American Music History 1900 - 2020 CONCERT BANDS • 32 TO 64 MUSICIANS - Brass, Woodwinds, and Percussion • John Phillips Sousa - “The March King” - Wrote over a 100 marches • Toured the U.S. playing concerts • “Stars and Stripes Forever” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7XWhyvIpE AMERICAN MUSIC - 1900 TO 1950 Rag Time • Very difficult style of piano music. Based on syncopated rhythms. • Scott Joplin - James Scott • “Maple Leaf Rag” • “The Entertainer” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sE86FR2SzBo AMERICAN MUSIC - 1900 TO 1950 BLUES • Features Vocal - Based primarily on rural black folk songs • Taken from songs sung by ex-slaves to help ease their troubles as they worked. • W.C. Handy - “Father of the Blues” - Brought into the mainstream. • Blind Lemon Jefferson - Leadbelly AMERICAN MUSIC - 1900 TO 1950 JAZZ • Small group instrumental instrumentation. Musicians would improvise their solos. • Originated by African-American musicians (in Chicago and New Orleans) and spread throughout the country • It remains the root of 20th century music. Still popular in original form. • Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, Duke Ellington, Dukes of Dixieland AMERICAN MUSIC - 1900 TO 1950 COUNTRY AND WESTERN • Vocals with instrumental backup • Developed by white rural singers • The Grand Ole Opry started to broadcast live Country performances throughout the country • Jimmy Rogers, Roy Acuff, George Jones, Loretta Lynn, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton AMERICAN MUSIC - 1900 TO 1950 BIG BAND/SWING • • • • Primarily instrumental, but sometimes vocalists 16 to 24 instrumentalists Similar to jazz Glen Miller, Benny Goodman, Harry James, Gene Krupa, Count Bassie, Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey. • Lead Singers - Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby AMERICAN MUSIC - 1900 TO 1950 ROCK -N- ROLL -Combination of Rhythm and Blues, Country & Western, Big Band and Jazz -This mixture was so controversial that many people including many Congressmen - felt it was a plot to destroy American values by encouraging race mixture -Rock & Roll found a strong and faithful audience -Teenagers were into dancing, and Rock was all theirs. Since then, there have been many genres that have evolved from the basic Rock & Roll style. ROCK -N- ROLL 1950 - 2020 1950 to 1960 • Cleveland Disc Jockey Alan Freed first used the term “Rock & Roll” to promote to white audiences starting in 1951 ROCK -N- ROLL 1950 - 2020 1950 to 1960 • Bill Haley and the Comets became the first band to record Rock. Their first song, “Rock Around The Clock” sold 25 million copies and was used as the theme song of two movies – “Rock Around the Clock” – “Blackboard Jungle”. ROCK -N- ROLL 1950 - 2020 1950 to 1960 Elvis Presley - “King of Rock & Roll” • Regarded as one of the most important figures in 20th century music • Had a style that combined gospel, blues, country and western, and big band • Sold over 1 billion record units - more than anyone else in the record industry history • Over 150 albums and singles have been certified gold, platinum, or multiplatinum • Starred in 33 movies ROCK -N- ROLL 1950 - 2020 1950 to 1960 • Dick Clark‘s “American Bandstand Show” – nationwide on television – millions of teens watched rock stars perform and teens dance to the music ROCK -N- ROLL 1950 - 2020 1950 to 1960 • Other important performers: Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Ray Charles, Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly, Ray Charles and Pat Boone ROCK -N- ROLL 1950 - 2020 1960 to 1970 • Motown Records founded in Detroit to promote black artists and “soul sound” • Smokey Robinson, Dianna Ross and the Supremes, Gladys Knight and the Pips, The Shirelles, Marvin Gaye and the Four Seasons ROCK -N- ROLL 1950 - 2020 1960 to 1970 • The Beatles hit America leading the British Invasion. John, Paul, George, and Ringo became the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed band in the history of popular music. • Over 240 songs, recorded many singles and albums and • Wrote and directed movies 1960 to 1970 • Other British Bands: – Herman’s Hermits, The Rolling Stones, The Animals, Led Zeppelin, David Bowie 1960 to 1970 • Surf Music popular for a short period – The Beach Boys – Bee Gees – Jan and Dean – The Monkees 1960 to 1970 • Folk Rock: Peter, Paul, and Mary, Bob Dylan, Arlo Guthrie • Acoustic- not electric ROCK -N- ROLL 1950 - 2020 1970 to 1980 • Music involved several genres – remakes of several styles popular in the past decades ROCK -N- ROLL 1950 - 2020 Disco • Dance music • The film “Saturday Night Fever” featured disco music and disco clubs – made disco a world-wide phenomenon – Sound track became a best selling album • Combines Jazz, Classical, Latin, Soul, and Rock, as well as incorporating new technologies ROCK -N- ROLL 1950 - 2020 Beginnings of Rap • “Rappers Delight” by the Sugarhill Gang becomes the first commercially released hip hop record ROCK -N- ROLL 1950 - 2020 Broadway Musicals • “Hair” and “Jesus Christ Superstar” became pop favorites ROCK -N- ROLL 1950 - 2020 1980 to 1990 • Michael Jackson – the dominant figure in popular music as a dancer, song writer, and musician – Started in the 1970’s with his brothers, The Jackson Five • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcWebTqxPcQ • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3Q80mk7bxE – “Thriller” is the best selling album of all time and made music videos popular • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOnqjkJTMaA • “Beat It”, “Billie Jean”, and “Ben” - are credited with transforming MTV into a music powerhouse Glam Metal • Van Halen, KISS, Bon Jovi, Twisted Sister, Motley Crue , Guns N’ Roses Madonna • American singer and actress • Released her first album in 1983 • “Pushed the boundaries” of lyrics and music videos • “Like a Virgin”, “Papa Don’t Preach”, “Like a Prayer”, and “Material Girl” all reached #1 • Sold over 300 million records and is worlds #1 top selling female artist • Remakes herself • Pre-Madonna 1990 to 2000 • Rap and Hip Hop – Snoop Dog, Vanilla Ice, Will Smith R&B • AKA: Rhythm and Blues (contemporary) – Destiny’s Child, TLC Rock - Grunge/Ska/Punk Country Music made a comeback – Garth Brooks, Travis Tritt, Garth Brooks, and Reba McEntire lead the way – Square dancing (line dancing) made a comeback Heavy Metal – Nirvanna, Pearl Jam, and Prince Boy Groups / Girl Groups • Backstreet Boys, N’sync, Spice Girls, New Kids on the Block 2000 to 2010 • Called “the decade that the music died” – not much new or creative • MTV still popular for the first half of the decade 2010’s • Globalization = International music • Internet/youtube = end of MTV era – More access to various types of music Hip-hop/rap Alternative House Indie rock Techno track) Electro Latin/Latino Kpop Return of Boy Bands Many more… OST (original sound • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eP88FUL 7d_8 – Bar graph data QUIZ 1.When did rap first become popular? 2. Who was the King of Rock-n-roll? 3 .What genres of music originated from ex-slaves? 4.What was a famous song my Frank Sinatra? What type of music is he known for? 5. How did Rag Time spread around the US? 6. What genre is considered “head banging music”? QUIZ 7. What’s the name of Michael Jackson’s band (before his solo career)? 8. What is a major style feature of jazz music? 9. Which singers were considered controversial for their times? Why? 10. Who is a popular country music singer? 11. What was a music genre that was popular in the 1970s? 12. Who were two NYC rappers? 13. Name something that Michael Jackson is famous for.
