A Quick History of Contemporary Music, 1955 to the Present (Chapter 1: Overview)
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Over 20 videos below! All designed to make you learn quickly about the evolution of popular music in the USA.
I figure many of you will enjoy this article now, even though I'm still adding artist names and videos to it.
In fact, many of you can help me out by suggesting other artists from the blank spaces you'll see below. I'd like to get input from various musicologists out there (that's you guys).
I'm assembing this multi-chapter history of contemporary music in between work at my full time job (I'm a principal in an Internet streaming company for radio and TV stations). So each night I will add more.
Understanding "music of the times" provides a unique mirror of current events, trends and movements in the USA, and that's what I'll be doing in the next bunch of articles.
We'll show you the characteristics and performance styles of mainstream musical artists. We will identify and compare them within the genres of...
pop music, rock music, R&B music, country music, alternative rock music, dance and disco music, jazz music, soul music, and hiphop music.
I need your input so I can finish Chapter 1 as soon as possible, so read the last paragraph to learn more. Your ideas are appreciated. thanks!
Pop / 1958 - Bill Haley and The Comets
Pop / 1968 to 1972 - The Jackson 5 (mashup)
Pop / 2008 - Rihanna "Don't Stop The Music"
Pop / 2008 - Madonna featuring Justin Timberlake
POP artists
...from the 1950s
Dion & The Belmonts
Shirelles
Diamonds
Del Shannon
Freddie "Boom Boom" Cannon
...from the 1960s
Beach Boys
Monkees
Ronnettes
Four Seasons
Donovan
Strawberry Alarm Clock
...from the 1970s
Jackson 5
Billy Joel
Carole King
Donna Summer
...from the 1980s
Michael Jackson
Prince
Lionel Richie
Hall & Oates
Madonna
Culture Club
...from the 1990s
Mariah Carey
Sinead O'Connor
Gloria Estefan
Sheryl Crow
...from the 2000s
Maroon 5
Britney Spears
Janet Jackson
Kelly Clarkson
Fergie
Gwen Stefani
Justin Timberlake
Mariah Carey
Rihanna
Rock / 1969 - The Rolling Stones "Honky Tonk Women"
Rock / 1973 - Led Zeppelin "Black Dog"
Rock / 1977 - Heart "Barracuda" (Ann & Nancy Wilson)
ROCK artists
...from the 1950s
Elvis Presley
Buddy Holly
Roy Orbison
Bill Haley & The Comets
...from the 1960s
Beatles
Rolling Stones
Cream
Janis Joplin
Doors
Santana
Crosby, Stills & Nash
...from the 1970s
Led Zeppelin
Pink Floyd
Eagles
Heart
Aerosmith
Eric Clapton
Bruce Springsteen
David Bowie
Elton John
Fleetwood Mac
Neil Young
Steely Dan
ZZ Top
...from the 1980s
Genesis/Phil Collins
Duran Duran
Tears for Fears
Motley Crue
...from the 1990s
Nirvana
R. E. M.
U2
...from the 2000s
Finger Eleven
Fall Out Boy
Red Hot Chili Peppers
U2
R&B - Soul / 1966 - The Temptations
R&B - Soul / 1967 - Marvin Gaye and Tammy Terrell
R&B / SOUL music
...from the 1950s
Chuck Berry
Jerry Lee Lewis
Fats Domino
Isley Brothers
Ray Charles
Temptations
...from the 1960s
Aretha Franklin
Marvin Gaye
Supremes
...from the 1970s
Stevie Wonder
Earth, Wind & Fire
...from the 1980s
Commodores
George Benson
...from the 1990s
Black Box
C+C Music Factory
...from the 2000s
Alicia Keys
Beyonce
Country / 1983 - Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton
Country / 1987 - Alabama "Mountain Music"
Country / 2007 - Carrie Underwood "Before He Cheats"
COUNTRY artists
...from the 1950s
Hank Williams
George Jones
...from the 1960s
Ray Charles
...from the 1970s
Kenny Rogers
Anne Murray
Eagles
Dolly Parton
...from the 1980s
Randy Travis
Alabama
George Strait
...from the 1990s
Garth Brooks
Judds
Faith Hill
Tim McGraw
...from the 2000s
Garth Brooks
Carrie Underwood
Alternative / 1990 - Nirvana "Smells Like Teen Spirit"
Alternative / 1992 - Stone Temple Pilots "Plush"
Alternative / 2006 - The Killers
ALTERNATIVE / PUNK artists
...from the 1980s
A Flock Of Seagulls
...from the 1990s
Nirvana
Stone Temple Pilots
Guns N' Roses
...from the 2000s
Killers
Dashboard Confessional
Dance & Disco / 1979 - Chic
Dance - Disco / 1979 - Donna Summer "Last Dance"
DANCE / DISCO artists
...from the 1970s
Donna Summer
Bee Gees
Chic
Barry White
Gloria Gaynor
Van McCoy
...from the 1980s
Madonna
Techtronic
...from the 1990s
...from the 2000s
Jazz / 1964 - Miles Davis (trumpet) and John Coltrane (piano)
Jazz / 2002 - Diana Krall "Fly Me To The Moon"
JAZZ artists
...from the 1950s
Miles Davis
Dave Brubeck
...from the 1960s
...from the 1970s
Spyro Gyra
George Benson
...from the 1980s
Kenny G
...from the 1990s
...from the 2000s
Diana Krall
Hiphop / 1979 - Sugarhill Gang
Hiphop / 2007 - Kanye West
HIPHOP / RAP artists
...from the 1970s
Sugarhill Gang
Run DMC
Kurtis Blow
...from the 1980s
Grandmaster Flash
N.W.A.
...from the 1990s
Tone Loc
MC Hammer
Young MC
Notorious B.I.G.
Snoop Dogg
...from the 2000s
Kanye West
Jay-Z
Eminem
50 Cent
A 'Living History' of artists...growing before your eyes
As you can see, many of the decades are blank, as I continue to develop this "living history", so that's where you come in.
Send me your comment and help me "fill in the blanks" with names of MAJOR artists you think should be listed in each of the categories and decades, and if they make sense, I'll add them to the lists.
My promise: over the next week, i'll keep coming back to this hub page to check out the comments and add more artist names and videos into the list, so tell me what you think is missing! AND REMEMBER...this is only "Chapter One", there's lots more to come, as we explore each genre in detail.
thanks in advance for your musical knowledge!
Tom Z
Owner/Janitor
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