The World War 1 Effected the Music

 

Music and musical genres have evolved profoundly since the turn of the century in the 1900s. Where did the music genres stem from? By what means did these genres evolve over time? To answer these questions, this research paper will take a systematic decade by decade look into the recent past to dig up the origin of music genres and endeavor to unearth their message. An introduction to and an understanding of the background of music will expedite our appreciation of the world of music, its evolution, and its implications upon modern society today.

The first recorded citation of music in human history is chronicled in Genesis 4:21, where we meet Jubal, the patriarch of all those who handled the harp and organ. To envisage a world devoid of musical instruments is a trying task and the inventions of Jubal had an enduring impact on the world and it is quite evident to this present day. During the course of history, a variety of genres and styles of music have been invented but almost all of these can actually be traced back to the stringed and wind instruments invented by Jubal.

Moreover to copiously understand Satan’s connection to the music industry we must recede in time and advance in scripture. Satan is believed to be the most glorious angel created by God. He was endowed with wisdom and beauty; and covered with precious stones. His perfection got into his head for he was believed to have been a walking and talking instrument and he forgot that our Heavenly Father is the giver of everything. When he rebelled he was cast out of heaven and many may argue he is the father of music but God as the creator of all is the real father and founder of music.

The Great War also known as World War 1 lasted five year (1914-1918). This war was very instrumental in shaping the current music industry. It was in this era that some of the very famous music genres made their debut. The era of romanticism, symbolism, and expressionism were fast fading. Music culture of European high bourgeois came to an abrupt end following the death of some of their greatest musical geniuses whereas others seemed to lose their creative touch. Nonetheless the stage was finally set for the global takeover of the American music culture.

Right through World War 1, music was a conspicuous feature on the home fronts and the battle fields. It was a source of hope and strength. Recognizing the effects of music most homes acquired pianos while clubs like the White Cotton Club in New York gained momentum as more people sought morale boost. Originating from African American communities Jazz and Blues were the popular genres of the time due to the mix of sadness and melancholy in the Blues and the rhythms and harmonies of jazz. The musical revolution had finally began for these two genres were the wellsprings of today’s music.

The roaring twenties were finally here, the world was at peace, success and euphoria was being experienced across all social classes. Overly this was an epoch of concurrent breaks from tradition and an era of fresh ideas, attitudes, and distinct cultural vicissitudes. Music in particular underwent thrilling revolutions that perfectly characterized the cultural evolution that was taking place. These transformations in music were largely due to the new technologies such as radios, phonographs, and significant advances in recording technologies.

Jazz music was at the heart of this musical revolution. Its unique blend of Western and African music with its roots in work songs, field hollers, and blues reached out to many across the globe. Bands like King Oliver’s Creole with their hit song Dipper mouth Blues were able to get sufficient air play. Trumpet player Louis Armstrong also made his mark in history with songs like Star dust, La Vie Ein Rose, and what a wonderful world. The musical evolution was quite visible, musicians like Aaron Copland offered key changes to American music but African Americans lit up the world with their jazz tunes.

The blues were equally involved in the musical revolution of the roaring twenties. Originating from the African American Community in the deep southern states of the United States of America. Blues were first based on the accounts of the musicians’ personal predicaments and the daily racial sufferings associated with the black race. This racial profiling caused the blues to become widely known as the black community music. One of the most important blues singers of the decade was Mamie Smith who was credited with making the first recorded blues vocal performance.

Musical theatre as we know it today consists of music and lyrics that move a plot or a book. Broadway theatre dating back to 1750 experienced its boom in the 1920s when Show Boat, the first book musical was produced. The pace was set at last and in 1927 alone over 250 shows debuted on Broadway, and over 50 of them were musicals. The effects of jazz music on the Broadway musicals cannot be overlooked, coupled with the alcohol prohibition there was unity of worlds, class, and races. Change was happening and music clearly reflected this world events.

It is quite visible that this music genres were different in form and production and they each had distinct features, that affected each audience and due to this they were all received differently. Jazz was very pleasing to the ear and most people almost always got hooked as soon as they heard it. The blues on the other hand appealed to the soul with its sometimes witty or heart breaking lyrics. Broadway on the other hand brought books to life with their musical interpretation and for this reason it was mostly enjoyed by book-lovers mainly.

The 1930s, the era of the great depression, was a period of hard times in the United States. The stock market crash of 1929 had caused an economic slump all through the United States and much of the World. Then the terrible drought that struck west of the United States led to what became known as the Dust Bowl. However even during the “hard times” people needed to be entertained. For this very reason they enjoyed many forms of entertainment, particularly if they could do so on a shoestring.

Despite the hard times music performed pretty well. Some of the best musicians had their heydays in the 1930s. The harmonious sounds of Louis Armstrong and the magnificent vocal sound of Billy Holiday truly left their mark in history. At a time where most people did not have televisions, the radio was the primary source of entertainment. Tracks in the 1930s proved to be more popular than artists themselves due to the numerous covers that were performed. Hit covers were being produced at a very fast pace and the people were losing sight of the original musicians.

Broadway musicals, which were developed and made extremely profitable during the extravagant 1920s, fell to the wayside with the 1929 crash of the stock market. At an epoch where money was very scarce the great performers of that era soon found themselves tarmacking in such of employment. However as time went by technological innovations of synchronized sound were made and before long their desperate pursuit for new opportunities came to an abrupt end, as many tapped into the burgeoning world of talking motion-pictures.

Music technology was also on the move in the 1930s. The new technologies were verily changing music scenes across the globe. Equally electrical amplification allowed songsters like Bing Crosby to produce robust and captivating vocal pieces that could be heard over the big bands. Thus swinging focus from dance bands to the popular musicians of the diurnal. Furthermore the aggressive marketing modus operandi promoted the exponential progression of the entertainment industry and consequently commercialized popular music.

During this gloomy period music held a special effect. Broadway and Jazz was surely speaking volumes. In a phase where an immense number of people were being displaced in the search of better living conditions whereas the polio epidemic was affecting lots .Many of the populace soon found solace in recorded music since it gave them a sense of personhood. Hence Historian William Kenney concluded “…whether consciously or not almost all citizens found in recorded music a vehicle for carrying musical memories through time and into the present.”

Sadly racism was also prevalent and black musicians were not allowed to do studio or radio work. Nonetheless Jazz music which was known as the black race genre proved to be quite resilient. While businesses were failing, dance halls were packed with people dancing the jitterbug swing music. The 1933 repeal of the alcohol prohibition, and legitimization of the speakeasies aided in the spreading of swing music and with the help of Benny Goodman black musicians finally found a place in radio.

However after Hitler’s Germany brutally invaded Poland in 1939, the United States was drawn into war, and it all extended in to the evolution of jazz.

Every decade has its unique music styles and the 1940s were no different. World War II was here, turmoil and anarchy was prevalent across the globe. Historians have termed this to have been the deadliest war in human history. All the negative energy had taken its toll on the people but in the midst of it all music proved to be a perfect escape. However the music industry had its fair share of trials and tribulations but performers of the time strived to put up a positive front and used music as a source of inspiration, not excluding the military to whom they were a source of morale.

Like everything else music in the 1940s was fixated around the war and many artists strived to mirror the pain while remaining optimistic and confident about the looming future. Breakthrough artists were also not left behind for this was the decade that Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, The Dizzy brothers and Perry Como rose to fame. This events caused a large interest and faith in American music serving as an encouragement in the audio production scene and this will forever be remembered as the single period in American History that music was recorded so vastly.

January 1st 1941 was the beginning of all the storms in the music industry. On that fateful day musicians signed under ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers) were hit by the radio boycott which was as a result of the 448% increment in licence fees. With musician receiving little to none airplay for quite some time politics took over the radios. A few months later in retaliation BMI (Broadcast Music Incorporated) was established, and with it cheaper licence fees were made available.

August 1st 1942 was another the beginning of another revolutionary era in the music industry and James Caesar Petrillo was at the heart of it. On that day, James, who at the time was the President of the Chicago Local 10 rained havoc on union musicians when he barred them from recording music. This was a bid focused on forcing major record labels to pay union fees for radio broadcast and jukebox play of records, since many people were opting to stay indoors and therefore slowly killing live music which was the main source of income for many artists.

As time passed so did the popularity of Jazz, blues, swing, and big bands diminish. The ban which had lasted for two years was finally starting to get a solution but it had already left its mark. Seeing the magnitude of the ban, Decca records capitulated and paved way for dialogue and 14 months later RCA and Columbia followed suit. Consequently thanks to the ban the swing era had come to an end and given way to pop and country music.

By the end of the decade, several important technological changes were set in motion. At that time the Japanese invaded South East Asia and brought the entire music industry to a standstill. With record companies depending on shellac this invasion threw them off guard. A solution had to be found but it was not till 1948 that the vinyl which was derived from Plastic Resin Derivative of Petroleum was commercialized. At the end of it all it’s evident that the 40s demonstrated the ability of the industry to emerge strong even in the midst of storms.

The 1950s was a revolutionary time and the music of this decade reflected the cultural deviations while trying to hold on to the societal norms of the past. The music industry was also not left behind, new genres were innovated and the recording industry experienced a boom with many recording labels being established at the time. It is widely believed that this was the musical golden age and the United States was at the heart of it, embarking on a musical journey that changed the face of music for decades to come.

Racism dates back to the pre-war times and has been hailing us for a very long time. In the 1950s the social vice was so prevalent to a point that it creeped up on the music industry. It was in this decade that white musicians were constantly being accused of stealing music from black musicians thus further fuelling the tension between both races. Record Labels also played a major role in this rift with their denial of copyright to the black musicians. However Sam Phillips, the founder of Memphis Recording Services brought about the change that was long overdue when he incorporated the motto “We record anything, anywhere, anytime.

Elvis Presley, the star of the 50s, was a truck driver prior to his discovery in the mid-50s. It all began when he went to Sam Phillips recording studio to record a song for his mother’s birthday. Deep inside he was also hoping to get a recording deal and his first two songs “My happiness” and “That’s when your heart begins” did the magic. Suddenly he was transformed into an overnight sensation and was soon dabbed as the “King of Rock”. Nonetheless he was not clear of controversies since his gyrations were constantly censored and was considered a male sex symbol.

The first wave of youth culture began in this decade, where for the first time youngsters started to disregard whatever their elders did, dressed, or listened to. Rock and roll for the better part was blamed for the rebellion amongst the youth whom coincidentally happened to be the dominant audience. Much of the United States was generally characterized by conservatism and conformity to social norms thus causing the older generation to detest the genre which the accused of robbing the youth of their children.

The 1960s was one of the most dramatic and controversial decades in American history. Sentiments about its achievements and failures continue to be divided between those who hail it as the last time the nation made a concerted effort to realize its best ideals and those who condemn the decade as the source of much that which is wrong with contemporary America. Yet amid the passionate disagreements about the significance and legacies of the 1960s, a few dispute that music played an important role in shaping how the decade will be remembered.

This was a decade in which excitement ran rife in the music scene and not even the upheaval in society, fashion, and attitudes could dampen the mood. The British Invasion, spearheaded by The Beatles was here, rock was making its mark with several subgenres added to it, and most of all acapella music was just beginning to gain momentum. John Lennon was once quoted saying “The thing the 1960s did was to show us the possibilities and the responsibility that we all had. It wasn’t the answer. It just gave us a glimpse of the possibility.”

1960-1962 pretty much lacked momentum, rock music and doo wop still remained popular and artists like Elvis Presley, Ray Charles, and The Everly brothers enjoyed massive airplay. This truly played out as a continuation of the rock and doo wop era in addition to the dance music which was slowly gaining popularity. The teenagers of this era who were popularly known as the baby boomers had a knack for dancing and the entertainment industry was just prepared to satisfy their needs. As the British invasion fast approached television shows like the American Bystanders helped to promote this dance craze with dance styles like the twist, the swim, and the locomotion.

In 1963 and the years to come a number of social influences changed what popular music was and gave birth to the diversity that we experience with music today. The British invasion and the birth of rock subgenres were the highlights of this decade. Nonetheless darkness was widely experienced with the assassination of President Kennedy on November 22nd 1963, the escalation of the Vietnamese war between 1963 and 1969, and the massive protests between1960-1964 all greatly impacted on American culture and music began to reflect that change.

The British Invasion, the name given to the period of time in the early to mid-1960s, during which many British rock bands and pop artists found mainstream success in the United States and Worldwide. It all started with a bootlegged version of “I want to hold your hand” being played on a Washington Dc radio station and from then on there was no stopping the brits. Soon after the only band that comes into mind when speaking of the historic invasion broke into the American scene with their groundbreaking appearance on the ED Sullivan Show in 1964.

The Beatles dominated worldwide charts from that point in time until they broke up in 1970. The phenomenon that surrounded this group was known as Beatle mania and many up and coming acts emulated their Liverpool sound. None of the other British Bands could come close to what the Beatles achieved in those short 6 years they were a united front. This was the group with the highest number of albums in first position, the band that got at the top and remained there for the longest time, the one with the most singles at top 10, and countless other milestones. Last but not least the Beatles and their rabid fandom revolutionized how we interact with musicians and music forever.

There’s no question that rock n roll was created in the 50s but the 60s is when this genre came alive. Termed as a genre that carried itself with an air of sophistication and international flavor it managed to reach out to many. Moreover rock massively dominated the music scene and as it grew and changed many diverse subgenres emerged which were all tied to the original rock but with their own style and purpose. These subgenres also had varying levels of popularity throughout the decade and many are still popular today.

Surf rock, the most popular rock subgenre of the 60s began in Southern California as a type of dance music. It was mostly instrumental and was very popular in the early to mid-60s prior to the famous invasion by the Brits. The subject matter of this genre was quite literally surfing, however this expanded as it grew in popularity and became about girls, cars, and general teenage antics. The most influential and popular group to come out of this new wave was The Beach Boys whose vocal harmonies and well-crafted compositions were the ultimate definition of this populace rock subgenre.

The dawn of the 1970s heralded a radical change in the music scene. Popularly known as the “me decade” the 70s were a time of discovery and innovation. From new genres, upcoming artists and music technology the music industry was immersed with vibrancy. In the eyes of the masses the 1970s was truly a good era in the world of music.

There was more variety in music in the 1970s than ever before and music listeners had dozens of genres to choose from. Funk, Soul, R&B, Pop, Glam rock, and Disco all carved out their place in the music world. However the highlight of this decade was the birth of Hip-hop, a genre that was received with racial discrimination but beat the odds to become a power horse in the latter days.

Funk music, a style that was known for its danceable beats, strange costumes, outrageous personalities, and often socially conscious lyrics saw its popularity encompass the 70s with artists like James Brown, George Clinton, and Chaka Khan. In the world of funk, James Brown, the man who was celebrated as being the most hardworking man in the show business was also credited for being this genres founder due to his album “Cold sweat” which featured some of the first mainstream funk songs. Overally funk was a genre that knew no boundaries and its psychedelic sound was very instrumental in making it big.

By the early 1970s, soul music had been influenced by psychedelic rock and other genres. The social and political ferment of the times inspired artists like Gaye and Curtis Mayfield to release album length statements with hard hitting social commentaries. At one point, the five top selling records in the United States and eleven of the top 20 albums were by African American artists. Leading the way was Isaac Hayes with his smash hit from 1971, shaft.

Self-glorifying and decadent, glam rock positioned itself as a backlash against the rock mainstream of the 1960s. This style, also known as glitter rock was a musical movement that began in Britain in the early 1970s and celebrated the spectacle of the rock star and concert. Often dabbled with glitter, male musicians took the stage in women’s makeup and clothing, adopted theatrical personas and mounted glamorous musical production frequently characterized by space age futurism.

If ever a musical style defined a decade then disco was the prime definition of the 1970s. Although its popularity was relatively short lived, the genre hosted a great deal of songs and artists that people are still dancing to today and had a huge influence on the fashions decade. Van McCoy’s “The Hustle” has often been referred to as the definitive disco track and many people say it was the first disco song created. Gloria Gaynor also enjoyed disco popularity with her anthem “I will survive”. The Bees Gees also helped to define the disco genre with their hit “Jive Talkin” and their blockbuster “Stayin Alive” is often synonymous with the music era. The Village People’s YMCA and Macho Man also helped to add opportunity for this style.

Unfortunately it did not take long for the public to see disco’s silliness and commercialization eventually forcing the people to rebel against it. Its lack of attention to musical significance helped add to its downfall after only a short time. When disco fell from grace to grass it fell fast, and many radio stations held public events that were dedicated to ridding the world of disco music with symbolic albums burnings. Youths rebelled against the genre as well and it was not uncommon to see a few music fans sporting “Disco Sucks” T-shirts.

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