The document discusses the history and evolution of pop music from the 1920s to the present. It notes that pop music began being referred to in the 1920s and was used to describe popular music in Britain in the 1950s, incorporating rock and roll and new youth styles. Pop music was associated with artists like the Beatles and Rolling Stones in the early 1960s. The genre became more clearly defined and separated from rock in the late 1960s. Pop music is characterized as being commercially produced and appealing to wide audiences, in contrast to rock which aims for more authenticity. The document then provides examples of popular artists across different decades from the 1950s to 2000s.

2. • The first time that a song was referred to in the Pop Genre was in 1926, meaning
that the piece of music had “popular appeal”
• Grove Magazine Online, stated that “pop music” began in Britain in the 1950‟s,
when it was used to describe a mix of rock and roll, and upcoming music styles
from the youth.
• Artists associated with the genre are ABBA, Beatles and the Rolling Stones
• In the early 1960‟s, the definition of „pop music‟ often got confused with „beat
music‟ in the UK. Furthermore, in the USA, it got mixed up with „Rock and Roll‟.
• „Pop‟ is often linked with pop art and pop culture, which referred to upcoming,
media-culture products, mainly created in America.
• In the late 1960‟s there was a generic division between pop and rock music. This
started the branding of music.
• Pop music was seen as accessible and commercial, in comparison to rock which
wanted to represent authenticity.
• In Simon Frith opinion, pop music is produced
• "as a matter of enterprise not art"
• "designed to appeal to everyone"
• "doesn't come from any particular place or mark off any particular taste“
• "not driven by any significant ambition except profit and commercial reward ... and, in
musical terms, it is essentially conservative”
• "provided from on high (by record companies, radio programmers and concert promoters)
rather than being made from below ... Pop is not a do-it-yourself music but is professionally
produced and packaged”

3. • “Most successful female recording artist of all time”
– Guinness Book of World Records
• Madonna‟s tour, “Confessions…” was the highest
grossing tour by any other female artist.
• Sales
• Singles – 75 million
• Albums – 175 million
• Billboard‟s Hot 100 Singles Chart include 12 No1
singles
• In the UK, Madonna has had 60 „Top 20‟ singles.
This is more than any other female artist.

4. • „Best selling musical groups of all time‟ – EMI
• Most No1 singles than any other musical group
• 23 – Australia
• 22 – Netherlands/Canada
• 21 – Norway
• Most No1 albums than any other musical group
• 19 – USA
• 15 – UK
• Highest number of weeks spent at No1
• 174 – UK
• 132 – USA
• John Lennon and Paul McCartney are the most
successful songwriters (in terms of chart position).

5. • Biggest Selling Album Of All Time (Thriller) – Guinness
Book Of World Records
• Most No1‟s in 1980‟s
• Most No1‟s by a Male Artist (13) – Billboard “Hot 100”
Singles Chart
• Best Selling Video released by an artist (The Making of
Thriller)

6. • 50‟s – Frank Sinatra, Doris Day, Bing Crosby, Elvis Presley
• 60‟s - Cliff Richard, Dusty Springfield, Tom Jones, The Shadows
• 70‟s – ABBA, Elton John, Cat Stevens, Fleetwood Mac

7. • 80‟s – Whitney Houston, Billy Joel, Madonna, George Michael
• 90‟s – Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, MC Hammer, Spice Girls
• 00‟s – Pink, Rihanna, Enrique Iglesias, Robbie Williams

8. Current Pop
• Modern day „Pop‟ has become extremely varied. From R‟n‟B
singers to Soul Artists.
• Most artists have a brand linked to them, this could be
anything from a picture, to a font, to fashion sense. These
artists have brands to make them easier to identify and
recognise. Although this is more obvious with current artists,
it is debatable that it started back in 1950‟s with celebrities
like Marilyn Monroe. Her image was known throughout the
world.
• Compared to other decades, present „pop‟ music has become
very sexualised, especially through music videos. Most artists
promote themselves with their sexual appeal.

9. Sub Genre:
Soul

10. History of Soul Music
• In the 1940‟s/1950‟s Gospel and „Doo wop‟ music
were trending, „Soul‟ was created from a mixture of
the two.
• Ray Charles, Sam Cooke and James Brown were
some of the first soul artists to be recognised in this
genre.
• Soul has adapted since the beginning of the genre,
presently artists such as Whitney Houston, Aretha
Franklin and Amy Winehouse are associated with
the genre.

11. Where is it now?
Many people consider soul music to be 50‟s/60‟s music. However many
artists incorporate soul into their sound. People such as…
•Paloma Faith
•Leona Lewis
•Jason Derulo
•Cee Lo Green
•Beyonce
•Duffy