RIM 3000 - Survey Of The Recording Industry: Exam 2

What genre brought the music industry back to prominence?

Swing

What was considered the backbone of American popular music?

Jazz music

King of Swing, known for improvisation, one of the first to have a racially diverse band

Benny Goodman

This man won "Battle of the Bands" at Savoy Ballroom in '37

Chick Webb

Bandleader/pianist who recorded since the 20's but became more 40's with songs like "Take the A Train" and "Don't Get around much anymore"

Duke Ellington

Bandleader/trombonist who became known for songs like "in the mood" (1939)

Glenn Miller

International Sweethearts of Rhythm

all girl band, racially integrated

What is "swing"?

characterized by a specific type of syncopation that emphasizes the off-beat, giving the music a bouncy, lively feel

End of Swing

Bandleaders pass away in war or for other causes, financial difficulty, difficulty touring, Racial tension and government pushbacks

ASCAP (PRO)

founded in 1914, licensed ~90% of Tin Pan Alley songs, radio networks turned over bigger revenue % for performance royalties

BMI

founded in 1940 to challenge ASCAP monopoly, open door for genres like country, blues

ASCAP strike

1941, members' material could not be broadcasted, jazz cover artists required to write solos before legal usage

American Federation of Musicians strike

1942, instrumentalists blocked from recording until new agreements were reached, hurt a lot of musicians' careers

Billie Holiday

jazz vocalist who revolutionized several music styles at the time, known for recording of "strange fruit"

Strange Fruit

One of the most-powerful anti-racist, anti-lynching anthems, fueled future civil-rights movements

Ella Fitzgerald

Another jazz vocalist who revolutionized several music styles at the time, known for songs like "Too Darn Hot"

Roy Acuff

Most popular hillbilly singer of the swing era, Oprah's biggest star beginning in 1938, "Great Speckled Bird"

Gene Autry

crossover between pop/country/hillbilly, first singing cowboy, born in TX

Bob Wills

Also TX-born, introduced string band music with elements of swing music

Post-WWII industry changes

Economic improvement and boom, increase in disposable income, younger generation as target demographic

Musical Conservatism

Music is romantic, light, catchy, novelty, crooners have instrumental backhands, music focused on life or romantic love

Todd Storz

The father of the top 40 radio format, noticed younger generation playing specific songs on jukeboxes

Payola

companies paid DJs to put specific songs in rotation

Problem with big record companies around this time

Overproduced records to keep up with popularity, quality declined

New music interests postwar?

Genres that were originally considered marginal or unimportant got a new spotlight due to rise in public interest

Magnetic Tape Recording

Allowed broader range of sound capture, rerecording capabilities, stereo sound, replaced phonographic records.

Battle of the Speeds

competition between labels to develop new sizes, technologies, and lengths for recording

Columbia LP Discs

spin at 33 1/3 RPM, 20+ minutes per side, LPs now considered albums with songs ranging from 3-4 minutes long

RCA Victor Discs

7-inch, 45 RPM singles; allowed singles to be pre-loaded and programmed, cheaper

Turntables after battle of speeds

accommodated 78, 45, and 33 1/3 RPM forms

What did race and hillbilly become in 1942?

"Race" and "hillbilly" to "Western and Race" (1942)

What did "American folk records" and "Rhythm & Blues" become in 1949?

"American folk records" and "Rhythm & Blues" to "Country and Western" (1949)

Industry factors in post-war country success

migration of southerners to cities, independent labels, success by artists and actors on TV, genre-blending, booming businesses

What industries in music thrived post-war?

Jukeboxes and radios; more focus and interest in country

Pistol Packin' Mama

Country's first chart-topper, recorded by Al Dexter and released by OKeh in March '43, and then by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters, which was released by Decca in October of the same year

Urban Folk

a rural folk-inspired, politically-associated style of music

The Weavers

led by banjoist Pete Seeger, found and later dropped by Decca manager Gordon Jenkins due to accusations of communist alignment

Pete Seeger

Banjoist and leader of the Weavers

Country Western Music

Mainstream or popular country music that continues to develop with the music industry, incorporates widespread use of guitar; string bands are neo-traditionalist (new/evolving)

Bluegrass Music

Virtuosic, instrument-focused playing/improvised solos, bluesy instrument and vocal sound/no sound amplification, "high lonesome" melodies

Hank Williams

most popular star post-war, re-established the rambler image, numerous hits from 1947 until his untimely death in 1953

Rhythm and Blues

new title for "race records"; southern migration to cities, BMI licensing and rep / non-AFM affiliation, popularity on jukebox

First radio station dedicated to Black Audiences

WDIA, Musician B.B. King served as DJ

Jump Blues

smaller combos formed out of bigger swing bands

Who were Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five, and what was their first hit?

A jump style R&B band led by Louis Jordan, influenced future rock n' roll artists, first hit was "G.I. Jive".

What hit by Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five spent 18 weeks at number #1 on the R&B chart?

Choo Choo Ch'Boogie

Chicago Electric Blues

Grittier guitar urban style combined with electric guitar and commercialization

Muddy Waters

discovered in the Mississippi Delta, moved to Chicago in 1943, becomes one of the most influential rock n' roll artists of all time; known for "Hooch Coochie Man"

Alan Freed

DJ who ran a nighttime program called "Moondog Show" in the early '50's, played rock 'n roll records often

Freed in later years

Show cancelled in '57 due to racial integration, he himself was arrested after riot incitement in '58

Rock and Roll Audiences

Teenagers; audience developed out of rebellion against standards of taste, culture, and segregation; themes included school, vacation, social dancing, young love, fashion

Development of cover songs

White performers performed African American-written works; started with Evelyn Knight's cover of "A Little Bird Told Me" being allowed by Supreme Court

Most famous cover

"Shake Rattle and Roll" by Jesse Stone and Big Joe Turner in 1954, covered by Bill Haley and the comets, set Haley as the first "king" of rock n' roll music

"Rock Around The Clock"

first rock n' roll record to ever be a #1 hit, charted after being featured in "Blackboard Jungle"

Chuck Berry (1928-2017)

From St. Louis, he adapted blues and rhythm and blues with country, made the first popular crossover hit "Maybelline", also known for "Johnny B. Goode"

Little Richard (1932-2020)

Initial success with "tutti-Frutti", loud sound, effeminate style, defied genre and racial boundaries that were initially considered the standard

Fats Domino (1928-2017)

Piano player from New Orleans, strong influence from R&B, jazz, swing, jump blues; stayed true to his own style

Elvis Presley (1935-1977)

Started out with dual-sided country/R&B records with Sam Philips at Sun Records, incredibly successful in TV and music, dubbed the king of Rock and Roll subsequently

Colonel Thomas Parker

manager for Elvis Presley at RCA, sought to garner success for Presley

Death of Rock n' Roll

Elvis drafted, chuck berry went to jail, Jerry Lee Lewis married cousin, Buddy Holly died in Iowa, along with Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper

American Bandstand

TV-show based in Philadelphia that became popular in the 1960s due to similarly-named record by Chubby Checker

Phil Spector (1940-2021) and "The Wall of Sound"

Best known as a producer, had a #1 hit with "To Know Him is to Love Him", started Philes Records / developed the "Wall Of Sound", played a huge role in shift of the music industry further out west

Wall of Sound by Phil Spector

Doubling/echoing of instruments while prioritizing vocals in a mix, this texture in teenage symphonies

Quantity vs quality

Spector released few records, although a large portion became significant hits due to the QUALITY of their sound. This modeled the importance of music producers

Berry Gordy

founded Motown; reigned in creative and financial aspects to keep under control with distribution; Motown becomes VERY successful long-term

Motown styles

influenced by blues and gospel, charismatic and sophisticated live performance, conduct, choreography, and dress requirements, sound is more compact and lush

British Invasion

Massively popular in the US, flood of recordings by bands such as The Rolling Stones, the Animals, The Who, The Kinks, and Eric Clapton go viral

The Beatles

name inspired by Buddy Holly's the Crickets, consisted of John Lennon, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, first popular song in US is "I Want To Hold Your Hand"

Pet Sounds (Beach Boys)

Composed by Brian Wilson, rock's first concept album, featured diverse instrumentation, complex vocal arrangements, advancements in harmonies

"Good Vibrations"

considered the magnum opus by Beach Boys, it reached the top spot on the charts upon release in 1966

Bugalú / Latin soul

A fusion of rumba and mambo with black American popular music. "Watermelon Man" by Mongo Santamaria is the biggest hit of this genre

Bossa Nova

blend of samba rhythms, Brazilian composition, West Coast Jazz

most famous Bossa Nova musicians

Joao Gilberto, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Stan Getz

"Eleanor Rigby" (1966)

defied topical music standards, depicts several very lonely situations in the form of a story.

The Supremes

known for the song "You Can't Hurry Love", in 1966

California Girls by The Beach Boys

Centered on romantic interest, basically states what type of lover the author seeks or desires, and wishes they are from California (hence the title)