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| The 80s History |
Cable was born and MTV,
orginally intended to be
promos for albums, had
an enormous impact on
music and young people.
The digital compact disc
(cd) revolutionized the
music industry. Dances
learned on MTV included
slam dancing, lambada,
and break dancing.
Harlem's gay, black, and
Latino males imitated the
beautiful jet set with their
(then underground)
Vogueing, a 'pose' dance
popularized by Madonna
incorporating the struts
and stances of high
fashion models.
orginally intended to be
promos for albums, had
an enormous impact on
music and young people.
The digital compact disc
(cd) revolutionized the
music industry. Dances
learned on MTV included
slam dancing, lambada,
and break dancing.
Harlem's gay, black, and
Latino males imitated the
beautiful jet set with their
(then underground)
Vogueing, a 'pose' dance
popularized by Madonna
incorporating the struts
and stances of high
fashion models.
| Other stuff |
MTV, or Music Television, may have been the single most influential
entity in music industry during the 1980s . Premiering in 1981, MTV gave
bands and artists greater exposure for their music in a greater and more
widely popular medium. The first video ever played on MTV was aptly
titled “Video Killed the Radio Star” by the Buggles. Duran Duran is one of
the more popular 80s bands that enjoyed the exposure that MTV gave
them, too. Many experts have said that MTV is what made Duran Duran
one of the most popular bands to come out of the 1980s era.
New Wave and Synthpop was another genre of music that came about
during this era. This form held on to many of the attributes of the popular
Punk Rock genre coming out of the 1970s, but it had different
characteristics. While the Punk Rock of the 1970s was a retaliation
against the government and the “establishment,” the New Wave and
Synthpop forms were meant to be anti-corporation in a more
experimental sense, both melodically and lyrically. These genres were so
closely tied that they are often just lumped into the category of New
Wave, but it influenced an entire generation of music fans with its poppy
sound and intricate lyrics. Bands like The Police, the B-52’s, and Duran
Duran are recognizable names that fit into this category of 1980s music.
The 1980s era also enjoyed a harder style of music. Good ol’ Rock ‘n
Roll was a main staple of the 80s music. Popular rock bands like Van
Halen, Def Leppard, and Aerosmith pumped out the decibels to the
enjoyment of thousands, if not millions, of fans. It was also an era of a
genre deemed Glam Rock. This included bands like Motley Crue, Poison,
and other bands that were known for wild hair, tons of hairspray, and
flashy stage outfits. Band members were also known for promiscuity and
some bands, such as Twisted Sister, wore makeup as a form of shock
and rebellion against the strict culture of the times. The 1980s also saw
the formation of a harder type of rock and metal, called Thrash Metal.
Bands like Metallica, Megadeth, and Slayer created electrifying guitar riffs
and headbanging beats that could only be enjoyed at maximum volume.
Although the music from the 1980s had their share of one-hit wonders,
many artists have continued to persevere and enjoy a great deal of
success. Artists like Michael Jackson, Madonna, and Phil Collins gained
popularity in the 1980s and have been popular since that era. Other
musicians, including Bruce Springsteen, John Mellencamp, and Bon Jovi
are still creating best-selling albums and sellout concerts that are popular
among young and old alike.
Concert charity events were also popular during this decade including
Live Aid in 1985 . The world was concerned about famine and other
socio-political issues happening across the globe at the time and the
music industry decided to respond. As a result, millions of dollars were
raised to combat these social issues. USA for Africa was possibly the
most memorable charity concert. Dozens of artists contributed to this
project as well as the signature song – “We Are the World” – and raised
millions of dollars to help relieve hunger in Ethiopia. Band Aid was
another concert aimed at a purpose – to bring awareness to the general
public about AIDS as well as the proliferation and imminent dangers of
nuclear war. At the time, the Cold War between the United States and the
USSR was a major issue on the minds of the people in the world.
The 1980s has been described as a decade of greed. Because of the
strength of the economy, more people were industry to make a statement
with their anti-corporation music and their concerts to bring awareness to
the plight industry to make a statement with their anti-corporation music
and their concerts to bring awareness to the plight occurring in other
parts of the world. The millions of dollars raised for important causes
during this decade is proof that the greed was not as bad as many
people believe it to be.
entity in music industry during the 1980s . Premiering in 1981, MTV gave
bands and artists greater exposure for their music in a greater and more
widely popular medium. The first video ever played on MTV was aptly
titled “Video Killed the Radio Star” by the Buggles. Duran Duran is one of
the more popular 80s bands that enjoyed the exposure that MTV gave
them, too. Many experts have said that MTV is what made Duran Duran
one of the most popular bands to come out of the 1980s era.
New Wave and Synthpop was another genre of music that came about
during this era. This form held on to many of the attributes of the popular
Punk Rock genre coming out of the 1970s, but it had different
characteristics. While the Punk Rock of the 1970s was a retaliation
against the government and the “establishment,” the New Wave and
Synthpop forms were meant to be anti-corporation in a more
experimental sense, both melodically and lyrically. These genres were so
closely tied that they are often just lumped into the category of New
Wave, but it influenced an entire generation of music fans with its poppy
sound and intricate lyrics. Bands like The Police, the B-52’s, and Duran
Duran are recognizable names that fit into this category of 1980s music.
The 1980s era also enjoyed a harder style of music. Good ol’ Rock ‘n
Roll was a main staple of the 80s music. Popular rock bands like Van
Halen, Def Leppard, and Aerosmith pumped out the decibels to the
enjoyment of thousands, if not millions, of fans. It was also an era of a
genre deemed Glam Rock. This included bands like Motley Crue, Poison,
and other bands that were known for wild hair, tons of hairspray, and
flashy stage outfits. Band members were also known for promiscuity and
some bands, such as Twisted Sister, wore makeup as a form of shock
and rebellion against the strict culture of the times. The 1980s also saw
the formation of a harder type of rock and metal, called Thrash Metal.
Bands like Metallica, Megadeth, and Slayer created electrifying guitar riffs
and headbanging beats that could only be enjoyed at maximum volume.
Although the music from the 1980s had their share of one-hit wonders,
many artists have continued to persevere and enjoy a great deal of
success. Artists like Michael Jackson, Madonna, and Phil Collins gained
popularity in the 1980s and have been popular since that era. Other
musicians, including Bruce Springsteen, John Mellencamp, and Bon Jovi
are still creating best-selling albums and sellout concerts that are popular
among young and old alike.
Concert charity events were also popular during this decade including
Live Aid in 1985 . The world was concerned about famine and other
socio-political issues happening across the globe at the time and the
music industry decided to respond. As a result, millions of dollars were
raised to combat these social issues. USA for Africa was possibly the
most memorable charity concert. Dozens of artists contributed to this
project as well as the signature song – “We Are the World” – and raised
millions of dollars to help relieve hunger in Ethiopia. Band Aid was
another concert aimed at a purpose – to bring awareness to the general
public about AIDS as well as the proliferation and imminent dangers of
nuclear war. At the time, the Cold War between the United States and the
USSR was a major issue on the minds of the people in the world.
The 1980s has been described as a decade of greed. Because of the
strength of the economy, more people were industry to make a statement
with their anti-corporation music and their concerts to bring awareness to
the plight industry to make a statement with their anti-corporation music
and their concerts to bring awareness to the plight occurring in other
parts of the world. The millions of dollars raised for important causes
during this decade is proof that the greed was not as bad as many
people believe it to be.
Courtesy of The People History.com
The musical era of the 1980s Like many other decades, the 1980s was a
decade where music was a way to chronicle the times and events of the
era. In some ways, the musical genres during the 1980s redefined the
way many bands and artists made new music and it still continues to
influence music today. Many of the musicians during the 1980s have
maintained staying power and are still popular today. Other artists
enjoyed a modicum of success during the decade and they are not even
widely recognized today, save for the television programs that strive to
reunite the bands and give exposure to artists of the time. Following is
some descriptions and explanations of the bands and interests that
helped to change the face of music in the 80s.
The musical era of the 1980s Like many other decades, the 1980s was a
decade where music was a way to chronicle the times and events of the
era. In some ways, the musical genres during the 1980s redefined the
way many bands and artists made new music and it still continues to
influence music today. Many of the musicians during the 1980s have
maintained staying power and are still popular today. Other artists
enjoyed a modicum of success during the decade and they are not even
widely recognized today, save for the television programs that strive to
reunite the bands and give exposure to artists of the time. Following is
some descriptions and explanations of the bands and interests that
helped to change the face of music in the 80s.
The 80s decade saw the emergence of
teen pop, new wave and glam metal and
is associated with electronic music and
the use of the synthesizer in synthpop.
The music of the 1980s continued the
trends of the 1970s pop culture, just as
the 2000s continued those of the 1990s.
Alternative rock begins to enter the
mainstream, with New Wave music and
bands like U2 and R.E.M. popular long
before the Grunge movement of the early
1990s.
In the years 1980 and 1981, the original
New Romantic scene, with a David
Bowie-influenced camp look and a punk
rock sound influenced and interacted
with the late 1970s punk scene at
CBGB's, creating the New Wave scene
that would define the 1980s. Outside of
New Wave, rock continued the arena
rock trend of the 1970s - bands like Styx,
Rush, Journey, REO Speedwagon, ZZ
Top, and Aerosmith were popular into
the early 1980s, with hair metal taking
their place later.
success at the end of the decade, the
resurgence of hard rock music and the
emergence of pop metal with bands
such as Def Leppard, Mötley Crüe, Bon
Jovi, Quiet Riot, Ratt, Twisted Sister,
Poison, Whitesnake, and Cinderella.
The emergence of wildly popular hard
rock band Guns N' Roses and the
successful comeback of Aerosmith in
the late 1980s. The success of hard rock
act Van Halen throughout the entire
decade, with both singers David Lee
Roth and Sammy Hagar. Heavy metal
artists like Iron Maiden, Megadeth,
Metallica and Ozzy Osbourne were also
very popular during the Eighties.
Various older rock bands make a
comeback. The Beach Boys have a hit
with Kokomo. The Kinks have hits with
Come Dancing and Do It Again. The
Steve Miller Band have a hit with
Abracadabra. Steely Dan have a hit with
Hey Nineteen. Stevie Ray Vaughan and
George Thorogood spark a revival of
blues. Led Zeppelin disbanded after
John Bonham's 1980 death. Country
rock sees a decline after Lynyrd
Skynyrd's tragic 1977 plane crash.
Pop
The decade of 1980's saw the
reinvention of Michael Jackson and the
emergence of Madonna, which arguably
were the most powerful musicians
during the time. Their videos became a
permanent fixture on MTV and gained a
worldwide mass audience.
By 1980, the disco production of the
1970s, largely dependent on orchestras,
is replaced by a lighter synthpop
production. Duran Duran gains fame
with their hit Girls on Film, which had a
Godley & Creme-directed video, which
was banned by MTV for it's sexual
nature. They continued throughout the
80s with a string of hits, including Planet
Earth, Hungry Like the Wolf, The Reflex,
and Rio. In the second half of the 1980s
teen pop has its first wave. Bands and
artists include New Kids on the Block,
Debbie Gibson, Tiffany, Tommy Page,
New Edition, Stacey Q, The Bangles,
Madonna and others. Urban pop acts of
the 1980s include Lionel Richie, Michael
Jackson, Whitney Houston and Deniece
Williams. Artists such as Madonna,
Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson,
Prince, The Pet Shop Boys and Janet
Jackson ruled the charts throughout the
decade and achieved tremendous
success worldwide. Their fame and
commercial success lasts up to date.
Michael Jackson releases Thriller in
1982, which becomes the best selling
album of all time.
teen pop, new wave and glam metal and
is associated with electronic music and
the use of the synthesizer in synthpop.
The music of the 1980s continued the
trends of the 1970s pop culture, just as
the 2000s continued those of the 1990s.
Alternative rock begins to enter the
mainstream, with New Wave music and
bands like U2 and R.E.M. popular long
before the Grunge movement of the early
1990s.
In the years 1980 and 1981, the original
New Romantic scene, with a David
Bowie-influenced camp look and a punk
rock sound influenced and interacted
with the late 1970s punk scene at
CBGB's, creating the New Wave scene
that would define the 1980s. Outside of
New Wave, rock continued the arena
rock trend of the 1970s - bands like Styx,
Rush, Journey, REO Speedwagon, ZZ
Top, and Aerosmith were popular into
the early 1980s, with hair metal taking
their place later.
success at the end of the decade, the
resurgence of hard rock music and the
emergence of pop metal with bands
such as Def Leppard, Mötley Crüe, Bon
Jovi, Quiet Riot, Ratt, Twisted Sister,
Poison, Whitesnake, and Cinderella.
The emergence of wildly popular hard
rock band Guns N' Roses and the
successful comeback of Aerosmith in
the late 1980s. The success of hard rock
act Van Halen throughout the entire
decade, with both singers David Lee
Roth and Sammy Hagar. Heavy metal
artists like Iron Maiden, Megadeth,
Metallica and Ozzy Osbourne were also
very popular during the Eighties.
Various older rock bands make a
comeback. The Beach Boys have a hit
with Kokomo. The Kinks have hits with
Come Dancing and Do It Again. The
Steve Miller Band have a hit with
Abracadabra. Steely Dan have a hit with
Hey Nineteen. Stevie Ray Vaughan and
George Thorogood spark a revival of
blues. Led Zeppelin disbanded after
John Bonham's 1980 death. Country
rock sees a decline after Lynyrd
Skynyrd's tragic 1977 plane crash.
Pop
The decade of 1980's saw the
reinvention of Michael Jackson and the
emergence of Madonna, which arguably
were the most powerful musicians
during the time. Their videos became a
permanent fixture on MTV and gained a
worldwide mass audience.
By 1980, the disco production of the
1970s, largely dependent on orchestras,
is replaced by a lighter synthpop
production. Duran Duran gains fame
with their hit Girls on Film, which had a
Godley & Creme-directed video, which
was banned by MTV for it's sexual
nature. They continued throughout the
80s with a string of hits, including Planet
Earth, Hungry Like the Wolf, The Reflex,
and Rio. In the second half of the 1980s
teen pop has its first wave. Bands and
artists include New Kids on the Block,
Debbie Gibson, Tiffany, Tommy Page,
New Edition, Stacey Q, The Bangles,
Madonna and others. Urban pop acts of
the 1980s include Lionel Richie, Michael
Jackson, Whitney Houston and Deniece
Williams. Artists such as Madonna,
Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson,
Prince, The Pet Shop Boys and Janet
Jackson ruled the charts throughout the
decade and achieved tremendous
success worldwide. Their fame and
commercial success lasts up to date.
Michael Jackson releases Thriller in
1982, which becomes the best selling
album of all time.
Hip hop
N.W.A, circa 1989
Hip hop, a genre of music and culture that began in 1970s Bronx in New
York City, became mainstream and a strong influence on pop music in
the late 1980s and continues to be in the present day. Popular hip hop
artists of the 1980s include Grandmaster Flash, Salt-N-Pepa, Beastie
Boys, NWA (aka "Niggaz Wit Attitudes"), Public Enemy, and Run DMC.
Country
As the 1980s dawned, pop-influenced country music was the dominant
style, through such acts as Kenny Rogers, Ronnie Milsap, T.G.
Sheppard, Eddie Rabbitt, Crystal Gayle, Anne Murray and Dolly Parton.
The 1980 movie Urban Cowboy, a romantic comedy starring John
Travolta and Debra Winger, spawned a successful soundtrack album
featuring pop-styled country songs, including "Lookin' for Love" by
Johnny Lee, "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" by the Charlie Daniels
Band, "Could I Have This Dance" by Murray and "Love the World Away"
by Rogers. The songs, and the movie itself, resulted in an early 1980s
boom in pop-styled country music, and the era is sometimes known as
the "Urban Cowboy Movement."
By the mid-1980s, country music audiences were beginning to tire of
country pop. Although some pop-country artists continued to record and
release successful songs and albums, the genre in general was
beginning to suffer. By 1985, a New York Times article declared country
music "dead." However, by this time, several newcomers were working
behind the scenes to reverse this perception.
The year 1986 brought forth several new artists who performed in
traditional country styles, such as honky-tonk. This sparked the "new
traditionalist" movement, or return to traditional country music. The most
successful of these artists included Randy Travis, Dwight Yoakam, Ricky
Van Shelton and Holly Dunn. Also, artists like Kathy Mattea and Keith
Whitley, both who had been performing for a few years prior, had their
first major hits during 1986; Mattea was more folk-styled, while Whitley
was pure honky-tonk. But the new traditionalist movement had already
taken hold as early as 1981, when newcomers such as Ricky Skaggs
and George Strait had their first big hits, and Reba McEntire had her first
big hit in 1980. Another boom period for newcomers with new
traditionalist styles was 1989, when artists such as Clint Black, Garth
Brooks, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Lorrie Morgan and Travis Tritt had their
first big hits.
Vocal duos were also popular because of their harmonies, most notably
The Bellamy Brothers and The Judds. Several of the Bellamy Brothers'
songs included double-entendre' laden hooks, on songs such as "Do
You Love as Good As You Look." The Judds, a mother-and-daughter
duo, combined elements of contemporary pop and traditional country
music on songs such as "Why Not Me" and "Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout the
Good Ol' Days)."
Country music groups and bands continued to rise in popularity during
the 1980s. The most successful of the lot was Alabama, a Fort
Payne-based band that blended traditional and pop country sounds with
southern rock. Their concerts regularly sold out, while their single
releases regularly reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs
chart. In 1989, Alabama was named the Artist of the Decade by the
Academy of Country Music. By the end of the 1980s, the group had sold
more than 24 million albums in the United States.
Ranking just behind Alabama in popularity, as far as groups were
concerned, were The Oak Ridge Boys and The Statler Brothers, both
four-part harmony groups with gospel and country-pop stylings. The
popularity of those three groups sparked a boom in new groups and
bands, and by the end of the 1980s, fans were listening to such acts as
Restless Heart and Exile, the latter which previously enjoyed success
with the rock hit "Kiss You All Over."
Despite the prevaling pop country sound, enduring acts from the 1970s
and earlier continued to enjoy great success with fans. George Jones,
one of the longest-running acts of the time, recorded several successful
singles, including the critically acclaimed "He Stopped Loving Her
Today." Conway Twitty continued to have a series of No. 1 hits, with
1986's "Desperado Love" becoming his 40th chart-topper on the
Billboard Hot Country Singles chart, a record that stood for nearly 20
years. The movie Coal Miner's Daughter profiled the life of Loretta Lynn
(with Sissy Spacek in the lead role), while Willie Nelson also had a series
of acting credits. Others who had been around for awhile and continued
to have great success were Eddy Arnold, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard,
Waylon Jennings, Ray Price, Hank Williams Jr. and Tammy Wynette.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
N.W.A, circa 1989
Hip hop, a genre of music and culture that began in 1970s Bronx in New
York City, became mainstream and a strong influence on pop music in
the late 1980s and continues to be in the present day. Popular hip hop
artists of the 1980s include Grandmaster Flash, Salt-N-Pepa, Beastie
Boys, NWA (aka "Niggaz Wit Attitudes"), Public Enemy, and Run DMC.
Country
As the 1980s dawned, pop-influenced country music was the dominant
style, through such acts as Kenny Rogers, Ronnie Milsap, T.G.
Sheppard, Eddie Rabbitt, Crystal Gayle, Anne Murray and Dolly Parton.
The 1980 movie Urban Cowboy, a romantic comedy starring John
Travolta and Debra Winger, spawned a successful soundtrack album
featuring pop-styled country songs, including "Lookin' for Love" by
Johnny Lee, "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" by the Charlie Daniels
Band, "Could I Have This Dance" by Murray and "Love the World Away"
by Rogers. The songs, and the movie itself, resulted in an early 1980s
boom in pop-styled country music, and the era is sometimes known as
the "Urban Cowboy Movement."
By the mid-1980s, country music audiences were beginning to tire of
country pop. Although some pop-country artists continued to record and
release successful songs and albums, the genre in general was
beginning to suffer. By 1985, a New York Times article declared country
music "dead." However, by this time, several newcomers were working
behind the scenes to reverse this perception.
The year 1986 brought forth several new artists who performed in
traditional country styles, such as honky-tonk. This sparked the "new
traditionalist" movement, or return to traditional country music. The most
successful of these artists included Randy Travis, Dwight Yoakam, Ricky
Van Shelton and Holly Dunn. Also, artists like Kathy Mattea and Keith
Whitley, both who had been performing for a few years prior, had their
first major hits during 1986; Mattea was more folk-styled, while Whitley
was pure honky-tonk. But the new traditionalist movement had already
taken hold as early as 1981, when newcomers such as Ricky Skaggs
and George Strait had their first big hits, and Reba McEntire had her first
big hit in 1980. Another boom period for newcomers with new
traditionalist styles was 1989, when artists such as Clint Black, Garth
Brooks, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Lorrie Morgan and Travis Tritt had their
first big hits.
Vocal duos were also popular because of their harmonies, most notably
The Bellamy Brothers and The Judds. Several of the Bellamy Brothers'
songs included double-entendre' laden hooks, on songs such as "Do
You Love as Good As You Look." The Judds, a mother-and-daughter
duo, combined elements of contemporary pop and traditional country
music on songs such as "Why Not Me" and "Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout the
Good Ol' Days)."
Country music groups and bands continued to rise in popularity during
the 1980s. The most successful of the lot was Alabama, a Fort
Payne-based band that blended traditional and pop country sounds with
southern rock. Their concerts regularly sold out, while their single
releases regularly reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs
chart. In 1989, Alabama was named the Artist of the Decade by the
Academy of Country Music. By the end of the 1980s, the group had sold
more than 24 million albums in the United States.
Ranking just behind Alabama in popularity, as far as groups were
concerned, were The Oak Ridge Boys and The Statler Brothers, both
four-part harmony groups with gospel and country-pop stylings. The
popularity of those three groups sparked a boom in new groups and
bands, and by the end of the 1980s, fans were listening to such acts as
Restless Heart and Exile, the latter which previously enjoyed success
with the rock hit "Kiss You All Over."
Despite the prevaling pop country sound, enduring acts from the 1970s
and earlier continued to enjoy great success with fans. George Jones,
one of the longest-running acts of the time, recorded several successful
singles, including the critically acclaimed "He Stopped Loving Her
Today." Conway Twitty continued to have a series of No. 1 hits, with
1986's "Desperado Love" becoming his 40th chart-topper on the
Billboard Hot Country Singles chart, a record that stood for nearly 20
years. The movie Coal Miner's Daughter profiled the life of Loretta Lynn
(with Sissy Spacek in the lead role), while Willie Nelson also had a series
of acting credits. Others who had been around for awhile and continued
to have great success were Eddy Arnold, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard,
Waylon Jennings, Ray Price, Hank Williams Jr. and Tammy Wynette.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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