Music Evolution Throughout the Decades
The last decade has been an era of music evolution. There are several notable trends in the music world, such as a rise in Broadway music recordings. Many Broadway musicals have made their mark on the Billboard 200 chart. One example is the hit Broadway musical Hamilton, which spent 145 weeks in the top 40.
Cross-genre collaborations are also becoming increasingly common in the music world. For instance, pop superstar Halsey teamed up with K-pop group B.T.S. to release the hit song “Boy With Luv,” and country rap star Lil Nas X recently topped the charts with his country-rap single “Old Town Road.” Such cross-genre collaborations often result in beautiful hybrids of styles.
Disco
Disco music is an urban subculture that originated in the early 1970s. It was first played in discotheques, settings where people could dance to recorded music. These clubs were standard in black and white communities, where turntable-wielding deejays would play popular songs. The twist dance, associated with disco music, was popularized in New York hotspots such as the Peppermint Lounge.
In the early 1980s, disco music began to take on new forms. The first significant changes came in the form of instrumentation and composition. The advent of drum machines changed the way disco music was played. The first notable example of this change was in the 1974 disco hit ‘Rock Your Baby’ by George McCrae, where the drum machine replaced a drummer. In 1977, Donna Summer released the classic disco track ‘I Feel Love,’ which featured a synthesized backing track. The track was produced by Giorgio Moroder and is often described as the beginning of electronic dance music.
Pop
The last decade has been a decade of change in pop music. While the first decade was marked by teen pop artists such as Britney Spears, this decade has been dominated by mainstream artists such as U2 and Jay-Z. Artists also experimented with new sounds and genres and added their flair to pop music. Artists like Christina Aguilera and Blink 182 brought new sounds to the genre and were even considered teen pop stars.
While it is true that pop music has undergone many changes in the last decade, one thing is consistent: its popularity. The popularity of specific genres has increased dramatically over the last decade. Today, global superstars like Lady Gaga are part of the pop scene.
Internet Jokes
The last decade has been filled with a wide variety of Internet jokes about the evolution of music. Some of these jokes have been adapted into actual performances. For example, “All-Star” by Smash Mouth features all C notes. And “Eye of the Tiger (Vocals: Every Note Is E)” by Vagidictoris, which has all C notes, sounds like an indie rock song.
Memes have become a part of daily social media interaction. Once thought of as weird pictures posted online, they’ve become an integral part of internet humor. Memes are not only funny but also serve a proper function. For example, a funny meme may mock an innocent thing.
MTV
The music industry has changed considerably in the past decade. While MTV primarily broadcasts music videos, the network now includes reality shows and other types of programming that are less focused on music. In addition, its format shifted toward reality shows and other entertainment, including game shows and soap operas.
MTV was initially conceived to show music videos and related content around the clock. This golden age of MTV spanned from the early 1980s to 1992 and made a massive impact on the music industry. The popularity of the channel allowed artists to promote their new music. Additionally, the growing cultural importance of the network led to larger budgets for music videos. As a result, innovative artists reimagined what a music video could be. In turn, creative music videos became a significant part of music marketing.
The MTV Music Evolution began when the network’s first broadcast aired on August 1, 1981. The first music video to air on MTV was “Video Killed the Radio Star” by the Buggles. The video disc jockeys introduced the videos and bantered about current music news in between clips. MTV initially struggled to find success in its early years. However, while cable television was still a luxury, it was a hit once it began broadcasting rhythm and blues artists and music videos.
Beyonce
The last decade has seen a lot of changes in the world of pop music. Artists like Beyonce and David Bowie have made some bold moves. For instance, David Bowie released his surprise album The Next Day on YouTube, while My Bloody Valentine released their last album on YouTube. Beyonce also debuted her fourth studio album, “4,” which became one of the fastest-selling albums on iTunes.
Beyonce’s seventh studio album, Renaissance, marks a paradigm shift. While her previous record, Lemonade, featured a broad musical spectrum, Renaissance pays homage to Black dance music and queer cultural touchstones. Her reference to drag culture and early nineties Chicago house music makes it clear that she is not content to stick to the same sound as her predecessors.
MTV era
The MTV era in music evolution in the past decade has seen several changes. For one, the network expanded to include many different forms of entertainment. This included the live concerts of artists across the world. MTV also has expanded into new genres, such as reality shows and soap operas.
In the early years of MTV, it showed few videos from artists of color. The lack of diversity was controversial, as artists such as Rick James and David Bowie publicly criticized the network. MTV resisted criticism, claiming that its programming focused on rock music. However, in 1986, a feminist academic journal published an article claiming that MTV was a racist channel.
Cantometrics Project
The Cantometrics Project is a research project that examines the evolution of the musical character through time. It was first proposed by Alan Lomax in 1959 and developed in conjunction with Columbia University’s Anthropology Department. Its first collaborator was Victor Grauer, who developed a computer coding system for Cantometrics. Other contributors to the project included anthropologist Edwin Erickson, statistician Norman Berkowitz, and dancer Forrestine Paulay.
Lomax’s methodology was controversial. He argued that there was a relationship between song style and social structure. His theory suggested that global variation in song style and social structure could be evolutionary. However, his research did not prove this hypothesis.
Social media
Today, more than 9 out of 10 people use social media to find and interact with music. Since the rise of social networks, the landscape of music has changed drastically. Today, users can follow their favorite artists, and post-concert photos and edit content with music. Social media platforms have also added features to promote music, such as music stickers in stories.
Initially, Facebook was the most popular platform for discovering new artists. However, it lost nearly 15 million users between 2017 and 2019. It was reported that 79% of American youths between 12 and 34 were using Facebook in 2017, dropping to 62% by the end of the year. In its place, Twitter became the playground for superfans.
Style and Genre Evolution
The music styles and genres have changed throughout the years, and numerous famous musicians and bands have affected the genre in various ways. Without talented musicians, music wouldn’t be the way it is nowadays.
Here’s a look at the most excellent and revolutionary musicians, bands, and technology over the years that have all contributed to the path that music has followed up to the current.
50’s Evolution of Music from 1950-2000
This decade began the rock’n’roll style, which is still in high demand today. Of the most famous and well-known musicians of that decade was Elvis Presley.
Many people refer to the singer as “the King of Rock’n’Roll,” launching his career in 1954. Younger generations loved him because of his beautiful appearance, and his fantastic music was heard in almost every home during the 1950s. In his time, the singer released over 32 number-one singles as well as 18 albums that were number one.
1960’s
The 1960s were a time of many firsts, including an early music video and a significant development of racial integration music.
Motown Record Corporation began its growth in the 1960s. It was owned by the Motown Record Corporation and was a significant sponsor of African American Artists. Its first top ten chart hit was in 1960 with the track “Shop Around” by the Miracles. It reached the top spot at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was Motown’s first million-selling single.
The all-girl group, The Supremes, released their album, “The Supremes A Go-Go,” in 1966. The album climbed to the top position in the Billboard Album Charts. Motown Records also produced this album.
During the same century, Bob Dylan released the first music video for his hit single, “Subterranean Homesick Blues.” Bob Dylan enticed people away from the age of sound and into music videos, even though it was a single shot clip.
The other significant artists of the time included The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. Both bands were influential and continue to influence the world of music. They will always be regarded as among the top musicians and the most famous groups.
1970’s
The birth of new Music GenresThe 70s is probably most well-known for their shift into the rock genre. One of the more well-known rock bands of the period was Aerosmith which was officially founded in 1971, and KISS was officially founded in 1973.
KISS is known for taking the sub-genre of rock to a whole new height with its incredibly creative costumes, faces-paintings, and actions like blood spitting and breathing fire.
The younger generation took an interest in this style and acquainted themselves with the anger and angst shown in the band’s songs and performance.
1980’s
The 1980s may have been the most significant musical breakthrough, the birth of MTV or music television. Its debut was in 1981. The channel was designed to broadcast music videos, becoming a staple of the society of the time.
The very first 1980’s Music EvolutionMTV video starred The Buggles and their 1979 chart-topping track “Video Killed the Radio Star.”
Blondie’s most famous hit song, “Call Me,” peaked in the 1980s. It held the top position for six weeks and was officially certified as gold in the 1 million copies sold.
Furthermore, sub-genres like hard rock, heavy metal, and glam metal were hugely popular during this decade, with artists such as Guns N’ Roses and Bon Jovi.
Hip-Hop was also a part of the scene alongside groups like Run-D.M.C that had a significant influence on the industry of music. It was the first time artists in their genre achieved gold status and were nominated for Grammy Awards. Grammy.
1990’s
There were many different music genres available when the ’90s arrived. What was categorized as “grunge music,” and related sub-genres reached their peak in popularity in the early ’90s? For instance, bands such as Nirvana were hugely successful, and their unique style remained popular in the early 90s.
Female pop stars, The Spice Girls, gained fame in 90’s America and across the globe. Their influence is likely to blame for the rise of all the teen-oriented pop artists expected to emerge in the coming decade, including Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, ‘N Sync, and the Backstreet Boys.
2000’s
The Evolution and the Creation of Today’s music genres 2000, pop stars Britney Spears and ‘N Sync, along with Backstreet Boys, were battling with rappers Eminem and Nelly to be the top charting artists.
The talent and skill of Eminem to deliver a slew of songs that enraged many people made him a massive success in sales through the 2000s.
Britney Spears was also a significant persona in popular music and mainstream culture in the 2000s. Her debut two albums made her an icon in pop music and set records for sales as the title tracks “Oops !… “…I Did It Again” along with “Baby One More Time” and “…Baby Another Time” were top-selling worldwide.
Furthermore, many of the most important stories were related to the music-sharing service Napster.
Napster was the first online free-sharing service and was the talk of all downloaders. It marked the beginning of a revolution that shook the music world and changed it for the rest of time.
Shortly after the site was launched, its founder, 18-year-old Shawn Fanning, came under severe legal scrutiny from bigwigs of the music industry. They filed a lawsuit to take the website down in the name of copyright violation.
Music Trends Through The Decades
Music has been around for almost all the time that humans have existed. We listen to it every day. It inspires us, makes us cry, and is always present throughout our daily lives. The music trends are constantly changing, which got us to think about what kinds of music define every decade. We came up with our thoughts but were shocked by our study and found out what music was being played. The below list of music genres breaks it down by decade and the most popular. Take a look!
1940’s: Swing, Jazz, Blues, and Big Band
The most prominent artists of the day included: Rosemary Clooney, Frank Sinatra, Glenn Miller, Artie Shaw, Count Basie, Bing Crosby, The Andrews Sisters, Dorsey Brothers, Billie Holiday, Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald.
1950’s: Rock ‘N Roll, B-bop, Big Band, Country
Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly, Fats Domino, The Everly Brothers, Patti Page, Doris Day, Johnny Cash, Nat King Cole, Tony Bennett, Dean Martin, Pat Boone, Gene Autry, Patsy Cline, Same Cooke, Hank Williams, Teresa Brewer, Ritchie Valens, Harry Belafonte, Ray Charles
1960’s: Motown, Rock ‘N Roll, and The British Invasion
The Beatles, Bob Dylan, The Monkees, The Rolling Stones, The Supremes, Simon & Garfunkel, Aretha Franklin, The Beach Boys, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, The Moody Blues, Janis Joplin, Neil Seddaka, Chubby Checker, The Mamas & The Papas, Cream, The Temptations, James Brown
1970’s: Disco, Motown, and R&B
The Doors, The Who, The Jackson 5, Marvin Gaye, Rod Stewart, Barry Manilow, Diana Ross, Paul Simon, Gloria Gaynor, The Bee Gees, The Ramones, Sex Pistols, Electric Light Orchestra, Patti Smith, The Cars, Kool & The Gang, Parliament-Funkadelic, Earth Wind & Fire, Kansas, ABBA, Donna Summer, Queen, Grand Funk Railroad, Blondie, The Carpenters, Elton John, Billy Joel
80’s: Glam rock, Pop, Hip-Hop, Country
Dolly Parton, Michael Jackson, Lionel Ritchie, Olivia Newton-John, David Bowie, Billy Joel, Duran Duran, The Police, U2, Van Halen, Def Leppard, Poison, Twisted Sister, Whitney Houston, Madonna, Phil Collins, Cyndi Lauper, Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen, Motley Crue, Prince, Paula Abdul, The Cure, Depeche Mode, The Go-Gos, The Bangles, Randy Travis, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Public Enemy, Run-DMC, MC Hammer, Beastie Boys, L.L. Cool J, Bobby Brown, New Kids on the Block, Janet Jackson, Tom Petty, Journey, Tina Turner
1990’s: Grunge, Alternative, Rap, and Country
Nirvana, Pearl Jam, MC Hammer, Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys, N’Sync, Soundgarden, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Salt ‘n Peppa, Vanilla Ice, Tone Loc, 2Pac, Notorious B.I.G., Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, Gloria Estefan, Madonna, Whitney Houston, The Offspring, Green Day, No Doubt, Ricky Martin, Garth Brooks, Shania Twain, Faith Hill, Boyz II Men, Janet Jackson, R.E.M., Weezer, Guns & Roses, Hootie & the Blowfish, Christina Aguilera, Alanis Morisette, Jewel, Oasis, Mariah Carey, Natalie Merchant, Sheryl Crow, Melissa Etheridge, Dave Matthews Band, Metallica, Nine Inch Nails, Cypress Hill, Foo Fighters, The Smashing Pumpkins
2000’s: Adult Contemporary and R&B
Outkast, Linkin Park, Cold Play, Nsync, Backstreet Boys, U2, Incubus, Will Smith, Sum41, Kid Rock, The Killers, Thirty Seconds To Mars, Modest Mouse, Matchbox 20, System of a Down, The Black Eyed Peas, Smash Mouth, Flo Rida, A.F.I., Jason Mraz, Creed, Blink-182, Gorillaz, Beyonce, Nelly, Beck, Eminem, Santana, Train, Missy Elliot, The All American Rejects, Usher, Papa Roach, Daft Punk, Kanye West, Nickelback, Everclear, Panic! at The Disco, P.O.D., Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jimmy Eat World
2010’s: E.D.M. and Hip-Hop
This decade is moving towards Electronic Dance Music, and this trending genre is blowing worldwide. We’re just halfway into the new decade, and already the music industry is turning towards bass-driven dancing that is fast and fast. We’re excited to see how the next five years will unfold musically.
The music industry will continue to evolve and evolve in front of our eyes. So be sure to slow pause every once in a time and take note of the way we’ve come. We’ve gone from orchestras with full orchestras to the ability to record an entire song and all its components using computers. As technology improves, technology will influence the music genres that we listen to, and the sound that this decade creates will alter the future!
Music Evolution Throughout the Decades
The last decade has been an era of music evolution. There are several notable trends in the music world, such as a rise in Broadway music recordings. Many Broadway musicals have made their mark on the Billboard 200 chart. One example is the hit Broadway musical Hamilton, which spent 145 weeks in the top 40.
Cross-genre collaborations are also becoming increasingly common in the music world. For instance, pop superstar Halsey teamed up with K-pop group B.T.S. to release the hit song “Boy With Luv,” and country rap star Lil Nas X recently topped the charts with his country-rap single “Old Town Road.” Such cross-genre collaborations often result in beautiful hybrids of styles.
Disco
Disco music is an urban subculture that originated in the early 1970s. It was first played in discotheques, settings where people could dance to recorded music. These clubs were standard in black and white communities, where turntable-wielding deejays would play popular songs. The twist dance, associated with disco music, was popularized in New York hotspots such as the Peppermint Lounge.
In the early 1980s, disco music began to take on new forms. The first significant changes came in the form of instrumentation and composition. The advent of drum machines changed the way disco music was played. The first notable example of this change was in the 1974 disco hit ‘Rock Your Baby’ by George McCrae, where the drum machine replaced a drummer. In 1977, Donna Summer released the classic disco track ‘I Feel Love,’ which featured a synthesized backing track. The track was produced by Giorgio Moroder and is often described as the beginning of electronic dance music.
Pop
The last decade has been a decade of change in pop music. While the first decade was marked by teen pop artists such as Britney Spears, this decade has been dominated by mainstream artists such as U2 and Jay-Z. Artists also experimented with new sounds and genres and added their flair to pop music. Artists like Christina Aguilera and Blink 182 brought new sounds to the genre and were even considered teen pop stars.
While it is true that pop music has undergone many changes in the last decade, one thing is consistent: its popularity. The popularity of specific genres has increased dramatically over the last decade. Today, global superstars like Lady Gaga are part of the pop scene.
Internet Jokes
The last decade has been filled with a wide variety of Internet jokes about the evolution of music. Some of these jokes have been adapted into actual performances. For example, “All-Star” by Smash Mouth features all C notes. And “Eye of the Tiger (Vocals: Every Note Is E)” by Vagidictoris, which has all C notes, sounds like an indie rock song.
Memes have become a part of daily social media interaction. Once thought of as weird pictures posted online, they’ve become an integral part of internet humor. Memes are not only funny but also serve a proper function. For example, a funny meme may mock an innocent thing.
MTV
The music industry has changed considerably in the past decade. While MTV primarily broadcasts music videos, the network now includes reality shows and other types of programming that are less focused on music. In addition, its format shifted toward reality shows and other entertainment, including game shows and soap operas.
MTV was initially conceived to show music videos and related content around the clock. This golden age of MTV spanned from the early 1980s to 1992 and made a massive impact on the music industry. The popularity of the channel allowed artists to promote their new music. Additionally, the growing cultural importance of the network led to larger budgets for music videos. As a result, innovative artists reimagined what a music video could be. In turn, creative music videos became a significant part of music marketing.
The MTV Music Evolution began when the network’s first broadcast aired on August 1, 1981. The first music video to air on MTV was “Video Killed the Radio Star” by the Buggles. The video disc jockeys introduced the videos and bantered about current music news in between clips. MTV initially struggled to find success in its early years. However, while cable television was still a luxury, it was a hit once it began broadcasting rhythm and blues artists and music videos.
Beyonce
The last decade has seen a lot of changes in the world of pop music. Artists like Beyonce and David Bowie have made some bold moves. For instance, David Bowie released his surprise album The Next Day on YouTube, while My Bloody Valentine released their last album on YouTube. Beyonce also debuted her fourth studio album, “4,” which became one of the fastest-selling albums on iTunes.
Beyonce’s seventh studio album, Renaissance, marks a paradigm shift. While her previous record, Lemonade, featured a broad musical spectrum, Renaissance pays homage to Black dance music and queer cultural touchstones. Her reference to drag culture and early nineties Chicago house music makes it clear that she is not content to stick to the same sound as her predecessors.
MTV era
The MTV era in music evolution in the past decade has seen several changes. For one, the network expanded to include many different forms of entertainment. This included the live concerts of artists across the world. MTV also has expanded into new genres, such as reality shows and soap operas.
In the early years of MTV, it showed few videos from artists of color. The lack of diversity was controversial, as artists such as Rick James and David Bowie publicly criticized the network. MTV resisted criticism, claiming that its programming focused on rock music. However, in 1986, a feminist academic journal published an article claiming that MTV was a racist channel.
Cantometrics Project
The Cantometrics Project is a research project that examines the evolution of the musical character through time. It was first proposed by Alan Lomax in 1959 and developed in conjunction with Columbia University’s Anthropology Department. Its first collaborator was Victor Grauer, who developed a computer coding system for Cantometrics. Other contributors to the project included anthropologist Edwin Erickson, statistician Norman Berkowitz, and dancer Forrestine Paulay.
Lomax’s methodology was controversial. He argued that there was a relationship between song style and social structure. His theory suggested that global variation in song style and social structure could be evolutionary. However, his research did not prove this hypothesis.
Social media
Today, more than 9 out of 10 people use social media to find and interact with music. Since the rise of social networks, the landscape of music has changed drastically. Today, users can follow their favorite artists, and post-concert photos and edit content with music. Social media platforms have also added features to promote music, such as music stickers in stories.
Initially, Facebook was the most popular platform for discovering new artists. However, it lost nearly 15 million users between 2017 and 2019. It was reported that 79% of American youths between 12 and 34 were using Facebook in 2017, dropping to 62% by the end of the year. In its place, Twitter became the playground for superfans.
Style and Genre Evolution
The music styles and genres have changed throughout the years, and numerous famous musicians and bands have affected the genre in various ways. Without talented musicians, music wouldn’t be the way it is nowadays.
Here’s a look at the most excellent and revolutionary musicians, bands, and technology over the years that have all contributed to the path that music has followed up to the current.
50’s Evolution of Music from 1950-2000
This decade began the rock’n’roll style, which is still in high demand today. Of the most famous and well-known musicians of that decade was Elvis Presley.
Many people refer to the singer as “the King of Rock’n’Roll,” launching his career in 1954. Younger generations loved him because of his beautiful appearance, and his fantastic music was heard in almost every home during the 1950s. In his time, the singer released over 32 number-one singles as well as 18 albums that were number one.
1960’s
The 1960s were a time of many firsts, including an early music video and a significant development of racial integration music.
Motown Record Corporation began its growth in the 1960s. It was owned by the Motown Record Corporation and was a significant sponsor of African American Artists. Its first top ten chart hit was in 1960 with the track “Shop Around” by the Miracles. It reached the top spot at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was Motown’s first million-selling single.
The all-girl group, The Supremes, released their album, “The Supremes A Go-Go,” in 1966. The album climbed to the top position in the Billboard Album Charts. Motown Records also produced this album.
During the same century, Bob Dylan released the first music video for his hit single, “Subterranean Homesick Blues.” Bob Dylan enticed people away from the age of sound and into music videos, even though it was a single shot clip.
The other significant artists of the time included The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. Both bands were influential and continue to influence the world of music. They will always be regarded as among the top musicians and the most famous groups.
1970’s
The birth of new Music GenresThe 70s is probably most well-known for their shift into the rock genre. One of the more well-known rock bands of the period was Aerosmith which was officially founded in 1971, and KISS was officially founded in 1973.
KISS is known for taking the sub-genre of rock to a whole new height with its incredibly creative costumes, faces-paintings, and actions like blood spitting and breathing fire.
The younger generation took an interest in this style and acquainted themselves with the anger and angst shown in the band’s songs and performance.
1980’s
The 1980s may have been the most significant musical breakthrough, the birth of MTV or music television. Its debut was in 1981. The channel was designed to broadcast music videos, becoming a staple of the society of the time.
The very first 1980’s Music EvolutionMTV video starred The Buggles and their 1979 chart-topping track “Video Killed the Radio Star.”
Blondie’s most famous hit song, “Call Me,” peaked in the 1980s. It held the top position for six weeks and was officially certified as gold in the 1 million copies sold.
Furthermore, sub-genres like hard rock, heavy metal, and glam metal were hugely popular during this decade, with artists such as Guns N’ Roses and Bon Jovi.
Hip-Hop was also a part of the scene alongside groups like Run-D.M.C that had a significant influence on the industry of music. It was the first time artists in their genre achieved gold status and were nominated for Grammy Awards. Grammy.
1990’s
There were many different music genres available when the ’90s arrived. What was categorized as “grunge music,” and related sub-genres reached their peak in popularity in the early ’90s? For instance, bands such as Nirvana were hugely successful, and their unique style remained popular in the early 90s.
Female pop stars, The Spice Girls, gained fame in 90’s America and across the globe. Their influence is likely to blame for the rise of all the teen-oriented pop artists expected to emerge in the coming decade, including Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, ‘N Sync, and the Backstreet Boys.
2000’s
The Evolution and the Creation of Today’s music genres 2000, pop stars Britney Spears and ‘N Sync, along with Backstreet Boys, were battling with rappers Eminem and Nelly to be the top charting artists.
The talent and skill of Eminem to deliver a slew of songs that enraged many people made him a massive success in sales through the 2000s.
Britney Spears was also a significant persona in popular music and mainstream culture in the 2000s. Her debut two albums made her an icon in pop music and set records for sales as the title tracks “Oops !… “…I Did It Again” along with “Baby One More Time” and “…Baby Another Time” were top-selling worldwide.
Furthermore, many of the most important stories were related to the music-sharing service Napster.
Napster was the first online free-sharing service and was the talk of all downloaders. It marked the beginning of a revolution that shook the music world and changed it for the rest of time.
Shortly after the site was launched, its founder, 18-year-old Shawn Fanning, came under severe legal scrutiny from bigwigs of the music industry. They filed a lawsuit to take the website down in the name of copyright violation.
Music Trends Through The Decades
Music has been around for almost all the time that humans have existed. We listen to it every day. It inspires us, makes us cry, and is always present throughout our daily lives. The music trends are constantly changing, which got us to think about what kinds of music define every decade. We came up with our thoughts but were shocked by our study and found out what music was being played. The below list of music genres breaks it down by decade and the most popular. Take a look!
1940’s: Swing, Jazz, Blues, and Big Band
The most prominent artists of the day included: Rosemary Clooney, Frank Sinatra, Glenn Miller, Artie Shaw, Count Basie, Bing Crosby, The Andrews Sisters, Dorsey Brothers, Billie Holiday, Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald.
1950’s: Rock ‘N Roll, B-bop, Big Band, Country
Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly, Fats Domino, The Everly Brothers, Patti Page, Doris Day, Johnny Cash, Nat King Cole, Tony Bennett, Dean Martin, Pat Boone, Gene Autry, Patsy Cline, Same Cooke, Hank Williams, Teresa Brewer, Ritchie Valens, Harry Belafonte, Ray Charles
1960’s: Motown, Rock ‘N Roll, and The British Invasion
The Beatles, Bob Dylan, The Monkees, The Rolling Stones, The Supremes, Simon & Garfunkel, Aretha Franklin, The Beach Boys, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, The Moody Blues, Janis Joplin, Neil Seddaka, Chubby Checker, The Mamas & The Papas, Cream, The Temptations, James Brown
1970’s: Disco, Motown, and R&B
The Doors, The Who, The Jackson 5, Marvin Gaye, Rod Stewart, Barry Manilow, Diana Ross, Paul Simon, Gloria Gaynor, The Bee Gees, The Ramones, Sex Pistols, Electric Light Orchestra, Patti Smith, The Cars, Kool & The Gang, Parliament-Funkadelic, Earth Wind & Fire, Kansas, ABBA, Donna Summer, Queen, Grand Funk Railroad, Blondie, The Carpenters, Elton John, Billy Joel
80’s: Glam rock, Pop, Hip-Hop, Country
Dolly Parton, Michael Jackson, Lionel Ritchie, Olivia Newton-John, David Bowie, Billy Joel, Duran Duran, The Police, U2, Van Halen, Def Leppard, Poison, Twisted Sister, Whitney Houston, Madonna, Phil Collins, Cyndi Lauper, Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen, Motley Crue, Prince, Paula Abdul, The Cure, Depeche Mode, The Go-Gos, The Bangles, Randy Travis, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Public Enemy, Run-DMC, MC Hammer, Beastie Boys, L.L. Cool J, Bobby Brown, New Kids on the Block, Janet Jackson, Tom Petty, Journey, Tina Turner
1990’s: Grunge, Alternative, Rap, and Country
Nirvana, Pearl Jam, MC Hammer, Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys, N’Sync, Soundgarden, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Salt ‘n Peppa, Vanilla Ice, Tone Loc, 2Pac, Notorious B.I.G., Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, Gloria Estefan, Madonna, Whitney Houston, The Offspring, Green Day, No Doubt, Ricky Martin, Garth Brooks, Shania Twain, Faith Hill, Boyz II Men, Janet Jackson, R.E.M., Weezer, Guns & Roses, Hootie & the Blowfish, Christina Aguilera, Alanis Morisette, Jewel, Oasis, Mariah Carey, Natalie Merchant, Sheryl Crow, Melissa Etheridge, Dave Matthews Band, Metallica, Nine Inch Nails, Cypress Hill, Foo Fighters, The Smashing Pumpkins
2000’s: Adult Contemporary and R&B
Outkast, Linkin Park, Cold Play, Nsync, Backstreet Boys, U2, Incubus, Will Smith, Sum41, Kid Rock, The Killers, Thirty Seconds To Mars, Modest Mouse, Matchbox 20, System of a Down, The Black Eyed Peas, Smash Mouth, Flo Rida, A.F.I., Jason Mraz, Creed, Blink-182, Gorillaz, Beyonce, Nelly, Beck, Eminem, Santana, Train, Missy Elliot, The All American Rejects, Usher, Papa Roach, Daft Punk, Kanye West, Nickelback, Everclear, Panic! at The Disco, P.O.D., Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jimmy Eat World
2010’s: E.D.M. and Hip-Hop
This decade is moving towards Electronic Dance Music, and this trending genre is blowing worldwide. We’re just halfway into the new decade, and already the music industry is turning towards bass-driven dancing that is fast and fast. We’re excited to see how the next five years will unfold musically.
The music industry will continue to evolve and evolve in front of our eyes. So be sure to slow pause every once in a time and take note of the way we’ve come. We’ve gone from orchestras with full orchestras to the ability to record an entire song and all its components using computers. As technology improves, technology will influence the music genres that we listen to, and the sound that this decade creates will alter the future!
