This is part of my Pop Music in the ‘80s series. By the early 1980s, hip-hop had established itself as a vital cultural force in urban communities, but it had yet to break into the mainstream music industry. That would soon change. The decade saw hip-hop’s transition from a grassroots movement of DJs, MCs, and […]
This is part of my Pop Music in the ‘80s series. From the Bronx to the World By the dawn of the 1980s, hip-hop had already established itself as a powerful cultural force in New York City. What began as a grassroots movement in the South Bronx during the 1970s was poised to expand far
This is part of my Pop Music in the ‘80s series. The Expansion of Heavy Metal in the 1980s By the dawn of the 1980s, heavy metal had already established itself as a distinct genre, building on the foundations laid by Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, and Iron Maiden in the previous decade. But it was
This is part of my Pop Music in the ‘80s series. The Spirit of Punk in the 1980s By the early 1980s, punk rock had already made its mark. The late ‘70s had been defined by the raw aggression of bands like the Ramones, The Clash, and the Sex Pistols, who rejected the excess of
This is part of my Pop Music in the ‘80s series. From Punk to New Wave: A Shift in Sound By the late 1970s, punk had made its mark with an aggressive, do-it-yourself ethos that rejected the excesses of mainstream rock. But with the rejection of mainstream came challenges of acceptance, financial struggles, and burnout.
This is part of my Pop Music in the ‘80s series. The Foundations of Hard Rock and The Road to Excess The 1970s had already given the world the thunderous sounds of Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, and KISS, but as the ‘80s arrived, rock music became bigger, louder, and more theatrical. As an increasing number of
This is part of my Pop Music in the ‘80s series. The Birth of Arena Rock By the late ‘70s, rock bands had outgrown small clubs and theaters, moving into massive arenas and stadiums that could house tens of thousands of fans. The 1980s took this movement to another level, evolving into arena rock, a
This is part of my Pop Music in the ‘80s series. Multi-Platinum Albums and the Ad Wizards Behind Them As MTV reshaped the way music was consumed and Hollywood capitalized on soundtrack-driven hits, the music industry entered a new era of unprecedented commercial success. By the mid-to-late 1980s, multi-platinum albums became the norm rather than
This is part of my Pop Music in the ‘80s series. Music in Film and Television As MTV reshaped the music industry, its influence didn’t stop at pop charts and radio stations—it extended directly into Hollywood. By the mid-1980s, film and television producers realized that hit songs not only complemented their projects; they could drive
