From Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” and Queen’s iconic “Bohemian Rhapsody,” pop music of the ’70s produced memorable hits that remain timeless today. Rock n roll continued its transformational process; Eric Clapton took cues from classical and opera to create new sounds of rock.
African artists such as Fela Kuti and Mulatu Astatke combined jazz, Latin, and native sounds into distinctive musical compositions that brought new dimensions of sound.
1980s
The 1980s marked a dramatic shift in music creation. Drum machines became more widespread and had an immense effect on song writing; artists could use looped beats created on these drum machines to form songs with repetitive patterns that looped all throughout each track, giving rise to synthpop; an amalgamation of disco, rock, and lighter tones; this style saw artists such as New Kids on the Block, Debbie Gibson, The Bangles and Madonna emerge during this era.
In the 1980s, R&B and hip-hop music began their ascension. These genres gave rise to many iconic artists like Tina Turner, Lionel Richie, Michael Jackson as well as country artists Reba McEntire and Clint Black who scored major hits during this decade.
Pop music in the 80s tended to be less diverse than it had been during previous decades, yet pop charts still managed to include polymorphous geniuses, prog-rock drummers with no hair and cross-dressing reggae fans from Kent; Blondie, Christopher Cross, The Weather Girls and Kim Carnes all had major hits during this era.
Teen pop saw its heyday during the second half of this decade with bands and artists such as New Edition, Stacey Q, Tiffany, The Bangles and New Order becoming hitmakers. Additionally, rock groups such as Eagles, AC/DC Fleetwood Mac and Van Halen found enormous success during this period.
Even as the decade came to a close, there was optimism for pop music‘s future. Paul McCartney and Madonna had successful comeback albums while New Pop was making its mark. Unfortunately by the end of the decade genre distinctions had once more established themselves and ambitious Eighties pop was seen as overblown and greedy.
Even so, the distinct aesthetics and soundscapes of the 1980s remain influential today; modern artists like The Weeknd and Dua Lipa can trace their sound back to these influences from that era, proving its timeless nature. Pop music became even more prominent during this decade than it had ever been in previous eras due to technological advancements made possible during that era – one reason it remains one of the most beloved musical eras ever!
1990s
By the end of the decade, hip hop had taken over the music scene with artists such as Public Enemy, Queen Latifah, Coolio and A Tribe Called Quest pushing its limits further with intellectual and socially aware lyrics; sampled interpolations of older songs became common place as well. Meanwhile teen pop saw its revival during this decade with groups like Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and *NSYNC making popular dance tracks featuring them singing about high school locker-lined hallways while wearing uniforms while sporting different hairstyles.
In the 1990s, emerging affluent consumers and digital recording formats helped the music industry flourish once more. Additionally, this period saw the comeback of singer-songwriters like Carole King and Joni Mitchell, whom had been neglected during rock’s golden era; both became chart-topping singer-songwriters who could sell out stadium tours while creating loyal followings.
Many European and American artists found great success during the 1990s as well, including members of the British Invasion (Tina Turner, Elton John, Culture Club), Danish group The Fixx, R&B artists Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston and Chaka Khan from American R&B music, plus African-American musicians Lionel Richie and Prince. Madonna and Michael Jackson started to experiment more experimental styles during this era while dance-pop acts such as Oak Ridge Boys and Los del Rio made popular “Macarena”.
Popular songs of the 1990s reflected changing values and attitudes within society, celebrating love, family and environmental concerns through songs such as Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin'” or Earth Wind & Fire’s “September,” while others challenged listeners’ conceptions of race by showing different faces morph into one another like Michael Jackson’s visually provocative Black or White or by Cyndi Lauper and Sheryl Crow’s empowering “Girls Just Want to Have Fun”.
2000s
In the 2000s, pop music made a comeback thanks to iconic figures like Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera; Beyonce and Mariah Carey found success as well. These female artists brought sensual yet mature styles such as R&B influences into pop music with smooth vocals and lush production styles that made a big statement about female empowerment and freedom of expression.
In the 2000s, pop music experienced a profound transformation among its listeners. Artists increasingly focused on real life experiences like love and romance as subjects for songs – more honest songs that showed they meant what they sang!
Popular rock artists from the 1960s and 70s also saw an upswing in popularity, with bands like Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and the Who making waves again. Pop-rock, which combined pop with rock elements, became increasingly popular by early 2010s when Lana Del Rey and Lorde made headlines with moodier songs that exuded melancholia.
Hip-Hop and Rap were also rising to become major forces in mainstream music. Artists such as Eminem and Outkast achieved immense popularity during this era, while girl groups like Destiny’s Child, TLC and the Spice Girls saw tremendous popularity; their catchy tunes and powerful lyrics quickly becoming chart-toppers.
Pop music has evolved beyond being simply an entertaining musical genre in the 2000s, becoming an expressive form of political activism. Artists have used their music to address issues related to race, gender equality and empowerment through pop songs that address racial disparity, gender discrimination or inequality – this trend being propelled forward by social movements such as #MeToo and Black Lives Matter that have inspired pop musicians to write politically charged tracks.
2010s
The 2010s saw the birth of a new generation of pop artists, such as American singers One Direction and Shawn Mendes, English-Irish boy band The Jonas Brothers, and Canadian musician Meghan Trainor. While they all found great success on charts worldwide, their musical styles varied significantly; some created songs with complex chord progressions while singing high-pitched tones, while other used technology to explore new sounds.
At the same time, some artists embraced a funkier sound influenced by Motown and African-American music. Furthermore, this decade witnessed an emergence of rock fusion – including bands like Black Sabbath and Deep Purple pushing the limits of rock ‘n’ roll; progressive rock bands like Yes and Genesis continued composing epic albums exploring various themes.
As the 1970s came to a close, many singers and musicians began to focus on writing their own material instead of simply covering other writers’ works. Notable songwriters from this era include Jackson Browne, James Taylor, Joni Mitchell, Barry Manilow Neil Diamond Elton John Paul McCartney as solo artists as well as Captain & Tennille as husband-wife duo Captain & Tennille Donny Osmond Marie Osmond as siblings and Barbra Streisand who enjoyed success as solo artists during this era.
The 1970s also witnessed an upsurge in country music, with artists like Willie Nelson and George Strait finding great success. Other genres, including blues and jazz continued to thrive; Eric Clapton, ZZ Top and Freddie King had particularly noteworthy careers during this era. Mindy McCready of Montgomery Gentry fame died due to mental illness in 2010. Glen Campbell retired due to Alzheimer’s disease while Troy Gentry died due to a helicopter accident two years later in 2013.
Journey and Earth, Wind & Fire were hugely influential rock acts during this era with their upbeat, uplifting songs. Some artists used music as a form of political protest; other groups like The Cure and 10cc experimented with new styles while pushing mainstream pop limits with avant-garde musical compositions.