable R&B, soulful divas, and deep DJ cuts of the ‘70s and early-'80s.

Urban Gospel maintains all the soul of earlier gospel while adding passion, humility and an electrified joy of praise that exceeds all boundaries. It'll make you shout Hallelujah!

After proving their pop sensibilities with the multi-platinum album Rumours, Fleetwood Mac released Tusk, an experimental double album of endless inventiveness. Here are songs from (and inspired by) the era when classic rock was morphing into new wave.

Soul music re-emerged and took on many forms throughout the 90's and 00's, often referred to as Neo Soul or Soul Revival. Here’s an eclectic collection of songs from the men that captured that spirit.

What becomes of the brokenhearted? They console themselves with their favorite classic soul tunes about love and loss.

As blue-eyed soul matured beyond its '60s roots, elements of funk, fusion and even disco beats started to percolate through the music. Come back to the decade where blue-eyed soul expanded its mind.

For a period in the late '50s and early '60s, Blue Note was the most stylish label in jazz. The music brought both soul and a questing sense of experimentation to bebop, and Reid Miles' gorgeous LP designs remain influential to this day.

Classic Jamaican reggae songs, plus newer songs from reggae artists in the U.K., U.S. and Africa.

Musical styles come and go, but some songs will always sound great. This collection of upbeat pop and rock songs from the '60s, '70s and '80s is perfect for the workday or the weekend.

Some of today's sunniest indie rock is heavily influenced by the classic sounds of '50s and '60s pop and surf rock. Listen to songs by new artists who put their own twist on those vintage sounds.

Jimmy Buffet is more than a singer/songwriter, he's a state of mind. Put on your flip-flops and embrace your inner Parrothead with this beach-ready mix of Jimmy's hits, friends, influences and tributes.

An exploration of the Latin 'indie' scene through the songs of popular bands as well as emerging acts.

Welcome to the world of Ray Charles, where you'll encounter not only monumental cuts from the man who melded blues, soul, country, jazz, and gospel into a harmonious whole, but also some titanic tracks by Brother Ray's influences, peers, and disciples.

The term "indie" may conjure up thoughts of a scrappy aesthetic, but as these exceptional acts prove, there's plenty of room for a more refined sound as well.

Let the cool breezes of these laid-back R&B classics put you in a place where stress evaporates on contact and you drift off into an otherworldly plane of sweet soul music from every era.