Modern pop music has been heavily influenced by various genres and subgenres, as well as evolving trends; for instance, during the 1990s and 2000s pop music was dominated by girl and boy bands like New Kids on the Block, *NSYNC, and 98 Degrees.
In the 1980s, Disco was a form of nightclub dance music which quickly rose in popularity. Meanwhile, in the 90s grunge rock became mainstream.
Rock ‘n’ roll
Rock ‘n’ roll was introduced as a music genre during the 1950s, merging African American traditions like blues and gospel with white American country and Western swing music genres like country. It had an immense impact on America and beyond, changing musical landscapes while encouraging rebellion among young people and providing an important bridge across races, classes, religions and cultures – prior to rock ‘n’ roll most record companies, radio stations and concerts were segregated while black artists like Little Richard, Chuck Berry and Fats Domino helped break down those segregated barriers by breaking down those segregated barriers through musical genre.
These musicians were pivotal in popularizing rhythm and blues music to a wider audience, giving rise to rock ‘n’ roll. Furthermore, their efforts paved the way for future Black artists like Jimi Hendrix and Michael Jackson – two ambidextrous guitarists who would continue to dominate this genre – who would later go on to dominate it even further.
Since the mid-1950s, pop music has often been defined as genres that appeal to a broadest possible audience, whether that means selling copies and concerts and drawing audiences at events, or being played most frequently on radio stations. Although there are various types of pop music styles out there today, all share some common elements such as catchy melodies and easy singing along harmonies; upbeat and energetic tracks; lyrics which encourage positive behaviors while creating strong community spirit – characteristics which have made these genres very popular among people of all ages over time and continue growing today.
Jazz
Jazz emerged as an amalgam of ragtime, blues, spirituals and marching music. Its improvisatory spirit challenged audiences while setting the groundwork for genres like rock’n’roll. Furthermore, jazz also represented the profound contributions that people of African heritage made to American culture.
With the invention of pianos and recording technology, jazz, folk, big band, and blues could reach wider audiences than ever before. Tinfoil-wrapped rotating metal cylinder recordings soon gave way to Berliner’s more affordable flat disc recordings allowing more people access to record players.
In the mid ’60s, funk emerged as a result of jazz and R&B fusion, sparking one of the greatest revolutions in pop history. Artists such as James Brown, Stevie Wonder and Kool & the Gang became early proponents of this revolutionary sound.
At this time, European musicians began to gain greater popularity in America and this led to a wave of crossover artists such as The Beatles, Elvis Presley and The Rolling Stones.
In the 1990s, “pure” pop began morphing into more varied styles of music, giving rise to artists such as Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. This trend was further strengthened by urban or hip hop radio stations playing artists like Ciara, Rihanna, Mariah Carey – which helped transform pop music for contemporary generations. This genre helped revolutionize music industry while reinventing popular music for new audiences.
Country
Country music’s roots lie in the ballads and folk songs of English, Scots, and Irish settlers in the Appalachian Mountains. Traditional string band songs were among the first commercial recordings ever released for public sale; their gritty authenticity stood in stark contrast to much popular music at that time which often relied upon sentimentality to keep listeners satisfied.
The 1900s witnessed an explosion of new musical styles, laying the groundwork for future developments such as jazz and rock ‘n’ roll. Emigration from Europe, Africa, and Asia brought with them diverse cultural traditions which combined with American Southern country music to produce its own distinctive style of music.
In the 1930s, country music became more widely popular thanks to singing cowboy film stars such as Gene Autry. Their lyrics depicting hardships of life in the American West found new resonance as people moved from rural communities into cities. Additionally, black orchestras introduced swing jazz which resulted in Western swing style featuring steel guitar and amplified guitars, which later blended with blues and boogie woogie into rockabilly music; later this morphed into rock ‘n’ roll.
As technology advanced, recording devices became smaller and more affordable allowing musicians to reach a wider audience – especially as teenagers became an integral part of the music market, decreasing average age of pop listeners significantly.
Disco
Disco was one of the most beloved pop genres of the 1970s, dominating charts both in America and Europe. Characteristics include fast tempos, synthesized effects on guitar, simplified backgrounds and verse/chorus structures with repeated basic rhythms arranged into verse/chorus arrangements often with bridges connecting them; catchy melodies with lyrics easily sung by popular voices also marked its dominance.
Disco was met with opposition from critics of its sexuality and representation of marginalized communities, particularly its production techniques and style, and because disco often functioned as an exclusive white culture movement centered around heterosexual men. Due to these criticisms, several major record labels including ABC Records were forced to close.
After disco’s popularity had dissipated, its influence could still be felt in contemporary pop music – as evidenced by The Backstreet Boys vocal harmonies or dance hits by Madonna or Donna Summer; piano-based pop from Billy Joel or Elton John; country-influenced songs by Rod Stewart or artists like Billy Joel/ Elton John/ Elton John etc; disco also inspired more experimental forms of dance music like hi-NRG.
New wave
New wave was an influential musical genre of the 1980s. Characterized by catchy beats and lyrics that were easy to sing along to, as well as innovative production techniques to give its music an electronic edge, new wave included various genres from punk rock to disco music in its repertoire.
Influences were diverse within this genre and its artists would often experiment with their music to develop unique styles. Talking Heads blended art rock, funk and pop while The Cure used gothic influences into their sound.
As its popularity increased, new wave music spread into other forms of media. Movies such as Pretty in Pink and Valley Girl featured new wave sounds and aesthetics in their soundtracks; its aesthetic inspired fans to form homemade magazines and fan clubs dedicated to it.
The genre’s influence could also be found in dance and rock. Additionally, new wave spawned the subgenre known as synthpop that featured synthesizers and other electronic equipment in its composition.
New wave music was considered part of popular music despite its eclectic blend of styles. Although its heyday occurred during the ’80s, its legacy continues to inspire new artists and influence popular culture today.
Grunge
Sub Pop was home to an early 90s grunge revolution in Seattle. Bands such as Nirvana, Mudhoney, Soundgarden and Alice in Chains combined punk rock’s angriness with metal’s hardcore do-it-yourself spirit to produce songs about isolation, drug abuse and death that resonated deeply with young listeners who were looking for alternative music that stood in contrast with country artist such as Garth Brooks or Reba McEntire’s glossy production and catchy tunes on mega record labels.
Grunge gave loud music an identity, taking back its swagger from poodle-rock and imbuing it with heart, soul and brain. Grunge male artists personified an angst-ridden new man rebelling against his dad’s “manly” standards while it also celebrated female empowerment within a culture still deeply prejudiced against female artists as anything other than ball-busting harpies or submissive weirdos.
Grunge music was highly localized; it wasn’t unusual to run into members of your favorite grunge band at a grocery store or coffee shop. Fans and bands developed close ties that created an exceptional level of engagement that rarely exists with other genres of popular music – it is for this reason that its decline became such a painful blow when its prominence faded in late 90s.