This document discusses several major musical genres that developed in the 20th century, including rhythm and blues, rock and roll, rap, country, and pop. It provides overviews of when each genre emerged, characteristic musical styles and instruments, influential artists, and subgenres that developed over time. Urbanization led to more diverse music as people moved to cities. Rhythm and blues originated in the 1950s-60s and incorporated vocal melodies with strong rhythms. Rock and roll emerged in the 1950s and became more amplified over time, spawning many subgenres. Rap was invented in the Bronx and uses rhythmic spoken word. Country began in the 1920s and features instruments like steel guitar. Pop refers to commercially recorded love

1. MUSICAL GENRES
Music of our Generation

2. 20TH
CENTURY
CULTURE

3.  *Because of increasing numbers, this caused
people to move to urban and suburban
environments.
 Provided more choices
 *Urbanization—the development of a culture
that is the result of the crowding and
intensity of a city lifestyle.
Diverse and sometimes unruly
culture
 Mix of different genres

4. RHYTHM
AND
BLUES
(R & B)

5.  1950s and 1960s
 Popular music of African
Americans that became “soul ”
or “funk” in the 1970s
 Vocal melody, strong rhythmic
backbeat, rhythm section which
consisted of drum set, bass,
keyboard, and or electric guitar
 Lyrics often followed “pop” style
 1980s newer style of R&B
developed: Contemporary R&B.
 Combines elements of hip hop, R&B, and soul
music.
 Example: Stevie Wonder

6. Top R&B Artists
James Brown
Aretha Franklin
Marvin Gaye Otis ReddingStevie Wonder
Gladys Knight
&
The Pips
The
Drifters
Etta James

7. ROCK-N-
ROLL

8. New musical influence due to
southern African American’s
moving to northern cities
1955 Rock & Roll emerged with
Billy Haley’s recording of
“Rock Around the Clock”

9. 1960s became more amplified and
electrified
Instruments:
Electric guitar, bass guitar, drums,
keyboard instruments
subgenres of Rock: hard rock, soul
rock, punk, heavy metal, new
wave, syntho-rock, jazz-rock
fusion, and grunge rock

10. MODERN
ROCK!

11. Some classical composers are weaving
elements of rock into classical works and
vice versa
Today rock music sometimes suffers from
other musicians trying to copy what has
been invented before.
The use of synthesizers has been added
Subgenres added—soft rock, glam rock,
progressive rock (added in the 1970s)
Rock Band: lead singer, electric guitarist,
drummer, bass guitarist

12. ROCK ARTISTS/BANDS
 Rock and Roll: Elvis Presley
 Surf Music: The Beach Boys
 British Invasion: The Beatles
 Blues Rock: Eric Clapton
 Folk Rock: Bob Dylan
 Psychedelic Rock: Jimi Hendrix
 Progressive Rock: Yes
 Hard Rock: Led Zeppelin
 Christian Rock: Stryper
 Punk Rock: The Clash
 Alternative Rock: R.E.M
 Grunge: Nirvana
 Pop Punk: Green Day
 Indie Rock: The Pavement
 Rap Metal: Linkin Park

13. Rap

14.  Invented by African
American youth in the
Bronx, NYC
 “talky form of ‘singing’
that often reports on the
harsh realities of urban
America”
 Lyrics have been described
as obscene and socially
irresponsible.
 First piece of rap music that
was declared obscene in
US district court: “As
Nasty as They Wanna Be”
by 2 Live Crew
 This lead to major controversy
and even imprisonment
 Aggressive rebellious,
 confrontational lyrics

15. RAP TODAY
 A.k.a. Hip Hop
 Rap can be improvised
 Language of ordinary young
people living in
urban culture
 *Performed a capella (without music) or to a beat

16. RAP ARTISTS AND SONGS
 MC Hammer: “Can’t Touch This”
 One of the first hip hop hits
 Snoop Dogg
 Dr. Dre
 Eminem
 Kanye West

17. CREATE
YOUR
OWN
RAP!
Groups of 4
Clean Lyrics
Daily life at WOHS
WOHS sports,
extracurricular
activity, class, tests,
etc.

18. COUNTR
Y

19.  Began in 1920s
 Roots from Folk tradition
 Fiddle music
 Become very popular
 with city dwellers and
 people from the country
*Instruments characteristic of sound:
steel guitar, Guitar, fiddle
Songs about the less
complex and simpler
life which many city
dwellers want
Nashville—famous for
country music
Grande Old Opry
Types:
Cowboy music, urban country,
western swing, honky tonk music

20.  Vernon Dalhart—first
country singer with
nationwide hit: “Wreck
of the Old `97” in 1924
 Jimmie Rodgers—
”Father of Country
Music”, first very
successful recording
artist
 Garth Brooks--the most
popular country music
artist
 Rascal Flats
 Reba McIntyre
 Keith Urban
COUNTRY
ARTISTS

21. OP

22.  1920s—songs known as
“having popular appeal”
 Usually short simple
love songs
 Commercially recorded
 Technological innovations
 Often considered to be a
softer alternative to Rock
and Roll
 *Types
 Bubblegum pop,
Christian pop, Dance-
pop, Teen pop,
Traditional pop