The Evolution of 1980s Pop Music

The 1980s were a decade of big changes in pop music. New genres and subgenres emerged, and older ones faded away. Here’s a look at how 1980s pop music evolved.

Introduction

The 1980s was a pivotal decade in the evolution of pop music. It was a time when new genres and subgenres were born, and existing ones were brought to new levels of popularity. The following is a brief overview of the major genres and subgenres that emerged during the 1980s, as well as the artists who helped to bring them into the mainstream.

New wave
New wave is a term that was first used in the late 1970s to describe a wave of new British rock bands who were influenced by punk but rejected its DIY aesthetics in favor of a more polished sound. The most successful new wave bands of the 1980s were Duran Duran, Def Leppard, and The Police.

Synth-pop
Synth-pop is a subgenre of new wave that relies heavily on synthesizers for its sonic texture. The term was first coined in the early 1980s to describe groups like Depeche Mode, Yazoo, and Human League.

Hair metal
Hair metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that emphasizeS glamour, party-hard lifestyle, and sexual excess. The term was first used in the early 1980s to describe bands like Mötley Crüe, Poison, and Cinderella.

Hip hop
Hip hop is a genre of African-American music that originated in the South Bronx in the 1970s. It was initially seen as an extension of disco but quickly developed into its own unique style, characterized by MCing (rapping), DJing, break dancing, and graffiti writing. The most successful hip hop artists of the 1980s include Run-DMC and Beastie Boys.

The Early 1980s

The New Wave Movement

The new wave music movement began in the late 1970s and gained momentum in the early 1980s. The term “new wave” was originally used to describe a second wave of British punk rock, which was influenced by power pop and disco. However, the term quickly evolved to encompass a broader range of genres, including synth-pop, ska, and post-punk. New wave artists rejected the traditional rock ‘n’ roll aesthetic in favor of a more experimental sound. They often incorporated elements of disco, pop, and electronic music into their songs.

The new wave movement was led by a number of innovative artists, including the Beach Boys, Blondie, Talking Heads, and the Cars. These bands broke through in the mainstream with catchy hooks and accessible lyrics. New wave quickly became one of the most popular genres of music in the early 1980s. However, it was also met with criticism from traditional rock fans who accused new wave artists of being “sellouts.” Nonetheless, the genre had a significant impact on pop culture and continues to be influential today.

The Rise of MTV

MTV began broadcasting on August 1, 1981. The impact of MTV on the music industry was immediate and massive. For the first time, videos became as important as songs, and artists had to adapt their visuals to fit the new medium. Artists who didn’t make good videos—or who didn’t make videos at all—were at a disadvantage.

The early years of MTV were dominated by pop and rock artists such as Madonna, Michael Jackson, Duran Duran, Bon Jovi, and Bruce Springsteen. These artists made videos that were high-budget affairs that told stories or contained mini-movies. They were also heavily promoted on MTV, which gave them an advantage over less visible artists.

In the mid-1980s, however, MTV broadened its programming to include other genres such as rap and dance music. This opened up the channel to a whole new group of artists who became known as “MTV stars.” These artists included Cyndi Lauper, Run-DMC, Beastie Boys,Whitney Houston, and Janet Jackson. The success of these artists meant that MTV was no longer just a rock channel—it was a pop channel.

The late 1980s saw the rise of hair metal bands such as Guns N’ Roses and Motley Crue. These bands made videos that were highly sexualized and often featured them cavorting with scantily clad women. While many of these videos were popular with MTV’s teenage audience, they caused some controversy and led to calls for more censorship from parental groups.

The 1990s saw the advent of alternative rock bands such as Nirvana and Pearl Jam. These bands rejected the flashy visuals of hair metal in favor of a more stripped-down aesthetic. Their popularity signaled a shift away from pop music on MTV and Towards more guitar-based rock music.

The Mid-1980s

The mid-1980s was a time of great change in the pop music industry. A new generation of musicians was coming to the fore, and they were determined to make their mark. This was the era of Madonna, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, and Prince. They were the ones who dominated the charts and the airwaves. But there were other, lesser known artists who were also making their presence felt.

The Birth of Hip-Hop

In the mid-1980s, hip-hop was born out of a mix of music genres including disco, soul, R&B, and funk. The new music style quickly became popular in the South Bronx, New York City.By 1985, hip-hop had spread to other parts of the country, including Los Angeles, Chicago, and Philadelphia.

The popularity of hip-hop was largely due to its creative use of sampling, which allowed artists to create new songs by incorporating pieces of existing songs. This innovation led to the development of record scratching and other turntablism techniques. Hip-hop also incorporated elements of fashion and street culture, including graffiti art and breakdancing.

In the late 1980s, gangsta rap emerged as a subgenre of hip-hop. This new style was characterized by lyrics that glorified violence and drug use. Gangsta rap quickly became controversial, but it also gained a large following among young people in inner cities across the United States.

The Rise of Madonna

In the early 1980s, Madonna was one of the first pop stars to successfully bridge the gap between underground dance music and mainstream pop. As a result, she had a profound impact on the evolution of pop music in the mid-1980s. Madonna’s 1982 self-titled debut album contained several hits that helped to shape the sound of pop radio in the years that followed, including “Everybody” and “Burning Up.” With her second album, 1984’s Like a Virgin, Madonna scored her first No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100 with the title track. She followed that up with another chart-topping single, “Material Girl,” which cemented her status as a pop icon. Madonna would go on to release many more hit songs and albums in the years that followed, helping to define the sound of 1980s pop music in the process.

The Late 1980s

The late 1980s was when pop music started to take on a more electronic sound. This was partly due to the advent of digital sampling, which made it possible to create new sounds that had never been heard before. Artists like Madonna and Michael Jackson were at the forefront of this new sound, and they would go on to define the sound of pop music for the next decade.

The Birth of Grunge

Grunge music first hit the mainstream in 1991 with Nirvana’s album Nevermind, which displaced Michael Jackson’s Dangerous at the top of the charts. The success of Nevermind was followed by Pearl Jam’s debut album Ten and Soundgarden’s Badmotorfinger, which established grunge as a viable commercial force. Grunge music was characterized by its raw, unpolished sound and its focus on personal and often dark lyrics. The songs were often played on alternative rock or college radio stations, and the look associated with grunge was that of flannel-clad slackers with long hair.

The grunge movement was short-lived, however, as the death of Kurt Cobain in 1994 effectively ended the genre’s commercial viability. Grunge had a lasting impact on popular music, however, as it spurred a return to guitar-driven rock after the dominance of synth-pop and dance music in the 1980s.

The Rise of Alternative Rock

The late 1980s saw the rise of alternative rock, a genre that was defined by its rejection of the mainstream. Alternative rock artists were often critical of the excesses of popular music, and they tended to favor a more stripped-down sound. This new wave of alternative rock included bands such as R.E.M., Pixies, and Nirvana. While many of these bands did enjoy some mainstream success, they were generally overshadowed by the hair metal bands that dominated the charts in the early part of the decade.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the 1980s was a decade that saw the evolution of pop music. From the early days of synth-pop and new wave to the rise of hair metal and hip hop, the 1980s was a time when anything seemed possible. And while some genres have fallen by the wayside, others have gone on to become enduring classics.