Music in the 1970
Composition 102: The 1970’s
27 March 2008 Music in the 1970’s
“The conventional wisdom is that Minimalism- an idiom of clear, non decorative lines, repetition, and great tonal simplicity, which arose in the 1960’s and 70’s – was the last identifiable new style in music history. Actually, there has been an acceleration of new styles, many of them building on minimalist roots toward greater and world-music-inspired complexity.” (p 297)
Many “radical” ideas of the nineteen sixties gained wider acceptance in the new decade of the seventies and were mainstreamed into American life and culture. An era, filled with new variations of sounds and styles, allowed many new genres to gain popularity and recognition. The “psychedelic” sixties introduced us to rock and roll, funk, and music created based on the effects of drugs and the feelings of peace and love. The nineteen seventies re-invented these sounds and exemplified the feeling of the general society. This era provided a strong foundation of political and social issues, which was a major influence on the lyrical aspect of these new songs. With rock and roll and funk flourishing, new genres began to branch off. Some of these offshoots were the disco dance craze and the start of a women’s rock revolution. Easy listening such as Bob Marley’s reggae was among favorites. Each genre proved to be different and unique, and affect the public in some way.
The music was flourishing and was at its creative prime. Hard rock, in many ways, put an end to the creative nineteen sixties. Across the United States, hard rock became a way to affirm a less “confrontational” militant stance. Thoughts about current issues were expressed through these songs. Musically, hard rock was the terminal point of an evolution of blues. The melodic sounds of blues became the faster, louder, and stronger sounds of rock and roll. Songs in this genre use pop hooks and melodies along with heavy chords to produce a different sound. Hard rock’s
27 March 2008 Music in the 1970’s
“The conventional wisdom is that Minimalism- an idiom of clear, non decorative lines, repetition, and great tonal simplicity, which arose in the 1960’s and 70’s – was the last identifiable new style in music history. Actually, there has been an acceleration of new styles, many of them building on minimalist roots toward greater and world-music-inspired complexity.” (p 297)
Many “radical” ideas of the nineteen sixties gained wider acceptance in the new decade of the seventies and were mainstreamed into American life and culture. An era, filled with new variations of sounds and styles, allowed many new genres to gain popularity and recognition. The “psychedelic” sixties introduced us to rock and roll, funk, and music created based on the effects of drugs and the feelings of peace and love. The nineteen seventies re-invented these sounds and exemplified the feeling of the general society. This era provided a strong foundation of political and social issues, which was a major influence on the lyrical aspect of these new songs. With rock and roll and funk flourishing, new genres began to branch off. Some of these offshoots were the disco dance craze and the start of a women’s rock revolution. Easy listening such as Bob Marley’s reggae was among favorites. Each genre proved to be different and unique, and affect the public in some way.
The music was flourishing and was at its creative prime. Hard rock, in many ways, put an end to the creative nineteen sixties. Across the United States, hard rock became a way to affirm a less “confrontational” militant stance. Thoughts about current issues were expressed through these songs. Musically, hard rock was the terminal point of an evolution of blues. The melodic sounds of blues became the faster, louder, and stronger sounds of rock and roll. Songs in this genre use pop hooks and melodies along with heavy chords to produce a different sound. Hard rock’s
Cited: "American Cultural History 1970-1979." Kingwood College Library. Sept. 2006. 15 Mar. 2008 <http://kclibrary.nhmccd.edu/decade70.html>. Candelaria, Lorenzo, and Daniel Kingman. American Music a Panorama. Belmont: Thomson Schirmer, 2007. Carpenter, Ellen. "Forty Years of Rock Style." Rolling Stone 1030 (2007): 1-6. 15 Mar. 2008 <http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb>. Hirshey, Gerri. "The Seventies." Rolling Stone 773 (1997): 1-11. 15 Mar. 2008 “Music Played in the 1970’s” The People History