SOUL music is a style of pop music developed by African-Americans combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. 

    The term was first used in the 1960s to describe a combination of rhythm and blues, gospel, jazz, and rock music. Characterized by intensity of feeling and earthiness in its earliest stages, soul music was found most commonly in Southern US. But many of the young singers migrated to cities in Northern US and popularized the genre. 

   Soul is differentiated from rhythm and blues by its use of gospel-music devices, its greater emphasis on vocalists, and its combination of religious and nonreligious themes.

    靈魂音樂是流行音樂的一種形式，是由非裔美國人融入教堂音樂和藍調元素后發展而來的。 

    在20世紀60年代，這個術語第一次被用來描述結合了藍調，教堂音樂，爵士樂和搖滾樂元素的音樂。在早期。靈魂音樂的特點是具有樸實強烈的感情色彩，當時它在南美最受人們的歡迎。但是隨著許多年輕的歌手移居到北美的城市后，靈魂音樂變得多元化了。 

    因為使用了教堂音樂的模式，所以靈魂音樂和藍調是不同的，靈魂音樂更強調歌手的唱功，更偏愛以結合宗教和非宗教的內容為主題。