Progression Of Music From The 1940's To The Present
...from the 1940's to the present has seen extremes,
it has been controversial at times, traditional at times and inspirational at
times, but never have the American people turned away music in its entirety.
There have been times when parents did not approve of the music that their
children chose to listen to, but the parents had never turned away music. Music
has been criticized and promoted. Since the 40's music has progressed from
Ballads (which were still lingering around from the 30's) to blues (popular
among Blacks) to rock and roll, to pop, and back again.
In the 1940's ballads were popular. Ballads were dancable music
performed by big bands. They were composed of stringed instruments, wind
insteruments, and a singer or two. This was the time period when music started
to be broadcasted live over television and record albums were entering the home.
(Hays)
The 50's marked a beginning for a new era of music to be known as Rock &
Roll. Many of the artists took advantage of the Electric guitar, developed for
popular music in the 1930's but never really became popular until the 50's.
Rock & Roll was a combination of many music styles in an upbeat sort of fashion.
One example of when country had an impact on Rock & Roll was with Bill Haley and
Jerry Lee Lewis. Jerry's career was huge, with his hits like "Whole Lotta
Shakin' goin' On" and "Great Balls of Fire". That is, his career was huge,
until the it was made public that he fell in love with a married his 13 year old
cousin. In 1957 Rock & Roll had been turned upsidedown when Buddy Holly hit the
airwaves with "That'll be the Day." Buddy Holly rolled out hit after hit after
hit. That is, until his plane went down in Iowa. He died at the young age of 22.
That night...
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