80’s music

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Pop Music: Take me Back to the *80’s
Hail the human race, but who would have known that a person can gyrate part of their body with such vigor and dedication evident today. If whether Elvis Presley were to wake up today, would he do a gig with Justin Bieber or Shakira and go home celebrating how they fired up the place. Or would he go home complaining how the song lacked harmony, or they were too synthetic effects or that the song lacked a particular instrument? Definitely, the Beatles and Lady Gaga would find common ground when it comes to rebellion and controversy, but would they share the same platform? What is disappointing is that these new crop of musicians still claims they got inspired by a Diana Ross, a Michael Jackson, an Elvis Presley, or another icon. These are some of the woes people go through when it comes to today’s popular music, and they are the reason why people miss the old times. Almost every decade that passes always comes with a new style of music, but the 1980’s were a period of exponential evolution in the pop industry that has remained unmatched to date.
Perhaps the best description of the origin of pop music is the one given by Starr and Waterman that” it reflects a kaleidoscope of contributions, a cross-fertilization of styles, and a blending of dreams” (3). Thus, descriptions tend to vary with time as the top charts attract all kinds of music. Pop music is largely Western. Some have described Great Britain as the cradle, and rock and roll as the first form of the genre.

Even though the word ‘pop’ had been in use since 1926, it was not until the 1950’s when it gained national importance. Names like Elvis Presley, who have been named geniuses, came up and the radio waves could not be complete without their albums. 1960’s came with its fair share of rock bands, and their successful American tour saw them atop of the billboard. By the late 70’s the MTV had grown and videos brought meaning into the songs, especially with the advent of mini films. Even though the young ‘King of Pop’ had started singing in the 70s in ‘The Jackson 5’, it was not until the 80s when he made an impact through his voice and novel dance moves. It is Michael Jackson’s kind of music that gets into your heart, penetrates into your soul and marrow and leaves one in a musical high. The ecstasy it brings is addictive. By then, commercialization of pop music had begun and musical icons started appearing on promotion tours (Fleck, Korchia, and Le Roy 653), this was a boost to the music industry.
The electric guitar introduced by Presley is the most notable instrument that distinguished early pop. Even today, classic pop music cannot do without the guitar. It is the pivot of the whole instrumentation, it is indispensable. Later, other types of the guitar were introduced. The bass guitar and acoustic guitars are just but examples. Vocalization is by screaming, clapping, or speaking, but the voice has to remain above the noise of the instruments. Harmonization is brought about by the piano and the well spaced occasional cymbal adds to the thickness. Drums, trumpets, electric organs, and saxophones are also in use. Normally, the lyrics are short and repetitive and follow a verse-chorus structure. This traditional structure brings with it a level of malleability to the style of music, which makes it easy to fit into various contexts. Small alterations allow adaptation into various societal contexts. Thus, it is not just the romantic themes of love and loneliness that are addressed but real social and political affairs. The same Michael Jackson who sang ‘Billie Jean’ about a pregnancy scandal also sang ‘Heal the world’ to make it a better place. Both these songs were done with great success.
The success of the popular music of the 1980’s did not escape blame for some of the societal problems too. For instance, the popular glam rock music received a lot of criticism regarding the view of masculinity as the mode of dressing was emasculating to the male. Controversy surrounded the artist’s shinning glittery clothing which was soft, their use heavy make-up, and feminine hairstyle. In a world that had no gay legislation, this was an anathema. The disco music brought with it erotic dance styles that did not go well with the parents of the time, but that is a trend that still remains up to date. When have parents ever allowed their kids to try anything new? Heavy metal did not escape unscathed either, as violence and crime were linked to its heavy use of language. Surprisingly, the dangerous portrayal of rap was not both appealing and marketable (Fleck, Korchia, and Le Roy 653). Popular songs also introduced curse words into the lyrics, and this was of great appeal to the youth. There was an undeclared competition as each group tried to outdo the other in appearing ‘cool.’ As a consequence the more years advance, the more the obscenities we expect to see in these songs. Today a popular hip-hop artist will not only subtly slip into the lyrics how they made love with a woman, but also brags about how they forgot the lady’s name immediately afterward. These are the songs that will make one cringe, especially when the audience is trans-generational. But such kind of gangster-rap took the market by a storm.
The music of this era was used to edify the soul and the emotional intuition. Messages of caring for the less fortunate giving back to the society filled the lyrics. Music was the medium through which the conscience communicated, and songs where the still small voice that gave a sense of direction to the society. Although by then musicians had long stopped doing music for leisure and had learned that it is a trade like any other, they never used it to defraud their supporters. Greedy promoters and managers who only seek to exploit their artists were non-existent. What flowed through the radio channels was pure art from well-meaning singers. Whether it was the deep Madonna voice or the uncharacteristic shrieks of the king of pop Michael Jackson people would appreciate art when it is good. There was no beef between fans of this particular singer with those of another, and even though music partnerships were not a common thing, there were love and appreciation for epic songs from all quarters. Michael Jackson, for instance, admired and idolized Diana Ross even though they both made music during the same era. Groups of more than three singers would stick together for years and deserters would be looked down on with disdain.
It was the pop-stars who set the trend of fashion. Talk about haircuts, brightly colored clothing, or moon-walking dance styles. Music concerts became fashion competitions. If Michael Jackson was in town, it would be totally normal for people to wear ankle length trousers and single hand gloves and if they could burn scorch part of their head and put on a wig, they would. Such was loyalty and fanaticism. The pop culture was contagious. Songs came in albums, though sometimes people would produce single hits. Music Television was a major boost to the music economy for by granting a worldwide audience it allowed international sales as well as concerts abroad. A songstress could star in a movie and get back to their singing. This too was a new development. MTV significantly helped live performance and even today musicians appreciate the power of music videos in the marketing of music, though there were complaints about videos replacing live concerts.
The pop music of today has no semblance to that of the 1980s. And it is not just about the evolution of music. Technological advancement has helped through the instant sharing of music, global presence, and contact between fans and artists has done much harm just as it has done well. It is with this technology that some musicians have grown lazy and only sample other people’s songs, or re-mix them instead of creating new music. Take them back to the 80’s and they will just be wannabes. Is it a wonder that the best selling album of all time comes this same decade? I can only equate Whitney Houston’s 1985 song ‘How Will I Know’ to a time machine, you get in and you are thrust into a world of timelessness. I cannot imagine living in a world with no computers or smart-phones, but when it comes to pop music, take me back there and I will thrive.

Works Cited
Fleck, Nathalie, Michael Korchia, and Isabelle Le Roy. “Celebrities in Advertising: Looking for Congruence or Likability?” Psychology & Marketing 29.9 (2012): 651-662.
Starr, Larry, and Christopher Alan Waterman. American Popular Music from Minstrelsy to MP3. Oxford University Press, USA, 2010.