Music genre research Singer/songwriter

Introduction

o singer- songwriter is the name given to those who write and compose their own musical material.

o often the instrument of choice is either a piano or a guitar.

o most of the musical material is focused on and influenced by topical issues such as political, sensitive, romantic and confessional.

o The origin of this gene can be seen from ancient poems or chants that were accompanied by a harp or similar instrument.

Features

The majority of singer- songwriters are classed as musicians due to their ability to also play instruments (sometimes a number of instruments). Most songs in this genre have a deep meaning behind them, this also relating to hearing it in the artists voice when they are singing. Often this genre takes on slight aspects of other genres like the folk genre, alternative, blues or rock being the main genres chosen. This genre has the most focus on being acoustic and adopting a feeling that is real and ‘earthy’ while being honest and true to the listener.

Key artists

Tom Rush 1960s – 1970s

Tom Rush is credited by Rolling Stone magazine with bringing in the era of the singer/songwriter.

His 1968 composition "No Regrets" has become an acknowledged standard, with numerous cover versions having been recordedOver the years Tom Rush has used a number of guitars on stage, his current primary one a handcrafted acoustic made by Don Musser.

Many of his early recordings are versions of Lowland Scots and Appalachian folk songs.

Key artists

Bob Dylan 1960s – 1970s Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly reluctant figurehead of social unrest.A number of Dylan's early songs, such as "Blowin' in the Wind" and "The Times They Are a-Changin'", became anthems for the US civil rights and anti-war movements. Dylan's lyrics have incorporated a variety of political, social, philosophical, and literary influences.

Key Artists

John Lennon 1970s

The majority of John Lennon’s music is heavily influenced and focused on political, social an environmental issues. In some of John Lennon’s music it is evident that he has taken his childhood experiences, usually being a negative form.As John Lennon began his solo career he started to tentatively begin to expose his insecurities in a number of acoustic-led 'confessional' ballads.

Key artists

Kate Bush 1980sAt the age of 19, Kate Bush topped the UK Singles Chart for four weeks with her debut single "Wuthering Heights", becoming the first woman to have a UK number one with a self-written song.Kate Bush’s songs span genres rock, pop, alternative and art rock. In her earliest works where the piano was a primary instrument, she intertwined together many diverse influences, including classical music, rock, and a wide range of ethnic and folk sources.Elements of Kate Bush's lyrics tend to be more unusual and less clichéd, often employing historical or literary references and avoiding autobiographical lyrics. She considers herself a storyteller who embodies the character singing the song.

Key Artists

1990s

In the era of the 1990s there were no notable singer songwriters of this genre due to the fact that the majority of 90s music was based around the club/electronic genre. However, there are some artists that were staring out their musical career that later came to prominence in the 2000s.

Key Artists

Ed Sheeran 2000s

His debut album + was certified quintuple platinum in the United Kingdom. In 2012, he won two BRIT Awards for Best British Male and British Breakthrough. "The A Team" won the Ivor Novello Award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically.

This shows that this genre of acoustic singer/songwriter music has become more popular and mainstream in the last few years.

Key Artists

Ben Howard 2000s

Ben Howard self-released his debut EP Games in the Dark (2008) followed by two more EPs These Waters (2009) and Old Pine EP (2010).He worked alongside India Bourne and Chris Bond to make Every Kingdom, with Bourne playing cello, keyboards, ukulele, bass and contributing vocals and percussion and Bond playing guitars, bass, double bass, drums, percussion, keyboards, accordion, contributing to vocals, and also producing the record.

Key Artists

Nina Nesbitt 2000s

Nina Nesbitt started her music career by writing and recording songs in her bedroom and uploading the videos to her YouTube channel. She plays the guitar, piano and flute. Her second EP, titled The Apple Tree, was released in April 2012 and reached #6 on the iTunes download charts after receiving airplay on BBC Radio 1,[and also reached #1 on the iTunes singer/songwriter chart.

Singer/Songwriter now and then

Over the last 10 years the singer songwriter genre has become more know and defined as an acoustic musical type. This genre then became more popular and well received from 2010 onwards with the outbreak of the ‘indie’ age. The indie style is often linked closely with the singer songwriter genre due to its often soft and unusual melodies, focusing on one individual.

Before these years this type of genre was often blurred with folk music, blues and rock most often.

Albums The majority of the album covers by artists of this genre are simple and often focus on the individual and perhaps their instruments(s).