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The Return of Pop In the wake of 50s Rock,

Pop, Soul, Folk and Surf spend some time in the limelight

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Bubblegum Pop The Brill Building, Teen Idols & Girls Groups

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The Empire Strikes Back

S  With no competition, Major Labels regain control S  Teen market seen as big business S  Middle Of the Road music replaces rock

S  Styles of the Era (1959 to 1963): S  Teen Idols & Girl Groups S  Sweet Soul S  Folk Pop S  Surf Rock

The Hit Factory

S  Assembly line Pop

S  Manufacturing: The Brill Building S  Both a place (Aldon Music) and a style S  Made-to-order pop songs S  King & Goffin, Sedaka & Greenfield…

S  Marketing: American Bandstand S  The “teen style guide”, hosted by Dick Clark S  Fashionable teens dance to lip-synching stars

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The Hit Factory

S  The Product: Bubblegum Pop S  Teen Idols

S  Idealized boyfriends, hired for image over talent S  Frankie Avalon, Fabian, Bobby Vee…

S  Girl Groups S  Female trios with (mostly) innocent songs S  Shirelles, Crystals, Ronettes…

S  Dance Crazes S  Smash hit, dance-themed pop tunes S  “The Twist”, “Loco-motion”, “Mashed Potato Time”

The Hit Factory

S  Management: Producers S  Managed an artist’s songs, image

S  Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller S  Atlantic’s independent production team

S  Worked with Coasters, Sam Cook

S  Phil Spector S  Most recognized 60s producer

S  The Wall of Sound: his trademark reverb-drenched style

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The Rise of Sweet Soul

S  Ray Charles created Soul: R&B mixed with Gospel S  “Sacrilegious” mix was the model for 60s R&B

S  Atlantic, Leiber & Stoller pioneered Sweet Soul S  Smooth lead vocals with doo wop S  Strings and Latin rhythms

S  The Stars S  Sam Cooke

S  “What a Wonderful World”

S  Ben E. King with and without The Drifters S  “There Goes My Baby”, “Stand By Me”

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Folk Pop Folk goes to college.

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Folk in the 40s & 50s

S  Rooted in Country (Hillbilly) S  Simple forms, untrained vocals

S  Social and political themes S  Liberal, pro-union, Marxist S  Populist: folkies were seen as “one of us”

S  The Stars S  Pete Seeger & The Weavers

S  “Turn Turn Turn”, “If I Had a Hammer”

S  Woodie Guthrie S  “Talking Dust Bowl Blues”, “This Land is Your Land”

Folk Pop

S  A more commercially viable, polished Folk S  Embraced by late 50s college students

S  Calypso influence: Harry Belafonte’s “Day-O” S  Less politically charged

S  The stars: S  The Kingston Trio

S  “Tom Dooley”

S  Peter, Paul & Mary S  “Puff, the Magic Dragon”

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Rock Lives “The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.” – Rock

Rockabilly Goes Pop

S  In the late 50s, Rockabilly softened its image S  Teen and parent friendly lyrics, gentler sound S  Heavily produced with a strong country vibe

S  The stars: S  The Everly Brothers

S  “Wake Up Little Suzie”, “Bye Bye Love” S  Roy Orbison

S  “Only the Lonely”, “Pretty Woman”

S  Ricky Nelson S  “Poor Little Fool”, “Lonesome Town”

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Surf Rock

S  A Southern California style featuring: S  Twangy guitars, tremolo picking and loud amps

S  Early instrumental stars: S  Duane Eddy

S  “Rebel Rouser”

S  The Ventures S  “Walk, Don’t Run”

S  Dick Dale S  “Miserlou”, “Let’s Go Tripping”

Vocal Surf Rock

S  Singing surfers added: S  Chuck Berry & Buddy Holly influence S  Doo wop vocals S  Lyrical themes on surf culture: surf, cars and chicks man…

S  The duo Jan & Dean hit with “Surf City”

S  The Beach Boys S  Led by Brian Wilson S  Massive pop success: 26 Top 40 hits during the 70s S  “Don’t Worry Baby”, “Surfin’ USA”, “I Get Around”