Untitled Quiz

Early Civil Rights Movement

• 1954: Brown vs. Board of Education overturned "separate but equal" segregation.
• 1955: Rosa Parks, MLK.
• 1960: Greensboro Sit-in.

1960s Folk Revival

• Appealed to college students, marking the start of a counterculture.
• Included folk songs and original compositions.
• Bob Dylan rose as a folk singer, writing songs for civil rights and drawing on spiritual influences for his protest songs.

Southern Soul

• Stax Records was a contemporary of Motown.
• Jim Stewart and Estelle Axton were white men involved in this genre in Memphis.
• The music featured mixed race labels, and white people worked in the office.
• The sound was influenced by gospel music with heavy bass, robust brass, and organ.
• It was less polished compared to Northern Soul/Motown, targeting a black audience.

From Funk to Disco

• R&B in the 1960s evolved into Soul, with Motown (northern soul) having a smooth, thick texture and Stax (southern soul) emphasizing a female diva-style, less polished sound.
• R&B in the late 1960s-1970s saw a return to dance music, particularly Funk.
• The Groove focused on active bass and heavy drums, creating melodic riffs for clubs.
• James Brown is seen as the true creator of funk, demanding control of his sound, with thin textures, gospel-inspired voice and almost speaking.
• "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" is a known Funk track.

Stonewall Riot

• Before Stonewall, police raids on gay bars were common, with no dancing allowed.
• The 1969 Stonewall Inn riot in New York City marked the start of the modern LGBT movement, showing community desire for self-determination.

Singer-Songwriters in the 1970s

• The "Me" Generation saw social pressure on activists, leading to focus on more personal concerns.
• Professional songwriters, such as Willie Nelson, worked independently.
• Carol King transitioned from writing to being an artist.

Soft Rock

• More pop, less blues, often using synthesizers.
• Appealed to a wider adult audience.
• Increased emphasis on albums, with longer songs.

The 1980s and Reagan's America

• "Morning in America" was a slogan.
• Music reflected a desire for national revitalization, emphasized manufacturing, and a return to traditional values.

Countrypolitan

• Country artists incorporated dance music.
• Dolly Parton transformed her image to become more glamorous.
• Country music became more mainstream in the 1980s.

Rock(s)

• The 1970s saw the rise of major labels, impacting the production and release of rock music.
• More genres emerged, leading to proliferation.

Heavy Metal

• Developed as an outgrowth of British hard rock, characterized by distortion.
• The genre explored darker themes, and virtuosity.
• Black Sabbath, an important band.

Hip Hop Origins

• Hip-hop emerged in the 1970s in poorer neighborhoods, with DJs and MCs.
• Underground dance parties were common.
• Contextualized as a combination of hip-hop and DJ music in early hip hop.

Gangsta Rap

• Sampling of funk led to a subgenre featuring melodic parts and violence.
• Often glamorized violence and misogyny.
• Emergence of the "gangsta rap" image, with lyrics reflecting both realities and stereotypes.

I Want My MTV

• MTV launched in 1981.
• It showcased music videos, leading to the dominance of music videos in popular culture.
• This significantly promoted musical acts.

Outsider Rebellions in Rock

• Punk featured a working-class frustration, 1950s aesthetics, and a DIY aesthetic.
• The Ramones, for instance, projected a working-class and DIY image.

New Wave

• Developed from punk, emphasizing accessible music and performance art.
• Bands like The B52s are examples.
• Synthesizers became more affordable.

Grunge

• Emerged as a reaction in contrast to the prior mainstream metal.
• Sound was characterized by intentionally scruffy visuals (ripped jeans, leather, and flannels) and the use of DIY aesthetic.
• The Seattle-based band Nirvana stands out as a key example.

Women Respond

• Tina Turner and other women established themselves as key figures in R&B.
• Their music and presence challenged perceived stereotypes.
• Hard-edged, rock-style qualities developed in some parts of the R&B and Soul genre.

Alternative Hip Hop

• 1990s saw Hip Hop sounds and production overtake rock.
• Women MCs were common parts of main stream and alternative music.
• Artists like Lauryn Hill challenged and redefined Hip Hop.

Recent Controversies

• Digital Audio Workstations (DAWS) played a substantial role in the changing process of music production.
• Artists like Lil Nas X made their music more accessible to wider audiences.

Current Trends

• Artists from several genres are crossing over in popularity and/or impact.
• New songwriters and singers are drawing inspiration from other genres.