Prof: Leonardo Mendoza
So, after the previous historic groups, here are some of the current popular styles in America, that have evolved from them and are listend to today..
Alternative or Alt. Rock is a very broad and rather vague term. Originally it encompassed almost any post-punk, non-mainstream music, from REM and the Pixies to XTC and Fugazi. In the early 90s, thanks to the success of Nirvana, Sonic Youth, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers (mostly Nirvana), the lines between Alternative and Pop were blurred. Pop bands adopted Alternative trappings and Alternative bands were marketed to Pop audiences. Everything from the alt-arena Rock of Soundgarden to the retro-pop of Smashmouth is classified as Alternative these days. I tis very urban-yuppie now; for white rich young people. Notice that in the sitcom Friends, Alt Rock is all they listen to. I like it somewhat.
Hip Hop, or rap music began as a largely black, inner-city phenomenon of the late '70s and early '80s. Hip Hop was originally a strictly live idiom, performed at clubs and parties (often illegally thrown in NYC parks). Jamaican DJ music was the blueprint, with its reliance on a turntable and a DJ, or MC, who called out rhythmic phrases and chants over and between bass heavy dub records. Hip Hop used this same style but often rhymed over funk and disco beats and breaks, a technique developed by DJ Kool Herc in the mid '70s. Hip Hop also established the DJ innovations of cutting, back spinning and scratching LP records, largely through the work of Grand Master Flash. The Sugarhill Gang recorded the first rap single in '79 with the commercial cash in, Cold Crush Bros. Rip off "Rapper's Delight." Hip Hop established itself as commercially viable in the next few years with "Planet Rock" by Africa Bambataa. Hip Hop began to crossover into mainstream commercial success with the rock heavy rhymes of Run DMC and the novelty, party raps of The Fat Boys.. After the mid '80s rap began to solidify itself as a genre and to branch out into a number of different styles and sub-genres. Today everything from the top of the pops derivative like Puff Daddy and Eminem, fall under the hip hop umbrella.
Hip Hop is extremely racial in origin, lyrics, fan base and purpose. It is considered a way for the Black Inner City Youth to rebel against the "White Power". Frequently this music talks about injustice, police corruption and crime. It glorifies criminals at times, yet condems the destiny that brought black american youths to have what they call "no choice" in their destiny. I don't like it at all.
Pop music is made either to sell records or to make you hum its hooks (or both). It is short, simple, melodic and catchy. Almost any style of music contains some Pop groups or artists. It is not necessarily bad, just usually. Lots of good Beatles songs are "pop," but every horrible Britney Spears song is pop too. Everything from Squeeze to Alanis Morisette is pop. Most of the American music popular in Korea is pop.
Michael Jackson is the ultimate pop hero. Today artist like Ricky Martin are showcasing the fact that pop reflects ethnic impact on mainstream culture; currently Latino influenced music is in style in America (Cristina Aguilera, Shakira). I like it usually.
Teen Pop is light, dancey Pop music made for, and often by, teens. Teen Pop has always been around in one form or another, but its popularity exploded in the 80s (with bands like New Kids on the Block and Tiffany) and 90s (with bands like the Spice Girls, Britney Spears, The Backstreet Boys, and N Sync). One thing most Teen Pop has in common is the visibility of the hand holding the strings. Teen Pop bands are almost always made, not born, and admittedly so. The plasticity and disposability of Teen Pop acts makes them big, no-risk moneymakers, which explains the formidable popularity of the style today. Of course teen pop is now successfully produced in Korea, and US artist are adored by your students, particularly the girls. You MUST know about it, to connect with the kids. I HATE it, but we have to be aware of it.
Modern Rock is just that - modern rock music. More specifically, this term refers to the genres of rock that influenced or were influenced by the advent of punk, from the Big-Star-crafted American-punk-influencing Power Pop to the post-punk sounds of New Wave, the forefather of Alternative, a genre that, in the early 90s, crashed into the rocks of commercialism and cracked into the two halves of fiercely uncommercial Indie Rock and radio-friendly Alternative, Adult Alternative, and Grunge. I lile it somewhat.
Contemporary country describes the slick, highly produced, pop-oriented country coming out of Nashville and heard on commercial country radio and video channels. Garth Brooks, Randy Travis and Shania Twain are all successful and popular practitioners of Contemporary Country.
This genry is the only mainstream American styles that is not exported to the non-english speaking world. (But I did find a bar in Tokio that featured country music)
Contemporary R&B has increasingly less in common with blues and soul music than it does with the boom-bap and braggadocio of Hip Hop. Smooth, sexy, vocals are delivered over bouncy and catchy beats. Though often disposable and interchangeable, much Contemporary R&B has an undeniable visceral appeal. Prime examples of the genre include Boys 2 Men, Withney Houston, Destinys Child, R. Kelly, and TLC.