Pop Music Essay

930 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Influence of popular culture in American society

The Historical Development of Popular Music (Pop)
Music currently defined as popular music or pop, evolved in the American society many decades ago. Popular music is a wide-ranging combination of many different styles of music such as jazz, country, rock and roll, rap, and even hip-hop. In today’s society, people perceive pop music as cool, pleasant-sounding, and a type music that has the means of changing the American way of life. This unique type of music has played a significant role in shaping our lives. More importantly, it has brought together people of different ages, diverse ethnic backgrounds, and has transformed our culture and others for the better. Thus, it is fair to say, pop music resonates throughout the world, touching people and societies in ways that is baffling to politicians and government leaders. For this reason, popular music has helped make the industry a multi-billion dollar a year business. This highly lucrative business reflects lucidly in all forms of today’s media including film, television, the internet, etc.
Popular music began with the publication of sheet music. Sheet music, which transcribed note-for-note many orchestral symphonic scores for easy reading, sold rapidly throughout America. In the middle to late 19th century, many American homes had a piano for the purpose of entertainment. This unique piece of equipment at the time served as entertainment during social gatherings, and for many families, the instrument was the first that children learned how to play. For those families who desired to have a musical piano in their homes, but had no one to play the extraordinary instrument, the invention of player pianos came forth. This device allowed the user to insert a cylindrical roll, pressed...

... middle of paper ...

...sic has now entered into the 21st century with no end in sight to its commercial appeal, cultural impact, longevity, or profitability. With each generation, Pop music will always be that arbiter of taste and refinement that reflects all that society has to offer. Even more, several younger artists have come and gone, and new styles have tersely emerged, but nothing appears to have gained a major foothold than that of popular music. Popular music continues to be a melting pot of styles and is pleasing to many of its listeners throughout the world today. People will always listen to music, music labels, and radio stations will continue to track what songs to which people are listening to for the means of personal satisfaction and entertainment. In the midst of it all, popular music (Pop) will always be the foundational centerpiece in which everything revolves around.

Show More
Related

  • REGGAE AND ZYDECO

    3174 Words  | 7 Pages

    If one were to look back into the world’s history, one would find that an important and consistent element is the world of music. Music has presented itself in various forms throughout its spread and through our identification of its magical realm, people have been fortunate enough to come across a means of relation. Whether it is blues and reggae or rap and pop rock, there is music out there for everyone. Music can serve as a stabilizer for some, a relaxant to others, and to many a form of inspiration.

    Read More

  • Comparison Between Westerns And Science Fiction

    1597 Words  | 4 Pages

    Historically, popular culture has been seen to evolve along with the era in which it is generated. The analysis of the predominantly popular genre within a given generation can serve, therefore, as a window into that particular generation’s prevailing way of thought. One thing that greatly affects that way of thought is the recent history immediately preceding that time.

    Read More

  • The Negative Portrayal of Women in Hip Hop and Rap Music

    1236 Words  | 3 Pages

    Holden, Martha. "Global Post." The Influence of Pop Music on Teens in the US. N.p.. Web. 1 December 2013. .

    Read More

  • Rock And Roll Essay

    739 Words  | 2 Pages

    Most things have their beginnings in something small: a word, a breath, or idea; but not music. Music begins with a single vibration. It explodes and carries on, morphing worlds of unrelated personas. It lives rampantly in the mouths of millions of unruly and free-spirited teenagers, like a fever. The rock 'n roll trend that defiantly rose against the conformist ideology of the mid-twentieth century left remnants that commenced the start of a progressing society: a culture that redefined the rules of society and pushed social and moral limits while addressing social concerns.

    Read More

  • Folk Music: All Soul

    934 Words  | 2 Pages

    In this day and age, pop music dominates the airwaves at every turn. Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Kanye West, and many are commonplace names among teenagers and younger demographics not only in the United States, but all around the world. The United States has accepted the position of international, cultural role model long ago, dating back to the 1950’s when rock and roll caught fire as a hybrid of blues, country, and jazz and spread to the rest of the world almost infectiously. Since then, every major artist that comes out of the United States has easily become a global icon, regardless of the language or nationality of their adoring fans. However, one could conceive that this glamorized version of music comes less from the soul of the artist and is merely born of fiscal ambitions and visions of grandeur. The point made previously is not to critique any pop icon’s talent, which clearly they have proved to possess an abundance of it to keep the public swooning at their every whim, but instead, to show that there are musicians out there producing beautiful music without the threat of corruption and adherence to mainstream culture.

    Read More

  • R And B Music Essay

    627 Words  | 2 Pages

    What are some types of Rand B music that stands out in the world? In this essay I would be discussing three types of Rand B music; rhythm and blues, contemporary r and b, and r and b soul. Rhythm and blues regularly abbreviated as R&B, is a classification of popular African American music that started in the 1940s. Music can sooth the soul if one listens to different kinds of R&B music. In this essay, I would like to discuss the different categories of R&B music. There are many types of music in the world however, the one that stands out in everyone's brain is the sound of rhythm and blues. It has been around for a very long time. It has taught individuals interest around the globe. Rhythm and blues began in the late 1940s by slaves in the south which brought about new music, designed, and move styles.

    Read More

  • Culture and Music

    568 Words  | 2 Pages

    In contrast, today’s popular music is of a secular origin. Some types of contemporary music mirror the decline in our value system. The “pop” or “hip-hop” culture is characterized by explicit sexuality, habitual use of profanity, and depiction of extreme violence in music and all other forms of entertainme...

    Read More

  • Impact Of Conformity In Pop Music

    1957 Words  | 4 Pages

    The drastic socio-cultural changes that occurred following World War II in all participating and surrounding countries led to the rise in ‘pop culture’. An important aspect of pop culture is popular music of the age. Although the concept of music as a consumer product was already emerging by the 15th century, with musical eras like Renaissance, Baroque and Romantic coming and going over the centuries, it was not until after World War II that musical styles began to expand and change much more quickly than ever before. Each decade from the 1950s is widely known to the general population as having its own distinct style of popular music.

    Read More

  • Evolving Dynamics: Hip Hop Music Through the Decades

    1231 Words  | 3 Pages

    Hip hop music has gone through many changes since the 1980’s and continues to change today with new artists, styles, and sounds. Over the past forty years hip hop music has been a way for fans to relate to artist through their songs because many hip hop artist lived and experience the same things that their fans did. Hip hop has changed over the years because of changes and improvement of the average American. Hip hop music reflects on the current situation in American life and over the past forty years hip hop changes with the current times and views of hip hop fans in America. The improvement of more Americans since the 1980’s has help grow the access to hip hop music as well as the popularity of hip hop music and artists.

    Read More

  • All Shook Up: How Rock 'n' Roll Changed America

    792 Words  | 2 Pages

    In closing, the undoubtable influence of music, more specifically of Rock ‘n’ Roll on American society is responsible for a number of changes to the status quo. These range from sexual liberation and racial desegregation all culminating with other influences to create an intergenerational identity. Despite the desperate attempts of older generations to smother these influences, these changes ultimately shaped the years that followed, molding the country into what it is today. Along the way these changes as well as individual involvement in them has also eased the lives of many through empowerment and a feeling of community and purpose. Despite a lull and renewal Rock ‘n’ Roll continues to serve as an agent of influence and change in today’s youth culture and continues to burn in the heart of past generations of loyal fans.

    Read More

  • History of Rock and Roll

    1146 Words  | 3 Pages

    Popular music at the turn of the century came largely from musical theater - Broadway and Hollywood. Originally, popularized by traveling groups and sheet music sales, popular music really came into its own with the arrival of radio broadcasting, jukeboxes, 78 r.p.m recordings and other twentieth century technologies which continued into the Fifties.

    Read More

  • Changes in the Music Industry

    829 Words  | 2 Pages

    Music has been a part of human culture since the beginning of time, and it continues to transcend language barriers, belief systems, and remains completely open to interpretation. Music has changed drastically in the last 20 years. The main barrier breaker is credited to the Internet, which has opened an entire new world for music. Music will continue to evolve over time as the industry finds new ways to use the Internet. Major labels have found that adapting to the new ways of the industry has provided continual change for them. Musicians and labels have to continue to be open to accept the changes as time goes on to benefit the consumers as well as themselves.

    Read More

  • Music and Deviant Behavior

    1614 Words  | 4 Pages

    Music has been around for thousands of years throughout the world dating all the way back to prehistoric times proven by the digging up of a 9,000-year-old flute that had seven holes drilled into it to create a musical scale in China ("Prehistoric flute music:," 2000). Music went through numerous stages before becoming what we know music as today. The earliest periods of music were the Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque Periods which took place from the years 500-1760. The next cluster of periods were the Classical, Romantic, and Modern Periods which ended in 1930 to bring us to the most recent periods: Twentieth Century Period and the ongoing Contemporary and Twenty First Century Periods.

    Read More

  • The Effects of Globalization on Music

    1786 Words  | 4 Pages

    With the music being the highly profitable, capitalist enterprise that it is today, it is no wonder that it is controlled and regulated by a few large conglomerates that exist is today’s world. It is important to make clear that although evidence is being presented of the positive aspects of globalization through music that there is overwhelming evidence that cultural imperialism is more than it seems on the outside. One must keep in mind that cultural imperialism, globalization and the creation of a global village is a business. People are profiting at other people’s loss of cultural identity, they are sold a culture and heritage. With the every growing N’Sync fan clubs and Britney clones, the world is turning into a stage for pop culture and its glamorous unattainable standards.

    Read More

  • Pop Culture Is A Reflection Of Social Change

    1293 Words  | 3 Pages

    Pop culture is a reflection of social change, not a cause of social change” (John Podhoretz). It encompasses the advertisements we see on T.V, the clothes we wear, the music we listen to, and it’s the reason Leonardo DiCaprio has not won an Oscar yet. It defines and dictates the desires and fears of the mainstream members of society and it is so ingrained into our lives that it has become as natural as breathing. Moreover, adults never even bat an eyelash at all the pop culture and advertising that surrounds them since it has become just another part of everyday life. Pop culture is still somewhat seen as entertainment enjoyed by the lower class members of society but pop culture standards change over time.

    Read More

More about Pop Music Essay

Open Document