History of Popular Music from 1950

The history of Music and Technology are closely linked. By technology developing over the past couple centuries it has let artists and song writers reach new bigger audiences. Starting with singles then album collection and now even videos being streamed directly to phones. 

Rhythm & Blues, Rock'n'Roll

The 'era of modern popular music begins with rock'n'roll in the early 1950s. In late 1940s, musicians whittled down the Big Band format to a bare minimum to just vocals, string bass, drums, piano, brass and syncopated version of the blues they called the 'rhythm and blues'. Again like Jazz before it, R&B was associated with sexuality and immorally and disapproved of by the establishment. 'Lyrics were laden and innuendo, and the dancing got very dirty'. It was ok for black youths and poor parts of the country but it was frowned upon in polite white society. 

Then ONE DAY Elvis Presley had a great idea for a birthday present for his mother; he went in and recorded a record for his mothers birthday. Elvis sang religious  gospel, western and even Dead n Martin material. Sam Philips recognised that Elvis had exactly what he had been looking for, a white singer who sounded black. Many listeners thought Elvis was black so Dewey.

By pairing down'n'dirty rhythm and blues Sam phillips created an irresistible pop culture combination. He was classed as a country star for chart purposes, in reality he was playing a new hybrid, country-inflused rhythm and blues, which would evolve into rockabilly and then rock'n'role. 

Pop Music and Television

Television was the next big technical innovation that had an impact on people consuming popular music. Evils Presley's performance of Hound Dog on the Milton Berle show brought a popular swam and focus onto TV screens. 

Reactions to Elvis - His Hound Dog performance rocketed Elvis to nation and international attention. 

In society at this stage in music there was a fear the Elvis music would instigate social changes and integration as he was a white boy who sung black music and had never made any attempt to hide that his musical heroes were black. 

Once Elvis appeared on TV is was clear that segregations were fighting a lost cause against the music. It was all becoming integrated  Rock'n'role was out and proud about the blend of black and white rhythm and soul. By 1957 mixed group tours were happening. 

Bano from the Rolling Stone in 2004 commented 'The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Creedence Clearwater Revival were all introduced to the blues by Elvis.'