How Pop Music in the 80s Shaped Today’s Sound
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How Pop Music in the 80s Shaped Today’s Sound: A look at how the sounds of the 1980s have influenced today’s pop music landscape.
The 80s were a time of great change in the music industry
The 80s were a time of great change in the music industry, with the advent of new technologies and the rise of new genres. Pop music in the 80s was shaped by these changes, and it has had a lasting impact on today’s sound. In this article, we’ll explore how pop music in the 80s shaped today’s sound.
The advent of digital technology
In the early 1980s, the music industry was revolutionized by the advent of digital technology. Prior to this, music was recorded on analog tape and then transferred to vinyl records or CDs. With the advent of digital technology, music could be created and recorded directly onto a computer hard drive. This resulted in a significant increase in the quality of recorded music, as well as a decrease in the cost of production.
Digital technology also allowed for more sophisticated sound engineering techniques to be used in the production of records. For example, the use of compression and equalization became common practice in order to achieve a more polished sound. Digital technology also paved the way for the development of new genres of music, such as hip-hop and electronic dance music (EDM).
The late 1980s saw the emergence of a number of successful pop acts, such as Madonna, Michael Jackson and Prince. These artists made use of new production techniques to create highly polished and commercial sounding records. The success of these artists led to a significant increase in record sales throughout the decade.
The rise of the independent label
In the 1980s, the major record companies experienced a decline in sales as a result of the rising popularity of independent labels. While independent labels had always been present in the music industry, they became increasingly important in the 1980s as they began to sign more and more prominent artists.
The biggest difference between major and independent labels was that independent labels were not owned by large corporations. This meant that they were less risk-averse and more willing to take chances on new and innovative music. As a result, independent labels played a major role in the development of numerous genres of music, including punk, hip hop, and techno.
The rise of the independent label also led to a decline in the power of the major record companies. In previous decades, the majors had exercised complete control over which artists received promotion and airplay. However, in the 1980s, radio stations began to playlist songs from independent labels alongside those from major labels. This increased competition led to a decline in sales for the major record companies.
The 80s saw the birth of pop music as we know it
The 1980s was the decade when pop music came into its own. Artists like Madonna, Prince, and Michael Jackson dominated the charts with their innovative and catchy tunes. The sound of pop music in the 80s was a unique blend of genres that shaped the sound of today’s pop music.
The influence of MTV
MTV had a huge impact on the way we experience music. It was the first time music was being presented in a truly visual way and it completely changed the landscape. Songs that had strong visual components became massive hits, and artists who were able to create captivating videos saw their careers take off.
The influence of MTV can still be seen today in the way that many music videos are produced. Many artists put a great deal of effort into creating videos that will be visually appealing and will capture the attention of viewers. MTV has also been credited with helping to launch the careers of many famous musicians, including Madonna, Michael Jackson, and Prince.
The popularity of synth-pop
The eighties were the decade in which pop music made a dramatic and permanent shift towards electronic instrumentation. This was largely due to the advent of affordable music synthesizers, which allowed ordinary people to create groundbreaking new sounds that had previously only been available to professional musicians.
One of the most popular genres of pop music in the early 80s was synth-pop, which was heavily influenced by German electronic bands like Kraftwerk. Synth-pop hits like “Hotel California” by Eurythmics and “Blue Monday” by New Order introduced a whole new generation of listeners to the possibilities of electronic music.
The popularity of synth-pop had a major impact on the sound of pop music in the years that followed. Many bands began to experiment with electronic instruments and sounds, and the genre continues to be influential to this day.
The 80s were a time of great change in the music industry
The 80s were a time of great change in the music industry. With the advent of new technology, music production and distribution changed drastically. This had a profound effect on the sound of pop music. Today, many of the elements that were introduced in the 80s are still being used in popular music.
The advent of digital technology
The advent of digital technology in the late 1970s and early 1980s revolutionized the music industry and had a profound impact on the sound of pop music. With the introduction of affordable synthesisers, drum machines and sequencers, pop music became increasingly electronic in the 80s. This new sound was typified by artists like Depeche Mode, who were at the forefront of the synth-pop movement.
The 80s also saw the rise of MTV, which had a huge impact on both the style and sound of pop music. Music videos became an essential tool for promoting artists and their music, and many artists began to experiment with image and style in order to stand out from the crowd. This was particularly evident in the new wave and glam metal scenes, where flashy visuals were often as important as the music itself.
The rise of the independent label
The early 80s saw the rise of the independent label, as artists such as Madonna, Prince, and Michael Jackson began to release music on their own terms. This shift marked a new era in pop music, one in which artists had more control over their careers and their music. As a result, the sound of pop music began to change, with more focus on dance beats and club-friendly tracks. Thisnew sound would come to dominate the pop charts in the latter part of the decade, and it remains a major influence on today’s sound.
The 80s saw the birth of pop music as we know it
The 80s were a time of big hair, big voices, and big hits. Artists like Madonna, Michael Jackson, and Whitney Houston dominated the charts with their catchy hooks and danceable beats. But this decade was also a time of change in the music industry. New technologies and production techniques began to shape the sound of pop music, and the genre would never be the same.
The influence of MTV
When MTV launched in 1981, it had a profound impact on both the music industry and pop culture at large. Prior to MTV, music videos were relatively rare and most songs were promoted solely through radio play. But with the rise of MTV, bands and artists began to produce videos specifically for the channel in order to promote their latest singles.
MTV helped to make music more visual and engaging, and it also had a hand in propelling the popularity of certain genres, like pop and rock. In the 80s, MTV really was the place to discover new music, and it played a major role in shaping the sound of pop music as we know it today.
The popularity of synth-pop
The late 1970s and early 1980s saw the rise of a new type of pop music that would come to dominate the airwaves for the next decade: synth-pop. This new genre was characterized by its use of synthesizers and other electronic instruments to create catchy, danceable tunes. The sound of synth-pop was often very thin and tinny, which made it perfect for playing on small, portable radios. The genre became extremely popular in Europe, especially in the United Kingdom, where it gave rise to a number of chart-topping hits.
In the United States, synth-pop found a smaller but devoted following. One of the most popular American synth-pop bands was Duran Duran, whose sleek image and catchy tunes made them one of the most successful groups of the decade. Other popular synth-pop bands included Depeche Mode, Soft Cell, and New Order. While not every pop band in the 1980s used synthesizers (many still relied on guitars and drums), the popularity of synth-pop helped to shape the sound of pop music for years to come.
