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Music Portal

This article is about the genre of popular music. For the song by M, see Pop Muzik. For other uses, see Pop music (disambiguation).

Pop music is music charted by the number or sales, plays, etc., that the work receives.^[1] It is not a particular genre or style of music, but simply that which is the most popular for the tracked period of time. Most commercial music of any genre is composed with deliberate intent to appeal to the majority of its contemporaries,^[2][3][4] but, unless extremely popular in its own genre, it must appeal to a wider audience to appear on the pop charts. Austropop is a musical movement, which started in Austria in the middle of the 1970s. ... Britpop is a subgenre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom. ... Disco polo is a musical genre unique and native to Poland, which in its present form exists since the early 1990s. ... SUPER EUROBEAT Vol. ... The term Euro-Disco first used during the 70s, to describe the non UK based disco productions and artists. ... Europop refers to a style of pop music that developed in Europe throughout the 1970s which emphasized catchy beats, slick songs and frothy lyrics. ... French pop music is the pop music sung in the French language. ... Laïkó was the pop music of Greece the 1950s and 1960s. ... Italodance, Nu Italo Disco, Nu-Italo or just Italo is a derivate of the eurodance genre which became popular in Europe in the late 1990s to early 2000s. ... Cover of the ZYX Music compilation album. ... A levenslied (Dutch for song about the real life) is a highly sentimental Dutch-language song, where simplicity and distinguishability are important subjects. ... Nederpop is a Dutch term that was invented by the mid-1970s to describe the pop music scene of the 1960s and 1970s that was gaining worldwide attention, exemplified by bands such as Shocking Blue, Golden Earring and Focus. ... Russian pop music is a genre of popular music distinguished from other pop music by virtue of being in Russian. ... Schlager (German Schlager, literally hitter or, more loosely translated, a hit) is a style of popular music that is prevalent in northern Europe, in particular Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Scandinavia, Latvia and Lithuania, but also to a lesser extent in France, Belgium and the Netherlands. ... SFR Yugoslav pop and rock scene includes the pop and rock music of the former SFR Yugoslavia (a state that existed until 1991) incl. ... Popular culture, or pop culture, is the vernacular (peoples) culture that prevails in a modern society. ... Pop Duo is a term geerally referred to a Pop Band with only two members. ... Boyband redirects here. ... The Supremes A Go-Go (1966) was the first album by a female group to reach the top position of the Billboard magazine pop albums chart in the United States. ... For the British television series, see Pop Idol. ... Image File history File links Portal. ... For other uses see M (disambiguation) M is the name of Robin Scotts musical collaboration who had a UK hit in April 1979 with the track Pop Muzik, featuring the distinctive vocals of Brigit Vinchon. ... The song Pop Muzik was performed by Robin Scott, also known as M. He was a producer and musician, and the song was written as his resume of 25 years of pop music and being in the music business since 1954. ... The term pop music may also refer to: Popular music - popular forms of music in a general sense. ... For other uses, see Music (disambiguation). ... // A record chart, also known as a music chart, is a method of ranking music according to popularity during a given period of time. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Musical composition is a phrase used in a number of contexts, the most commonly used being a piece of music. ...

In opposition to music that may require education or formation to fully appreciate, a defining characteristic of pop music is that anyone is able to enjoy it. Artistic concepts such as musical form and aesthetics are not a concern in the writing of pop songs, the primary objectives being audience enjoyment and commercial success.^[5] The term musical form refers to two related concepts: the type of composition (for example, a musical work can have the form of a symphony, a concerto, or other generic type -- see Multi-movement forms below) the structure of a particular piece (for example, a piece can be written in... The aesthetics of music or musical aesthetics is the quality and study of the beauty and enjoyment (plaisir and jouissance), the aesthetics, of music. ...

Although pop music is produced with a desire to sell records and do well in the charts, it does not necessitate wide acclaim or commercial success: there are bad or failed pop songs.^[6] // A record chart, also known as a music chart, is a method of ranking music according to popularity during a given period of time. ...

Initially the term was an abbreviation of, and synonymous with, popular music, but evolved around the 1950s to describe a specific musical category.^[7] For the music genre, see Pop music. ... The 1950s decade refers to the years of 1950 to 1959 inclusive. ...

Current genres

Musicologists identify a tendency in society for individuals to set the music of themselves and their peers apart from that of other groups with a self-proclaimed genre of music.^[8] This tendency has resulted in an almost unlimited list of names for styles of music,^[9] and no possible method to define them all.^[10] Recording labels cater to these perceptions placing their product in outlets under a number of different categories.^[11]

However, due to market requirements, in commercial popular music there is in reality only a limited number of genres. Market statistical models require a certain amount of stability but societal changes and technical advancements do drive change.^[12] The last major change in music categories occurred in 1991.^[13] These are the current popular music genres:

United Kingdom

• UK R&B^[14]
• UK Dance^[15]
• UK Rock^[16]
• UK Independent^[17]
• UK Country^[18]
• UK Jazz^[19]
• UK Blues^[20]
• UK Classical^[21]
• UK Sountrack^[22]
• UK Spoken Word^[23]

... The UK Rock Chart usually refers to the BBC Radio 1 Top 40 Rock Singles. ... These are The Official UK Charts Company UK Official Indie Chart number one hits of 2007. ...

United States

• Hot/Pop^[24]
• Digital & Mobile^[25]
• Historical^[26]
• R&B/Hip-Hop^[27]
• Country^[28]
• Latin^[29]
• Rock^[30]
• Adult Contemporary^[31]
• Heatseekers/Independent^[32]
• Christian/Gospel^[33]
• Dance/Electronic^[34]
• Classical/Jazz^[35]
• Intenational^[36]
• Video^[37]
• Boxscore^[38]

For the music genre, see Pop music. ... Digital audio comprises audio signals stored in a digital format. ... Oldies is a generic term commonly used to describe a radio format that usually concentrates on Top 40 music from the 50s, 60s and 70s. ... Contemporary R&B is a music genre of American popular music, the current iteration of the genre that began in the 1940s as rhythm and blues music. ... Country music is a blend of popular musical forms originally found in the Southern United States and the Appalachian Mountains. ... Latin American music, sometimes simply called Latin music in The United States, includes the music of all countries in Latin America and comes in many varieties. ... This article is about the genre. ... Adult contemporary music, frequently abbreviated AC, is a type of radio format that plays mainstream contemporary popular music, excluding hip hop, hard rock, some teen pop music and rhythmic dance tracks (though during the 2000s, these have been included), which is intended for a mature adult audience. ... Top Heatseekers is a weekly albums chart introduced by Billboard in 1993 whose purpose is to highlight sales by new and developing musical recording artists. ... Christian music (sometimes marketed as Inspirational music, Praise music, Worship music, or Contemporary Christian Music/CCM) is music that is written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as (in terms of the varying music styles) to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular... Electronic dance music is a broad set of percussive music genres that largely inherit from 1970s disco music and, to some extent, the experimental pop music of Kraftwerk. ... DVD (also known as Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc - see Etymology) is a popular optical disc storage media format. ... For other uses, see Concert (disambiguation). ...

Characteristics

The standard format of pop music is the song, customarily less than five minutes in duration, and with an instrumentation that can range from an orchestra to a lone singer. Despite this wide scope, a typical lineup in a pop band includes a lead guitarist, a bassist, a drummer (or an electronic drum machine), a keyboardist and one or more singers, who may or may not themselves be instrumentalists. This article is about the musical composition. ... Instrumentation is the study and practice of writing music for a musical instrument. ... For other uses, see Orchestra (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Singer (disambiguation). ... For the UK magazine, see Guitarist (magazine). ... Deon Rexroat of Anberlin. ... For the comic book character, see Drummer (comics). ... A Boss DR-202 Drum Machine A drum machine is an electronic musical instrument designed to imitate the sound of drums and/or other percussion instruments. ... A keyboardist is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. ... For the popular-music magazine, see Musician (magazine). ...

Pop songs are generally marked by a consistent and noticeable rhythmic element, a mainstream style and traditional structure. The most common variant is strophic in form and focuses on melodies, catchy hooks and the appeal of the verse-chorus-verse arrangement, with the chorus sharply contrasting the verse melodically, rhythmically and harmonically.^[39] For other uses, see Rhythm (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Mainstream. ... The structures or musical forms of songs in popular music are typically sectional forms, such as strophic form. ... Strophic form, or chorus form, is a sectional and/or additive way of structuring a piece of music based on the repetition of one formal section or block played repeatedly. ... Look up melody in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A hook is a musical idea, a passage or phrase, that is believed to be appealing and make the song stand out; it is meant to catch the ear of the listener (Covach 2005, p. ... In music, an arrangement refers either to a rewriting of a piece of existing music with additional new material or to a fleshing-out of a compositional sketch, such as a lead sheet. ... A refrain (from the Old French refraindre to repeat, likely from Vulgar Latin refringere) is the line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse; the chorus of a song. ... The structures or musical forms of songs in popular music are typically sectional forms, such as strophic form. ... Harmony is the use and study of pitch simultaneity, and therefore chords, actual or implied, in music. ...

Some of the most common themes in pop music are romantic love and feelings. Pop music often uses the technique of taking themes from other records producing a satirical or self-referential mixture of past styles. It also employs techniques of sampling and sequencing to introduce individuality and creativity. This article primarily discusses philosophical ideologies in relation to the subject of romantic love. ... Feelings are most generally INFORMATION that biological beings are capable of sensing in the situations they are in, exposed to or depending on. ... This article is about reusing existing sound recordings in creating new works. ... In the field of electronic music, a sequencer was traditionally a device or piece of software that allows the user to record, play back and edit musical patterns. ...

History

The origins of pop music can be traced to post-World War II, the Second World War in United States, where a succession of events made commercial sound recordings accessible to the population at large for the first time.^{[citation needed]} Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... “Sound recorder” redirects here. ...

The chain began with the end of the Speed War, a battle between the labels of the day to enforce their own standard. The dominating format, the 10 inches (25 cm) 78 revolutions per minute (rpm) disc, was challenged in 1948 by the new 33 ⅓ rpm 12 inches (30 cm), and then in 1949 by the 45 rpm 7 inches (18 cm).^[40][41] Next came the switch in the material records were made of, from shellac to vinyl;^[42] the new component, combined with the slow 33 ⅓ rpm playing speed, allowed recordings to extend their duration further than was previously possible, and gave birth to the long playing record (LP).^[43] Changes continued with the invention of the multitrack tape recorder, permitting completely electronic studio recordings for the first time, and the advent of stereophonic sound in 1958.^[44][45] A format war describes competition between mutually incompatible proprietary formats, usually for data storage devices and recording formats for electronic media, often forcing content publishers to take sides by supporting one format or the other. ... In the music industry, a record label can be a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. ... For other uses, see Revolutions per minute (disambiguation). ... A 12-inch record (left), a 7-inch record (right), and a CD (above) Two 7 singles (left), two colored 7 singles (middle), and two 7 singles with large spindle holes (right). ... For the post-punk band, see Shellac (band). ... Vinyl polymers are a group of polymers derived from vinyl monomers such as styrene (polystyrene), vinyl chloride (polyvinylchloride), ethylene (polyethylene), propylene (polypropylene) and butadiene (polybutadiene). ... An LP Long playing (LP), either 10 or 12-inch diameter, 33 rpm (actually 33. ... It has been suggested that Multi-Track Vinyl be merged into this article or section. ... Surface mount electronic components Electronics is the study of the flow of charge through various materials and devices such as semiconductors, resistors, inductors, capacitors, nano-structures and vacuum tubes. ... The term studio recording means any recording made in a studio. ... Label for 2. ...

These technical advances brought about a recorded music that was standardised, of better quality than ever before, and most importantly, easier and less costly to produce, which meant it could be offered to the public at consistently lower prices. In just one year, 1954 to 1955, the average selling price of an LP in the US dropped from US$5.95 to $3.98.^[46][47] Cheaper records led to greater demand for record players, which in turn became less expensive and continued to boost sales. “Standard” redirects here. ... The average sales price of goods or commodities. ... USD redirects here. ... The supply and demand model describes how prices vary as a result of a balance between product availability at each price (supply) and the desires of those with purchasing power at each price (demand). ... Tonearm redirects here. ...

These changes in sound recording, coupled with the improved economic circumstances of the era, led the general public to purchase records like never before. Music ceased to be a minority ware with limited following and became a mass-market commodity with an enormous audience. The new financial prospects and opportunities for secure investment attracted capital, which began applying commercial merchandising techniques to music: advertising, tie-ins, cross-media marketing and others. The most infamous of these is the payola, whereby record labels pay radio stations or disc jockeys to play particular songs, artificially influencing their popularity. “Sound recorder” redirects here. ... Capital has a number of related meanings in economics, finance and accounting. ... // Advert redirects here. ... A tie-in is an authorized product that is based on an existing or upcoming media property, such as a movie or video/DVD, computer game, video game, television program/television series, board game, web site, role-playing game or literary property. ... Payola, in the American music industry, is the illegal practice of payment or other inducement by record companies for the broadcast of recordings on music radio, in which the song is presented as being part of the normal days broadcast. ... Radio broadcasting can be done via cable FM, local wire networks, satellite and the Internet. ... For other meanings of DJ, see DJ (disambiguation). ...

The emerging role of investors in the music industry led to tensions between the creative and the productive sides of the business, with the former accusing the latter of excessive concern with commercial success. In many cases the artists won and retained the idiosyncrasies of their style; those battles the musicians lost to the producers resulted in what we call pop music today. The music industry is the business of music. ...

Pop did not have as easy a start in the United Kingdom as in the US due to intense regulation of radio play, known in the day as needle time. This legislation required the BBC, the only broadcaster legally allowed to play music, to do so for only a few hours a day for fear of damaging the revenues of the music industry by allowing the public to hear songs without purchasing them.^[48][49] The ordinance lasted until the launch of Radio 1 in 1967. Needle time was created in the United Kingdom by the Musicians Union and Phonographic Performances Ltd. ... For other uses, see BBC (disambiguation). ...

Evolution

This article or section deals primarily with the United States and does not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please improve this article or discuss the issue on the talk page.

In contrast to genres with clear origins and a traceable evolution, pop developed, and continues to expand, as a haphazard merging of styles. Pop is an amalgam of successive fashions, of elements of many differing styles that have been successful over the years and have ended up incorporated into the genre. This section introduces the most significant tunes of each decade, and shows the progression of pop to its current form. Because performers of all varieties have released tracks that can be classified as pop, this article analyses songs, and does not list names of acts, bands, musicians or singers. For these please see the List of artists who reached number one on the Hot 100 (U.S.), List of artists who reached number one on the UK Singles Chart and List of artists by total number of U.S. number-one singles. Image File history File links Gnome-globe. ... This is a list of recording artists who have reached number one on Billboard magazines weekly pop singles chart(s). ... The following is a list of artists that have had a no. ... This is a list of artists and the titles of their number one singles in order of total number one singles on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. ...

1950s

The first songs to belong to the new category were crossover styles from the standard formats of the day. In country music, instrumental soloing was de-emphasised and more prominent vocals added, commonly backed by a string section and vocal chorus, as exemplified in "(How Much Is) That Doggie In The Window", which became a hit in both the US and the UK in 1953. Two years later American folk music entered the pop spectrum with a modern version of a traditional tune, "The Yellow Rose of Texas" (1955). This article does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Country music is a blend of popular musical forms originally found in the Southern United States and the Appalachian Mountains. ... (How Much Is) That Doggie in the Window? is a popular song written by Bob Merrill in 1952, adapted from a well-known Victorian music-hall song. ... American folk music, also known as Americana, is a broad category of music including Native American music, Bluegrass, country music, gospel, old time music, jug bands, Appalachian folk, blues, Tejano and Cajun. ... The Yellow Rose of Texas is a traditional folk song of the Southern United States, which became popular in 1955 in a recording by Mitch Miller. ...

Vocal performers of the great American songbook classics, crooners and big band singers, incorporated elements of other styles and orchestral enhancements to their repertoire, giving them greater formal complexity than their traditional antecedents. The Marc Blitzstein arrangement of "Mack the Knife" is an emblematic example, topping the charts on both sides of the Atlantic in 1954, as did "Singing the Blues" in late 1956 and early 1957. Songwriter Harold Arlen (right) with singer Bing Crosby (left) and Decca Records owner Jack Kapp (center) Great American Songbook is an informal term referring to the interrelated music of Broadway musical theater, the Hollywood musical, and Tin Pan Alley, in a period that begins roughly in the 1920s and tapers... Left To Right, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby and Dean Martin Crooner is an epithet given to a male singer of a certain style of popular songs, dubbed pop standards. ... A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with playing jazz music and which became popular during the Swing Era from the early 1930s until the late 1940s, although there are many big-bands around nowadays. ... Marc Blitzstein (March 2, 1905 – January 22, 1964) was an American composer. ... For other uses, see Mack the Knife (disambiguation). ... Singing the Blues is a popular song. ...

This was also the decade of the advent of rock and roll, a massively influential genre that spawned innumerable changes in the social and cultural fabric of the US, and subsequently the World. The convulsion began when "Rock Around the Clock" crowned the charts in the spring and summer of 1955, and continued with "Heartbreak Hotel" in 1956 and "All Shook Up" in 1957. Rock and roll (also spelled Rock n Roll, especially in its first decade), also called rock, is a form of popular music, usually featuring vocals (often with vocal harmony), electric guitars and a strong back beat; other instruments, such as the saxophone, are common in some styles. ... Rock Around the Clock is a rock n roll song from 1952, written by Max C. Freedman and James E. Myers (the latter under the pseudonym Jimmy De Knight). Although first recorded by Sonny Dae & the Knights, the more famous version by Bill Haley & His Comets is not, strictly speaking... For the Whitney Houston song, see Heartbreak Hotel (Whitney Houston song). ... All Shook Up is one of the many hit songs of Elvis Presley. ...

Previously regional or niche formats became mainstream for the first time, some going on to become genres in their own right. Latin music entered the general consciousness with "Cherry Pink (and Apple Blossom White)" in 1955, and Italian popular music with "Nel blu dipinto di blu" in 1958. Latin American music, sometimes simply called Latin music in The United States, includes the music of all countries in Latin America and comes in many varieties. ... Cherry Pink (and Apple Blossom White) is a popular song. ... // Italian Popular Music has produced pop stars, including : Anthony Tortorich, Paola & Chiara, Lucio Dalla, Renato Zero, Adriano Celentano, Gianni Morandi, Fabio Concato, Pupo, Mina, Eros Ramazzotti, Albano Carrisi, Umberto Tozzi, Andrea Bocelli, Ornella Vanoni, Vasco Rossi, Luca Carboni, Francesco De Gregori, Fabrizio De André, Francesco Guccini, Giorgio Gaber, Gianni Togni... Nel blu dipinto di blu (literally In the blue painted blue), popularly known as Volare (Italian for the infinitive form of the verb to fly), is Domenico Modugnos signature song. ...

1960s

The decade kicked off a style that is still recorded today, the novelty song, combining humorous or parodic lyrics and simple, catchy melodies: "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" (1960). In 1961 a new format arose around close vocal harmonies and lyrics reflecting the Californian relationship with surfing, girls and cars: Surf pop. This very successful style is epitomised by tunes like "Surfin' USA" (1963), "California Girls" (1965) and "Good Vibrations" (1966). An unusual combination of minor chords and an unexpected synthesizer formed the basis of one of the greatest hits of the first half of the decade, "Runaway" (1961), whilst in the second half a four-note electric bass riff offsetting a simple melodic arrangement brought commercial and critical success to "Windy" (1967). A novelty song is a silly or nonsensical song, performed principally for its comical effect. ... A parody (pronounced ), in contemporary usage, is a work created to mock, comment on, or poke fun at an original work, its subject, or author, by means of humorous or satiric imitation. ... Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini is a novelty song telling the story of a shy high-school student in a very revealing bathing suit (which she apparently did not try on beforehand) who stays immersed in the ocean water to hide from view, while other high-schoolers... This article is about the U.S. state. ... Surf-pop was a genre of pop music popular from the mid- to late-1960s and characterized by its unsophisticated song structure, frequent use of vocal harmonies, and lyrics related to the surf culture popular in the United States Pacific coastal region at that time. ... Surfin U.S.A. is the title of a song written by Brian Wilson for The Beach Boys, set to the melody from Chuck Berrys Sweet Little Sixteen. ... California Girls is the title of a song written by Mike Love and Brian Wilson and recorded by The Beach Boys for their 1965 album Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!). It features contrasting verse-chorus form. ... Good Vibrations is a pop single produced by Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys. ... Generally speaking, a minor chord is any chord which has a minor third above its root, as opposed to a major chord which has a major third. ... The clavioline was an electronic keyboard instrument, a forerunner to the analog synthesizer. ... Runaway (Shannon-Crook) was a number-one Billboard Hot 100 song in 1961 by Del Shannon. ... A sunburst-colored Fender Precision Bass The electric bass guitar (or electric bass[1][2]; pronounced , as in base) is a bass stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers (either by plucking, slapping, popping, or tapping) or using a pick. ... Riff is also an alternate spelling of Rif, a region of Morocco. ... For the 1928 film, see The Wind. ...

The music that had radiated from the US to the rest of the World in the previous decade bounced back in this one, bringing with it nuances, variations and completely new styles. In the United Kingdom teens developed a feel for rock and roll and the blues, blending them with local traditions like skiffle and giving rise to music they could relate to and perform with conviction. Youths with electric guitars began joining beat bands and writing and playing up-tempo melodic pop. Some of these enjoyed success only in Europe ("Apache" (1960), "The Young Ones" (1962), "Keep On Running" (1965) and "Where Do You Go To (My Lovely)" (1969)), as others crossed the Atlantic and became the British invasion (1964 to 1967), delivering a whole new range of influences to US pop with songs like "I Want to Hold Your Hand", "Can't Buy Me Love" and "Downtown" (all 1964), "Yesterday" (1965), "Yellow Submarine" (1966), "To Sir, with Love" (1967), "Hey Jude" (1968) and "Get Back" (1969). Blues music redirects here. ... Doghouse Skiffle Group Skiffle is a type of folk music with a jazz and blues influence, usually using homemade or improvised instruments such as the washboard, tea chest bass, kazoo, cigar-box fiddle, musical saw, comb and paper, and so forth, as well as more conventional instruments such as acoustic... It has been suggested that Merseybeat be merged into this article or section. ... Apache is a popular instrumental song written by Jerry Lordan and recorded by British group The Shadows in June 1960. ... The Young Ones is a single by Cliff Richard and The Shadows. ... Keep On Running was a number one hit for The Spencer Davis Group Categories: | | ... Where Do You Go To (My Lovely) is a 1969 song by Peter Sarstedt. ... For other uses, see British Invasion (disambiguation). ... Music sample I Want to Hold Your Hand ( file info) Problems? See media help. ... Cant Buy Me Love is the name of a song written by Paul McCartney (although credited to Lennon-McCartney) and released by The Beatles on the A side of their fifth British single, Cant Buy Me Love/You Cant Do That. ... Downtown is a pop song composed by Tony Hatch following a first-time visit to New York City. ... Music sample Yesterday Problems? See media help. ... Music sample Yellow Submarine Problems? See media help. ... To Sir, with Love is the theme from the 1967 film To Sir, with Love. ... For the album of the same name, see Hey Jude (album). ... Music sample Get Back ( file info) Problems? See media help. ...

African American music broke into popular culture in a big way in this decade, bringing with it new grooves and tempos, such as doo-wop, a style giving prevalence to melody-dominated homophony and vocal-based harmonies; rhythm and blues, a combination of jazz, gospel and blues; Motown, soul music with a prominent and melodic bass line, a distinctive chord structure and a call-and-response singing style: An African American man gives a piano lesson to a young African American woman, in 1899 or 1900, in Georgia, USA. Photograph from a collection of W.E.B. DuBois. ... In popular music groove, used in the sense of rhythm, is a term for metre and its embellishment by a rhythm section. ... For other uses, see Tempo (disambiguation). ... Doo-wop is a style of vocal-based rhythm and blues music popular in the mid-1950s to the early 1960s in America. ... Homophony is a musical term that describes the texture of two or more instruments or parts moving together and using the same rhythm. ... R&B redirects here. ... For other uses, see Jazz (disambiguation). ... Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as (in terms of the varying music styles) to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music. ... The Motown Sound is a style of soul music with distinctive characteristics, including the use of tambourine along with drums, bass instrumentation, a distinctive melodic and chord structure, and a call and response singing style originating in gospel music. ... For other uses, see Soul music (disambiguation). ...

Producers' involvement in the business reached new levels in 1965 when Raybert Productions set out to create a pop band from scratch, selecting the members by their looks, dancing ability and appeal to different personalities of fan, rather than musical prowess. The company controlled every aspect of the group, from choice of music to individual behaviours, and guided them to extraordinary success in music, television and cinema. This type of prefabricated band was termed manufactured pop and is the precursor of boy bands and girl groups. The greatest hit by the original act was "I'm a Believer" (1967), followed shortly after by a number one from the second of these manufactured groups, "Sugar, Sugar" in 1969. I Cant Stop Loving You was an international smash for legendary musician Ray Charles in 1962. ... Hes So Fine is a 1963 song recorded by girl-group, The Chiffons. ... One of the most famous Broadway showtunes ever written, Hello, Dolly! is the title song of the popular 1964 musical Hello, Dolly!. The music and lyrics were written by Jerry Herman who also wrote the scores for many other popular musicals including Mame and La Cage aux Folles. ... Baby Love is the name of a 1964 hit song recorded by The Supremes for the Motown label. ... Reach Out Ill Be There (also formatted as Reach Out (Ill Be There)) is a 1966 hit song recorded by The Four Tops for the Motown label. ... Respect is a 1967 hit and the signature song of the R&B singer Aretha Franklin, written and originally released by Volt recording artist Otis Redding in 1965. ... (Sittin On) the Dock of the Bay is a song co-written and first performed by Otis Redding, with the co-writer Steve Cropper. ... I Cant Get Next to You is a 1969 number-one single recorded by The Temptations and produced by Norman Whitfield for the Gordy (Motown) label. ... In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ... Raybert Productions was a 1960s production company, founded by Robert (Bob) Rafelson and Bert Schneider. ... For more information on fans of football (soccer), see Football (soccer) culture. ... Manufactured music includes the following categories // A natural band is a band where all members knew each other and didnt audition any members, and got their recording contract purely through sending out demo tapes, spotted whilst busking or similar. ... Boyband redirects here. ... The Supremes A Go-Go (1966) was the first album by a female group to reach the top position of the Billboard magazine pop albums chart in the United States. ... Music sample: The Monkees - Im a Believer ( file info) — 16 seconds (of 2:47) Problems listening to the file? See media help. ... Sugar, Sugar was a 1969 number-one hit single, originally released on the album Everythings Archie, supposedly by fictional characters The Archies, actually the product of a group of studio musicians managed by Don Kirshner, after The Monkees rejected it. ...

1970s

Singer-songwriters and other folk-based artists were the biggest contributors to the pop genre in the first half of this decade, from 1970's "Bridge over Troubled Water" and "(They Long to Be) Close to You", through 1971's "It's Too Late", to 1972's "American Pie", "Alone Again (Naturally)" and "Without You". The term singer-songwriter refers to performers who both write and sing their own material. ... Music sample Bridge over Troubled Water Problems? See media help. ... Close to You track listing Side one Weve Only Just Begun Love Is Surrender Maybe Its You Reason to Believe Help! (They Long to Be) Close to You Side two Baby Its You Ill Never Fall in Love Again Crescent Noon Mr. ... Its Too Late is a song from Carole Kings 1971 album, Tapestry. ... For other uses, see American Pie (disambiguation). ... Alone Again (Naturally) is a song by the Irish singer-songwriter, Gilbert OSullivan. ... For other uses, see Without You (disambiguation). ...

The main influence in the second half of the decade came from disco, a dance-oriented style with soaring, reverberated vocals, a steady beat and prominent, syncopated electric bass lines: "Disco Lady" and "Play That Funky Music" (both 1976), "I Just Want to Be Your Everything" (1977), "Night Fever" and "Stayin' Alive" (both 1978), "Bad Girls", "Le Freak" and "YMCA" (all 1979). This article is about the music genre. ... Disco Lady is a 1976 chart-topping single for Johnnie Taylor. ... Play That Funky Music is a song recorded by Wild Cherry. ... I Just Want to Be Your Everything was a hit song by pop singer Andy Gibb. ... Night Fever, is a disco song, written and performed by The Bee Gees. ... Stayin Alive is a song by The Bee Gees, released as a single in 1977. ... Bad Girls is a 1979 single released by American singer Donna Summer. ... Le Freak is a 1978 hit disco song by Chic. ... Y.M.C.A. is a 1978 song by the Village People which became a hit in January 1979. ...

Country music re-entered pop in 1973 with "Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" and in 1975 with "Rhinestone Cowboy", whilst the African American rhythms that had so affected the genre in the previous decade were still producing hits and expanding limits in this one. Disco, an almost entirely African American creation, was joined in the charts by protest songs ("War" (1970)), soulful ballads ("The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" (1972), "Killing Me Softly with His Song" and "Let's Get It On" (both 1973)), and by more upbeat compositions ("Best of My Love" (1977)). The single cover of Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Ole Oak Tree was a popular song by Dawn featuring Tony Orlando. ... Rhinestone Cowboy is a song written by Larry Weiss. ... A protest song is a song which protests perceived problems in society. ... War is a soul song written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong for the Motown label in 1969. ... Alternate covers Promotional single The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face is a 1957 folk song written by Ewan MacColl for his wife Peggy Seeger. ... The single cover of Killing Me Softly with His Song Killing Me Softly with His Song is a 1971 song composed by Charles Fox and Norman Gimbel, which has become a pop standard. ... Lets Get It On is the seminal 1973 #1 smash sung by American soul music legend Marvin Gaye. ... Best of My Love (1977) is the first musical single released by the band The Emotions, from their album Rejoices. ...

Sounds from the UK continued to permeate pop music, with pop rock songs like "Maggie May" (1971), "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy?" (1978) and "My Sharona" (1979); blues-based tunes in the style of "In the Summertime" (1970); and simple pop ditties such as "Save Your Kisses for Me" (1976) "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" and "Silly Love Songs" (both 1979). For other uses, see Pop rock (disambiguation). ... This article is about the Rod Stewart song. ... Da Ya Think Im Sexy? is a 1978-9 hit song for Rod Stewart. ... My Sharona is a 1979 song which was the debut single by and international hit for The Knack. ... In the Summertime is the title of three popular recordings. ... Save Your Kisses For Me was the winning song of the Eurovision Song Contest 1976, performed for the United Kingdom by Brotherhood Of Man in The Hague, Netherlands. ... Dont Go Breaking My Heart was a duet by Elton John and Kiki Dee. ... Silly Love Songs is a song written and sung by Paul McCartney with his band Wings in 1976. ...

In the same way that Britain contributed to the genre since the 1960s, pop artists started appearing in other nations in the 1970s, some with surprising longevity and significance.

Special mention must go to Sweden for ABBA who took over the Music world with songs like "Waterloo" (1974), "Fernando" (1976), "Take a Chance on Me" (1978), "Dancing Queen", "The Name Of The Game" and to Boney M for the hits "Daddy Cool" (1976), "Ma Baker" (1977) and "Rivers of Babylon" (1978). Abba redirects here. ... Audio sample Info (help· info) Waterloo was the first single from ABBAs second album Waterloo, their first for Epic and Atlantic. ... Audio sample Info (help·info) Fernando is Swedish pop group ABBAs first non-album single, and appeared on the 1976 ABBA release Greatest Hits in some countries. ... Take a Chance on Me is a song recorded in 1977 by Swedish pop group ABBA. It was the second single to be released from their fifth album, simply called The Album from 1977, and has appeared on numerous ABBA compilations, namely ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits. ... Dancing Queen is the biggest hit single recorded by Swedish pop group ABBA, and as such is considered to be their signature song. ... For other uses, see Name of the Game (disambiguation). ... Boney M was a Eurodance, pop, and disco group, comprising four West Indian singers and dancers and masterminded by West German record producer Frank Farian, and who were successful during the 1970s. ... Daddy Cool was a 1976 hit single released by the Euro-disco group Boney M, their first UK hit. ... Ma Baker was a 1977 music single released by the Euro-disco group Boney M. The song is about legendary 1930s outlaw Ma Barker, but the lyrics are not historically accurate. ... Rivers of Babylon is a spiritual song penned by the late Brent Dowe and Trevor McNaughton of the Melodians. ...

1980s

The mutual benefits the film and music industries could afford each other were evidenced in this decade by the songs from movie soundtracks that became chart-toppers: "Eye of the Tiger", from 1982's Rocky III; "Flashdance... What a Feeling", from Flashdance (1983); "Footloose" from the eponymous 1983 film; "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" from 1984's Against All Odds; "Into the Groove" from 1985's Desperately Seeking Susan; and "Say You, Say Me", out of the 1985 blockbuster