Source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/cassettes-audio-cds-11762/ Permission: Public Domain.
Introduction
*Note that in this module we will be reading Units 18 and 19, and skipping Unit 17 for the time being.
The 1980s and 1990s are difficult to reduce in some ways, as they are still so recent. We can look back on the 1940s and point to WWII and swing as defining elements of the time; we can look back on the 1960s and say with a fair amount of accuracy that The Beatles, Bob Dylan, the Vietnam War, and the Hippie Movement were a few of the most notable acts and events. Because the 1980s and 1990s are so recent we are still figuring out what was most influential from the time. There is also significantly more to unpack: more music, more styles, more videos, more stars; the music that defines one person’s 1980s and 1990s can vary greatly from another’s, but there are certain names most of us can agree on at this point.
The most influential sounds of the 1970s – reggae, funk, punk and disco – fused into fresh new pop, rock, metal, and rap sounds in the 1980s (we will look more closely at rap in the next module). The optimism and freshness of the 1960s was long-gone, and the popular music industry was now well-established; the 1980s would polish the industry into a well-oiled machine, marketing music across all entertainment formats. The economic policies of Republican President Ronald Reagan the subsequent yuppie culture and rampant consumerism that resulted from these policies, along with the rise of cable tv, created a fertile environment for the creation of pop music superstars the likes of which had not been seen before. These superstars – particularly Michael Jackson and Madonna– redefined fame as it was known prior to the ‘80s.
Meanwhile, metal diverged into both a fun, pop/punk/glam hybrid in the early 1980s known as hair rock (Van Halen, Mötley Crüe), and a more serious, musically challenging format with the rise of Metallica and Megadeth toward the end of the decade. All-American rock found it’s footing with Bruce Spingsteen and John Mellancamp, both of whom brought a working-class, storytelling sense – similar to country but perhaps less sentimental – to straight-forward rock. Subversive rock with challenging or obscure lyrics evolved out of punk and new wave, giving rise to indie music initially played on college radio stations and bands such as R.E.M., Sonic Youth, Pixies, The Smiths, and Nirvana. College radio would also help give rise to subversive female artists like Bjork, Ani DiFranco, and Tori Amos (and the Riot Grrl movement) in the 90s. In mainstream music, Canadian stars Sarah McLaughlan and Alanis Morissette, and McLaughlan’s brainchild the Lilith Fair music festival, contributed to the rise of female singer-songwriters on the charts – something long overdue.
The 1980s gave us excess and pop stars – glossy, polished hits performed by beautiful people in expensively-produced music videos – but also a lot of amazing and influential music. Our text can only cover the surface; this video from Mojo[12] gives a taste of some of the major acts of the era, and this video covers more of the Alt (Alternative) bands from the era. Again, this is to give you a taste of the music of the time – do not be too concerned with the rankings or who is or is not included.
The 1990s gave us Grunge and the rise of women to an equal place on the charts, arguably the last two rock-based events to have such a massive influence on the music (and culture) that came after. Again, Mojo provides overviews – defining acts here, and alternative acts here.
Learning Objectives
- Explain the influence of MTV on music.
- Explain the origins of grunge and how the genre relates to punk and college rock.
- Trace the trajectory of metal from Led Zeppelin, through hair bands, to Metallica.
- Trace black pop from Motown, through the 70s, to Michael Jackson, Prince, and Tina Turner.
- Differentiate the key genres.
- Identify the key artists and their unique contributions to their genre.
- Define all terminology
Module Instructions
- Please read Campbell units 18 and 19 (pages 334-373). *Note that we are skipping unit 17 for now.*
- As you read your textbook, visit the Module 10: Music page to listen to the musical examples.
- Read the Module 10: Learning Material.
- Post a response to one of the challenges if you plan to blog as part of your course assignments (see syllabus for details).
- Join the blog discussions if they interest you.
- Once you have completed your module work for the week, please go into the Blackboard course tools and complete the weekly quiz prior to the quiz deadline (see syllabus for details).
Key Terms, Concepts, and People
- MTV
- Michael Jackson
- Madonna
- Prince
- Tina Turner
- Van Halen
- Bruce Springsteen
- U2
- John Mellencamp
- Alternative
- Lollapalooza
- R.E.M.
- College Radio
- Sonic Youth
- Heavy Metal
- Metallica
- Red Hot Chili Peppers
- Grunge
- Nirvana
- Radiohead
- Ani DiFranco
- Sarah McLaughlan
- Lilith Fair
- 9/11