Post on 22-Dec-2015
Music of the 1980’s
1980 Hit Songs
Rock with YouCrazy Little Thing Called LoveComing UpFunkytown
It's Still Rock and Roll to MeLost in LoveDo That to Me One More
Time
Grammy Awards
Sailing: Christopher Cross- record
Christopher Cross- AlbumSailing: song
Disco continued to sell well in 1980-
Songs like Blondie's "Call Me"Diana Ross "Upside Down"Irene Cara "Fame"
Listeners tastes were changing though
Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, and Bob Seger were all becoming popular
Captain and Tennille: "Do That to Me One More Time"
Kenny Roger "Lady"Christopher Cross "Sailing"----
these were "mushy" ballads that were also very popular
The Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper's Delight" became the first rap record to make the Top Hundred (peaked at #36)
Digitally recorded LP's were widely marketed for the first time
Introduction of the Sony Walkman (portable stereo)
The Walkman changed the listening habits of the entire country
Single handedly responsible for the boom in cassette sales during the early 80's
New generation was discovering Jim Morrison and The Doors (thanks to the movie Apocalype Now because it used the song "The End" in it)
Morrison became a popular icon- Rolling Stone Magazine did a cover story on him
Headline: "He's Hot. He's Sexy. He's Dead."
John Lennon: assassinated in New York City by mental patient
Mark
David
Chapman
1981
LadyStarting OverKiss on My List9 to 5Take It On the Run
Morning TrainSlow Hand
Grammy Awards
Bette Davis Eyes: Kim Carnes- record
Double Fantasy: John Lennon, Yoko One- album
Bette Davis Eyes: song
MTV
MTV: all music video cable channel that was relatively commercial free
Debut was with Buggles' song "Video Killed the Radio Star"
Immediate sensation
Bars drew in extra business by hanging a sign out that said "We have MTV"
Original veejays were: Alan Hunter, Martha Quinn, JJ Jackson, Mark Goodman, and Nina Blackwood
Channel was originally dominated by English artists, because American artists were not in the habit of making videos
Many critics noticed a lack of black artists
Disco backlash: many white record buyers were considering anything black to be "disco"
Black recording artists were having a tough time crossing over into the pop world
Rick James: Top 20 hit with "Super Freak"---couldn't get the video played on MTV
Prince: "Controversy" album---was booed off stage while opening for Rolling Stones at the LA Coliseum
Only two records by black artists topped the charts in 1981: Diana Ross and Lionel Richie's "Endless Love" and "Celebration"
Blondie experimented with rap in "Rapture"
White America was still wanting: REO Speedwagon, Styx, Journey and pop country Eddie Rabbit and Dolly Parton, and Daryl Hall and John Oates---
Styx and Hall & Oates
Also: Rick Springfield: Australian actor and musician
Fluke hit in 1972 with "Speak to the Sky"
One of America's leading heartthrobs
Had a regular role as Dr. Noah Drake on soap opera General Hospital
Olivia Newton-John: "Physical"Christopher Cross: "Arthur's
Theme (Best That You Can Do)"
1982
Any Day NowJack and DianeAbracadabraHard to Say I'm SorryGloria
I Can't Go for ThatHurts So Good
Grammy Awards
Rosanna: Toto-recordToto IV: Toto- albumAlways on My Mind- song
Independent film: Wild Style came out this year
Explored rap music, breakdancing, and graffiti art scenes in the black community of New York's South Bronx
Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five- rap act that appeared in the movie
They released single called "The Message"
First rap hit to comment on the social issues and pressures facing urban blacks
Not a huge pop hit, but crossed over just enough to start getting white people to see that something was starting to develop in the ghettos of America
Pretty dull year for American music:
Hall and Oates and Lionel Richie dominated the charts
John Cougar starting to become popular
Steve Miller and Chicago still popular from the 1970's
Joan Jett brought real rock and roll to the charts
The Blasters and The Stray Cats were popular among American kids too
The Go-Go's: products of LA punk scene
Frank Zappa: he and daughter Moon Unit did "Valley Girl"
Used "valspeaking" residents of LA and gave him the biggest hit of his career
Liberace
his chauffeur Scott Thorson had been his companion
Filed a lawsuit against Liberace- wanted his belongings back
Liberace denied being homosexual
Joan Jett and The Blackhearts: "I Love Rock N Roll"
Paul McCartney with Stevie Wonder: "Ebony and Ivory"
Survivor: "Eye of the Tiger"J. Geils Band: "Centerfold"Daryl Hall and John Oates:
"Maneater"
1983
Down UnderBillie JeanEvery Breath You TakeManiac
Total Eclipse of the HeartSay, Say, SayIslands in the Stream
Grammy Awards
Beat It, Michael Jackson- record
Thriller: Michael Jackson- album
Every Breath You Take- song
Michael Jackson: Off the Wall had been a huge hit in 1979
Came out with Thriller this year
Had 6 Top Ten hits on it: "Billie Jean""Beat It""Wanna Be Startin' Somethin""Human Nature""PYT""Thriller"
Quiet Riot: LA: album "Metal Health"
Popularity of heavy metal was coming
Spandex pants and big hair
Styx: Kilroy Was HereTalking Heads: New York art-
rock combo- "Burning Down the House" was in Top 10
REM: Athens, Georgia- Top 40 with "Murmur"
The Velvet Underground: had been popular in the late 60's
By '85 all records were back in print, selling better than in the 60's
1984
FootlooseJumpTime After TimeOwner of a Lonely Heart
GhostbustersUptown GirlSelf Control
Grammy Awards
What's Love Got to Do with It: Tina Turner- record
Can't Slow Down: Lionel Richie- album
What's Love Got to Do with It- song
Breakdancing was everywhere- in TV commercials, music videos- even at the opening of the LA Summer Olympics
Hollywood made four low-budget "Breaksploitation" flicks: "Beat Street" "Body Rock" "Breakin'" and "Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo"
MTV was a major influence on music and film
Quick edits & lighting that had been just in music videos were now going into Hollywood films-Beverly Hills Cop, Footloose, Streets of Fire, Purple Rain
Executives started realizing that by putting scenes from the film into the music video, you could sell a movie better as well as the soundtrack
Purple Rain: blockbuster film and a multi-platinum album
Born in The USA: Bruce Springsteen
Heavy Metal: Van Halen: 1984 -band's final
album with David Lee Roth"Jump""Panama""Hot for Teacher"
Ratt, Motley Crue"Out of The Cellar""Shout At The Devil"
Twisted Sister: "We're Not Gonna take It"
RUN-DMC: Joseph Simmons and Darryl McDaniels
"Rock Box" mixture of street raps and metallic guitars
Marvin Gaye
1983: "Sexual Healing" comebackworking on a follow-up to "Midnight
Love" albumApril 1 was shot and killed by his
father in an argument
Other big hits of the year:Madonna: "Like A Virgin"Prince: "When Doves Cry"
1985
Wake Me Up Before You Go-GoI Feel for YouGlory DaysCrazy for YouCareless WhisperOne Night in Bangkok
Grammy Awards
We Are the World- U.S.A. for Africa- record
No Jacket Required: Phil Collins- album
We Are the World: song
Live Aid, Farm Aid, and founding of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Year of the compact disc: higher priced than turntables and LPs
CD players and CDs were immediately so successful that it was predicted that vinyl would be almost completely obsolete by the end of the decade
PMRC: self appointed moral watchdog committee formed by wives of several prominent politicos
Began to pressure record companies to save the youth of America by putting warning stickers on records containing "offensive" lyrical content
22 record companies pledged to slap parental warnings on any product containing potentially offensive material
LL Cool J: rap's newest superstar with debut album "Radio"
Starship's "We Built This City"Mr. Mister "Broken Wings"Whitney Houston's "Saving All My
Love For You"
Lionel Richie "Say You, Say Me"Madonna's: "Crazy For You"John Parr: "St Elmo's Fire"Huey Lewis and The News':
"The Power of Love"
More top songs
USA for Africa: "We Are The World"
REO Speedwagon: "Can't Fight This Feeling"
Dire Straits: "Money For Nothing"
1986
How Will I KnowKyrrieGreatest Love of AllLive to Tell
On My OwnThere'll Be Sad SongsSledgehammer
Grammy Awards
Higher Love: Steve Winwood- record
Graceland: Paul Simon: albumThat's What Friends Are For: song
Madonna: shortened hair and tried to "class up" her image
Third album: "True Blue
The Bangles: all female quartet Two massive pop hits: "Manic
Monday" - which was written by Prince
"Walk Like An Egyptian"
Bon Jovi:Sounded like a cross between
Bruce Springsteen and a metal band
"You Give Love A Bad Name""Livin On A Prayer"
Metallica: thrash metal classes "Master of Puppets"
Momentum lost when bassist Cliff Burton died in a bus crash during the band's Swedish tour
Miami Vice's Don Johnson: Top 5 hit with "Heartbeat"
Janet Jackson: younger sister of Michael Jackson
"Control"
James Brown: 4th decade of hits with “Living In America”
Paul Simon: South African musicians on new Graceland album---“world music” style
Run DMC: teamed up with Aerosmith for a remake of “Walk This Way”
More top hits:Dionne and Friends “That’s
What Friends Are For”Falco: “Rock Me Amadeus”
1987
Nothing's Gonna Stop Us NowAloneHere I Go AgainThe Way It Is
ShakedownLivin' on a PrayerEverybody Have Fun Tonight
Grammy Awards
Graceland: Paul Simon- recordThe Joshua Tree: US- albumSomewhere Out There- song
Top Albums
Dirty Dancing SoundtrackWhitney Houston: WhitneyU2: The Joshua TreeThe Beastie Boys: Licensed to
IllMichael Jackson: Bad
Other Top Singles:George Michael: FaithLos Lobos: La BambaU2: With or Without You
CD market had sales of over $102 million
Bad sold 8 million copies this year, had 5 Number One singles- including “Man In The Mirror” and “Bad”
Tiffany: Tiffany Darwinsch16 years old“Could’ve Been”“I Think We’re Alone Now
Debbie Gibson: “Only In My Dreams”“Shake Your Love”
Grateful Dead: hit first Top 10 hit with “Touch of Grey”
Deadheads complained that the single was making the band too popular
Newcomers were ruining the “vibe” of he Dead’s concerts
PoisonSlayerThese replaced Twisted Sister
and Quiet Riot for the headbangers
The Beastie Boys: debut album by New York white rap trio was Licensed to Ill
Had hit “You Gotta Fight For Your Right To Party”
Sold 5 million copies and became the first rap record to top the pop album charts
10 years after Elvis Presley’s death:20,000 fans from around the world
went to MemphisLiberace died this year from AIDSHe had an outrageous sense of
onstage style
1988
FaithNeed You TonightSweet Child O'MineHands to Heaven
One More TryWild, Wild WestGroovy Kind of Love
Grammy Awards
Don't Worry, Be Happy- Bobby McFerrin- record
Faith: George Michael- albumDon't Worry, Be Happy: Bobby
McFerrin- song
More Top Singles:Steve Winwood: Roll With ItPoison: Every Rose Has Its
ThornChicago: Look Away
Top Albums
George Michael: FaithDef Leppard: HysteriaUS: Rattle and HumGuns N Roses: Appetite for
DestructionBon Jovi: New Jersey
Guns N’ Roses
Changing the face of musicNo lipstick, teased hair, and
spandexThey had leathers, bandanas
and the look of “fresh from the gutter”
Public Enemy:It Takes A Nation Of Millions
To Hold Us BackMixed rage with big beats
Will To Power: “Free Baby”Disco-muzak of Peter
Frampton’s “Baby I Love Your Way” and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird”
Beach Boys: “Kokomo”
Bobby McFerrin: “Don’t Worry, Be Happy”
George Bush would try to use this song as his theme for 1992 campaign
James Brown: arrested this fallHe lead several Georgia state
police cars on a chase while under influence of PCP
6 year jail sentence was reduced to a little over 25 months
1989
My PrerogativeStraight UpGiving You the Best that I GotThis Time I Know It's for Real
Fight the PowerCold HeartedCherish
Grammy Awards
Wind Beneath My Wings: Bette Midler- record
Nick of Time: Bonnie Raitt- album
Wind Beneath My Wings- song
Phil Collins: Another Day in Paradise
Janet Jackson: Miss You MuchRichard Marx: Right Here WaitingMadonna: Like a Prayer
Top Albums
Paula Abdul: Forever Your GirlMilli Vanilli: Girl You Know It’s TrueFine Young Cannibals: The Raw and
the CookedBobby Brown: Don’t Be CruelMadonna: Like a Prayer
Rap music very popular nowNovelty rap singles like Young
MC’s “Bust A Move”2 Live CrewTone Loc’s “Funky Cold Medina”
Paula Abdul, Richard Marx, and New
Kids on the BlockMadonna: Like a Prayer: strongest
album for her to that pointBobby Brown: left New Edition and
came out with “Don’t Be Cruel”
Harry Connick Jr.: 22 year old jazz pianist
When Harry Met Sally soundtrackGuns N’ Roses: “Patience”
MTV: came out with MTV Unplugged
Debuted in November with singer-songwriter Jules Shear