American Popular Music Midterm Flashcards

Simple Verse

same music is used for each verse

Simple Verse-Chorus

repeating verses and a chorus shares the same music

Contrasting Verse-Chorus

the verses and chorus have different music

AABA Form

two A sections, followed by a B section, and returning to the A section

Interlude

A short musical passage between sections of a song

Bridge

A contrasting section that provides a break from the repetitive nature of verses and choruses

12-Bar Blues Form

repeating 12-bar chord progression, typically using I, IV, and V chords

Riff

A repeated musical phrase or pattern used in songs

Doo-Wop Progression

A chord pattern that typically follows I-vi-IV-V.

Coda

The concluding section of a piece of music

3 Parts of an APM Trend

Combines community, artists, and music business (market)

Influences on American Popular Music (need 2)

Promotion, trend, economic flow

Rock and Roll

Represents going against societal norms

Rock and Roll Movements (need 2)

Examples include Jim Morrison's drinking and drug use; Madonna's provocative performances; Jim Morison’s drinking and drugs; David bowie’s pedophelia; Jerry Lee Lewis throwing piano bench

3 Steps of a Popularity Arc

1) Music starts locally, 2) gains popularity in a subculture, and is 3) promoted to mainstream audiences through music business

Jazz Age Characteristics (need 2)

post ww1 (YOLO), upbeat, strong rhythms, dancing, jack melodies, loud, smoking/drinking

3 Components of FDR’s New Deal

1) Social Security Act, 2) Works Progress Administration, and 3) Emergency Banking Act.

New Deal Impact on Performance Styles

Led to more inappropriate and provocative performances.

2 Ways Music Spread Before TV and Radio

sheet music and oral tradition (singing songs)

How Producers Identified APM

chose songs based on its potential for profits.

APM Radio’s Target Audience

Middle-class white audiences who could afford radios.

Most Popular Radio Content

Soap operas (melodramas).

Who’s Idea was it to put picture with sound?

David Sarnoff.

TV Impact on Radio’s Genres

Radio stations began streaming R&B and country/western music to compensate for lost audiences.

Tin Pan Alley

A community in New York where publishers and songwriters collaborated, becoming a business model.

Tin Pan Alley Artists (need 2-3)

Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley.

Tin Pan Alley’s Song Form

Introduced the AABA form.

Songwriters' Income

Through royalties from performances, broadcasting stations, producers, LP, etc.

Big Band Artists (need 2)

Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Jimmy Dorsy, Tommy Dorsy

Elements of Orchestra

used strings, led by a conductor, focused on singer

Elements of Big Band

used brass/woodwinds, led by instrumentalist, focused on instrumentals

Jazz Chords

9th, 11th, and 13th chords.

Frank Sinatra's Music Business Influence

Wanted music focused on singer. Reduced the need for large bands, lowering costs in the music industry.

Why did people dislike APM?

cheesy because it was family-friendly and targeted white middle class.

Country/Western Music Target Audience

Low-income white audiences who couldn’t afford TV.

Country/Western Music Origin

Country = Appalachia. Western = southern/midwestern US(Texas)

Country/Western Music Elements (need 2)

Simplicity and honesty.

Country/Western Music Scout

Ralph Peer

How Western/Country Became Popular

Military shared LP’s during WWII and radio played it to compensate for market loss.

Cowboy (Country/Western Subgenre) Characteristics

Emo, depressing, and simple style.

Western Swing (Country/Western Subgenre) Characteristics

Danceable, hybrid style incorporating big band, polka, bluegrass, and jazz.

Bluegrass (Country/Western Subgenre) Characteristics

Instruments take turns having riffs/solos, showcasing instrumental abilities, mandolin, banjo, fiddle, harmonica, guitar

R&B Music Target Audience

Low-income African American audiences.

How R&B Spread (need 2)

Played on radio after country left radio, promoted by city gatherings(Detroit, NY, Chicago, etc) and indie recording companies.

Indie R&B Recording Companies (need 2)

Chess Records, Atlantic Records, King Records

Christianization of Pop Music

Changing pop music lyrics to religious themes.

Sacrilegious Music

Switching from religious to non-religious themes, (Ray Charles)

Chess vs Atlantic Records

Chess used simple equipment; Atlantic used reverb and flashy performances, rough edge sound

Hokum Blues

music (mostly r&b) with suggestive lyrics, started with misunderstood lyrics, artists ran with the double entendres(double meaning)

How Did Hokum Blues Survive?

Hired white editors and performers to change it to be more appropriate (whitening hokum blues)