Lesson Proper for Week 13

A genre is a category of an art form, and the word is used of subsets of literature, films, television
shows, and music that fit certain criteria. Often, a work will fit into one genre, but it is possible for a
work to have multiple genres. The term music genre is used to refer to a variety of facets of music,
including the period during which a musical composition was written, its style, its instrumentation and
treatment of those instruments, its form and function, its means of transmission, its means of
dissemination, and the location of its geographical origins sometimes crossed with the cultural or ethnic
background of the composer. There is no agreement or a single comprehensive system to talk about
music genres at the present time.

People may refer to some or all of a small group of categories when using period as the criteria for a
music genre. These include Early Music, Medieval Music, Renaissance Music, Baroque Music, Classical
Music, Romantic Music, and 20th Century Music. The definitions of these music periods are open to
interpretation. For example, the Classical period could be defined as lasting from 1730 to 1820 or from
1750 to 1830. Others might say that it started in the late 18th century. All of these interpretations are
current today. Works like concertos, which have a featured solo instrument highlighted against an
orchestral background, and duets, which have only two instruments, fall into the category of
instrumentation and treatment of instruments as music genre, as do the designations “orchestral music”
or “percussion ensemble music.” Opera is another genre of this type, featuring voices and orchestra, as
is a cappella music, which depends on unaccompanied voices.

“Popular music” is a genre based on period and means of transmission, as are “traditional music”
and “folk music.” “Native American music” and “South African music” are both terms that speak to
geography and culture. Marches, lullabies, minuets, and other music named for dances have to do with
a combination of form and function.
 Possibly the clearest cut set of definitions of music genres is found in award situations, such as in
the Grammy Awards. In this context, the genres are based on a variety of criteria — for example,
“Alternative” is based on what the music is not; “Children’s” is based on the audience; “Musical Show” is
based on form; etc. — which are applied consistently and over time so that a tradition of definition is
built up. Some of the music genres that are popular today include jazz, hip-hop, rap, rock, rhythm and
blues, and pop. Many people have eclectic tastes in music, and people still perform, view, purchase, and
enjoy a wide range of music, including show tunes, folk music, classical music, opera, and ballet music.

TOP 10 MUSIC GENRES

1. Hip Hop/Rap - 12.01%

Rap has dominated the last decade of music and seems an unstoppable force with the influence of hip
hop becoming worldwide. Hip Hop is a musical style using rhythmic and rhyming speech.

2. Techno - 10.38%

Techno has also been a dominant genre of music in the last decade. Techno is form of electronic dance
music that was created in Detroit in the late 1980s, and ever since has captured the eyes of music
listeners around the world.

3. R&B - 10.00%

R & B stands for rhythm & blues and has been vital in shaping today’s culture and combines elements of
pop, soul and hip hop to create its own distinct style. R&B has created some of the world’s biggest
artists and hits and will continue to be a popular genre of music.
4. Punk - 8.82%

Many people have forgotten about punk, but there is a silent majority of people that are still enjoying
the genre. Emerging in the mid-1970s, it was seen as a rebellion to the classic music of the time and
spread a cultural teen rebellion feeling.

5. Alternative Rock - 7.82%

Built on distorted guitars, alternative rock is a pop style of rock that burst into the mainstream when
Nirvana released a single named ‘Nevermind’ which explored the genre. It’s a genre that many people
are still indulging in today.
6. House - 7.45%

House Music is a genre of electronic dance music, but with a twist. It has a repetitive, 4/4 beat and
usually has 120-130 beats per minute. It was created from music producers in Chicago in the mid-1980s.
Since it’s humble beginning in Chicago’s clubs, it has become one of the biggest music genres in the
world.

7. Country - 6.54%

Country music has been around for nearly a century, it originated in the Southern United States and
takes inspiration from American folk music and blues. It’s a mixture of ballads and dance tunes, using
mainly string instruments.

8. Indie Rock - 5.19%

Indie rock is a genre of rock music that was created in the US and the UK in the 1970s. It comes from
independent record labels and takes heavy inspiration from Jazz and Punk rock. Indie Rock has made
some of the most well-known songs of the 2000’s such as ‘Seven Nation Army’ and still continues to
have many talented artists in the genre.
9. Electro - 4.72%

Electro Music is also known these days as ‘EDM’ is an up and coming genre that uses heavy drum
machines and funk. It’s a hard-hitting genre made for the clubs, and the culture is eating it up.

10. Latin - 3.77%

Latin Music continues to be a popular genre of music, and Latin music is a term used for Spanish and
Portugues speaking music. It is more popular than ever before and will continue to grow with hits such
as ‘Despacito’ bringing it to the mainstream media.

THE IMPORTANCE OF MUSIC GENRES

 Music genres are important: they represent one of the most valuable tools we have for
appreciating, comprehending, and communicating with one another about the music we hear. The
responsible use of music classification helps us understand creations in greater context and makes it
easier to identify patterns, recommend new artists to one another, and find creations that are the most
satisfying to our individual tastes. Music genres can greatly enhances our personal listening enjoyment
and allow us to recognize and honor the creative decisions of the hardworking artists who make the
music, including and especially those who branch out and experiment with new styles.

This may seem surprising for some, as it’s not unusual for music fans, artists, and even some
journalists to claim that the use of genres is unnecessary, elitist, or even ignorant. These detractors also
frequently claim that genre classifications place restrictions on artists’ creativity and diminish personal
enjoyment of the music. It’s true that when done improperly, applying labels to music has the potential
to be some of these things, and instances of misuse are easy to find. It’s also true that genre terms —
like all aspects of language — are an imperfect way of describing our human experiences and do not
always convey the subtlety of the listening experience. The topic of the importance of music genres
comes up often in country music, especially over recent years (and recent days) as we’ve seen the
encroachment of other genres into country music like never before. For years Saving Country Music has
been forwarding the theory that all popular music in America is becoming one big mono-genre, where
no matter what radio station you pull up or popular album you stream, it all pretty much sounds the
same.

As the mono-genre has come to fruition, it’s very popular for music artists and fans alike to ask,
“Why do we need genres?” as if it’s an outmoded system that doesn’t make sense in the modern world
and should be relegated to the dustbin of history. Today, people listen to all kinds of music. They’ll listen
to a hip-hop song right after a country one. We even hear artists whose music we might appreciate, not
just the mainstream set, say they see the classification of music into genres as unnecessary. On paper,
there’s nothing wrong with combining two or more genres of music to create something unique. The
problem is that often when this enterprise is undertaken, it’s not creating something unique, it’s meant
to mimic something that is patently similar to everything else being released in popular music, making it
even more uninteresting and non-creative to try and appeal to as many people as possible, regardless of
what the artist may attempt to sell you. Folks will say combining influences is necessary for music to
“evolve,” but that evolution regularly sounds like devolution with rehashed melodies and structures.
Even more dangerous is when artists or the media wrongly classify a song in a genre when it is clearly
the product of another genre, even though many times these are the same people who will preach that
genres don’t matter. Breaking down genres is not enhancing the diversity of popular music, it is the
death of diversity in popular music.

Lesson Proper for Week 14

Rock music is a broad genre of popular music that originated as "rock and roll" in the United States in
the late 1940s and early 1950s, developing into a range of different styles in the mid-1960s and later,
particularly in the United States and the United Kingdom. A type of pop music that developed out of
rock'n'roll in the 1960s and 1970s. It is based around amplified instruments, especially the electric guitar
and electric bass, and is characterized by a strong bass line and driving rhythms. Rock and roll, also
called rock 'n' roll or rock & roll, style of popular music that originated in the United States in the mid-
1950s and that evolved by the mid-1960s into the more encompassing international style known as rock
music, though the latter also continued to be known as rock and roll.

THE ORIGINS AND HISTORY OF ROCK MUSIC

The history of rock music has been volatile and unpredictable as the genre has constantly redefined
and reinvented itself since its emergence in the late 1940s. Not surprisingly, then, it can be difficult to
apply a straightforward definition to such a restless musical format. But while people might quibble over
specifics, rock music can generally be described as hard-edged music performed with electric guitars,
bass, and drums and usually accompanied by lyrics sung by a vocalist. That sounds simple enough, but a
closer look at the evolution of rock suggests how different styles and influences have shaped its
development over the years.

ROCK'S ORIGINS (1940s-1960s)

Rock’s origins can be traced to the late 1940s, when the popular styles of the day, country music
and blues, morphed into a new sound aided by electric guitars and a steady drumbeat. Pioneering rock
artists of the 1950s such as Chuck Berry leaned heavily on classic blues structures while demonstrating a
flair as natural-born entertainers. In contrast to the safe pop music of the era, rock’s aggressive attack
suggested a sexual freedom that was shocking during that conservative age. By the early '60s, Berry’s
followers, most notably the Rolling Stones, expanded rock’s scope by transitioning from singles artists
into musicians capable of producing cohesive albums of songs. Embracing sex and youthful rebellion in
their music, the Stones courted controversy but also elevated rock to new cultural heights.

ROCK'S EVOLUTION (1970s)

As rock music became the dominant form of popular music, new bands built on their predecessors’
strengths while branching out into new sonic territory. Led Zeppelin gave rock a darker, heavier tone,
becoming one of the '70s’ most popular bands and helping to kick-start a new genre known as hard rock
or heavy metal. Around the same time, Pink Floyd added psychedelic elements and complex
arrangements, creating concept albums tied together by a single theme and meant to be absorbed in a
single sitting. Albums such as "Dark Side of the Moon" were credited with spawning the progressive rock
movement.

In the late '70s, in response to what they perceived as pretentious “hippie” bands such as Pink Floyd,
groups including the Sex Pistols and the Clash simplified rock to its core ingredients: loud guitars, rude
attitude, and enraged singing. Punk was born. While all three movements enjoyed different degrees of
mainstream acceptance, a fourth, less-recognized style was beginning to take shape. Spotlighting atonal
noise and unconventional rock instruments such as drum machines, groups such as Pere Ubu became
the pioneers of industrial rock, an abrasive subgenre that didn’t enjoy widespread popularity but
inspired future rock bands.

ROCK'S SPLINTERING (1980s)

As the '80s began, mainstream rock was losing commercial steam, its sound growing stale. In such a
creatively stagnant environment, subgenres started to assert their dominance. Inspired by punk’s
outsider status and industrial’s eclectic instrumentation, keyboard-driven English bands such as Depeche
Mode demonstrated a more introverted song writing style, creating post-punk, also described as new
wave. Meanwhile, American groups including R.E.M. toyed with post-punk elements, balancing
introspective lyrics with traditional rock-band arrangements. These bands were dubbed college rock
because of their popularity on college radio stations. By the end of the '80s, college rock had become
such a lucrative alternative to mainstream rock that it received a new moniker: alternative rock. It was
also called indie rock because the bands were often signed to small, independently owned labels.
Alternative rock cemented its cultural standing when the music magazine Billboard created a new chart
in 1988 for alternative rock, which the publication classified as modern rock. For most music fans, terms
such as modern rock, alternative, and indie are synonymous ways of describing this popular subgenre.

ROCK'S RE-EMERGENCE (1990s-present)

With the ascension of Nirvana's "Nevermind" in 1991, alternative rock became the dominant
popular music. But while other bands soon sprang up as part of the so-called grunge movement (a
merging of hard rock and punk), other groups, such as Soundgarden, straddled the worlds of alternative
and mainstream rock music. Exacerbated by the suicide of Nirvana's frontman Kurt Cobain, alternative
music started to lose its luster by the middle of the decade, setting the stage for mainstream rock's re-
emergence. One of the first bands to capitalize on mainstream rock’s comeback was Limp Bizkit, which
melded hard rock and rap into a hybrid call rap-rock. Groups such as Staind and Puddle of Mudd
followed in Limp Bizkit’s wake, though these bands focused on melodic hard rock rather than integrating
rap into the mix. Bands that had thrived during grunge’s heyday but didn’t easily fit into the alternative
subgenre, such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers, continued to find audiences throughout the '90s.
Additionally, groups that rose from the ashes of grunge, among them Foo Fighters, incorporated
alternative music’s outsider energy to re-energize mainstream rock.

As rock music entered the 21st century, the most successful acts had the same spirit as their '60s
predecessors, even if they sounded quite different. Linkin Park fuses hip-hop and metal, while 3 Doors
Down emulates hard-rock traditions of the past while providing a contemporary spin. Undoubtedly, rock
music will keep evolving, drawing from its rich history while continuing to keep its ear open for the next
sonic reinvention.

CHARACTERISTICS OF ROCK MUSIC

 DRUMS AND CYMBALS

If we are listening to strong sound of drums and cymbals, we can make sure that it is a rock music.
Drummers play heavily and that percussion comes in distortion.

 GUITAR

Guitar is so strong and guitar sound is so deep. Guitarists usually stram guitar strings heavily like strings
are going to break off. However, this is the beauty of rock songs. Generally, rock lyrics comes with love
songs, which is almost the same with pop songs.

 MEMBERS

The members are four, drummer, pianist, guitarist and a singer. These four members cooperate and
unite to perform a harmonious melody. The leader is the singer and he is the one whom the audience
looks up to. Many people think that these four members are good partners and have loud
characteristics.

 BOMBASTIC SOUND

Bombastic sound is heard when performed. For rock singers, loud, bombastic, and distorted sound.
Sometimes slow but loud. Sometimes it is the same with pop sound. A lot of people are confused with
pop and rock.

10 REASONS WHY ROCK GENRE IS THE BEST

1. Connections between bands and their fans - fans of the rock genre just tend to have better
connections with their favourite bands. I have met so many of my favourite bands and had actual,
meaningful conversations with them. Most rock bands also say they don't have fans, they have
friends, and it's true. The rock genre is very fan fuelled and the bands truly care about their fans and
there's not many who won't take the time to come out after each concert to meet everyone they
can.
2. The industry is the best - The rock music industry is full of the most supportive people you could
find. If a band's bus has been robbed or a band has been involved in a bad accident, the industry is
very quick to rally around them and get them back on their feet as quickly as possible. Just this past
year a band was in a terrible bus accident and their record label funnelled 100% of their profit from
this band back to them to help them get back on their feet. Fans will send around donation pages to
help bands and to help out other fans. Bands will share donation pages to help our fans in times of
need. It's just a very all around supportive community.
3. You can't beat how interactive the concerts are - Rock bands truly know how to perform for their
fans and know just how to connect with them even during the concerts. You will always see the lead
singers in the crowd at some point, hell I've even seen other members of the band jump into the
crowd with their instruments. I've had lead singers holding my hand and singing to me, mics pushed
 into my face so I could sing the lyrics back to them, and have had to hold up many lead singers as
they're crowd surfing or crowd walking.
4. Not to mention the adrenaline rush is real - Even if you're not in the mosh pit at a rock concert,
there's an amazing adrenaline rush that comes from them. If you are standing in that crowd
screaming your favourite lyrics back to the band with 100s of people doing the same around you,
and you can see how much the band themselves are enjoying what they are doing, there is no better
feeling.
5. The songs are basically poetry - The lyrics of rock songs are absolutely beautiful. Sure, you definitely
have those cliché songs that are just about sex, drugs, and alcohol, but the best bands in the scene
have absolutely beautiful, meaningful lyrics. Which is much better than lyrics about your butt (you
know, the kind you find on top 40).
6. The lyrics are also relatable - Half the reason we love rock music is because of how closely we can
connect to the lyrics. This is also how we can connect so closely to our favourite bands. They've
been in the same state of mind or the same situation as us before and are just really good at putting
the emotions into words.
7. Oh yeah, the emotions in songs can be a bit real - I've cried multiple times when listening to a new
album from my favourite band. These musicians will write very emotional songs on everything from
the topic of their mental health to a relative or friend who has passed away. Bands in the rock genre
are so good at capturing emotions, everything from anger to sadness.
8. There's awesome organizations within the rock music industry - You will find tents for all kinds of
non-profit organizations at the large scale rock tours, such as Warped Tour. These range from Feed
Our Children NOW! to The Keep A Breast Foundation, to Music Saves Lives. The list goes on and on,
which may be surprising for those who only see fans of rock music as scary people with tattoos and
piercings. We have hearts too, yak know.
9. You can't forget the rocker guys - Not only are they the kindest, most respectful guys I have ever
met. (They're actually all teddy bears under the tattoos and piercings) But, well. Just look at them.
10. It's just better than other genres - It's kind of just as simple as that.
Lesson Proper for Week 15

Modern pop music originated from the United States and the United Kingdom. Even though it is
internationally recognized, most regions in the world have their own variation of pop music. Pop music
started around the beginning of ‘The Jazz Age.’ At that time, it was referred to as ‘Dance Music.’ The
difference, however, is that dance music is basically any music form that is made for dancing. Pop, on
the other hand, has meaningful lyrics. It can be listened to. It is often contrasted with other popular
music genres such as soul and rock. Pop music has produced the most hits in the music industry. Popular
pop musicians are; Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry and Justin Timberlake. Pop music has
evolved over time and it continues to do so. It is popular among the urban middle class population and it
can be said to be the origin of other music genres such as country and blues. In the 1950s the term pop
music was used in Britain to refer to rock n roll. In the 1960s, it was often used to describe beat music. It
was also used in opposition to rock music. It was however, more commercial than rock music which
aimed to appeal to particular audiences and to meet a specific taste. Pop music seemed to be more
about profits than the art.

Pop music is the genre of popular music that produces the most hits. A hit is a song that sells many
copies, and the latest hits are listed every week on the charts. To get on the charts, a song must be
released as a single, although most singles are also released on an album. Songs that become hits almost
always share certain features that are sometimes called the pop-music formula. They have a good
rhythm, a catchy melody, and are easy to remember and sing along to. They usually have a chorus that's
repeated several times and two or more verses. Most pop songs are between two and five minutes long,
and the lyrics are usually about the joys and problems of love and relationships. Pop songs are produced
by groups like the boy band One Direction and the girl group Girls' Generation, and by pop singers like
Justin Bieber and
The Effects of Pop Music

Pop music has produced the highest number of hits because it is upbeat and it focuses on common
themes. The lyrics of most pop music songs are said to have had both positive and negative impacts on
society. Changes and evolution in the pop music have shaped popular culture and morals. The new
trends determine what is considered ‘cool’ and what is not because pop music reflects emerging trends.
It has helped in shaping fusion genres such as R&B, baroque pop, power pop, pop rock, psychedelic pop,
smooth jazz, country pop, electropop, Indie pop, Latin pop and jangle pop. It has helped in promoting
professionalism in music since it puts so much emphasis in technology and production. It has spread
from just America and Britain and become an internationally recognized genre. Most regions in the
world have their own form of pop. Korea, for example, has its own distinct pop music form that has
greatly contributed to the Korean music industry. Pop music has facilitated globalization and cultural
integration.

Characteristics of Pop Music

Pop music is not focused on any specific audience. It is meant to appeal to just about everyone that
would listen and is therefore very commercial. It is used to reflect emerging trends and not specific
ideologies. It is, therefore, focused on recordings and technology and not on live performance. Pop
music is often repetitive to create a rhythmic element that stands out. Pop music is danceable but the
lyrics can also be listened to. They are usually about common themes such as romantic relationships.
Pop music uses Classical European tone for chord progressions and harmony. It is more dominant in
America and Britain but is accepted globally.

EVOLUTION OF POP MUSIC

THE ROARING 1920s: RADIO VERSUS RECORDS

In the 1920s, Tin Pan Alley’s dominance of the popular music industry was threatened by two
technological developments: the advent of electrical recording and the rapid growth of radio. During the
early days of its development, the gramophone was viewed as a scientific novelty that posed little threat
to sheet music because of its poor sound quality. However, as inventors improved various aspects of the
device, the sales of gramophone records began to affect sheet music sales. The Copyright Act of 1911
had imposed a royalty on all records of copyrighted musical works to compensate for the loss in revenue
to composers and authors. This loss became even more prominent during the mid-1920s, when
improvements in electrical recording drastically increased sales of gramophones and gramophone
records. The greater range and sensitivity of the electrical broadcasting microphone revolutionized
gramophone recording to such an extent that sheet music sales plummeted. From the very beginning,
the record industry faced challenges from new technology. Composers and publishers could deal with
the losses caused by an increase in gramophone sales because of the provisions made in the Copyright
Act. However, when radio broadcasting emerged in the early 1920s, both gramophone sales and sheet-
music sales began to suffer. Radio was an affordable medium that enabled listeners to experience
events as they took place. Better yet, it offered a wide range of free music that required none of the
musical skills, expensive instruments, or sheet music necessary for creating one’s own music in the
home, nor the expense of purchasing records to play on the gramophone. This development was a
threat to the entire recording industry, which began to campaign for, and was ultimately granted, the
right to collect license fees from broadcasters. With the license fees in place, the recording industry
eventually began to profit from the new technology.

THE 1930s: THE RISE OF JAZZ AND BLUES

The ascendance of Tin Pan Alley coincided with the emergence of jazz in New Orleans. An
improvisational form of music that was primarily instrumental, jazz incorporated a variety of styles,
including African rhythms, gospel, and blues. Established by New Orleans musicians such as King Oliver
and his protégé, Louis Armstrong, who is considered by many to be one of the greatest jazz soloists in
history, jazz spread along the Mississippi River by the bands that travelled up and down the river playing
on steamboats. During the Prohibition era in the 1920s and early 1930s, some jazz bands played in
illegal speakeasies, which helped generate the genre’s reputation for being immoral and for threatening
the country’s cultural values. However, jazz became a legitimate form of entertainment during the
1930s, when white orchestras began to incorporate jazz style into their music. During this time, jazz
music began to take on a big band style, combining elements of ragtime, black spirituals, blues, and
European music. Key figures in developing the big jazz band included bandleaders Duke Ellington,
Coleman Hawkins, and Glenn Miller. These big band orchestras used an arranger to limit improvisation
by assigning parts of a piece of music to various band members. Although improvisation was allowed
during solo performances, the format became more structured, resulting in the swing style of jazz that
became popular in the 1930s. As the decade progressed, social attitudes toward racial segregation
relaxed and big bands became more racially integrated.

THE 1940s: TECHNOLOGY PROGRESSES

Technological advances during the 1940s made it even easier for people to listen to their favorite
music and for artists to record it. The introduction of the reel-to-reel tape recorder paved the way for
several innovations that would transform the music industry. The first commercially available tape
recorders were monophonic, meaning that they only had one track on which to record sound onto
magnetic tape. This may seem limiting today, but at the time it allowed for exciting innovations. During
the 1940s and 1950s, some musicians—most notably guitarist Les Paul, with his song “Lover (When
You’re Near Me)”—began to experiment with overdubbing, in which they played back a previously
recorded tape through a mixer, blended it with a live performance, and recorded the composite signal
onto a second tape recorder. By the time four-track and eight-track recorders became readily available
in the 1960s, musicians no longer had to play together in the same room; they could record each of their
individual parts and combine them into a finished recording. While the reel-to-reel recorders were in the
early stages of development, families listened to records on their gramophones. The 78 revolutions per
minute (rpm) disc had been the accepted recording medium for many years despite the necessity of
changing the disc every 5 minutes. In 1948, Columbia Records perfected the 12-inch 33 rpm long-playing
(LP) disc, which could play up to 25 minutes per side and had a lower level of surface noise than the
earlier (and highly breakable) shellac discs. Alan Lomax, Alan Lomax: Selected Writings 1934–1997, ed.
Ronald D. Cohen (New York: Routledge, 2003), 102. The 33 rpm discs became the standard form for full
albums and would dominate the recorded music industry until the advent of the compact disc (CD).

During the 1940s, a mutually beneficial alliance between sound recording and radio existed. Artists
such as Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald profited from radio exposure. Until this time, music had
primarily been recorded for adults, but the popularity of Sinatra and his contemporaries revealed an
entirely untapped market: teenagers. The postwar boom of the 1930s and early 1940s provided many
teenagers spending money for records. Radio airplay helped to promote and sell records and the
recording artists themselves, which in turn stabilized the recording industry. The near riots caused by
the appearance of New Jersey crooner Frank Sinatra in concert paved the way for mass hysteria among
Elvis Presley and Beatles fans during the rock and roll era.

THE 1950s: THE ADVENT OF ROCK AND ROLL

New technology continued to develop in the 1950s with the introduction of television. The new
medium spread rapidly, primarily because of cheaper mass-production costs and war-related
improvements in technology. In 1948, only 1 percent of America’s households owned a television; by
1953 this figure had risen to nearly 50 percent, and by 1978 nearly every home in the United States
owned a television. Tom Genova, “Number of TV Households in America,” Television History – The First
75 Years. The introduction of television into people’s homes threatened the existence of the radio
industry. The radio industry adapted by focusing on music, joining forces with the recording industry to
survive. In an effort to do so, it became somewhat of a promotional tool. Stations became more
dependent on recorded music to fill airtime, and in 1955 the Top 40 format was born. Playlists for radio
stations were based on popularity (usually the Billboard Top 40 singles chart), and a popular song might
be played as many as 30 or 40 times a day. Radio stations began to influence record sales, which
resulted in increased competition for spots on the playlist. This ultimately resulted in payola—the illegal
practice of receiving payment from a record company for broadcasting a particular song on the radio.

Technology wasn’t the only revolution that took place during the 1950s. The urban Chicago blues
typified by artists such as Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, and B. B. King surged in popularity among white
and black teenagers alike. Marketed under the name rhythm and blues, or R&B, the sexually suggestive
lyrics in songs such as “Sexy Ways” and “Sixty Minute Man” and the electrified guitar and wailing
harmonica sounds appealed to young listeners. At the time, R&B records were classified as “race music”
and their sales were segregated from the white music records tracked on the pop charts. David
Szatmary, Rockin’ in Time: A Social History of Rock and Roll (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2010),
16. Nonetheless, there was a considerable amount of crossover among audiences.

THE 1960s: ROCK AND ROLL BRANCHES OUT FROM R&B

Prior to 1964, rock and roll was primarily an American export. Although U.S. artists frequently
reached the top of the charts overseas, few European artists achieved success on this side of the
Atlantic. This situation changed almost overnight, with the arrival of British pop phenomenon the
Beatles. Combining elements of skiffle—a type of music played on rudimentary instruments, such as
banjos, guitars, or homemade instruments—doo-wop, and soul, the four mop-haired musicians from
Liverpool, England, created a genre of music known as Merseybeat, named after the River Mersey. The
Beatles’ genial personalities and catchy pop tunes made them an instant success in the United States,
and their popularity was heightened by several appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show. When the Beatles
arrived in New York in 1964, they were met by hundreds of reporters and police officers and thousands
of fans. Their appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show a few days later was the largest audience for an
American television program, with approximately one in three Americans (74 million) tuning in.
Jonathan Gould, Can’t Buy Me Love: The Beatles, Britain, and America (New York: Harmony Books,
2007), 3–4. Beatlemania—the term coined to describe fans’ wildly enthusiastic reaction to the band—
extended to other British bands, and by the mid-1960s, the Kinks, the Zombies, the Animals, Herman’s
Hermits, and the Rolling Stones were all making appearances on the U.S. charts.
THE 1970s: FROM GLAM ROCK TO PUNK

After the Vietnam War ended, college students began to settle down and focus on careers and
families. For some selfish views took the place of concern with social issues and political activism,
causing writer Tom Wolfe to label the 1970s the “me” decade. Tom Wolfe, “The ‘Me’ Decade and the
Third Great Awakening,” New York Magazine, August 23, 1976,
http://nymag.com/news/features/45938/. Musically, this ideological shift resulted in the creation of
glam rock, an extravagant, self-indulgent form of rock that incorporated flamboyant costumes, heavy
makeup, and elements of hard rock and pop. A primarily British phenomenon, glam rock was
popularized by acts such as Slade, David Bowie, the Sweet, Elton John, and Gary Glitter. It proved to be a
precursor for the punk movement in the late 1970s. Equally flamboyant, but rising out of a more
electronic sound, disco also emerged in the 1970s. Popular disco artists included KC and the Sunshine
Band, Gloria Gaynor, the Bee Gees, and Donna Summer, who helped to pioneer its electronic sound.
Boosted by the success of 1977 film Saturday Night Fever, disco’s popularity spread across the country.
Records were created especially for discos, and record companies churned out tunes that became huge
hits on the dance floor.

THE 1980s: THE HIP-HOP GENERATION

Whereas many British youths expressed their displeasure through punk music, many
disenfranchised black American youths in the 1980s turned to hip-hop—a term for the urban culture
that includes break dancing, graffiti art, and the musical techniques of rapping, sampling, and scratching
records. Reacting against the extravagance of disco, many poor urban rappers developed their new
street culture by adopting a casual image consisting of T-shirts and sportswear, developing a language
that reflected the everyday concerns of the people in low-income, urban areas, and by embracing the
low-budget visual art form of graffiti. They described their new culture as hip-hop, after a common
phrase chanted at dance parties in New York’s Bronx borough. The hip-hop genre first became popular
among black youths in the late 1970s, when record spinners in the Bronx and Harlem started to play
short fragments of songs rather than the entire track (known as sampling).Joanna Demers, “Sampling
the 1970s in Hip-Hop,” Popular Music 21 (2003): 41–56. Early hip-hop artists sampled all types of music,
like funk, soul, and jazz, later adding special effects to the samples and experimenting with techniques
such as rotating or scratching records back and forth to create a rhythmic pattern. For example, Kool
Moe Dee’s track “How Ya like Me Now” includes samples from James Brown’s classic funk song “Papa’s
got a Brand New Bag.” The DJs would often add short raps to their music to let audiences know who was
playing the records, a trend that grew more elaborate over time to include entire spoken verses. Artists
such as Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five added political and social commentary on the realities
of life in low-income, high-crime areas—a trend that would continue with later rappers such as Public
Enemy and Ice-T.

THE 1990s: NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN HIP-HOP, ROCK, AND POP

Hip-hop and gangsta rap maintained their popularity in the early 1990s with artists such as Tupac
Shakur, the Notorious B.I.G., Dr. Dre, Eazy-E, Ice Cube, and Snoop Dogg at the top of the charts. West
Coast rappers such as Tupac Shakur and Snoop Dogg favored gangsta rap, while East Coast rappers, like
the Notorious B.I.G. and Sean Combs, stuck to a traditional hip-hop style. The rivalry culminated with the
murders of Shakur in 1996 and B.I.G. in 1997. Along with hip-hop and gangsta rap, alternative rock came
to the forefront in the 1990s with grunge. The grunge scene emerged in the mid-1980s in the Seattle
area of Washington State. Inspired by hardcore punk and heavy metal, this subgenre of rock was so-
called because of its messy, sludgy, distorted guitar sound, the disheveled appearance of its pioneers,
and the disaffected nature of the artists. Initially achieving limited success with Seattle band
Soundgarden, Seattle independent label Sub Pop became more prominent when it signed another local
band, Nirvana. Fronted by vocalist and guitarist Kurt Cobain, Nirvana came to be identified with
Generation X—the post–baby boom generation, many of whom came from broken families and
experienced violence both on television and in real life. Nirvana’s angst-filled lyrics spoke to many
members of Generation X, launching the band into the mainstream. Ironically, Cobain was
uncomfortable and miserable, and he would eventually commit suicide in 1994. Nirvana’s success paved
the way for other alternative rock bands, including Green Day, Pearl Jam, and Nine Inch Nails. More
recently, alternative rock has fragmented into even more specific subgenres.

THE 2000s: POP STAYS STRONG AS HIP-HOP OVERTAKES ROCK IN POPULARITY

The 2000s began right where the 1990s left off, with young singers such as Christina Aguilera and
Destiny’s Child ruling the pop charts. Pop music stayed strong throughout the decade with Gwen
Stefani, Mariah Carey, Beyoncé, Katy Perry, and Lady Gaga achieving mainstream success. By the end of
the decade, country artists, like Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift, transitioned from country stars to
bona fide pop stars. While rock music started the decade strong, by the end of the 2000s, rock’s
presence in mainstream music had waned, with a few exceptions such as Nickelback, Linkin Park, and
Green Day. Unlike rock music, hip-hop maintained its popularity, with more commercial, polished artists
such as Kanye West, Jay-Z, Lupe Fiasco, and OutKast achieving enormous success. While some gangsta
rappers from the 1990s—like Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg—softened their images, other rappers—such as
50 Cent and Eminem—continued to project a tough image and to use violent lyrics. An alternative style
of hip-hop emerged in the 2000s that infused positive messages and an element of social conscience to
the music that was missing from early hip-hop tracks. Artists such as Common, Mos Def, and the Black
Eyed Peas found success even though they didn’t represent traditional stereotypes of hip-hop.

Technological developments played a vital role in bringing popular music to people’s homes. The
invention of the phonograph and gramophone in the late 19th century enabled the reproduction and
mass distribution of sound recordings for the first time. The invention of the reel-to-reel tape recorder
and the development of vinyl records in the 1940s drastically improved this process. The postwar
prevalence of radio hugely impacted popular music, with radio airplay of popular songs promoting
record sales. Throughout the last century, tastes in popular music have evolved to encompass a wide
variety of styles. People who enjoyed opera at the turn of the 20th century saw the rise of vaudeville
and ragtime in the Tin Pan Alley era. Jazz and blues emerged from New Orleans and the Mississippi Delta
during the 1930s, and musical styles adapted as people migrated to Northern urban areas. Rhythm and
blues laid the groundwork for rock and roll that shook up popular music in the 1950s. Popular music
diversified in the 1960s to encompass surf, folk, and soul music. In the 1970s, glam rock and disco
became popular, and punk rockers revolted against the excesses of these styles. Hip-hop dominated the
1980s, and its popularity continued into the 1990s and 2000s. Pop was also successful in the 1990s and
2000s, while mainstream interest in alternative rock waned at the end of the 2000s.
Lesson Proper for Week 16

This isn't about sucralose, polyester, Guccci purses or Bolex watches. This is about representing a
culture authentically. Here's the deal. All over the world, people are offering "Hip Hop" dance classes.
Sometimes those classes are actually fitness classes trying to pass themselves off as Hip Hop classes.
Sometimes those classes don't include any actual Hip Hop dance movement. Sometimes those classes
don't even play any Hip Hop music. Unfortunately, it is not at all uncommon to walk into a "Hip Hop"
class and perform Jazz moves to Janet Jackson. Hip Hop is not R&B. Hip Hop is not Jazz. Hip Hop is not
Neo Soul. Hip Hop is not techno or any other EDM (electronic dance music). Hip Hop dancing may
deliver great fitness results but it is not a fitness system. Hip Hop is not just wearing baggy clothes,
bandannas or baseball caps. Hip Hop is not just a catch all term for popular or street dancing or music
with a beat.

Hip Hop is a culture of fashion, language/slang, music, movement, visual art and expression. Hip
Hop has a very specific history and evolution with its own villains, heroes, legends, triumphs and
downfalls. (if you want to get down to the nitty gritty of exactly what Hip Hop is, go here) Like the
culture of any native people, Hip Hop deserves to be respected and represented accurately by people
who are indigenous to the culture or have taken time to study it deeply and thoroughly. As you would
not expect a foreigner to teach Japanese folk dance without investing serious time in cultural study and
physical practice, it is no less important that anyone teaching Hip Hop do the same.

When we say that we teach "Real Hip Hop", it is because we know what is being passed off out there as
"Hip Hop" and we want to be clear that what you will experience with FUNKMODE is not that. In a
FUNKMODE class, you can be certain that we are going to go out of our way to not only represent actual
Hip Hop culture but do so in a way that you receive the very best the culture has to offer. We are going
to make sure that you don't just take a dance class but that you get immersion in true Hip Hop culture.
We know that many of you coming to us are discovering Hip Hop for the first time and we care that you
get the real deal. Does that mean you won't get fit in our classes? Puhleeze, far too many pounds have
already been lost by our students for us to say that. Does that mean you'll never hear an R&B song? No,
but we'll tell you, "Hey, this is R&B we're playing here, not Hip Hop. Don't get it twisted." Does it mean
we won't teach a House style dance every once in a while? No, but again, we'll say, "Hey everyone, this
week we're learning a House dance." You will ALWAYS know what you are getting and, unless we say
otherwise, it is 100% Real Hip Hop.

Hip Hop is our world and our culture. We live Hip Hop. We love Hip Hop. We ARE Hip Hop. And, so
long as you're with us, YOU will be Hip Hop too. That is our promise to you.

If we had to pick a music genre expressed through oral tradition and that best represents the Afro-
American community and culture, it’s hip-hop. Nowadays, when people think about hip-hop, they often
associate it with “rap music” without considering its poignant history and how it developed. This limited
view of hip-hop is the product of mainstream media. It results in inadequate teaching and
understanding of hip-hop – a form of musical expression that has enhanced and empowered the lives of
many people. In this lesson, I’d like to take you back to its roots and cultural movement throughout the
last 40 years.

OLD SCHOOL HIP HOP

Old school hip hop typically dates from the origination of the movement in the early 1970s up until
the mid-1980s. The first major hip hop deejay was DJ Kool Herc. Mixing percussive beats with popular
dance songs, Kool Herc was instrumental in developing the sounds that became synonymous with hip
hop, such as drum beats and record scratches. Influenced by Kool Herc and his peers, hip hop deejays
developed new turntable techniques, like needle dropping and scratching. Kool Herc also popularized
rapping, which drew upon the traditions of West African griots, talking blues songs, and black power
poetry, among others. Towards the end of the old school hip hop era, the movement began to gain
national recognition. The Sugarhill Gang’s song “Rapper’s Delight” (released in 1979) rocketed up the
national music charts, ushering in a new wave of musicians, artists, and performers, while also
introducing people around the world to this new type of music. However, reggae wasn’t New Yorkers’
cup of tea at that time. Thus, along with other hip-hop pioneers such as Afrika Bambaataa, Grandmaster
Flash, and Grand Wizard Theodore, Kool Herc began organising block parties in the Bronx area. This was
the humble beginning of hip-hop. It was the fruit of overflowing creativity and a lack of available outlets
for African American teens and young adults in some of the poorest districts of New York City to release
their suppressed energy.

THE NEW SCHOOL

From the mid-1980s, a new wave of rappers came into popularity. LL Cool J introduced hip-hop
singles with catchy melodic hooks. The Beastie Boys, a punk rock trio of white men, began shouting raps
instead of singing, which spread the genre to a wider audience. In the late 80s, groups like Public Enemy
fueled a new style of hip-hop that was based on social consciousness, demanding political change and
an end to racism and injustice. Likewise, female rappers such as Queen Latifah and Salt-n-Pepa entered
the predominantly male world of hip-hop, offering a change from the misogynistic point of views of their
male counterparts. In the 90s, hip-hop artists from places other than New York City became prominent.
Successful styles during this period were New York’s hardcore rap and Los Angeles’s gangsta rap and G-
Funk. Amongst those, “Straight Outta Compton” by N.W.A. was a significant album that gave rise to
gangsta rap, which consists of a lot of honest, explicit language about injustice and police violence.
Today, hip-hop has become one of the world’s most popular genres, with singles and albums topping
the music charts. Hip-hop continues to attract and influence a majority of urban youth for the same
reasons it did in the early days: it enables the artist to freely express their personality and their desire to
be seen and heard. It’s also a way to reflect the political, social, and economic conditions of the time.

By the mid-1980s, hip hop had firmly entered its new school era. The names that headed up hip
hop’s new school are more recognizable to a contemporary audience: Run-D.M.C, LL Cool J, the Beastie
Boys, and Public Enemy. Each of these artists is responsible for making hip hop what we know today.
Run-D.M.C brought hip hop to a larger audience through performances on MTV. The Beastie Boys
pushed deejaying further with their digital sampling. LL Cool J and Public Enemy pushed rap in new
directions: LL Cool J by bringing romantic themes into hip hop and Public Enemy by using rap to push
forward political ideology. Other artists that came of age during hip hop’s new school era include Queen
Latifah, who, along with Salt-n-Pepa, brought women into the genre, the Fresh Prince, aka, Will Smith,
and M.C. Hammer, all of whom popularized hip hop music even more.

As hip hop grew in popularity, it expanded beyond its regional roots, too. In 1989, N.W.A’s Straight
Outta Compton became the most prominent hip hop album to emerge from somewhere besides New
York City. The East Coast - West Coast divide evolved into a full-on rivalry between the two groups,
which ended with the unsolved murders of Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G. From the ashes of the
rivalry between the East and West Coasts came late 1990s hip hop, which saw artists like the Wu-Tang
Clan, the Fugees, and Diddy reach new levels of popularity. Hip hop became a worldwide phenomenon
at this point, too, with new audiences and artists emerging in places like Tokyo, Cape Town, London, and
Paris. By the turn of the century, hip hop was the best-selling music genre in the United States.

HIP HOP IN THE 21ST CENTURY

The 21st century was a tough time for the music industry. The advent of streaming services affected
all genres, including hip hop. Despite the monetary effects of the shift in music delivery, hip hop retains
its prominence, influencing musicians of all genres. Over the last decade or so, hip hop has moved
further from its East and West coast roots. New epicenters for the genre have emerged in New Orleans,
Atlanta, Houston, and Detroit, as well as in other cities throughout the United States. Building off of the
original four pillars that defined the genre, hip hop artists touch every part of American culture, from
dance (think Beyonce’s show-stopping productions) to fashion (where artists like Kanye West have
launched lines) to politics (Barack Obama referenced Jay Z several times during his 2008 campaign).
While the future of the music industry remains uncertain, one thing’s for sure: hip hop is here to stay.
Throughout hip hop’s history there have been major moments, from the first time a drummer used a
break beat on a record to the first time a hip hop album went platinum. Here are some of the major
moments in hip hop history.

MAJOR MOMENTS IN HIP HOP HISTORY

YEAR EVENT

1925 Dancer Earl Tucker (also known as Snake Hips) incorporates floats and slides into his
dancing, which would later inspire breakdancing.

1962 James Brown’s drummer, Clayton Fillyau, uses the break beat on the record Live at the
Apollo. These beats would later influence break dancers.

1965 Muhammad Ali delivers one of the earliest rap lines before his bout against Sonny Liston.

1969 James Brown records “Sex Machines” and “Funky Drummer.” Both songs would later
influence percussion in hip hop.

1970 Hip hop first appears in the Bronx.

1973 DJ Kool Herc deejays his first block party in the Bronx.

1974 After watching DJ Kool Herc, other DJs start playing in similar styles around the Bronx. DJ
Pleaser Lovebug Starski first refers to this movement as “hip-hop.”

1975 DJ Grand Wizard Theodore invents the record scratch.

1976 DJ Afrika Bambaataa battles Disco King Mario in the first DJ battle.

1978 The music industry first uses the term “rap music,” which shifts the focus in hip hop from
the deejays to the emcees.
1983 Ice T pioneers rap on the West Coast. Michael Jackson does the moonwalk, borrowing
from b-boy dance moves.

1984 The Fresh Fest concert, a hip hop tour featuring artists like Run D.M.C, nets $3.5 million.
Hip hop has arrived.

1985 Salt-n-Pepa enters the scene as one of the first female rap groups.

1986 The Beastie Boys release Licensed to Ill.

1987 Public Enemy releases Yo! Bum Rush The Show.

1988 N.W.A releases Straight Outta Compton.

1989 A group of friends in Manhattan forms A Tribe Called Quest. D.O.C releases No One Can
Do It Better.

1991 N.W.A sells nearly one million copies of N****z For Life in its first week of release.

1992 Dr. Dre’s album, The Chronic, goes multi platinum. Wu-Tang clan release 36 Chambers.

1995 Queen Latifah wins a Grammy award from Best Rap Solo Performance.

1996 Jay-Z releases Reasonable Doubt. The Fugees’ album, The Score, wins two Grammys and
debuts at number one. Tupac Shakur is fatally shot.

1997 Missy Elliott releases Supa Dupa Fly. Notorious B.I.G is shot and killed.

1998 Lauryn Hill’s solo album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, earns 11 Grammy nominations
and five wins.

1999 Eminem sells four million copies of The Slim Shady LP.

2000 Dr. Dre sues Napster.

2002 Talib Kweli debuts his solo album and introduces himself as a political voice.

2003 Eminem faces controversy and opens up debate about hip-hop and racism after being
caught using the N-word. Federal investigators raid the offices of Murder Inc.

2004 Dr. Dre gets punched in the face at the 2004 Vibe Awards ceremony.

2008 Jay-Z becomes the first rapper to headline Glastonbury, the largest greenfield music and
performing arts festival in the world.

2010 Nicki Minaj releases Pink Friday, which hits number one on the US charts.

2018 Kanye West releases his eighth studio album, Ye, which debuts at number one.

MAIN ELEMENTS OF HIP HOP MUSIC

1. B-BOYING

- A street dance originating among Black youth in the United States, b-boying is also often referred
to as breaking (and erroneously as breakdancing). After becoming popular in the US, b-boying spread to
other countries, and continues to be danced worldwide. Distinctive traits of the dance style include
floor-based movement, physically impressive techniques, syncopated rhythm, and lots of personality.
Breaking itself also has 5 fundamental elements: toprock, foot work, back rock, freezes, and
powermoves. However; as in any art form, there are other elements that make breaking what it is but
these 5 are the core categories for different movements that are under the umbrella of b-boying.

2. MCING

- MCing, short for Master of Ceremonies, got its name from Jamaica, which was the first place to
give rappers the title of MC. In Hip-Hop culture, MCing is the most visible individual role. MCs are
responsible for entertaining the crowd through the rhythmic delivery of rhymes, keeping in time with
whatever music might be playing in the background and providing a canvas for the dancers to work
with. As an art, it takes time to be comfortable with capturing the flow of rhymes and matching those
words with the beat of the music. Usually at Hip-Hop events you will see a vibrant and energetic person
with a mic who is guiding the event, this is the MC.

3. GRAFFITI

- Graffiti is an artistic and visual expression of Hip-Hop culture. It was first found tagged on the
streets of Philadelphia by a high school student who wanted to get the attention of a girl, and since then
has grown to cover the outside of buildings, walls, buses, sidewalks, showcased in art galleries, and even
the album covers of famous singers and rappers. As an art form, graffiti is much more than just tagging -
it shows the expression of Hip-Hop culture that belongs to its listeners. Graffiti has had its run-ins with
the law due to its nature of tagging, and due to this there has been debate over whether particular
pieces would be considered street art or graffiti. There are many different forms and elements of graffiti
itself: tags, slaps, paste-ups, throw-up, blockbuster, wildstyle, heaven, and stencil. These are all different
styles and mediums of graffiti and all have their own history of development and use.

4. DJING

- Short for Disc Jockeying, DJing is the label given to those talented souls who are able to create
new music using already recorded songs, music, sounds, etc. Now, DJing comes in many forms. Some
DJs choose to make their mixes beforehand, selling them pre-made to their listeners, while others
experience the art in the moment, creating new beats that can’t be found anywhere else. However; the
original form of DJing was done to loop drum breaks of certain songs using turntables to make the
"break" last longer than a few 8-counts. This changed music in a drastic way because it layed the
foundational looped drum beats that b-boys break to and MCs rap to. Like the other four elements of
Hip-Hop, DJing is an intensely creative process that results in innovation not only in music but in the
culture of Hip-Hop as a whole.

5. BEATBOXING

- One of the spiritual foundational elements of Hip-Hop, Beat Boxing has the ability to set the tone
when it comes to Hip-Hop music. Typically, a beatboxer will create a repeating beat, using their mouth
to create sounds that will be then accompanied by a rapper. In this way, beatboxing sets the scene for
important Hip-Hop events like rap battles, transforming the mouth and body of the beatboxer into an
instrument. Just as breaking has pulled from other cultures as sources of inspiration (ex: Capoeira)
beatboxing has its own inspirations from other forms of vocal percussion (ex: scatting, pulled from Jazz
music). While professional beatboxers make it look easy, it’s not. Lots of practice is necessary to give
beatboxer the right sound, along with special techniques for breathing to more efficiently use breath
pauses for increased endurance and stamina. Beatboxing, like every other form of Hip-Hop has changed
and evolved overtime, with new techniques, new sounds, and group-beatboxing all now commonly
seen. There are even competitions and battles all over the world.

Lesson Proper for Week 17

R&B stands for rhythm and blues. It is a music genre whose origin is from African American cultures.
The genre has changed a lot since its origin in the 1940s. The style for R&B music is usually soulful and
moving. The R&B music that is pre-dominant now is contemporary R&B. it is not necessarily the same as
the original R&B because it is a combination of pop, hip hop and funk. R&B basically describes popular
music that is influenced by African culture even though the styles keep changing. That, however, does
not mean that it cannot include non-African sources. R&B music has had a strong impact on American
culture for blacks and whites alike. The genre has influenced other types of music such as rock 'n' roll
and also dancing, fashion, language and attitudes. As much as the black community embraced R&B
music, so too did large portions of the white population, especially the youth. It is arguable, therefore,
that R&B music helped to promote understanding and unity between different cultures. Rhythm & Blues
(abbreviated R&B) is a term used to describe the blues-influenced form of music which has been
predominantly performed by African-Americans since the late 1930s. The term 'Rhythm and Blues' was
first introduced into the American lexicon in the late 1940s: the name's origin was created for use as a
musical marketing term by Billboard magazine. In 1949, then-Billboard magazine reporter Jerry Wexler
(who later went on to become an influential music producer) created the term for Billboard to designate
upbeat popular music performed by African American artists that combined Blues and Jazz.
 In the early 1950s, R&B was used to describe blue records. In the mid-fifties, it described music styles
whose origin was from or included electric blues, soul music or gospel. In the 1960s, rock music was also
referred to as rhythm and blues. The meaning changed again and in the seventies, it was used to
describe soul and funk music. In the eighties, contemporary R&B was introduced. This type had
elements of dance, hip hop, funk and soul. It was the most popular form of R&B with globally recognized
artists such as Mariah Carey, Beyonce, Mary J Blige, Usher, R Kelly and Whitney Houston. R&B became
so popular from the nineties and in 2004, more than three quarters of songs that topped R&B charts
also appeared on the Billboard Hot 100.

EFFECTS OF R&B MUSIC

The audience for R&B music keeps changing. Unlike in the past when it mostly targeted African
Americans, it has now become a genre that is accepted by people of all races and ages. It has, therefore,
helped in shedding light on major issues in America and the world. R&B music videos and lyrics have
helped shape popular culture in many countries across the world. Some lyrics and music videos,
however, have been found to be offensive and disrespectful especially to women. Such lyrics and videos
have contributed to false perceptions of femininity and masculinity especially among young people.

R&B HISTORY

The "Rhythm & Blues" term was created to replace the designation "race music," which until then
was the standard catch-all phrase used in reference to most music made by Black people at the time.
After the "race music" term was deemed offensive, Billboard began using the Rhythm & Blues name that
Wexler created. In the 1950s, Rhythm and Blues music was associated with Black youth in honky-tonks
and after-hours clubs, and it was often dismissed as a lowbrow style of art compared to Jazz's more
highbrow form of Black expression. As hip hop music arose and began to dominate the Black social
scene, R&B became thought of as "a bunch of love songs".
 By the 1970s, the term rhythm and blues expanded to become a blanket term that included both
soul and funk forms of music. And today, the term can be used to loosely define most sung African-
American urban music, even though soul and funk can be placed in categories of their own.

The emergence of R&B as a music category reflects its simultaneous marginalization as a form of
African American music and its centrality to the development of a wide repertoire of American popular
music genres, most notably rock ’n’ roll. Three historical processes provide the framework for
understanding the social and cultural contexts of the development of R&B: the migrations of African
Americans to urban centers surrounding World War I and World War II, and the civil rights movement.

CHARACTERISTICS OF R&B MUSIC

When it started, R&B music combined styles from jazz and blues. The songs would also rock n roll. A
distinctive feature of R&B is the use of bass guitars and plenty of pentatonic scales. The bass guitar is
usually the most dominant instrument. The symbols, snares and drums have a heavy beat too. It has
similar characteristics to other music genres including funk and hip hop but it is mostly associated with
black culture. It is melodic and the beat is steady. The lyrics are usually sensual and they are mostly
focused on love and sex. With R&Bs, more focus is put on vocals than the lyrics. R&B has grown over
time into a genre that puts emphasis on both voice and sound. New artists have made it diverse both
culturally and commercially. Like most other mainstream genres, it has embraced technical innovations
and diversified the instruments and sounds it uses. R&B now uses auto-tune and machine-made
instruments to increase its appeal. The evolution has been facilitated by present-day R&B artists such as
Drake, Chris Brown, John Legend, Ariana Grande and Pharell Williams.

The meaning behind the name is this: the "rhythm" part comes from the music's typical
dependence on four-beat measures or bars and the liberal use of a backbeat, in which the second and
fourth beats are accented in each measure. And the "blues" portion comes from the lyrics and melodies
of the songs, which were often sad, or 'blue', especially during the music's emergence in the World War
II era. Over time the name was shortened to R&B as a matter of convenience. In classic R&B, there is a
straight up stacking of vocal harmonies, which writer-musician Stuart Goosman says reminds him of the
urban environments of Baltimore and Washington DC where the music got its start. He suggests that the
physical and psychic aspects of the city, in particular, those cities' urban segregation, helped shape the
consciousness of the musicians, who freed themselves through the limitlessness of singing, engaging the
imagination to soar beyond the limitations of place.

R&B IN THE 2000s

By the 2000s, the cross-pollination between R&B and hip hop had increased to the point where, in
most cases, the only prominent difference between a record being a hip hop record or an R&B record is
whether its vocals are rapped or sung. Mainstream modern R&B has a sound more based on rhythm
than hip hop soul had, and lacks the hardcore and soulful urban "grinding" feel on which hip-hop soul
relied. That rhythmic element descends from new jack swing. R&B began to focus more on solo artists
rather than groups as the 2000s progressed. As of 2005, the most prominent R&B artists include Usher,
Beyoncé (formerly of Destiny's Child), and Mariah Carey whose music often blurs the line between
contemporary R&B and pop.
 Soulful R&B continues to be popular, with artists such as Alicia Keys, R. Kelly, John Legend, Toni
Braxton, American Idol winner Fantasia and the brand new singer [showcasing classic influences in their
work. Some R&B singers have used elements of Caribbean music in their work, especially dancehall and
reggaeton.

Quiet storm, while still existent, is no longer a dominant presence on the pop charts, and is
generally confined to urban adult contemporary radio. Most of the prominent quiet storm artists,
including Babyface and Gerald Levert, began their careers in the 1980s and 1990s, although newer
artists such as Kem also record in the quiet storm style. Its influence can still be seen in singles such as
Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together".

In addition, several producers have developed specialized styles of song production. Timbaland, for
example, became notable for his hip hop and jungle based syncopated productions in the late-1990s,
during which time he produced R&B hits for Aaliyah, Ginuwine, and singer/rapper Missy Elliott. By the
end of the decade, Timbaland's influences had shifted R&B songs towards a sound that approximated
his own, with slightly less of a hip hop feel. Lil' Jon became famous for a style he termed crunk & B,
deriving its influences from the Southern hip hop sub-classification of crunk music. Jon gave R&B artist,
Ciara, the title of "The First Lady of Crunk & B", and Brooke Valentine the Colombian CHARLIE RANDALL
and Usher have also recorded R&B songs with strong crunk influences.

CONTEMPORARY R&B

It was not until the 1980s that the term R&B regained ordinary usage. During that time, the soul
music of James Brown and Sly & the Family Stone had adapted elements from psychedelic rock and
other styles through the work of performers like George Clinton. Funk also became a major part of disco,
a kind of dance pop electronic music. By the early 1980s, however, funk and soul had become sultry and
sexually-charged with the work of Prince and others. At that time, the modern style of contemporary
R&B came to be a major part of American popular music.

R&B today defines a style of African-American music, originating after the demise of disco in 1980,
that combines elements of soul music, funk music, pop music, and (after 1986) hip hop in the form
known as contemporary R&B. In this context only the abbreviation "R&B" is used, not the full
expression.

Sometimes referred to as " urban contemporary" (the name of the radio format that plays hip hop
and R&B music) or "urban pop", contemporary R&B is distinguished by a slick, electronic record
production style, drum machine-backed rhythms, and a smooth, lush style of vocal arrangement. Uses of
hip hop inspired beats are typical, although the roughness and grit inherent in hip hop are usually
reduced and smoothed out.

Contemporary R&B is basically rap and pop influenced and combines pop, funk, soul, and R&B.
Contemporary R&B was founded in the 1980′s also by African American music. The difference between
R&B and Contemporary R&B is that R&B is jazzier and has a lot of natural rhythm and flow, while
Contemporary R&B is basically made up from electronics and is headed towards the hip-hop
department, especially in these recent years. Micheal Jackson was one of the first Contemporary R&B
artists, and following right behind him came Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, Stephanie Mills, Loose
Ends, and etc. During the mid 1990′s is when many more people in this genre started to appear such as
Mariah Carey, Aaliyah, and R. Kelly. You also saw many groups forming around this time like SWV, Silk,
TLC, 3LW, BoysIIMen, and etc.

FAMOUS R&B ARTISTS INCLUDE

 Sam Cooke - Samuel Cook (January 22, 1931 – December 11, 1964), known professionally as
Sam Cooke, was an American singer, songwriter, and entrepreneur. He was also influential as a
composer and producer, and is commonly known as the King of Soul for his distinctive vocals
and significance in popular music.

 Ray Charles - Ray Charles Robinson (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American
singer, songwriter, pianist, and composer. Among friends and fellow musicians he preferred
being called "Brother Ray." He was often referred to as "The Genius." Charles was blinded
during childhood due to glaucoma.

 Al Green - Albert Leornes Greene (born April 13, 1946), often known as The Reverend Al Green,
is an American singer, songwriter and record producer; he is best known for recording a series
of soul hit singles in the early 1970s, including "Take Me to the River", "Tired of Being Alone",
"I'm Still in Love with You", "Love and Happiness", and his signature song, "Let's Stay Together".
After an incident in which his girlfriend died by suicide, Green became an ordained pastor and
turned to gospel music. He later returned to secular music.
 Whitney Houston - Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an
American singer and actress. She was certified as the most awarded female artist of all time by
Guinness World Records and is one of the best-selling recording artists of all time, with sales of
over 200 million records worldwide.

 Mariah Carey - born March 27, 1969 or 1970)[3] is an American singer-songwriter and actress.
Known for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style, and signature use of the whistle
register, she is referred to as the "Songbird Supreme" by Guinness World Records. She has also
been referred to as the "Queen of Christmas". She rose to fame in 1990 with her eponymous
debut album, released under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, who
married her three years later. Carey is the first artist in history to have their first five singles
reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100, from "Vision of Love" to "Emotions". She achieved
worldwide success with follow-up albums Music Box (1993), Merry Christmas (1994), and
Daydream (1995). These albums spawned some of Carey's most successful singles, including
"Hero", "Without You", "All I Want for Christmas Is You", "Fantasy", "Always Be My Baby", as
well as "One Sweet Day", which topped the US Billboard Hot 100 decade-end chart (1990s).
THE 10 BEST R&B SONGS OF 2019

1. Summer Walker, 'Fun Girl'

2. Marco McKinnis, 'Give It Up'

3. Ann Marie, 'My Body'

4. Jacquees and Future, 'What They Gone Do With Me'

5. Hope Tala, 'Lovestained'

6. Rotimi, 'Love Riddim'

7. Girl Ultra, 'Discreción'

8. YK Osiris featuring Kehlani, 'Ride'

9. Ari Lennox, 'BMO'

10. DJ Snake featuring Bryson Tiller, 'Smile'