In
America, the 60s were particularly revolutionary when it comes to music. This
decade saw the formation and evolution of rock. Pop and rock and roll trends of
the 50s continued, but rock and roll became a more eclectic variant, which was
called rock. Some new genres were borned: pop rock, beat, psychedelic rock,
blues rock and folk rock. Other genres like baroque pop, sunshine pop,
bubblegum pop, progressive rock and heavy metal started to grow popular. The
60s also saw funk, soul, rhythm and blues rise in popularity. Latin American,
Jamaican and Cuban music achieved a great popularity throughout the decade,
with genres like bossa nove and ska. The decade saw the development of
experimental, jazz and contemporary classical music, notably minimalism and
free improvisation.
When
it comes to folk music, the pioneer figures were Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger,
who were identified with progressive or labour politics. Figures such Bob Dylan
and Joan Baez became very popular. Dylan brought ‘’protest songs’’ to a wider
public. Early attempts to combine folk and rock began with the song ‘’House of
the Rising Sun’’. Some popular groups were:
Joan Baez and Bob Dylan.
Psychedelic
rock took off in California’s music scene. It reached its apogee in the last
60s. Some psychedelic rock groups were:
Jimi Hendrix.
The Doors.
In
the early 60s, one of the most popular forms of rock and roll was Surf Rock. It
was characterized by being nearly entirely instrumental and by the use of
reverb on the guitars, which produced a guitar tone shimmering with sustain,
and evoking surf and ocean imagery. Most surf bands were formed in the Southern
California area. Some of them were:
The Beach Boys.
The Ventures.
The Champs.
The terms rhythm and blues were used to describe blues records. It contributed to the development of rock and roll, and it became used to refer to music styles that incorporated electric blues, as well as gospel and soul music. A popular group was:
The Four Tops.
Some curiosities about the 60s
At this decade, Barbara Streisand exploded into popularity.
Count Basie achieved a newfound success becoming a best-seller by making albums with Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald.
1964 was known as the ''Year of the Beatles''.
Jazz
music suffered, struggling to keep a steady beat in the world of
changing music. The tragic losses of Sam Cooke and Nat King Cole brought
a sudden upsurge in sales.
Vocal duos became popular.
Here you have some videos of the most popular artists of the decade, hope you enjoy them!
Nat King Cole
The Beach Boys.
No comments:
Post a Comment