Rocking the decades! Woodstock Music Festival - Bethel, New York,1969 Live Aid - Philadelphia, 1985 A Look at the Post War World through Trends in Music
The Postwar Boom - Historians use the word boom to describe a lot of things about the 1950s: the booming economy, the booming suburbs and most of all the so-called baby boom. - This boom began in 1946 and lasted 20 years in Canada. During that time, more than 8.2 million babies were born, an average of close to 412,000 per year. - In the US, about 4 million babies were born each year during the 1950s. In all, by the time the boom finally tapered off in 1964, there were almost 77 million baby boomers. The late 1940s and early 1950s were considered very conservative. Some of the America s top singers were Frank SInatra, Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. among others. They came to be known as the Rat Pack. *Frank Sinatra even had his own television show between 1950-52
Jazz / Swing Influences Louis Armstrong, who became famous in the 1920s, and he maintained his fame and prominence in the post-war era (both in the Jazz scene and beyond). He went on to collaborate with artists in many different genres.
Bing Crosby A multimedia star, from 1934 to 1954 Crosby was a leader in record sales, radio ratings, and motion picture grosses. His early career coincided with technical recording innovations; this allowed him to develop a laid-back, intimate singing style that influenced many of the popular male singers. He also worked with countless other artists, including Louis Armstrong. *Just weeks before his death in 1977, Crosby also recorded a Christmas song with David Bowie (some find it a bit creepy look it up) The first three minutes are particularly awesome. Make sure to watch the the section with Bing Crosby and jazz legend Louis Armstrong, 2:20 onward.
Hank Williams Sr. became arguably the most famous country star in North America....yes, country was popular. Williams recorded several albums from 1947 until his death in 1951. Many of his songs have even become standards (covered by other musicians and adapted to various genres) The classic Hey Good Lookin! Whatcha got cooking 1951...what does this say about society s values at the time?
Rock n Roll Bill Haley and the Comets were the earliest group of white musicians to bring rock and roll to the attention of white America and the rest of the world. Rock Around the Clock became an anthem for rebellious Fifties youth and is widely considered to be the song that, more than any other, brought rock and roll into mainstream culture around the world. The song is ranked No. 158 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Rock Around the Clock - Bill Haley and the Comets, 1954
The King of Rock n Roll By 1955, at the age of 20, Elvis Presley was emerging as a regional star in the south, touring and playing shows from Tennessee to Texas. Known for his lively performances and on stage gyrations, Elvis played a unique blend of R&B, country, gospel and rock n roll. But it probably wasn t until his September 9th, 1956 appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show that America witnessed the birth of The King of Rock n Roll. For Elvis s appearance on the Sullivan Show, it was agreed: he would only be photographed from the waist up! The people in charge of the Ed Sullivan Show must have thought this would make the legions of worried adults feel safer and more secure with Elvis the Pelvis, while the kids of America could still enjoy watching even half of their sworn idol. Elvis Presley - Hound Dog, 1956
Guitar Solos Chuck Berry, who is considered to be one of the pioneers of Rock and roll music, refined and developed the major elements that made rock and roll distinctive, focusing on teen life and introducing guitar solos and showmanship that would be a major influence on subsequent rock music. Chuck Berry Johnny B. Goode 1958
Music for Adults (yawn.) Despite the emergence of Rock and Roll, traditional conservative ballads remained prominent, particularly among adults. For example, Perry Como s Magic Moments became a hit in the US, Canada and even overseas. Perry Como Magic Moments 1957
Welcome to the 1960s!
Dance and Movies Chubby Checker's 1960 cover version of the Twist gave birth to the Twist dance craze. By 1962, Elvis Presley had 3 of the 5 hit singles of the year. He has also appeared in 31 movies from 1956-1969. Chubby Checker - The Twist, 1960
Beatlemania In 1963, The Beatles make their debut beginning what will become Beatlemania. They hit the top of the charts with She Loves You in 1963. 1964, The Beatles made their debut on the Ed Sullivan Show to screaming fans--- bringing Beatlemania to the United States and Canada. The Beatles - She Loves You,
Political Issues Influences Music Bob Dylan s music was active in nature. He was never afraid to sing about injustice and as a result becomes one of the first true protest musicians. Don McLean referred to Dylan as The Jester in his famous song American Pie Dylan was refused to perform on the Ed Sullivan Show because they wanted to censor his music. He also sang at the March on Washington on August 28, 1963 Bob Dylan - Blowin in the Wind 1963
Enter Motown Motown played an important role in the racial integration of popular music as an African American-owned record label. "Dancing in the Street" is a 1964 song first recorded by Martha and the Vandellas. It is one of Motown's signature songs and is the group's premier signature song. Dancing in the Street Martha and the Vandellas 1964
Boomers Come of Age: Emergence of CounterCulture The youth felt mistrust towards big business, government and that the upper class, privileged and wealthy could avoid the war The drug culture starts to play a prominent role in music and popular culture - Good boy = clean cut, Bad boy - long hair etc. The youth feel misunderstood and aren t afraid to say it or act The Who: My Generation, 1965
Music and Feminism Music by the late 1960s was taking on social and political issues. Aretha Franklin's song Respect was a landmark for the feminist movement, and is often considered as one of the best songs of the R&B era, earning her two Grammy Awards in 1968 for "Best Rhythm & Blues Recording" and "Best Rhythm & Blues Solo Vocal Performance, Female", and was inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1987. Aretha Franklin Respect 1967
Clash of Generations For What It s Worth is widely recognized as one of the first protest songs. Many have connected it to the anti-vietnam movement but in reality it was inspired by an event that took place during the early stages of the psychedelic era in November 1966 Business owners in the area around Whisky A Go Go lobbied to have a tight curfew put in place so the club wouldn t be able to effectively operate. As a result we saw the first of the Sunset Strip Riots between youth and police who represented the older generation For What It s Worth - Buffalo Springfield, 1967
Iconic Moment of 60s By 1969, Hendrix was the world's highestpaid rock musician. In August, he headlined the Woodstock Music and Art Fair that included many of the most popular bands of the time. 3/4 of the way through his set at Woodstock, 1969 Hendrix plays the Star Spangled Banner during which he used copious amounts of amplifier feedback, distortion, and sustain and it seemed to replicate the sounds made by rockets and bombs. Many took it as a protest against the Vietnam War although Hendrix never made this statement or supported the assumption. Images of the performance showing Hendrix wearing a blue-beaded white leather jacket with fringe, a red head-scarf, and blue jeans are widely regarded as iconic pictures that Jimmy capture a defining moment of the era. Hendrix - Star Spangled Banner, 1969
Do the Hustle.. The 1970s!
The Beatles Grow Their Hair! The Beatles by 1970 have changed a lot as a band. Notice the long hair and the change in the tone of their music. The Beatles have matured as the decade changed and their music reflected that. Their more psychedelic approach to music - fit with the times. If you listen to the lyrics you can see the message has changed over time The Beatles - Let It be, 1970
- Neil Young really came in to the music industry 1966 when he founded Buffalo Springfield with Stephen Stills and Richy Furray. - He was also a member of CSNY - Young has been known for his outspoken opinions and his activism he caused some chaos in 2014 when he compared the Alberta Oil Sands to Hiroshima after it was bombed with an atomic weapon - He was been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice - Once as a solo artist and also as a founding member of Buffalo Springfield - The song Southern Man was written describing the racism in the American south - this song prompted Lynrd Skynrd to write the song Sweet Home Alabama in response Neil Young - Southern Man, 1970
Did Disco wreck everything? While the 1970s are largely remembered for the disco era, some of the most important music of the last half century came out of the 1970s and it was good old fashioned rock and roll. Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel, childhood friends from Queen s, New York started experimenting with harmonizing and ended up creating some of the most iconic songs of the 1960s and 70s. Simon and Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water, 1970 (start at 3:22 min)
Anti War Movements in Music John Lennon becomes one of the anti-war movements most famous voices with songs like Imagine and Give Peace a Chance. Musicians are using their notoriety to influence the baby boom generation to become activists in the world around them. Imagine - John Lennon - 1971
Era of Psychedelic Live Shows Pink Floyd were an English rock band formed in London in 1965. They achieved international acclaim with their progressive and psychedelic music. Distinguished by their use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, and elaborate live shows, they are one of the most commercially successful and musically influential groups in the history of popular music. The Dark Side of the Moon ' s themes include conflict, greed, the passage of time, and mental illness, the latter partly inspired by a band member s deteriorating mental state. With an estimated 50 million copies sold, it is Pink Floyd's most commercially successful album and one of the best-selling albums worldwide. Pink Floyd - Breathe from Dark Side of the Moon 1973
Bring on the Funk! "Jungle Boogie" is a funk song recorded by Kool & the Gang. It scored number four as a single and became very popular in nightclubs. Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid to late 1960s when African-American musicians created a rhythmic,danceable new form of music through a mixture of soul music, jazz, and R&B. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground. "Jungle Boogie" Kool & the Gang 1973 For some Soul Trian action and dance moves, see this clip: http://www. youtube.com/watch?v=jqlf37csfhi
Disco is Life Disco emerges as a collective sigh of relief to the intensity of the mid 1960s to the early 1970s. John Travolta hits stardom with Saturday Night Fever motion picture, with the Bee Gees providing the soundtrack. The Bee Gees - Staying Alive, 1977
Male and Female Artists in a Band Rumours is Fleetwood Mac's most successful release; along with winning the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 1978, the record has sold over 45 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling albums of all time. The Rumours studio sessions were marked by hedonistic behaviour and interpersonal strife between Fleetwood Mac members; these experiences shaped the album's lyrics. Influenced by pop music. The record has inspired the work of musical acts in different genres. Fleetwood Mac You Can Go Your Own Way 1977
Homosexuality in Music The Village People become one of music s first openly gay bands the band was originally created to imitate openly gay stereotypes of men from Greenwich Village The Village people - YMCA, 1978
Movie Soundtracks--- Again! Grease is a 1978 American musical romantic comedy film about two lovers in a 1950s high school. The film stars John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. It was successful both critically and at the box office. Its soundtrack album ended 1978 as the second-best selling album of the year in the United States, behind the soundtrack of Saturday Night Fever, another film starring Travolta. Grease Soundtrack 1978
New Genres of Music AC/DC are an Australian hard rock band, formed in November 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly referred to as a hard rock,they are also considered pioneers of heavy metal and are sometimes classified as such, though they have always dubbed their music as simply "rock and roll". To date they are one of the highest-grossing bands of all time. AC/DC Back in Black 1980
The Creation of MTV On Saturday, August 1, 1981, at 12:01 a.m. eastern time, MTV launched with the words "Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll," spoken by John Lack, and played over footage of the first space shuttle launch Columbia, which took place earlier that year, and of the launch of Apollo 11. The first song played on MTV was Video Killed the Radio Star by the Buggles. Whether you like MTV or not you can t ignore it s effect on culture - young people tuned in daily to watch and see what was new and hip while social activist groups protested over what they say as a degradation of social values. Video Killed the Radio Star - The Buggles, 1981
Rock Anthem and Live Aid Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1970. Its lead vocalist was Freddie Mercury. By the early 1980s, Queen were one of the biggest stadium rock bands in the world, with "Another One Bites the Dust" their best selling single, and their performance at 1985's Live Aid (raise money for ongoing Ethiopian famine) is regarded as one of the greatest in rock history. In 1991, Mercury died of bronchopneumonia, a complication of AIDS. At the 1981 American Music Awards on 30 January, "Another One Bites the Dust" won the award for Favorite Pop/Rock Single. Queen Another One Bites the Dust 1981
The Art of Choreography or not The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in 1962 with lead singer Mick Jaggar and lead guitarist Keith Richards. The Rolling Stones were in the vanguard of the British Invasion of bands that became popular in the US in 1964 65. At first noted for their longish hair as much as their music, the band are identified with the youthful and rebellious counterculture of the 1960s. The band continued to release commercially successful records through the 1970s and selling many albums with Some Girls (1978) and Tattoo You (1981) being their two most sold albums worldwide Fun Fact: Microsoft used this song in their Windows 95 marketing campaign.. This was the first time that the Rolling Stones allowed another company to use their songs in an advertising campaign. Rolling Stones Start Me Up 1981
Enter the King of Pop and way better choreography! Cable Television starts to make an impact as it finds its way in to the majority of people s homes. Music enters a new era as MTV is created and music videos become productions Michael Jackson is one of the first artists to truly choreograph his videos and create a story to go with it and he can dance! Amusingly Thriller was about dancing zombies. Can the zombies in The Walking Dead dance? Michael Jackson - Thriller, 1982 (start 2:30 min)
Music Crossover--what would a 2014 song sound like in the 1960s / 1970s? Check out Jimmy Fallon.
The Barry Gibb Show (SNL skit with Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake as Barry Gibb (lead singer of Bee Gees)
Does music repeat? What era / decade does this 2014 song sound like?