Pop music first emerged during the 1930s and 1940s. Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra became widely beloved crooners who sold millions of records.
Pop music continues to adapt and develop over time, becoming more political while incorporating multiple styles to appeal to a broader audience.
Origins
Pop music is an amalgamation of genres such as jazz, rock music, R&B, dance and classical. Pop is distinguished by catchy melodies and upbeat rhythms with lyrics about love or dancing that can be performed by either male or female singers – unlike most forms of music which typically use professional songwriters for songwriting purposes.
Modern pop music originated in the 1950s with rock and roll, a genre beloved among teenagers during this era. Rock and roll was heavily influenced by rhythm and blues music from African American communities as well as boogie woogie – an early form of jump blues featuring gospel handclaps with an emphasis on beat. Two famous figures of this era were The Beatles and Elvis Presley who pioneered this form.
Pop music’s growth was further hastened by trans-oceanic communication and radio and television broadcasting technologies, which allowed millions to listen simultaneously to one song at the same time, helping establish pop music as something separate from folk and classical forms, while connecting people directly with musicians who performed it.
Pop music traces its roots further back than this, however. Jazz, first made widely available during the 1920s, is one of the primary influences on modern popular music. Additionally, dance music’s history can be traced back to Ragtime first popular among African Americans before spreading across sheet music and player pianos as an artistic genre before eventually giving way to Swing and then Jazz which were both enjoyed by white communities as well.
Other genres that have had an influence on pop music include country, soul music, reggae and funk. Some styles more closely align with pop than others but all share upbeat and catchy melodies as well as heavy beats perfect for dancing.
Styles
Pop music has evolved over time to meet the evolving tastes of listeners. This genre comprises many distinct styles ranging from folk, jazz and Latin music – hence why pop has managed to capture such a broad audience. Pop’s melodies speak universal themes such as love that are easily understandable by all. Furthermore, various other genres like rock ‘n roll, reggae, disco funk and hip hop influence it too.
In Britain during the 1950s, pop music came to be increasingly popular due to the growth of rock and roll as an appeal to teenagers. The Beatles revolutionized this genre with their ability to write original material while adding rock chords into pop songs; their success opened doors for new bands such as Jam and Madness, The Specials, UB40; later saw bands like Siouxsie & the Banshees and Elvis Costello gain prominence.
Pop music had reached new levels of sophistication by the late 1970s. Artists such as Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston and Prince emerged at this time – sparking off innovation while simultaneously changing culture globally. This period brought with it many groundbreaking innovations that would leave an indelible mark upon society for years to come.
After the 1980s, pop became more homogenous as it fused elements of different genres together. Artists like Adam Faith and Alvin Stardust achieved brief fame during this era before their careers fizzled out. By contrast, hip hop and rap became immensely popular with a new generation of fans during this decade while alternative music also saw some mainstream success.
Pop has continued its evolution into the 21st century with technological advances, sonic experimentation and innovative collaborations that continue to draw in new audiences and develop further as time progresses. Therefore, pop is likely to remain a dominant force within the music industry and remain popular. While critics may label its commercialism, pop remains widely loved among listeners globally and will remain popular genre for decades to come.
Influences
Pop music first emerged as a genre during the 1950s to describe songs that were popular at that time, and since has expanded into something enjoyed by people of all ages and backgrounds. Based on various forms of music influenced by cultural movements, such as rock ‘n’ roll, disco, funk and hip hop. Understanding its history will allow us all to appreciate it today.
Pop music’s development was heavily impacted by new technologies and shifting demographics of its audience. Radio and television became ubiquitous; as recording technology advanced, its popularity also rose – Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra among others were major pop icons selling millions of records during this era, as were blues, country, jump blues and boogie woogie genres like jump blues.
Rock and Roll music first emerged during the 1950s with the advent of electric guitars and more aggressive singing styles, sparking its rise among teenagers across the world. Elvis Presley quickly rose to become one of its leading stars before later giving way to The Beatles who revolutionised musical history through their “British Invasion”.
Other influences included soul music and R&B, popular in African American communities but later spreading to white audiences as well. Additionally, it influenced other styles like swing and jazz; during this period saw also saw professional songwriters emerging at Tin Pan Alley in New York.
Funk music from the 1970s was another form of pop music popular at this time, featuring various types of rhythms combined into one sound that continues to be performed today. Additionally, disco became increasingly popular during this era and artists such as Gloria Gaynor and Elton John became part of it; its influence extended well into future trends in pop music.
Commercial success
Pop music’s success hinges largely on its audience. If a piece is appealing to many different types of people, then it will likely remain popular and remain so for an extended period of time. Furthermore, popularity depends on how well its promotion efforts go; most successful pop artists possess appealing images and powerful singing voices as well as catchy tracks that allow audiences to sing along easily with them.
Rock and roll revolutionised pop music during the 1950s. Elvis, Bill Haley & the Comets and Buddy Holly led to an unprecedented explosion of rock-n-roll. Following this was Beatlemania in the 60s followed by British Invasion acts like The Who, Cliff Richard etc.
Pop artists of this period included vocal harmonies by Everly Brothers and ABBA; piano-based pop by Billy Joel and Elton John; as well as country styling by Rod Stewart and Fleetwood Mac. The 1980s saw another revolution in popular music when disco became immensely popular due to rap/hip hop’s rise which took away some attention from genres such as rock.
In the 1990s, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson rose to become global icons of pop music. R&B-influenced acts like MC Hammer, En Vogue and Salt N Pepa were also tremendously successful, while popular artists at this time included Backstreet Boys, NSYNC and Boyz II Men.
At this stage in pop music’s evolution, synthesizers and electronic drums were introduced as tools that enabled musicians to produce more complex rhythms and sounds while producing more songs more quickly than before – leading to an enormous spike in record sales as a result. MTV video music channel further popularized pop music.