4. How Did it All Start?
Pop music originated from the USA and the
UK. The genre started as a mix of various
music styles that were popular around the
early 50’s. Some of the music types that led
to the genesis of pop included jazz, country,
bebop, rap, and rock ‘n’ roll.
In 1950s, Elvis Presley became the first artist
to play pop music, comprising of a fusion of
the blues, rock ‘n’ roll, and country music.
5. Traditional pop music started playing in the 1950s when rock ‘n’ roll
was the rhythm of the day. Regardless of the barriers that the
pioneers of pop music experienced, the genre did not lose traction.
The success of pop in this decade is attributed to labels such as
Columbia Records, which combined the music genres of this time to
produce pop music.
Pioneer singers of the 50s pop songs such as Elvis Presley, Carl
Perkins, and Bill Haley took pop music to an entirely new level.
50s
6. With the 50’s background of pop music, it became quite easy for
young stars to diversify pop music. This is one of the reasons why
pop music received a large teen fan base.
With the portable radio coming into play around this decade, pop
music gained a wide scope of influence across Europe and America.
During this time, the historical British Invasion and Beatlemania
movements took over the American pop music charts. This saw pop
grow into subgenres that included Baroque pop and Bubblegum pop.
60s
7. This decade saw a replacement of subgenres developed in the 60’s
by more advanced varieties of pop music, such as country-pop,
power pop, and punk rock. However, the greatest revolution that
took place in pop music over this period was the uprising of the
pop-rock sound.
Artists such as Elton John, Queen, and Jackson 5 were the stars of the
70’s pop songs.
70s
8. The 80’s was the decade when pop music experienced a true
revolution of its kind. Digital recording came into play, making pop
music grow exponentially. Legendary pop artists rose into the pop
scene, including Michael Jackson and Prince.
Michael Jackson would later be declared the ‘King of Pop’ due to his
legendary pop performances. The pop culture the artists of this
decade created was to have an influence on generations to come.
80s
9. There were more music choices available than ever, although radio
stations tended to find a niche and stick to it rather than playing a
mix. Latino music grew in popularity. R&B and hip-hop remained
popular, as did movie soundtracks.
Mariah Carey was leading the charts. Other popular artists included
Janet Jackson, Garth Brooks, Celine Dion and Madonna, The Spice
Girls.
90s
10. Early 2000’s pop music was already a refined and well-defined
genre. Pop had become a fusion of sounds and subgenres that all
expressed the nature of a pop song. Musicians such as Christina
Aguilera, Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, Rihanna would shape the
2000’s pop culture.
Pop music had become an electric melting pot of subgenres and
sounds that all shared the common tropes of a pop song.
00s
11. The past decade has seen the rise of a new pop aristocracy. If one
artist towered above the rest it was arguably Lady Gaga, who rose
from mere pop star to global multimedia superstar. But she wasn’t
the only one: a handful of megastars have ruled the pop landscape
throughout the 2010s – Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Justin Bieber, Drake,
Ariana Grande, Lana del Rey, The Weeknd, Billie Eilish, etc.
10s