The Genealogy of Pop Rock Music in Posters
Contents
A look at the genealogy of pop rock music through the years as told by the posters that graced the walls of teenagers bedrooms.
Introduction
Posters are a great way to show the history and evolution of a musical genre. For this project, we will be tracing the history of pop rock music through 25 years of concert posters. These posters represent some of the most iconic bands and moments in pop rock history. We hope you enjoy exploring this history with us!
Pop rock is a genre of popular music that combines elements of rock and pop music. It is typically characterized by a strong melody, catchy hooks, and a focus on commercial success. Pop rock began to emerge in the 1950s, with bands like The Beatles and The Beach Boys becoming some of the first major pop rock acts. In the 1960s, pop rock reached new heights of popularity with artists like The Rolling Stones, The Who, and The Doors. The genre continued to grow in popularity throughout the 1970s and 1980s, with bands like Queen, Michael Jackson, and Madonna becoming some of the most successful acts in music history. Today, pop rock remains one of the most popular genres in the world, with artists like Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars, and Ed Sheeran continuing to dominate the charts.
Pre-Rock Era
The genealogy of pop rock music can be traced back to the early 20th century. Pre-rock music can be defined as the type of music that was popular before the advent of rock music. This type of music includes genres such as blues, jazz, and country. Although these genres are not typically considered to be pop rock, they laid the foundation for what would become one of the most popular genres of music.
Jazz
Originating in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, Jazz is a music genre that arose in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The style is characterized by swing and blue notes, call and response vocals, polyrhythms and improvisation. Jazz has roots in American folk music, European military band music and West African musical traditions. Although the foundation of jazz is deeply rooted in blues and ragtime, the genre represents a synthesis of many different musical influences. And while there are a number of important subgenres within jazz (such as bebop, cool jazz, hard bop, Latin jazz), the music continues to evolve, incorporating elements of rock, pop and hip-hop.
Rhythm and Blues
In music, rhythm and blues, commonly abbreviated as R&B, is a genre of popular African-American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when “urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a heavy, insistent beat” was becoming more popular. In the commercial rhythm and blues music typical of the 1950s through the 1970s, the bands usually consisted of piano, one or two guitars, drums, bass guitar and sometimes saxophone. Saxophone became a particularly important part of the R&B sound after rappers such as Chuck D of Public Enemy started using it during their rhymes. R&B lyrical themes often encapsulate the African-American experience of pain and triumph, as well as joy and love.
Lyrical themes of rhythm and blues songs include love (especially for a lost or unrequited love), relationships, intimacy (both physical and emotional), faithfulness, infidelity, determination, perseverance, hope (usually in the face of adversity), sexual experimentation (particularly during teenage years), coming of age or adulthood experiences (particularly for young women) and party themes.
Rock and Roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s from musical styles such as gospel, jump blues, jazz, boogie woogie, rhythm and blues, and country music. While elements of what was to become rock and roll can be heard in blues records from the 1920s and in country records of the 1930s, the genre did not acquire its name until 1954.
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. With members John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, they became widely regarded as the foremost and most influential music band in history. Rooted in skiffle, beat and 1950s rock and roll, the Beatles later experimented with several musical styles, ranging from pop ballads and Indian music to psychedelia and hard rock, often incorporating classical elements and unconventional recording techniques in innovative ways. In 1963, their enormous popularity first emerged as “Beatlemania”; as the group’s music grew in sophistication, led by primary songwriters Lennon and McCartney, they came to be perceived as an embodiment of the ideals shared by the era’s sociocultural revolutions.
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London, England, in 1962. The first stable line-up consisted of Brian Jones (guitar, harmonica), Mick Jagger (lead vocals, harmonica), Keith Richards (guitar, vocals), Bill Wyman (bass) and Charlie Watts (drums). Jones led the band until his death from suicide in 1969.
Post-Rock Era
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, a new type of rock music began to emerge. This music was characterized by its use of traditional rock instrumentation, but with a more experimental approach. This approach often included the use of synthesizers, samples, and other electronic music production techniques. This type of music became known as post-rock.
Punk
Punk music emerged in the mid 1970s as a reaction against the prog rock and disco that dominated the airwaves. Punk bands were often characterized by their use of stripped-down instrumentation and DIY ethic. Posters promoting punk shows often featured simple, hand-drawn designs with a DIY aesthetic.
Some of the most iconic punk bands include the Sex Pistols, Ramones, and The Clash.
Hip Hop
Hip hop music first emerged in the Bronx, New York in the early 1970s. Afrika Bambaataa, a pioneer of hip hop, is credited with helping to develop the genre. Hip hop initially developed as a way for African American and Latino youth to express themselves and is now considered one of the most popular and influential genres of music.
While hip hop has its roots in African American culture, it has now been adopted by people of all cultures and backgrounds. Hip hop music often includes elements of rap, spoken word, and sometimes even sung vocals. The lyrics often deal with topics such as social justice, poverty, and unemployment.
Hip hop posters often feature images of hip hop artists or scenes from hip hop culture. They often include bright colors and bold designs. Hip hop posters can be found in record stores, online, and at concerts.
