Rock and Roll Hall of Fame....

So the last couple of posts, we covered Rock and Roll, as well as Hard Rock. This time we're going to look at the ultimate classics according to the professionals themselves. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is "dedicated to recording the history of some of the best-known and most influential artists, producers, and other people who have in some major way influenced the music industry, particularly in the area of rock and roll." It inducted its first group of artists, many of whom we have already covered (Chuck Berry, James Brown, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Fats Domino, The Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, and Elvis Presley), on January 23, 1986, and has had an annual induction ceremony, held in New York, ever since. An inductee, be it a singer, vocal group, band, or instrumentalist, "should have demonstrable influence and significance within the history of rock and roll," and will be inducted no earlier than 25 years after the release of their first album.

All of the artists inducted (there have been 230+!) have made a significant contribution to music, are known around the world, and are truly considered classic. On the playlist I have added songs from a few of the inductees- some of my favorites. There are several, but I couldn't decied; they're all so good! Enjoy!

Playlist: Songs 81-90

Rockin' Hard to Hard Rock.....

Hard rock is another subgenre of rock music, like Rock and Roll, and originated in the late 1960s in Britain. A typical hard rock band consists of electric and base guitars, drums, and pianos. Hard Rock was greatly influenced by the blues, particularly the "British Blues," which introduced more modern instruments to the sound of music, particularly the electric guitar and loud drum set, in the 1950s. The basis for this edgy genre of rock music was basically: the louder, the better. Instruments as well as vocals were all kicked up a notched. Groups such as The Kinks, Cream, The Who, and Deep Purple, as well as solo artists Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix too the world by storm with their new "heavy metal" sound. The 1970s made the genre even bigger by with the introduction of Queen, Guns 'N Roses, AC/DC, Metallica, Kiss, and Boston, just to name a few. And those legends were part of only the first "era" of Hard Rock, followed by two more.

The second era, covering the 1980s, is a time when many of the "classics" bands ended, and new ones began. This era introduced Def Leppard, Van Halen, Motley Crue, and Bon Jovi, and although this era was not as big as the first, these artists still left their mark on the music industry. The third era, picking up in the 1990s-present, carried on with some of the artists from the second era, but also adapted a more eclectic feel to the music, deeming the new name: "alternative rock." Artists such as Rage Against the Machine, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Towers of London are some of the newest popular rock artists today, but are often viewed as "mainstream."

The playlist contains new songs from the classic hard rock artists from the first era, and are some of the most popular songs in the world to date. They are still frequently heard/played on classic rock radio stations, at sporting events by the pep-bands, or even on the hugely popular "Guitar Hero" and "Rock Band" games, which features music from this time and genre.

Playlist: Songs 91-96

Rock and Roll

Rock and Roll started in the late 1940s- early 1950s, and led to dozens of different forms of contemporary rock music (which we will touch on later in the blog!). It took sounds from several genres, including jazz, country, blues, and gospel, and created a sound that is now legendary. Rock and Roll bands did not use a lot of instruments, just a couple of guitars (electric and base) and drums to keep the beat going. Rock and Roll had an interesting impact on society, influencing fashion, lifestyles, dancing (the "Jitterbug" and "Sock Hop" dances), and language. The name was first used as a way to integrate white and black audiences; it came from the African American communities slang term for dancing, "rocking and rolling." This was at the time the Civil Rights Movement was beginning, and this genre of music gave the two separate communities something to enjoy together. Bill Haley's "Rock Around the Clock" was the first rock song to hit the billboards, opening the doors for this hip new genre, and the hits kept coming. Famous artists such as Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Roy Brown, Little Richard, Etta James, and many more dominated music in the '50s. A great current movie to check out for more on this genre would be "Walk the Line," which is about Johnny Cash and June Carter, who were primarily country singers. But the movie introduces some great Rock and Roll legends and songs! (Click on the title to see a clip!)

Playlist: Songs 97-104

Disco Fever!

Disco was a popular genre of music in the 1960s-70s in the US, mainly in African American and Hispanic communities. It had funk, soul, and Motown influences, and featured famous artists such as the Bee Gees, Donna Summer, and the Jackson 5. Famous movies "Saturday Night Fever" and "Thank God It's Friday" brought disco to the big screen, helping to spread its popularity. By the late 1970s, Disco clubs could be found all over the US, mainly in Urban cities, with DJs playing the popular music to keep the people 'dancing all night long'. "Disco dances" and "Disco fashion" took America by storm, as well. Dances such as touch dancing, the hustle and the cha cha were frequently taught in dance schools, and sheer flowing dresses and double-knit suits with pointy collars and a bare chest were the preferred dancing attire. All of this could be seen on the world famous "Soul Train," a popular, live R&B show that started in the 1970s with disco dancing, and continued on until 2006. (Click on the name to see a clip of the show...HUGE in the 1970s!)

The Disco era wasn't all party and play, however. In order to enhance the whole experience, the music and disco balls, etc., people turned to sex and drugs. Cocaine was also a major hit on the disco dance floors, and sex in the clubs was not uncommon. Because of this, and the fact that disco was becoming too "main-stream" with all of the Hollywood publicity (movies), disco hit its peak shortly after the dance clubs opened, about the same time hard rock started to make its debut.

Playlist: Songs 105-110

"The Motown Sound"

Motown is a record label for genres such as hip-hop, r&b, and rhythm and blues. It was founded in Michigan in 1959, and has been a success ever since. It is described as soul music with pop influence, and was primarily meant to reach an African American audience, but became popular with almost everybody, selling hit records to over 45 musical genres! Actually, African American artists signed to the label early on were told to act like royalty, representing themselves and the Motown industry in such a way that would appeal to white audiences, as they were paving the way for all African American artists in hit music. In its first 10 years, Motown had 110+ hits on the top 10 billboards, featuring artists such as Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson, and The Temptations. Motown moved to LA, and became known as "The Sound of Young Americans." Currently, Motown is in New York City, and features popular artists such as Brian McKnight, Michael McDonald, and India Arie. Motown's 50th Anniversary was on January 12, 2009.

Playlist: Songs 111-118

Night of the Big Band....

Big Band is one of my favorite genres of music! The music is so pure, and just makes you want to get all dressed up and go dancing! It originated, and dominated music, in the 1920s, as a form of Swing, and was popular through the 1950s. Big Bands consisted of approximately 12-25 musicians, and the music was arranged and practiced thoroughly on sheet music before a performance. Big Bands made appearances in ballrooms and clubs across the country during the 1930s and 1940s, and also began to appear in movies and on television programs in the 1930’s right on through to the 1960’s. Common instruments used were saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section, including drums, guitars, and pianos. Vocalists became included in Big Bands around the mid-1930s. The music started out with a fast-paced melody, and soloists and "shout choruses" followed, which often included a call-and-response section with the audience. Most of the popular Big Band artists in those decades have since been forgotten, but I added some of the classics to the playlist! And here is a link to a performance by a Big Band on a television show in the 1920s-30s.

Playlist: Songs 119-123