Music in the 1980s and Benefit Concerts

The Seventies: A Period of Fragmentation

Music historians view the 1970s as a period lacking clear direction due to the fragmentation of styles catering to different demographic groups.
The decade is popularly known as the "Me Decade," reflected in the narcissistic disco style and the focus of singer-songwriters on themselves.

Economic Turmoil in the 1970s

The 1970s were a financially disastrous period marked by:

Double-digit inflation.
High unemployment.
An oil embargo leading to long gasoline lines.
A stock market crash with a 50\% decline.
New York City's bankruptcy, with the federal government initially ignoring appeals for aid.

The New York Post headline, "Ford to City: Drop Dead," captured the sentiment.

The Music Industry Recession

The music industry, mirroring society, experienced a major recession.

Recording revenues fell 11\% between 1978 and 1979.
The bottom was reached in 1982.
By 1986, 50\% fewer artists were recording compared to a decade prior.

The Assassination of John Lennon

The assassination of John Lennon in December 1980 marked a cultural turning point between the 70s and 80s.

Lennon, although no longer with The Beatles, continued to make music and remained a creative force.
His death symbolized the end of an era for many fans who associated their youth with him.

Political Shifts: The Reagan Era

The inauguration of Ronald Reagan in January 1981 brought tangible political changes.

Reagan supported supply-side economics and promoted deregulation.
Deregulation in television, which began before Reagan, led to the creation of cable television.

The Rise of MTV

Television became an effective advertising platform due to deregulation and the rise of cable TV.

The American public, particularly young people, watched TV for approximately seven hours a day.
In 1981, Warner Cable invested 21 million dollars to create MTV.
MTV targeted an audience between 12 and 34 years old.
Subscriptions to MTV grew from 2.5 million to 17 million in two years.

MTV's Early Programming and the Second British Invasion

Initially, MTV primarily played music by white artists and was dominated by British programming.

British producers had pioneered music videos in the 1960s to promote groups like The Beatles and The Kinks.
The first video shown on MTV was "Video Killed the Radio Star."
Music videos combined artistic genres to form a commercial total work of art, or "Gesamtkunstwerk."
MTV led to a second British Invasion, including bands like Duran Duran, The Human League, Flock of Seagulls, and Culture Club.

Accusations of Racism

MTV faced accusations of racism due to the limited number of black artists featured.

Donna Summer was one of the few black artists on MTV, with her hit "She Works Hard for the Money."
Executives feared that featuring more black artists would decrease their demographic customer base.

Michael Jackson's Impact on MTV

Michael Jackson proved MTV executives wrong and became a major star.

He perfected the music video form, elevating it to another level.
The album "Thriller," released in 1982, featured seven hits, including "Billie Jean" and "Beat It."
"Thriller" was a groundbreaking album incorporating various styles, such as funk, heavy metal, and pop.
Guest artists included Eddie Van Halen and Paul McCartney.
His music videos rivaled Hollywood productions, with "Thriller" costing 300,000 to make.

Controversies Surrounding MTV

MTV faced accusations of portraying women as sex objects.
The song and video "Hot for Teacher" by Van Halen exemplifies sexism.

MTV executives recognized that sex sells and often encouraged performers to include more sexual content.

Madonna's Control of Her Image

Madonna argued that she was not being exploited because she chose to present her image as she did.

Like Michael Jackson, Madonna was a trained dancer and combined dancing, choreography, visual artistry, and singing.
She was fearless, driven, and open to different genres.
Madonna controlled her image and ensured that controversy worked in her favor.

Bruce Springsteen and Authenticity

Bruce Springsteen's "Dancing in the Dark" was a hit from his 1980s album "Born in the USA."

His success was attributed to his perceived authenticity.
Springsteen grew up in Freehold, New Jersey, and was discovered by Columbia executive John Hammond.

Political Use of "Born in the USA"

In 1984, both Ronald Reagan and Walter Mondale's campaigns used "Born in the USA" as their campaign song.

The song is written from the perspective of a Vietnam vet and is critical of U.S. government policies.

Prince: A Multi-Talented Artist

Prince, born Roger Nelson, later renamed himself TAFKAP, achieved success in Minneapolis from his Paisley Park studio.

He wrote songs, produced videos, sang, and played many instruments.
He produced the hit album and movie "Purple Rain," which was a thinly disguised autobiography.

Humanitarian Rock Concerts

Star-studded rock concerts for humanitarian purposes became prominent in the 1980s.

George Harrison's 1971 concert for Bangladesh victims was an early example.

Bob Geldof and "Do They Know It's Christmas?"

Bob Geldof, lead singer of the Boomtown Rats, was moved by a documentary about the famine in Ethiopia.

He composed "Do They Know It's Christmas" with famous English musicians.

USA for Africa and "We Are the World"

Michael Jackson created the charity organization USA for Africa and composed "We Are the World" with Lionel Richie and Quincy Jones.

Forty-five recording artists recorded the song on January 28, 1985.
Critics found the song to sound like a Pepsi commercial.

Live Aid

Bob Geldof organized the Live Aid event in 1985, which took place simultaneously in London and Philadelphia.

The event was broadcast to 260 countries and watched by an estimated 1.6 billion people.
Stars such as Paul McCartney, Eric Clapton, Elton John, Mick Jagger, and Tina Turner performed.
The event raised one hundred million dollars.
Critics felt the event was a move by recording companies to build a wider fan base for their artists.

Farm Aid

Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson discussed the plight of small family farmers during the Live Aid concert, leading to Farm Aid.

On September 22, 1985, the Farm Aid concert took place in Champaign, Illinois.

Amnesty International's "Conspiracy of Hope"

Amnesty International organized the "Conspiracy of Hope" tour to seek the release of political prisoners and prevent torture.

Continued Benefit Concerts

Benefit concerts for various causes became a fixture in the music scene.

Concerts were held to free Nelson Mandela and for Hurricane Katrina disaster relief and hope for Haiti after the earthquake.
This trend continues today.