Detroit may have fallen on some hard times of late, but its musical spirit is soaring like never before. That’s the main takeaway from the seventh episode of Noisey’s Made in America series, which focuses on the diverse music being made by local artists. Past installments of this Budweiser-sponsored series have featured cities such as Memphis and St. Louis, but the sheer range of sights and sounds covered in the latest episode makes it arguably the best of the bunch.
Between the interviews with a who’s who of Motor City musicians — madcap rapper Danny Brown, techno legends Kevin Saunderson and Carl Craig, post-punk upstarts Protomartyr, and Derek Stanton of Turn to Crime/Awesome Color — and the montage of street scenes from downtown Detroit, the mini-documentary paints a portrait of a vital creative industry flourishing amidst uncertainty. In fact, the only thing that is certain is this music could not be made anywhere else.
From the hits of Motown and Detroit Rock City to modern masters like Eminem and The White Stripes, the Motor City has a rich musical lineage that’s driven American culture as much as the cars made here. While this video certainly pays homage to that history, it also casts a light on the future sound of Detroit. It’s evident from this episode that no matter the economic and political battles the city has faced, it still comes out on top in setting the course for America’s music.
Watch the Detroit episode of Made in America below: