Pop music refers to any song with an infectious beat and danceable melodies. In the 1950s alone there were many hit records which can be considered examples of pop music!
Elvis Presley inspired young people to break down racial barriers through popular culture through his energetic interpretations of songs from African American sources, drawing young audiences closer to breaking them down through popular culture.
The Birth of Rock & Roll
Teenagers dominated popular music during the 1950s. Rejecting the traditional tastes of their parents and grandparents, their rebellious music represented this new generation’s desire for independence from middle class society. Composed largely of simple melodies with catchy choruses that depicted themes related to young love; music that also borrowed heavily from rhythm & blues (R&B), country music, rockabilly genres as well as rockabilly; this new genre quickly become known as rock and roll and quickly became the biggest hit of its time period.
Rock and roll music was one of the first forms of popular music designed specifically to appeal to teenagers, breaking through previous barriers between adult records and kiddie records by reaching directly out to teenage audiences. Rock also broke down race barriers as white teenage idols like Bill Haley and Elvis Presley adopted musical elements from African American musicians into their music.
Traditional pop remained popular during the first half of this decade, yet soon ceded ground to rock and roll music. In the mid to late 1950s, disc jockey Alan Freed coined and popularized rock and roll among younger audiences; its introduction emphasized upbeat and sensual tones found among classic pop singers such as Bing Crosby, Perry Como, Eddie Fisher. Rock and roll music incorporated elements from R&B and blues music with elements of country music and gospel as well.
Rock and roll music brought an entire new generation into popular music, creating an entirely new culture that continues to this day. R&B, blues, country and rockabilly remain part of popular culture today but have been updated for modern audiences by artists like Shakin’ Stevens, The Beatles and Phil Collins who record music that pays homage to its roots while creating their own distinctive sounds from this music.
In the early 1950s, 78-rpm records dominated pop music charts; however, new technology led to 33 and 45-rpm records becoming popular; these new formats allowed more music to be stored on smaller disks for easier storage and playback.
The Birth of Doo-Wop
In the 1950s, an evolving style of rhythm and blues music, particularly popular among black teenagers, began to emerge. This vocal music style emerged through informal practice sessions on city street corners and school hallways where young singers would gather to form groups of four or five vocalists singing doo wop influenced by gospel and pop influences that took form across urban ghettos during this era. By mid to late 1950s doo-wop had evolved beyond vocal harmony into instrumental compositions incorporating double bass, saxophone and piano into its full glory – becoming an urban phenomenon!
Early doo-wop music was often performed a cappella; as bands gained national renown they began incorporating instruments. Bandleaders would sometimes name their groups after birds such as The Crows, Penguins or Sonny Til and Orioles for example; groups like these eventually achieved widespread recognition.
Doo-wop music became an outlet for young urban dwellers to express their frustrations. Groups such as The Platters, Drifters, Flamingos and Little Anthony and the Imperials sang about daily struggles of living in an urban environment such as boasting about cars or girls; their struggles growing up poor; or simply singing songs to pass time while making money through job hunting or selling music records – appealing to teenagers of both black and white backgrounds creating an entirely new genre of music that quickly gained popularity in its early years of existence.
Doo-wop’s rise brought rock ‘n’ roll into the mainstream as artists like Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, and Sam Cooke introduced rebellious lyrics and rock ‘n’ roll music into popular culture. Traditional Pop artists such as Perry Como, Nat King Cole and Patti Page still dominated charts at first, but by the end of the decade many would incorporate rock elements into their music to break away from being considered traditional Pop artists. The 1950s was an exciting era in musical history that was largely defined by America’s evolving social values – creating music in response.
The Birth of Country Music
The 1950s witnessed an explosion of musical styles that continue to be heard today, from rock n roll to rhythm & blues, country music, jazz and many others. Their impact can still be heard today in popular and dance music genres alike.
Patti Page was one of the most beloved performers from the 1950s. With her pure vocals and timeless delivery, she became an instantaneous hit among listeners around the globe. Her repertoire featured both traditional pop and country influences like in “Tennesse Waltz” or “How Much Is That Doggie in the Window”, two hits that went global.
Early 1950’s are also when country music first gained widespread appeal. Hank Snow made history when his “I’m Movin’ On” became the first song ever to top the country music charts for 21 weeks in 1951 and became one of its longest charting songs ever. Additionally, this also marked the first time female singers achieved such an honor; signaling to women they could break free of traditional stereotypes while becoming more independent and strong when making musical choices.
Pat Boone found great success with his pop-influenced country music. He made his mark by recording black R&B songs and adapting them into more mainstream styles; an approach adopted by many artists at that time in an attempt to reach more listeners.
Studio experimentation was also an integral component of life during the 1950s and finding a unique sound was an ongoing mission. Recording masters like Sam Phillips used various methods to craft sounds never heard before – one such popular one being using “flanging” techniques for producing psychedelic-influenced songs.
At the close of the decade, rock n roll began influencing country music as well. A movement known as Southern rock emerged with bands such as Lynyrd Skynyrd, Marshall Tucker Band and Black Oak Arkansas all having deep country roots; these bands would combine elements from country, blues and rhythm & blues into new genres that remain popular today.
The Birth of Jazz
Jazz became increasingly popular during the 1950s, with jazz bands and musicians regularly appearing on radio and television broadcasts. Jazz combined the improvisational elements of blues with classical and other musical forms; its emphasis placed on individuality, power of singer, harmonic complexity and its unique sound making it highly creative and original.
Louis Armstrong established himself as one of the pioneering soloists of jazz during this era, shifting its emphasis from collective routines to personal expression. This trend continued under pianists and bandleaders such as Duke Ellington who combined composed and improvised elements in their compositions. Later on in 1940s saxophonist Charlie Parker introduced bebop, an evolving form characterized by extremes of tempo and harmonic sophistication that marked an important turning point for jazz as it gradually became more sophisticated and technical.
By the mid 1950s, jazz had emerged as a widespread youth culture with artists like John Dankworth achieving success both as solo performers and bandleaders. Meanwhile, traditionalist approaches to jazz began clashing with more progressive styles where musicians sought freedom from rigid allegiances towards either camp.
Rock and roll music first made its debut during the fifties, adding new sounds to pop music. Its roots lay in R&B and doo-wop; some songs even blended all three genres. Motown became particularly prominent during this era with their style that stressed harmony with positive messages such as Frankie Lymon & the Teenagers’ singing.
Popularity and influence of these groups on pop music led to future generations creating genres which combined elements from past. This included the development of genres such as funk, soul and R&B which are still part of contemporary popular music today. Funk, soul and R&B adopted many influences such as rock and roll music as well as blues country jazz doo-wop; their sounds were produced using both acoustic instruments synthesizers other advanced music technology to produce distinctive sounding genres.