Music unit 5/6/7

Dare, the Human League's 1981 international smash hit, is notable for its unprecedented use of what now-common performance technology?

The sequencer.

While thrash (or speed) metal shares many basic traits with all other kinds of metal, its speed and aggression show the influence of what other style?

hardcore punk

Which of the following is an accurate statement about the doo-wop phenomenon?

one-hit wonders

what indie label was most closely associated with the Seattle sound?

sub pop

What playback format, first introduced in the mid 1980s, quickly became the industry and consumer standard, pushing vinyl LPs into virtual extinction?

the CD

Describe the connection between rap and hip-hop

*Hip-hop is best understood as an "umbrella"* that encompasses a range of urban cultural expressions and modes of behavior; *rap is the most visible musical manifestation of hip-hop.*

What is the paradox of metal and rap's relationship to advances in musical technology?

Advances in musical technology are generally concerned with removing unwanted noise in playback and recording; rap and metal use those very advances to create MORE noise.

summary of the economic state of the music industry in 1996?

After a period of serious growth and prosperity (during which top artists were routinely offered contracts in excess of $30 million), sales once again stalled, prompting a short-lived round of cutbacks and retail-chain bankruptcies and another desperate search for the next big music trend.

describe the process by which electronica entered into the mainstream for US audiences?

After making a visible splash in British rave culture, electronica entered the US mainstream through a combination of music-industry support and integration into more conventional popular-music idioms.

What is an accurate summary of the economic state of the music industry in 1996

After over a decade of serious growth and prosperity (during which top artists were routinely offered contracts in excess of $30 million), sales once again stalled, prompting a short-lived round of cutbacks and retail-chain bankruptcies and another desperate search for more Next Big Things.

What was the historical significance of Record Business's institution of the Independent Singles and Albums charts?

All of the above are aspects of the historical significance of these charts.

Which of the following statements about British postpunk record art is true?

All of the above are true statements about British postpunk record art.

Which of the following actions by the music-industry establishment signals recognition of the widespread visibility and success of rap over the 1980s?

All of the above music-industry actions signal its recognition of the importance of rap.

What criticism has been applied to both teen-pop artists like Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears and recent R&B acts like Destiny's Child and R. Kelly?

All of these artists have been accused of using hip-hop's musical practices in an inauthentic way.

"We Are the World" (and the U.S.A. for Africa project in general) was instrumental in raising American awareness of the terrible famine in Ethiopia, but it also was the target of a great deal of criticism. Why?

All of these were sources of negative criticism against "We Are the World."

How is an MP3 different than a CD-quality audio file?

An MP3 is more compressed (i.e. of lower definition) and smaller (i.e. easier to store and transmit) than a CD-quality audio file.

How does electronic dance music differ fundamentally from most other styles of popular music?

At its heart, it is a purely functional music, intended primarily for a very specific use in a very specific space.

both styles being marketed as mediums of "safe" or "mainstream" rebellion by the record industry, rap and metal were connected in what other significant way during the 1980s?

Both styles were subject to repeated attack from groups who felt they were at least partially to blame for increasingly visible problems (like suicide, drug usage, gang membership and sexual promiscuity) among young people.

How did the political and social climate of the 1950s contribute to the legacy - some might say the "myth" - of rock 'n' roll?

By standing in sharp contrast to the climate of political and social conservatism and providing a voice for disaffected young people and racial minorities, rock 'n' roll stands as the first example of popular culture in visible opposition to mainstream values

What explains the sudden commercial impact of country music in the 1990s?

Commercial country artists like Garth Brooks and Shania Twain had significant crossover appeal, both in their musical and visual presentation, which made them more palatable to mainstream audiences.

How does the basic structure of a P2P network differ fundamentally from that of the conventional systems for distribution of music?

Conventional systems of distribution rely on a central outlet to regulate the flow of music; P2P networks have no central server, instead connecting users directly with one another.

What abbreviation summarizes the self-motivational, self-sufficient philosophy that guided postpunk, hardcore and the early American indie-rock community?

DIY

What label, founded by Ian MacKaye of Minor Threat and Fugazi, is a great example of how 1980s local indie-rock scenes often had a strong and supportive label at their center (in this case, in our nation's capital)?

Dischord Records.

What electronica style is characterized by hyperkinetic, uptempo breakbeats and deep, throbbing electronic bass lines?

Drum 'n' bass

Which British band served as a lightning rod for criticism of sexist and racist images in early MTV videos (even as their videos signaled a fundamental shift toward a new kind of video-making)?

Duran Duran.

What artist has been a lightning rod for criticism of violent, misogynistic lyrics in contemporary rap (especially given that he has attained a level of critical acclaim that has mostly eluded black artists who employ similar themes)?

Eminem

What was the relationship between American hardcore and indie rock in the 1980s?

Hardcore was the first style associated with the American indie-rock movement, and laid the framework for the less musically-restricted field of indie rock as the latter developed through the decade.

When Simon Reynolds posits that many postpunk bands in England adopted an "antirockist" approach, what does he mean?

He means that the postpunk bands, in their rejection of punk's stripped down approach to rock, often adopted other styles, which explains why groups like Gang of Four and Joy Division incorporated elements of funk, disco, electronic music, and other non-rock sounds.

What were the primary urban centers for rap during the 1980s?

New York City and Los Angeles

Throbbing Gristle singlehandedly created the sound and concept of what postpunk style?

Industrial

What was a fundamental difference between Live Aid and previous humanitarian events - a difference that, arguably, permanently changed the face of charity?

Live Aid relied heavily on corporate sponsorship, which would previously have been considered an absolute no-no.

What was the dominant makeup of MTV's playlist during its first two years of broadcast?

Mostly non-narrative videos by British newpop bands.

What is the best way to understand the function of and use of the music video, as manifested from the beginning of the video era?

Music videos were fundamentally promotional vehicles; they were expensive to produce and turned very little direct profit, but instead acted as a "gateway" that hopefully guided viewers to purchase the artists' recordings.

What late 1970s/early 1980s genre - associated with groups like The Police, Talking Heads, and Blondie - is understood to be a commercialized response to the punk movement?

New wave

How did MTV's capacity to make stars out of seemingly unmarketable artists impact the major labels' marketing & promotion practices in the 1980s?

None of the above is correct - indeed, following the astronomical success of Thriller, the major labels almost uniformly shifted toward the so-called "superstar system" in the 1980s, promoting even fewer artists in an effort toward global market saturation.

What generally distinguishes the postpunk bands' musical approach from that of their British punk predecessors?

Postpunk bands generally adopted an anti-rockist attitude, absorbing influences from dance music, soul and funk, non-Western musics, and electronic experimentation

What NYC rap group is remembered for their innovative use of heavily-layered, noisy samples, lyrical themes of black empowerment, and a loose, free-flowing rapping style that often sounds as though it's being improvised on the spot - as exemplified in their classic cut, "Bring the Noise"?

Public Enemy

What organization, founded in 1976, helped bring attention to England's increasingly problematic racial politics, through a series of shows and festivals that had punk and reggae bands sharing the stage?

Rock Against Racism.

What periodical - which began in the heyday of the 1960s counterculture, but by the 1970s became a major player in the music industry - was instrumental in the establishment of contemporary rock journalism?

Rolling Stone

What city was most closely associated with the grunge phenomenon of the early 90s?

Seattle

What musical qualities were adopted by many of the "new wave" of British metal bands (like Motörhead and Def Leppard) and helped pave the way for the lite metal bands who dominated the US pop charts during the late 1980s?

Shorter, catchier songs with better production and a general pop sensibility

Fill in the blank: While Bob Dylan and the Band received widespread critical acclaim for their hybrids of country and rock, _____________ were generally derided by critics on the grounds that their particular take on the blend was too smooth and blatantly commercial.

The Eagles

What was the basis for the PMRC's campaign against heavy metal and rap?

The PMRC's campaign relied on the assumption that there is a causal connection between music, its message(s), and the actions of individuals.

Which band has historically been the most visible representative of British punk, in spite of the fact that they were arguably a completely manufactured entity with no real commitment to punk's ideals DIY, community, and independence from the musical establishment?

The Sex Pistols.

According to the musicians and scene participants interviewed in American Hardcore, hardcore was primarily positioned in opposition to what?

The conservative, money-driven sociopolitical climate of the late 1970s and early 1980s (especially the election of Ronald Reagan).

when critics claimed that 1996 was the "Year of Women in Music" and that 1999 was the "Year of Latin Music," to what phenomena were they responding? .

The emergence of female and Latin(o) musicians at the upper ends of the pop-music performance hierarchy, in many different styles and roles

Rap's entrance into the mainstream coincided with what fundamental change in its practice?

The emergence of the MC as the primary focus of listener attention (where it had previously been the DJ)

Widely hailed as a classic pop album, Paul Simon's Graceland was also the target of vehement criticism. Why?

The fact the Simon did not give songwriting or production credit to his South African collaborators (even in cases of clear appropriation from isicathimaya and other South African traditions) raised the specter of white colonialism - especially troubling given the country's internationally-reviled apartheid policy.

What is the basis of the "indie/major" narrative that continues to fuel notions of indie-rock identity?

The idea that independent and major labels are diametrically opposed with respect to their ideologies and business practices.

The popularity of Prince, Michael Jackson, and other only slightly less-successful artists like Whitney Houston and Lionel Richie signals what shift in the popular-music marketplace during the 1980s?

The reemergence of African-American performers as major players (especially after a period of less visibility in the wake of the disco backlash).

What is a crucial distinction between the term "alternative" and other stylistic descriptions (like "disco" or "rap")?

The term "alternative" has little to do with a specific musical style - it's a very broad category that has encompassed lots of different sounds and approaches, depending on the year, the race of the artists, and other nonstylistic factors.

True or false: In 1978 and 1979, the music industry (like most other US industries) experienced a sharp decline in sales, which it attributed to the practices of home taping and music piracy.

True

What Irish post-punk band - who have achieved international recognition as much for their lead singer's political rhetoric as for their music - are a prime example of the general trend toward social commentary in mainstream popular music during the 1980s?

U2

American indie rock from the mid to late 1980s is best understood as ___________________.

a cluster of diverse bands that were united by their shared ideologies and commitment to independence in their business and musical practice

Musically speaking, American indie rock from the mid to late 1980s is best understood as ___________________.

a cluster of diverse bands that were united only by their shared ideologies and commitment to independence in every aspect of their business and musical practice - not by adherence to a single style.

What was the name of the Norwegian band whose innovative, eye-catching video (which we watched in this week's online session) propelled them to international stardom in 1985?

a-ha