Final Exam
Johnny Cash
(look in book) experienced a resurgence, well-known rap producer Rick Rubin signed Cash to the American Recordings label int he early 1990s, Cash's five "American Recordings" proceeded to garner critical raves and popular attention, attracted the attention and approval of a new generation and brought Cash renewed fame and respect
Progressive Country
embracing counterculture attitudes in 60s, inspired by honky tonk + rockabilly mixture of Bakersfield country music, the singer-songwriter genre + country rock style, more intellectual w/ liberal outlook
Hardcore
extreme variation of punk, pioneered during the early 1980s by bands in San Francisco and LA mosh pits, slam dancing screaming played very fast took the frenzied energy of the Ramones and the Sex Pistols and pushed it to the limit most recording were released by independent labels
The Beastie Boys
first commercially successful white act in hip-hop, represent a fusion of the youth-oriented rebelliousness of hardcore punk rock with the sensibility and techniques of hip-hop, appeared in Krush Groove, one of the first films to deal with hip-hop culture, experimented with combinations of rap, heavy metal, punk rock, and psychedelic rock
Brantley Gilbert
hard rock + country
Van Halen and "Jump"
heavy metal (helped "mainstream" heavy metal), main instrumental melody was played on synthesizer rather than electric guitar, success boosted by music video featuring David Lee Roth, features a virtuosic guitar solo by Eddie Van Halen
Carole King and "It's Too Late"
illustrates central prominence of singer-songwriters, Tapestry album, mature audience/adult relationship content
R.E.M.
incorporated aspects of folk rock toured constantly signed a $10 million, five-album agreement with Warner Brothers Won a Grammy for Best Alternative Music LP for Out of Time
Velvet Underground
led by Lou Reed + avant-garde violist John Cale, deliberately anticommercial, sexual
Reggae
mixes Caribbean folk music + American R+B, first style of rock era originating in so-called third world, Jamaican film The Harder They Come --> made it popular, American and British rock musicians found inspiration in reggaie, rap music influenced by Jamaican "dub", slang term from "raggedy, everyday stuff", roots lie in Jamaican country (mento), contains "riddims", short choppy chords
Marvin Gaye + What's Going On
recorded for Motown, revolves around theme of social justice, generated number one singles on the soul charts + pop charts
Ice-T
recorded the theme song for the film Colors in 1987, actual gangster, reflected ongoing changes in southern Cali's urban communities, embodied an outlaw swagger
Ska
reggae but faster, onomatopoeic term derived from the style's typical sharp offbeat accents
Townes Van Zandt and "Poncho + Lefty"
singer-songwriter who became cult hero, never on Top 40 but frequently covered, unpolished vocal style, European-derived ballad tradition, evokes old Spanish ballad tradition that took root in Mexico (corrido)
Rolling Stones + Exile on Main Street
unpolished, rough studio sound, bad attitude, went to jail a lot for drugs, bleakness + desolation impression, recorded in basement of guitarist Keith Richards's French House(went to France for tax relief), obscene album art (sexuality emphasized, covers conveyed a lot about aesthetic aims +personality)
Snoop Doggy Dogg
"What's My Name?" Snoop's soft drawl and laid-back-but-lethal gangster persona were featured on Doggystyle Released on the album in its original version and in a "clean" version on a single designed for radio airplay and mass distribution Relaxed, medium-tempo dance groove is established by drum machine and keyboard synthesizers Snoop adds verbal layers to his gangsta persona, boasting about his potential for lethal violence
Allman Brothers Band
"free jazz" improvisation (different every performance), rooted in southern folk music, breakthrough w/ release of At Filmore East, blues were central, established southern rock --> Lynyrd Skynyrd, (wave confederate flag, rebellion, associated w/ whiteness + conservative social values, AA traditions, racially integrated, but apparently also racist)
David Bowie and The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
"glam rock", fictitious character, concert tour was theatrical tour de force
Notorious B.I.G.
Also known as Biggie Smalls Up-and-coming star of the New York independent label Bad Boy Records and CEO Sean "Puffy" Combs (Puff Daddy) Battle between east and west coast Shot to death in 1997 (never solved) Recorded prophetic raps that ended with the narrator speaking from the grave
Toby Keith
American Soldier Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue (patriotic; positive about 9/11) Public feud with the Dixie Chicks (they toured in Europe shortly after 9/11; they said to European audience that George W. Bush is not their president)
Music and Identity (Race)
Role of race and ethnicity in American music must be situated within a broader context Race is more a social fiction than a biological fact but has taken on a powerful life of its own By-product of the focus on black and white music and musicians is the tendency to forget about Latin American tradition
Merle Haggard
born in CA (near Bakersfield), served 3 years for burglary at 19, associated w/ "back to the basics" hardcore country, hard life put into music, spare, twangy sound, band: Strangers, chronicled lives and attitudes of everyday people in gritty, realistic language, patriotic
Alan Jackson
came to prominence in early 90s Chatahoochee Midnight in Montgomery Patriotic (Where were you when the world stopped turning; 9/11)
Waylon Jennings
centerpiece of group called Outlaws, began as musician and DJ, joined Buddy Holly's rock 'n' roll group: The Crickets, image as a rebel, Ladies Love Outlaws album
New Technology
completely digital synthesizer (Yamaha DX-7) MIDI allowed synthesizers to be produced by multiple companies Digital Samplers - stored both pre-recorded and synthesized sounds Digital Sequencers- allow creation of repeated sound sequences, manipulation of rhythmic grooves, and the transmission of recorded data Drum Machines - in dance music and rap recordings Legal dilemmas connected w/ samplers (stealing music)
Stevie Wonder and "Superstition"
contract with Motown, blends elements borrowed from AA music, repeated syncopated riff, uses clavinet (electronic keyboard that sounds like synthesizer)
Glenn Campbell
country crossover artist, worked w/ wrecking crew, studio session guitarist, laid back
Dolly Parton
country music radio + television, flexible soprano voice, cheerful sex symbol, CMAs Female Singer of the Year in '75 + '76, national television series
Garth Brooks
crossover pop artist mixes honky tonk and rock Garth Brooks --> Chris Gains personalized distribution
Joni Mitchell and Blue
cycle of songs about complexity of love, strong emotional focus related to autobiography of the singer, exemplifies tendency inherent in folk rock + singer-songwriter genres toward self-revelation
John Denver and "Thank God I'm a Country Boy"
died in plane crash in 90s, folk singer in NY --> country (wrote about nature), immediacy and spontaneity essential to character and appeal are related to live audience, fiddle-led ensemble evokes general sound + feeling of old-time acoustic country string bands, butt of everyone's jokes; shunned by Country Music Association because he looks like a dork w/ shaggy hair and huge rimmed glasses
The 1980s
downturn in music industry, cassettes surpassed vinyl discs, CDs introduced, Musical instrument digital interface (MIDI) specifications are developed country music becomes bestselling genre in US w/ rock and pop influenced country superstars record labels being consolidated, rap grew into multimillion-dollar business
Alternate Currents
every genre has alternative subgenre often deeply informed by historical knowledge of the particular genres
MTV
explosion in growth of cable tv, one of first paid for cable channels, mostly focused on white rock artists + promoted 2nd British Invasion, Michael Jackson's Thriller forced a change in MTV's format
Run-D.M.C.
first major mainstream rap group to headline a national tour and the first to appear on MTV, popularized rap among the young, predominantly white audience for rock music, gave the genre a more rebellious image, introduced hip-hop sartorial style to millions of young Americans (the "look", clothing styles), signed a $1.5 million promotional deal with Adidas "Walk This Way"- collaboration between Run-DMC and the popular hard rock group Aerosmith, cover version of a song written and previously recorded by Aerosmith, Run and DMC trade lines of the song's verses in an aggressive, shouted style, chorus is performed by Aerosmith's Steven Tyler in a high, strained voice, associated with heavy metal music, the video was the first rap video to be put into heavy rotation by MTV, played a pivotal role in the mainstreaming of rap music
Elton John and "Crocodile Rock"
flamboyant (sequin costumes, gay, dressed like Donald Duck sometimes), keyboard-playing singer-songwriter, nostalgia/sense of loss, upbeat teen dance song, humor, chord progressions of early rock 'n' roll
Stooges
formed in Ann Arbor, MI, led by Iggy Stooge, outrageous rebellious performances
Rastafarian Movement
founded by Josiah Marcus Garvey, Jamaican writer/political leader, inspired a "Back to Africa" repatriation movement, Biblical interpretation through view of slavery, apocalyptic consequences for oppressors, use of ganja (bud) as sacramental herb, "dreadlocks"
New York Dolls
glam rock look, punk antifashion
Ramones
high-speed, energetic, loud sound, blue jeans +leather jackets, very fast + short, catchy, pop-inspired melodies, act dumb on purpose, "I Wanna Be Sedated" with anti-guitar solo (one note entire time)
Vanilla Ice
icon of "wackness" (weakness) fake gangster, To the Extreme monopolized the number one position for sixteen weeks in early 1991, develops gangster persona, but was raised in reasonably comfortable surroundings race was factor in rejection "ice ice baby"
Techno
invented in Detroit (club scenes of NY, Chicago, and Detroit) focused on DJ/producers dance clubs and raves psychoactive drug called ecstasy at raves
Bob Marley
leader of the Wailers, songs of determination, rebellion, and faith in Rastafarianism, died of cancer; almost assassinated, song "I Shot the Sheriff", Jamaican slang (patois), greater prominence of bass + percussion Eric Clapton's "i shot the sheriff" smoothes out the sound; traditional rock backbeat
Emerson, Lake, + Palmer and Pictures at an Exhibition
main theme + structural elements from piano pieces by Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky
1990s
most economically successful popular music no longer presented a coherent stylistic thumbprint (all over the place), five of the annual bestselling albums were debut albums by previously unknown artists, established older artists continued their hold on the devotion of many fans, singles market as a whole continued to shrink, the notion of outsider, ALTERNATIVE, or marginal music has become a means of promoting music (ripped jeans, body piercings, flannel shirts, tattoos, work boots, look like a lumberjack, grunge)
Willie Nelson
most influential from Progressive Country movement, professional songwriter in Nashville (wrote for other people), later settled in Austin, long hair and beard, unpolished conversational voice, bridged gap between rock and country Red-Headed Stranger: concept album by Willie Nelson; contains crossover hit "blue eyes crying in the rain"
Love Unlimited Orchestra and "Loves Theme"
one of biggest instrumental hits, led by Barry White (multitalented AA singer, songwriter, arranger, conductor, and producer), danceability, disco-styled hits, AABA, "soft-soul" (strings)
Tina Turner + "What's Love Got to do With It"
popular in 50s w/ husband Ike, abusive marriage, earned Grammy awards in '84 for Best Female Pop Vocalist, Song of the Year, and Record of the Year, cynicism about romantic love; sexualized, "adult contemporary"
MC Hammer
rapper from Oakland, CA (first we talked about from west coast), Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em became the bestselling rap album of all time, boosted by music videos thtat highlighted his impressive abilities as a dancer by his appearances in advertisements and a cartoon show called Hammerman, pushed rap fully into the mainstream, lost all of his money to friends, family, etc. and went bankrupt "u can't touch this"
Punk Rock
rebellion against perception of corporate rock, New Wave approach; appealing to college students, cultural styles as much as music one, risk-taking spirit, starts in Great Britain, "do-it-yourself" attitude, took shape in NY
Dead Kennedys' "Holiday in Cambodia"
sarcasm directed at the spoiled children of suburban yuppies who singer Jello Biafra suggests ought to be sent to forced labor camps in Cambodia builds to an extremely fast tempo opposed American imperialism overseas, the destruction of human rights and the environment, and what the band saw as a hypocritical and soulless suburban lifestyle
Talking Heads
self-consciously artistic, formed by David Byrne, Chris Frantz, and Tina Weymouth, dressed like nerdy hipster college kids, aesthetic interest "Psycho Killer" - David's high-pitched voice
Disco
social dancing, one single fills 20 min of music for dance, comes from "discotheque" (nightclubs in Europe), popularized by the film Saturday Night Fever, had to dress up to be let in, shrine to hedonism --> drugs rampant, so it's an escape, synthesizers, antidisco reaction at baseball game because thought to be gay culture Simple, repetitive chords, strong, steady beat, bass drum, mid tempo, sexual (drugs, hookups), pre-AIDS period (Bee Gees: "Stayin Alive")
Public Enemy
socially engaged rap, included Chuck D, Flavor Flav, Terminator X, and Professor Griff, featured a cohort of dancers who dressed in paramilitary uniforms, carried Uzi submachine guns, and performed martial arts-inspired choreography, It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back fused the trenchant social and political analyses of Chuck D with the streetwise interjections of his sidekick Flavor Flav "Night of the Living Baseheads"- zombies --> crack cocaine epidemic
Jimmy Cliff
star of film of The Harder They Come, moves to London, popular reggae music in America
Nirvana
trio centered on singer and guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic associated with grunge rock alternative rock becomes mainstream group signed with major label DGC in 1991 drummer Dave Grohl became steady member of group Nevermind reached number one and stayed on charts for almost five years attracted a mass audience that included millions of fans of hard rock and commercial heavy metal music, genres to which their own music was explicitly opposed 1994, Cobain died of a self-inflicted shotgun wound (suicide) (he was a drug addict; a lot of heroin) "Smells Like Teen Spirit" combines heavy metal instrumental textures and pop songwriting techniques, including a number of memorable verbal and melodic hooks combines four-chord heavy metal harmonic progression first alternative rock single of the 1990s to enter the Top 10 textural shifts mark off formal sections off the song
Rock Steady
updated version of ska
Eurythmics
Bitish synth pop group, singer Annie Lennox and keyboardist Dave Stewart, androgynous image of Annie, built around hypnotic digital loop, some text hint darkly at abusive relationships ("Sweet Dreams are made of This")
Hip-Hop, Sampling, and the Law
Digital sampling technology triggered some interesting court cases Supreme Court held that 2 Live Crew's satirical copying of portions of "Oh, Pretty Woman" in 1989 was not excessive The Turtles sued the hip-hop group De La Soul for using a snippet of the "You Showed Me" and won a costly out-of-court settlement O'Sullivan forced Warner Brothers to remove Biz Markie's album from the market until an offending track was removed
Music and Identity (Sexuality)
Central to the history of American pop music Authorities of various sorts have been concerned to monitor representations of sexuality Depictions of nonheterosexual relationships have been treated gingerly by the entertainment industry A number of prominent pop music stars have fashioned personas that seem purposefully to blur public perceptions of their sexual orientation
Alternate Rock
College students and student-programmed college radio stations are key ingredients for a regional underground scene Symbolized by local, anticommercial, guitar-based music blending the abrasive, do-it-yourself sensibility of 1970s Committed to songwriting exploring taboo issues "dressing down" most influential indie rock bands of the 1980s were R.E.M and Sonic Youth
Class Distinctions
Expression of working-class, middle-class, and upper-class identities and experiences runs right through the history of American popular music Class identity has often bubbled just below the sleek surfaces of American pop music Popular music is full of references to wealth, poverty, and the effect of economic matters on the human heart
Led Zeppelin + "Stairway to Heaven"
Formed in London, influenced by urban blues, San Francisco psychedelia, + virtuoso guitar playing of Jimi Hendrix, heavy texture + loud, fold tradition of British Isles, 8 minute track never was a single but was requested on FM radio, ALBUM COVER DIDN'T HAVE NAME OF ALBUM OR BAND --> controversial, anthem of heavy metal music, escalation in density, volume, and speed Jimmy Page (guitar), John Bonham (drums), John Paul Jones (bass + organ), Robert Plant (vocals).
New Trends since 2000s
Frequency and intensity of references to past decades seem to have intensified in the 2000s Recent evolution in hip-hop, alternative rock, electronic dance music, and Latin pop seems more continuous and gradual than in previous decades
Southern California Rap
In the late 1980s, became a primary center of hip-hop innovation, sound was augmented by a smoother, more laid back style of rapping, content of the MCs' recitations became angrier, darker, and more menacing,
Centers and Peripheries
Increasingly difficult to distinguish between the mainstream of pop music and its margins US market no longer dominates global sales
N.W.A. (Nigs With Attitude)
Heralded the emergence of West Coast gangsta rap with the album Straight Outta Compton in 1989. Raps were saturated with images of sex and violence straight out of the prison toast tradition, nucleus of the group was formed in 1986 with O'Shea "Ice Cube" Jackson and Andre "Dr. Dre" Young, Also included Eric "Eazy-E" Wright, D.J. Yella, and M. C. Ren. The cover of the CD reinforce the aura of danger, Ice Cube went on to make a series of platinum albums, Eazy-E sold over 5 million albums in the 1990s, M.C. Ren sold 1 million copies of his Kizz My Black Azz
Country in early 2000s
Honky Tonk + Rock 'n' Roll (electric guitars, drums)
Queen Latifah
Most important woman in the history of hip-hop Provided an alternative to the misgynist braggadocio (bragging) of gangsta rappers like Snoop Doggy Dogg Biggest hit single "UNITY" reached number seven on the r+b charts, crossed over to the pop Top 40, and won a Grammy for Best Solo Rap Performance UNITY: features slow, sultry, reggae-influenced groove black men and women should treat each other with love and respect
Dr. Dre
Most influential and economically successful member of N.W.A Founded an independent record label (Death Row/Interscope) Cultivated a number of younger rappers Develop a distinctive hip-hop production style, christened "G-Funk" Produced Snoop Dogg
Sex Pistols
associated w/ white working-class youth subculture, British groups more political + less artsy than NY bands, "anti-fashion" boutique owner Malcom McLaren creates band, outrageous behavior w/ cursing on tv
Pink Floyd + Dark Side of the Moon
based on theme of madness, stayed on Billboard top LPs charts for over 14 years, some claim that the album can by synchronized with the Wizard of Oz
Technology in the Music Business
New technologies open up creative possibilities for musicians and have created a wider range of choices for consumers New digital technologies allow musicians to excavate the musical past By the 2000s, personal computers could be transformed into sophisticated home recording studios iPods and iPads have replaced PCs as portable recording studios Auto-Tune is used to correct a singer's pitch and create interesting effects Critics assert that Clear Channel's use of its radio stations and billboards to advertise Clear Channel-booked shows at Clear Channel-owned venues is a monopoly (bought out radio stations and billboards; iheart radio) The model of centralizing control in the media landscape continues to trouble artists and their audiences
Carlos Santana
began music career in Tijuanna, moved to San Fran at 15, inspired by jazz and San Fran rock "Oye Comova" --> fluid lead guitar style, improvisation, organ, rhythm at heart of music, jazz, afro-latin tradition
The Eagles and "Hotel California"
began w/ performing "country rock", song introduced new, complex, and poetic tone, sense of loss and disillusionment that is desperate + apocalyptic in character, guitar solos over the chords of verses reflect of idea of being "stuck" in situation
Generational Identity
Pop plays a major role in creating youth cultures The music industry now draws a broad distinction between kids in the 12 to 16 year old bracket and young adults in the 17 to 25 year old range Pop music provides us with a unique window onto changing conceptions of adolescence Pop music is one of the main media through which we learn how to "act our age"
American Idol
Televised, mass-participatory talent contests present fans with new opportunities to participate in the "discovery" and promotion of pop stars Blends two popular entertainment formats: the talent contest and so-called "reality television" Idols franchise was created by Simon Fuller, a British pop producer-manager-promoter Provides a window onto the cultural values, perceptions, and aspirations of millions of Americans
Thrash
blended the fast tempos and rebellious attitude of hardcore with the technical virtuosity of heavy metal guitar playing harder, faster version of the commercially successful speed metal style did not produce any superstars LA band Suicidal Tendencies was the most recognizable from the genre (also Metallica, Megadeath, Slayer etc.)
New Devices and Web Sites
The iPod and other MP3 players dominate the market for portable listening devices By 2008 Apple's iTunes store become the top music retailer in the US Pandora Radio, launched in 2000, offers playlists to listeners based on their own listening preferences Swedish-based Spotify offers both a free and a paid "premium" service Myspace launched in 2003 and thousands of musicians made their recordings available on their Myspace pages YouTube is a major outlet for popular music Lady Gaga jump-started her career by posting videos on Myspace Music and also used YouTube
Music Business
Touring is important component of total profits generated by music business Shift toward vertical integration of aspects of the music business has intensified In February 2009, Live Nation and Ticketmaster Entertainment announced a merger, combining the biggest concert promoter int he world with the leading ticketing and artist-management company Online digital sales of music in the US surpassed physical sales for the first time in 2011 Major music corporations are downsizing
Tupac (2pac) Shakur
Up-and-coming star for LA-based Death Row Records and CEO Marion "Suge" Knight Shot to death in 1996(never solved) Recorded prophetic raps that ended with the narrator speaking from the grave His mother sued Death Row for the rights to her dead son's tapes
Alternative Music
a term used across a wide range of popular genres, emerged as a more or less underground movement in the early 1980s, combined the rebellious spirit and youth appeal of rock 'n' roll with the nihilism (rejection of religious and moral principles) of punk rock
Peter Gabriel
achieved celebrity status first as member of Genesis, "Sledgehammer" - lyrics packed w/ double entendre references to sledgehammers, big dippers, steamrollers, etc., opens w/ Japanese Shakuhachi flute, recieved mass exposure on MTV, won 9 MTV awards (more than any in history)
Kenny Rodgers + "Lady"
appeared on major Billboard charts, "adult contemporary" genre, romantic songs aimed at 25-45 audience, written and produced by Lionel Ritchie, country + pop, AABA
