POP MUSIC HISTORY

Elvis Presley

-Live on the Milton Berle show in 1956-Performed the song “Hound Dog”-Created a sensation and a controversy with his suggestive movements

Motown Records

-Smokey Robinson and The Miracles release ‘Shop Around’ in 1961 (first hit under the Motown Label)-Went on to produce hits for The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, The Temptations, and others

The Beatles

-The British Invasion-Appeared live on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964-Kicked off their American tour-Soon after, “I Want to Hold Your Hand” became the number 1 single in America

Woodstock

-1969, on farmland in Bethel, New York-Advertised as “3 days of Peace and Music”-Artists included Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, The Grateful Dead, Creedance Clearwater Revival, The Who, Joan Baez, among others

Deaths of Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin

-Jimi: guitarist and singer, songwriter-Janis: singer, songwriter-Both died in 1970, drug-related deaths-”The 27 Club”: Also includes Jimi Morrison (The Doors), Kurt Cobain (Nirvana), and Amy Winehouse

Bob Marley

-1975, releases “No Woman, No Cry”-Launched Marley and reggae into the pop culture sphere for the first time-Died in 1981, but his reggae music still remains popular

John Lennon’s Murder

-December 1980-Shot outside his New York home (near Central Park)-Last interview: “The world is not the sixties- the world has changed.”

MTV

-Launched in 1981-First video: The Buggles’ “Video Killed the Radio Star”-Made the music video into an important music marketing tool and an art form

Michael Jackson releases “Thriller”

-1982-Established MJ as a solo artist-One of the top selling pop records of all time

Madonna

-1985: single “Material Girl”-Propels her as a global pop star-Song and video promote materialistic atmosphere of 80s culture-Goes on to be a major icon of the 1980s and 1990s

Kurt Cobain’s Death

-Lead singer of Nirvana, 90s grunge band-Songs include “About a Girl,” “Lithium,” “In Bloom,” “Smells Like Teen Spirit”-Found dead in 1994 at home in Seattle

Tupac

-90s rapper, influential and controversial-Gang violence a part of songs and his life-Shot in Las Vegas in 1996-Biggie Smalls, a rival rapper, was also gunned down in 1997-Both artists are still important today and have even had posthumous hits

90s Boy Bands

-1990s heart throbs-New Kids on the Block-Backstreet Boys-*Nsync-98 Degrees

Recent Events

-Superbowl Wardrobe Malfunction-Big name artists: Jay-Z, Justin Timberlake, Beyonce, Eminem, Lady Gaga -Britney Spears going crazy/comebacks-Kayne West/Taylor Swift VMA incident-Amy Winehouse’s Death