Artists we liked

The artists that stood out to me the most in class were The Police, Talking Heads, and The Romantics. The Police are a true band, more so than what we call Blondie or even KISS. The Police consistently deliver a variety of songs within their own style, but are willing to experiment with different types of music. We listened to their album Synchronicity, and while there were times when I wanted the music to just stop and skip to the next song while they experimented with sound, they delivered with some gems such as Miss Gradenko and Synchronicity II. Talking Heads had an awesome song called Burning Down the House, which is simply hard not to sing along to. The Romantics had one really big hit- What I Like About You, but also had some other cool songs like Talking in Your Sleep and Rock You Up.

1981 song choice

Joan Jett's "I Love Rock n' Roll" shared the name of the album it was featured on, which she recorded with her back group, The Blackhearts. The anthem-like song caught anyone's attention and accounted for plenty of success. Joan Jett was the most prominent female musician since Blondie, and used her image of a "rough around the edges" character to benefit songs such as this.

70s vs the 80s

The 1970s saw the rise of arena rock with the world introduction to the godliness of Led Zeppelin and the mastery of The Rolling Stones. This saw the megastar, Bruce Springsteen, take over the nation by storm and become a patriotic symbols of music.
The 1980s gave a stage to synth rock music and the decade stressed the importance of music on television (MTV) as a cornerstone to success or failure. Music videos helped the likes of Devo and Genesis, two synth rock groups. The decade hosted excellence that came in the form of U2 and R.E.M., which truly took popularity across the nation by storm.

70s synopsis

The era of the 1970s was comprised of some big names, as well as some not as well known big hits from some smaller-following groups. It ranged from catchy pop music from bands such as Journey, Kansas, and Chicago to the harder rock by Lynrd Skynrd and the hybrid Bee Gees. Some more rock crowds that grew prominent were Aerosmith, Kiss, and even Alice Cooper. Of course, there was always the popular Bruce Springsteen who drew gigantic followings throughout the decade.

77/78 like/dislike

In 1977 and 1978, there were several artists that we listened to in class. Among them were Blondie and Fleetwood Mac. Blondie gained fame through the punk scene, and released an ultra hit with "One Way Or Another", a catchy and repetitive anthem sound, and "Hanging on the Telephone". Blondie became as well liked as disliked by those who saw the songs as annoying. I can see both sides, but personally thought Blondie was kind of unnerving at times. Fleetwood Mac released a very listenable, near masterpiece of an album with Rumours in 1977, which contained a calm "Songbird" and a melodic "Dreams". I really enjoyed listening to Fleetwood Mac, and would certainly buy the album.

Punk vs Rock

In the latest era we've gone over in class, punk rock and rock and roll have been the prominent genres. Among the big names are the Police, Iggy Pop, and Blondie. These groups defined punk rock through theatrics and carelessness for both how they behaved and how they treated the crowd at times. They seemed to have this "it" factor that venues looked for, namely CBGB and Hilly Krystal. Rock's big names were Fleetwood Mac, Cheap Trick, and Chicago. These bands were huge during the time and reached their peak during this era. Taste in music was considered to be limited to one of the two genres, meaning a split between favorites.

Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen

Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen have both been known to write about relatable struggled through superior songwriting and performance, resulting in massive success and fanbases. Tom Petty, known for his passion and conviction on stage, the group was self-defined by Damn the Torpedoes, a make it or break it type album that actually sounded like a Greatest Hits album. Springsteen found success by winning over crowds with a system to buy into. This was most apparent with the super-patriot, borderline cheesy "Born in the U.S.A.".

Music in 1975

The year of 1975 was comprised of significant events and band accomplishments in music. Elton John's Greatest Hits were released to start off the year, which made ripples. But this was followed up by the huge release of Led Zeppelin's Physical Graffiti. Bob Dylan left his mark with the Number 1 album Blood on the Tracks. The cult-following band, Nazareth, had a top ten hit with "Love Hurts". Aerosmith had a huge year with the release of Toys in the Attic, a re-release of "Dream On" and a top 40 hit with Sweet Emotion. The group with the considerably biggest year was The Eagles, with a number one album and three top 5 hits off of that, including "One of These Nights", which went number one.

Rush 2112 and Led Zeppelin IV album comparison

Both Rush's 2112 and Led Zeppelin's IV were stand out albums for each band. But while Led Zeppelin was already on the music scene, Rush's major breakthrough was in the form of this album. Relatively unknow earlier, the Canadian band burst onto the scene with their definitive spacey-sounding album, complete with guitar emphasis, constant drums, and pleasantly strained vocals. Led Zeppelin was a fairly successful group before their groundbreaking album and their classic single Stairway to Heaven, but that didn't stop them from creating the most modeled guitar instrumentals of any song in the history of Rock n' Roll with Stairway to Heaven. Zeppelin's IV and Rush's 2112, were both the staple albums of the groups that made them.

Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon- Album Opinion Review

Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon may be one of the most complete and space-like albums I've heard. It was nothing like the bands with one hit wonders hidden like a diamond in the rough of their album. It was a continuation of a masterpiece of musical experimentation that even the dub-step DJ's of today would adore. The beginnings of each songs made me think to myself that "there's no way they could form this into a melody", but deeper in it all comes together and it's just impressive. The collage of sound in songs such as "Speak To Me" and "Time" seemed so modern to my ears that I was amazed that this kind of music could have been made in 1973.

1970's "Glam" Rock Era

The "glam" era of Rock n' Roll consisted of talented musicians with a twist on performance styles. The time period of glamorous musicians became the norm as artists were resorting to, thriving off of, and eventually expected to, be just as entertaining to watch as they were to listen to. For some artists, such as David Bowie and his reptilian appearance, and Identity Crisis who dressed in full drag, the glam trend became a lifestyle. Artists of the era were known not only for their glittering femininity while performing, but some bands had their classically constructed styles of writing music.

3-song analysis

The song "Mrs. Robinson" by Simon & Garfunkel was lyrically an indirect sexual song, but the message was implied. It is a catchy tune and has a repeated chorus. It is an upbeat song but not that fast and is easy on the ears. The woman sought help in the song and was cared for. When used in a film, the woman had an affair.

Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues" had a rockabilly feel to it but would appeal to any casual music listener. It truly is a catchy and likeable song on the surface. The tone of the guitar and theme of the song had a type called "twang" to it. The lyrics discuss a classic prisoner hatred of the rich, who sit at home and smoke and drink all day while he has to experience prison. Johnny Cash's low voice mixed with the twang of the rockabilly style makes the song truly enjoyable.

Jimi Hendrix's "All Along the Watchtower" was originally written by Bob Dylan, and that factor gives the performed song a blues feel to it. The song seems to present a conversation between two men, a joker and a thief. The end of the song is a kind if resolution, stating that even the present is not a good indication of the future.

British Invasions Comparison

Every American of age can remember the magnanimous British Invasion of The Beatles, but several other groups had emerged from the UK around the same time, grabbing attention and revealing themselves to the world. The Rolling Stones, the Kinks, the Animals, the Who, and the Yardbirds all had their time in the sun. The Beatles, symbols of peace and engineers of musical masterpieces contrasted the flaring tempers of the Kinks, a band that rose and fell with the untamable, outspoken lead singer Ray Davies. In a sense, they were similar by the fact that each "lead man"- Ray Davies and John Lennon- were not afraid to speak their mind. While other big-name groups had their hits, (the Animals "House of the Rising Sun", the Who's "I Can See for Miles" and the Yardbirds' "For Your Love") the formula that went into song-writing and lasting musical excellence separated both the Beatles and The Rolling Stones from the rest. Considered by many as the ultimate rock band, the Stones were loved and loathed. Parents and figures of authority made every effort they could to shield off the flamboyant group of rebels from their children and other innocent eyes and ears. Although each band had no hate towards the other, a divide in the public had speedily developed. You were either a Beatles-lover, or a Stones-lover during the British Invasion.

Sgt. Pepper Review

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is considered by many to be the best Rock n' Roll album of all time. Although many may not agree that it is the most musically appealing, they must acknowledge it's impact on Rock n' Roll and all of music. The use of orchestra in the sounds of the song and the idea of creating the album as one continuous theme of music revolutionized the genre of Rock, and would therefore have the credibility to be called the best album on history. I believe it's Rock n' Roll to an extent, but rather than fitting into the genre of Rock n' Roll, it expanded it and introduced unprecendented styles, adapted from other genres.

The Beatles Study Guide 10 facts

The Beatles' coming to America was part of a music movement in the time period, known as the British Invasion.

The Beatles wrote their own songs.

The Beatles covered previous songs.

Ringo was the oldest member of the Beatles.

George was the youngest member of the Beatles.

Bob Dylan introduced the Beatles to marijuana.

After their first two albums, the Beatles rarely made appearances for concerts, and usually stuck to impromptu performances.

The Beatles' first album was called With the Beatles, in the UK.

Pete Best was the original drummer of the group.

Deca was the name of the record company that rejected The Beatles for their "outdated" music style.

Pet Sounds Review

Per Sounds, the Beach Boys album released in 1966, is probably the best of all their work. Songs such as "Wouldn't It Be Nice" and "God Only Knows" bring the best of their symphonic vocals with some conventional strings. It was also when Brian Wilson was considered at the top of his game, releasing what is to be thought of as the last magic we saw from him in the music group. Everything seemed to fit right in place as Brian and his Beach Boys delivered a harmonic masterpiece.

How the Themes of Music Changed from the 50's to the 60's

The themes of music from the 1950's to the 1960's changed in many aspects. The rise of girl groups was one of the most monumental phenomenon in music if the decade. Everyone wanted to see the trios and young groups perform. Some of the successful groups included The Marvelettes, The Ronnettes, The Angels, and The Dixie Cups. Each of them had a popular influence on music and they quickly gained interest.
Black artists became more prominent as well, with musicians such as Ray Charles, The Supremes, and Otis Redding who each gained fame in a variety of genres. Motown Records was responsible for some of the largest success and money that resulted from the artists. They brought fame and supported big-name artists, such as Marvin Gaye and The Supremes.

Letter to Teen in the 50's

Dear Lenny,
I know it's been awhile, but there are some pretty big things that have gone on in the music industry during the 50's. I think it's interesting how the whole idea of Rock n' Roll and the genre itself came to be, as well as the turn it started to take after a few events took place.
One of the most ironic aspects is that the popularity of Rock music started with African Americans, and how their "untamed" style of music captivated the easily influenced minds of teenagers, like you and me. Groups such as the Delta Cats were the real beginnings of what we say was Rock n' Roll, but it wasn't too long before white bands and musicians were copying, "taming" the sound, and making big money off of their production.
Some of the bigger names include Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, and Bill Haley. All of these artists shaped the industry of the 50's by popular, but not necessarily sustaining effects. That is with the exception of Chuck Berry, whose unprecedented guitar style showed what a guitar was musically capable of. To this day, musicians still take after Berry's style of really creating sounds and melodies with the strings.
Many people, including myself, agree that when Buddy Holly, a talents up-and-comer in all of music, tragically died in a plane crash, it truly was "The Day that Music Died". Record labels were signing bright-faced, fresh white, good boys and girls that could appeal in a non-offensive and teenage heart-throb way. This was popularly said to have been the demise of music of that era
Anyways, hope to see you eventually old friend.
Best regards,
Adam

Johnny Be Good by Chuck Berry

The song "Johnny Be Good" by Chuck Berry was my favorite of the ones the class listened to. The rythym and catchiness of the flow of instruments is foot-tap worthy to say the least. I think the song's popularity throughout the decades is due to how easily people can dance to it and find relief from stress just from listening to it. The repetition may seem annoying to some, but only makes it easier to sing along and make it that much more recognizable.

What Music Means to Me

The feeling that music gives me is hard to put into words, but it's something that keeps me relaxed and something I've become dependent on. The infinite variations and styles of music entertain me on their own, and discovering new music and retrieving old hits from the past is very enjoyable.