Genres of the 1970s, and 80s

The genre I'm going to be choosing is Contemporary R&B. This is one of my favourite of many genres I listen too. There were a lot of Contemporary R&B artists especially in the 1980s. These artists include:

• Michael Jackson
• Whitney Houston
• The S.O.S. Band
• Prince
• Stevie Wonder
• Kool and the Gang
• Marvin Gaye
• Earth, Wind & Fire

Two huge songs then by some of these artists were:

This is 'Get Down On It' by Kool and the Gang which was released in 1981 on their album 'Something Special'. 

The other song by one of these artists I've mentioned is:

This is 'Sexual Healing' by Marvin Gaye which was released in 1982 on his album 'Midnight Love'.

Contemporary R&B consists Rhythm and Blues, Pop, Soul, Funk and Hip Hop. It came around mainly after the Disco era was dying. During this time, producers then started putting synthesisers and slick drum machines on African-American beats. Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston were one of the first artists to go with it, then musicians like Luther Vandross, The S.O.S. Band, Marvin Gaye and many more carried it on. Most artists in this genre would base their songs on their love life and/or interest. So this means making the tempo slow if it were a sad song or speeding up the tempo a bit if it were a happy song, celebrating their relationship. This genre was then brought into the 1990s, gaining artists like:

• Aaliyah
• Brandy
• TLC
• Faith Evans
• Boyz II Men

Contemporary R&B still carries on today.

Case Study of an Artist

MICHAEL JACKSON

In 1964, Michael Jackson and Marlon Jackson (his brother) joined the Jackson Brothers - a band formed by their father and which included brothers Jackie, Tito, and Jermaine Jackson. In 1965, Jackson began sharing lead vocals with his older brother Jermaine, and the group's name was changed to The Jackson 5.

Michael Jackson then became a solo artist and his genres included:

• Pop
• Rock
• Soul
• R&B
• Funk
• Disco
• New Jack Swing

He also used to make up his songs from head. The clever and talented musician then beat-boxed his ideas to the different producers who he worked with and his ideas led to being Number #1 on Billboard Charts.

Michael Jackson was also famous for his legendary dance, The Moonwalk.

Michael Jackson has influenced American Singer Chris Brown. His single "She Ain't You" off his album 'F.A.M.E' samples "Human Nature" by Michael Jackson. He also uses his dance moves. Its a tribute.

Cultural, Political and Social movements in the 1960s

This post is about one of the main social, political and cultural movements that took place in the 1960s.

One of the major movements in the 1960s was racism. A lot changed when it came to racism, especially in music. Music created by people of colour was invented way before but this was the decade that it boosted, which resulted in the famous Elvis to "Support" black music. Elvis, like many other white musicians of this particular time, has been accused of stealing elements of black music and selling it as his own.

A lot happened during this decade. These include:

• The Anti-War Movement
• Second Wave Feminist
• The Black Civil Rights Movement

One genre of music which has been influenced by the Black Civil Rights movement is Rap. Another genre is Hip-Hop. Many rappers, especially in the 1990s used to rap about racism. One of these artists is Tupac.

Genres of the 50s and 60s

This post is all about the different genres of music from the 1950s and 1960s. The genres that had a massive impact in the 1950s and 1960s were:

• Blues
• Gospel
• R&B
• Rock 'n' Roll
• Pop

One of my favourite songs from the 1960s is "Try a Little Tenderness" by Otis Redding. 

The instruments used in this song include the Double Bass, Baritone Horn, Bassoon, Trombone and Cello. The main features of the song included Otis' vocals, which has a lot of soul and unforgettable rhythm. Also as the song went on, it featured repetition and a tempo increase. Many soul artists including Otis himself boosted the genre to a high level in the 1960s, originating from the 1950s. Its a mix between Rhythm and Blues & African-American Gospel music. Other artists that are involved in this genre are powerful singers like Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Little Richard, Etta James and many more.

The song is about Otis telling somebody that the girl may be tired and/or bored but in order to transform that into something different, they should try a little tenderness. Otis didn't want to record this song at first thinking it was to risqué but after being persuaded by friends and executives at Stax Records where he was signed, he finally recorded it. It then became his signature song and the biggest selling song of the records. 

Introduction!

Hi, my name is Jabari and this is my blog about music history.

 

My favourite song at the moment is Odyssey by Dream Koala.

About Myself

I'm the one person you can actually call "obsessive" when it comes to music. Apparently, as a child I used to sing everywhere I went. Even in Church, which caused people to come and tell my parents "He's gonna be a singer one day!" Sounds cheesy but hey, its what made me who I am today. Especially the amount of music I've listened to in my short life so far. I happen to be one of those few people who listen to a wide variety of genres. These include Hip Hop, R&B, Soft/Alternative Rock, Rap, Acid/Normal Jazz, Acoustic, Electronica, Music before our generation and many more. So I've listened to artists that people wouldn't even know. I'm not saying I'm special, but not a lot of people listen to as much as I do. Music is and always has been and will be my life.