Music Through the Decades

1930s-1940s

This time marks the beginning and popularization of jazz, swing, blues, big band, etc. Out of New Orleans, this genre formed as an amalgamation of the various cultures and musical roots that lived there. Brass and woodwind instruments are very popular, drums played with brushes, double bass, and piano often assisting the other instruments. While it may seem irrelevant now, many big artists and songs are still popular today. These include:

• Louis Armstrong

• Paul Whiteman

• Duke Ellington

• Billie Holiday

• Oh When The Saints Go Marching In-Louis Armstrong

• Caravan-Duke Ellington

• All of Me- Belle Baker

1950s

Jazz continues to be a popular genre with artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Frank Sinatra, and many more that were present in earlier times, gaining popularity in the 50s. The 50s also marked the beginning and rise in popularity of rock and roll. The genre contains characteristics of earlier blues, country, and boogie-woogie styles of music. Songs feature accentuated backbeats, and guitar, piano, or saxophone leads. I-IV-V chord progressions are very common, and there is a great increase in the use of electric instruments. Some of the biggest artists and songs from the time still famous today include:

• Chuck Berry

• Elvis Presley

• Little Richard

• Ritchie Valens

• Jerry Lee Lewis

• Rock Around the Clock- Bill Haley and the Comets

• Lucille- Little Richard

• Johnny B. Goode- Chuck Berry

• La Bamba- Ritchie Valens

1960s

Rock and roll continued to grow in the 60’s and jazz grew again in popularity. Politics began to have a large influence on music leading to anti-war and protest music. Songs such as “For What It’s Worth” by Buffalo Springfield, “A Change Is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke, and “I Ain’t Marching Anymore” by Phil Ochs are great examples of this.

1970s

Disco, funk, and soul all appeared in the seventies with amazing bands such as Tower of Power, Earth Wind and Fire, and Average White Band. Rock continues its popularity, and even more subgenres begin emerging. Glam rock artists such as Bowie and Kiss wear outrageous outfits and makeup, leaning into the performance aspect of music. Punk rock emerges characterized by an attitude of rebellion and anti-authority with artists such as The Clash, The Ramones, and The Misfits. Goth also kickstarts in the late 70s with artists such as Siouxsie and the Banshees, Joy Division, The Bauhaus, and arguably The Cure, though these artists and the genre as a whole were more popular later, during the 1980s. Many iconic artists came out at this time, a lot of them considered the greatest of all time. Some of these artists and their songs are:

• Led Zeppelin

• Van Halen

• Eagles

• Queen

• Abba

• AC/DC

• Elton John

• American Pie- Don Mclean

• Dreams- Fleetwood Mac

• Superstition- Stevie Wonder

1980s

The 80s are famous for many different styles of music. A very maximalist decade, 80s pop has themes of materialism and consumerism. Madonna’s “Material Girl” is a famous and perfect example of this. Pop music of the time featured many younger artists with electronic/synth sounds and upbeat danceable songs. Hip Hop, while starting in the very late 70s, grew significantly in the 80s. Artists like DJ Kool Herc and Grandmaster Flash paved the way in the 70s for artists like LL COOL J, Run DMC, Beastie Boys, NWA, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Ice T, and many others to reach wild popularity in the 80s, many still touring today.  Similarly to the 70s, rock was still huge in the 80s with genres like thrash metal, which utilizes things such as whammy bars, pinch harmonics, and heavy distortion along with loud, aggressive drums and vocals to create a high-energy sound and feel. Punk and goth bands from the 70s continued into the 80s, punk becoming even faster and more aggressive. Bands such as Dead Kennedys and Minor Threat use shock factors to evoke a reaction from audiences and encourage certain political beliefs. This decade was a cultural explosion and from it came so many beloved, iconic, and influential artists and songs, some being:

• Wham!

• Micheal Jackson

• Prince

• Duran Duran

• Prince

• Don’t Stop Believing-Journey

• Take on Me- A-Ha

1990s

Rock continued in the 90s, and electronic music rose in popularity. Genres separate into more distinct sounds. The grunge movement skyrockets into the forefront of pop culture, characterized by attitudes similar to those of punks but with a more cynical, dark, slow sound and feel. Nirvana is the most famous example, but Hole and Soundgarden are also great grunge artists from this decade. Hip Hop continued its popularity into and through the 90s. Artists like Tupac, Snoop Dog, and Notorious B.I.G. took over the genre. Some great 90s songs are:

• 1979- Smashing Pumpkins

• Linger- Cranberries 

• The Choice is Yours- Black Sheep

• Lovefool- The Cardigans

• Don’t Speak- No Doubt

• Creep- Radiohead

• Even Flow- Pearl Jam

• Santeria- Sublime

2000s

Hip Hop continues growing in popularity, though rock is still present and popular. Nu-metal is sort of a collaboration of the two, combining metal’s aggressive sounds and some traits of hip-hop vocals. Some of the biggest nu-metal artists of the 2000s are Limp Bizkit, Korn, Slipknot, and System of a Down. Pop punk and emo became some of the most popular genres. Pop Punk, though the name is an oxymoron of sorts, was a huge genre of the 2000s. It combines punk energy with catchy, pop-like melodies, though often these artists and bands lose the original political purposes of punk. Meanwhile, pop began changing dramatically into the sort of catchy yet simplistic style we know today, with little bass and lots of treble, all with a shiny, preppy, pop feel to it. Some artists/songs that define this decade are:

• My Chemical Romance

• Green Day

• Avril Lavigne

• Toxic-Britney Spears

• Hollaback Girl- Gwen Stefani

• Yeah- Usher