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It’s long but the question was broad!Throughout the years, musical styles have reflected the society of the time and have evolved with changes in the world. Not only does music change with society but it changes with technological advances as well. As technology changes it can allow new styles to emerge and new ways for people to listen. From radio to television, and records to the internet, music and the way we consume it has dramatically changed in the past seventy years. Even the innovations in the technology used to create musical instruments and recording equipment has effected what styles and songs are made and popular within the music landscape. Throughout this section we will try to briefly cover the types of music that were popular since the 1920's up until the present day by providing lists of genres and artists as well as some historical context. Keep in mind a lot of this information is subjective and we have tried our best to cover the most popular elements of the history of music. **All lists in this section are in no particular order**1920'sMusic in the 1920's was dominated by jazz, blues and the traveling dance bands that played what was popular at the time. Following the devastation of the first World War, Twenties music was quite upbeat and optimistic as the economy boomed and parties roared despite prohibition in the US. The music industry as we know it was just beginning and all things seemed possible.You can find more detailed information on our 1920's MusicPagePopular Genres: Jazz, Blues, Dance, Broadway, Ragtime, StandardsPopular Artists:Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Ma Rainey, Sophie Tucker, Eddie Cantor, Paul Whiteman, Bessie SmithSome of the most popular and well known songs from the 1920'sThe Great Depression hit late in the 1920s and remained throughout the 1930s, heavily influencing the music of the time. Some music like blues and country reflected the hardships faced by many, while most other popular music like big band and swing kept an upbeat feeling in the air. Popular music served its purpose in providing an escape from the harsh conditions in the Thirties. Many songs addressed the current issues while remaining optimistic, while others addressed the mood with a more tongue-in-cheek approach.You can find more information on our 1930's Music Page1930'sPopular Genres: Swing, Jazz, Country, Traditional Pop, Crooners, Big BandPopular Artists:Rudy Vallee, Cab Calloway, Fred Astaire, Bing Crosby, The Andrews Sisters, Gene Autry, Benny Goodman, Count Basie, Kate Smith, Tommy Dorsey1940'sThe music of the 1940's consisted mainly of jazz, big band, and swing. It reflected the pain of World War II while also trying to remain upbeat and looking towards a positive future full of possibilities. Because much of the world was involved in the war during the decade, many artists and groups put their efforts into entertaining troops, especially in the US with the USO (United States Service Organizations).You can find more information on our 1940's Music PagePopular Genres: Jazz, Big Band, Swing, Country, Bebop, Novelty Acts, Band LeadersPopular Artists: Rosemary Clooney, Frank Sinatra, Glenn Miller, Artie Shaw, Count Basie, Bing Crosby, The Andrews Sisters, Dorsey Brothers, Billie Holiday, Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald1950'sMusic of the 1950's reflected the beginnings of major social changes in the world and in the US, especially. Rock 'n' Roll, R&B, and traditional pop ruled the charts while radio and television connected the country in our musical tastes and exposed the nation to a greater variety of artists and styles. Some of the first major superstars of music emerged from this decade with people like Elvis Presley dominating the airwaves and the minds of young girls.You can find more detailed information on our 1950's MusicPagePopular Genres: Traditional Pop, Rock 'n' Roll, Rhythm & Blues, Country, Jazz, Blues, Calypso, Vocal JazzPopular Artists: Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly, Fats Domino, The Everly Brothers, Patti Page, Doris Day, Johnny Cash, Nat King Cole, Tony Bennett, Dean Martin, Pat Boone, Gene Autry, Patsy Cline, Same Cooke, Hank Williams, Teresa Brewer, Ritchie Valens, Harry Belafonte, Ray Charles1960'sThe sounds of the 1960's straddled a large dichotomy between the ultimate commercialism with completely manufactured bands (like The Archies and The Monkees) and revolutionary artistry (Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix) with some of the greatest singer-songwriters and instrumentalists emerging on the scene. There were also many bands and artists that walked the line between commercialism and musical innovation like The Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, and The Rolling Stones. The Beatles dominated the charts and spurred on the British Invasion that characterized much of the decade.You can find more detailed information on our 1960's MusicPagePopular Genres: Folk, Surf Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Blues-Rock, Progressive Rock, Garage Rock, Pop, Soul, R&B, Country, British Invasion, Latin Rock, Protest/Music with a MessagePopular Artists: The Beatles, Bob Dylan, The Monkees, The Rolling Stones, The Supremes, Simon & Garfunkel, Aretha Franklin, The Beach Boys, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, The Moody Blues, Janis Joplin, Neil Seddaka, Chubby Checker, The Mamas & The Papas, Cream, The Temptations, James Brown1970'sThe 1970's served as a bridge between the seriousness of the music that came out of the late sixties and the excessiveness of music from the 1980's. Disco became one of the biggest and most despised trends in music during the decade. It was so pervasive that many established singers and bands came out with disco songs to keep up with the trends, including rockers like Blondie and Rod Stewart. Heavier rock music and punk rock also emerged during the decade, some of it as a retaliation to disco.You can find more detailed information on our 1970's MusicPagePopular Genres: Disco/Dance, Progressive Rock, Punk, New Wave, Funk, Soul, Glam Rock, Soft Rock, Singer-Songwriter, Folk, Souther Rock/Country Rock, Country-Pop, Power PopPopular Artists: The Doors, The Who, The Jackson 5, Marvin Gaye, Rod Stewart, Barry Manilow, Diana Ross, Paul Simon, Gloria Gaynor, The Bee Gees, The Ramones, Sex Pistols, Electric Light Orchestra, Patti Smith, The Cars, Kool & The Gang, Parliament-Funkadelic, Earth Wind & Fire, Kansas, ABBA, Donna Summer, Queen, Grand Funk Railroad, Blondie, The Carpenters, Elton John, Billy Joel1980'sIn the 1980's music was dramatically changed by the introduction of MTV (Music Television). This meant that music videos became more and more of a necessity in order for artists to gain popularity (especially with the youth) and sell records. A greater importance was placed on the appearance of musicians and gimmicks became commonplace. Michael Jackson emerged as one of the most dominant artists of the decade and was helped by his creative music videos and pure talent, with his Thriller album and video setting pop music standards. New Wave and Synth-Pop were popular genres and their electronic sounds fit perfectly with the beginnings of the computer age. Hair Metal bands also became popular during the decade with their theatrical and outrageous music videos and performances. Hip-Hop also came into the mainstream during the decade.You can find more detailed information on our 1980's MusicPagePopular Genres: New Wave, Synth-Pop, Hair Metal, Hip-Hop, Gothic Rock, Heavy Metal, Pop, Alternative Rock, Hardcore Punk, Contemporary R&B, CountryPopular Artists: Dolly Parton, Michael Jackson, Lionel Ritchie, Olivia Newton John, David Bowie, Billy Joel, Duran Duran, The Police, U2, Van Halen, Def Leppard, Poison, Twisted Sister, Whitney Houston, Madonna, Phil Collins, Cyndi Lauper, Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen, Motley Crue, Prince, Paula Abdul, The Cure, Depeche Mode, The Go-Gos, The Bangles, Randy Travis, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Public Enemy, Run-DMC, MC Hammer, Beastie Boys, LL Cool J, Bobby Brown, New Kids on the Block, Janet Jackson, Tom Petty, Journey, Tina Turner1990'sLike the sixties, the 1990's was a decade of extremes with under-produced, anti-establishment grunge bands and gangster rappers enjoying just as much success as the overly produced and studio manufactured pop groups. The decade was ruled by powerful singers with Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, and Whitney Houston topping the charts. Many artists' personal problems including drug abuse and rap feuds overshadowed a lot of the talent during the decade as well, with the death of many popular musicians due to drug overdose and the murders of rappers like Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur.You can find more detailed information on our 1990's MusicPagePopular Genres: Grunge, Alternative/College Rock, Technotronic, Hip-Hop, Gangster Rap, Bubblegum Pop, Boy Bands/Girl Groups, Pop-Punk, Metal, Ska, Contemporary R&B, Country-Pop, Britpop, New Jack Swing, Singer-Songwriter, Hard Rock, Happy RockPopular Artists: Nirvana, Pearl Jam, MC Hammer, Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys, N'Sync, Soundgarden, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Salt 'n Peppa, Vanilla Ice, Tone Loc, 2Pac, Notorious B.I.G., Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, Gloria Estefan, Madonna, Whitney Houston, The Offspring, Green Day, No Doubt, Ricky Martin, Garth Brooks, Shania Twain, Faith Hill, Boyz II Men, Janet Jackson, R.E.M., Weezer, Guns & Roses, Hootie & the Blowfish, Christina Aguilera, Alanis Morisette, Jewel, Oasis, Mariah Carey, Natalie Merchant, Sheryl Crow, Melissa Etheridge, Dave Matthews Band, Metallica, Nine Inch Nails, Cypress Hill, Foo Fighters, The Smashing Pumpkins2000'sThe music of the 2000's showcased a variety of genres and it reflected a great deal of the pop music that came from the nineties, with many of the same artists and bands remaining popular between the two decades. For a decade filled with much suffering in terms of the September 11th attacks, two wars in the Middle East, and an economic downturn, a lot of the music had to strike a fine balance between upbeat and optimistic while still reflecting the pain that many experienced. Some of the more popular genres of the decade included Dance-Pop, Indie Rock, and Emo.You can find more information on our 2000's Music PagePopular Genres: Dance-Pop, Indie Rock, Emo, Pop-Punk, Contemporary R&B, Hip-Hop, Reggaeton, Electronica, Hard Rock, Alternative Metal, New Wave Revival, Teen Pop, Boy Bands, Internet Stars, Disney Artists, Adult Contemporary, Country, Country-Pop, British Soul, Latin PopPopular Artists: Eminem, Sean Paul, Rihanna, Miley Cyrus, Jessica Simpson, Jennifer Lopez, Kanye West, Jay-Z, Beyonce, Taylor Swift, Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert, Kelly Clarkson, Linkin Park, The Killers, Maroon 5, Alicia Keys, Outkast, Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, Carrie Underwood, Christina Aguilera, Pink, Norah Jones, Coldplay, Shakira, Modest Mouse, The White Stripes, Death Cab for Cutie, Fall Out Boy, Paramore, Panic! At the Disco, Amy Winehouse, Joss Stone, Toby Keith, Kid Rock, Dixie Chicks, Destiny's Child, Leona Lewis, Flo Rida, The Jonas Brothers, Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Avril Lavigne, Michelle Branch, The Shins, Blink-182, Staind, System of a Down, KornThe Ways We Listen to MusicThe way we listen to music has changed drastically throughout the past seventy years. For a very long time records and the radio were the predominant means of listening to your favorite songs. Despite numerous advances in technology, many artists today still release their albums on vinyl records as well as MP3s and CDs because many music fans still believe that vinyl records provide the best musical experience. The technology for records began in the 1800's with wax records and phonographs, and as technology advance the size, speed and material of the records changed. In the 1970's until the 1990's 8-tracks and then cassette tapes became another popular media with which to experience music due to their portability. Although they were developed in the 1980's, CDs (Compact Discs) and CD players did not become a popular way to listen to music until the middle of the 1990's when the technology became more affordable. CDs replaced tapes due to their greater storage capacities and better sound quality. CDs were the most popular way to listen to one's favorite songs until the middle of the 2000's when computer and internet technology advanced significantly to make MP3 format and MP3 players more viable means of entertainment. Apple's iPod was released in November of 2001 and changed the way we listen to music forever making it forever portable and allowing us to infinitely expand our music collections. With more and more advances in computer technology and increased internet capabilities, we have the ability to instantly listen to our favorite songs at a relatively low cost or for free with our computers, phones, MP3 players, and tablets thanks to instant streaming services like Pandora or Spotify and online shops like iTunes or Amazon. Television also influenced the way we listen to music with artists being able to reach national audiences through performances on talk shows, music showcases, and music videos on MTV. Now with popularity of video sharing websites like YouTube, many artists are being discovered through this medium and established artists can connect more quickly and deeply with their fans.

Today’s pop music is designed to sell, not inspire. Today’s pop artist is often more concerned with producing something familiar to mass audience, increasing the likelihood of commercial success. With less timbral variety, and the same combination of keyboard, drum machine, and computer software, and with only two songwriters writing much of what we hear, is it any wonder that most pop music sounds the same?Throughout grade school and high school, I was fortunate to participate in quality music programs. Our high school had a top Illinois state jazz band; I also participated in symphonic band, which gave me a greater appreciation for classical music. It wasn’t enough to just read music. You would need to sight read, meaning you are given a difficult composition to play cold, without any prior practice. Sight reading would quickly reveal how fine-tuned playing “chops” really were. In college I continued in a jazz band and also took a music theory class. The experience gave me the ability to visualize music (If you play by ear only, you will never have that same depth of understanding music construct.)Both jazz and classical art forms require not only music literacy, but for the musician to be at the top of their game in technical proficiency, tonal quality and creativity in the case of the jazz idiom. Jazz masters like John Coltrane would practice six to nine hours a day, often cutting his practice only because his inner lower lip would be bleeding from the friction caused by his mouth piece against his gums and teeth. His ability to compose and create new styles and directions for jazz was legendary. With few exceptions such as Wes Montgomery or Chet Baker, if you couldn’t read music, you couldn’t play jazz. In the case of classical music, if you can’t read music you can’t play in an orchestra or symphonic band. Over the last 20 years, musical foundations like reading and composing music are disappearing with the percentage of people that can read music notation proficiently down to 11 percent, according to some surveys.Two primary sources for learning to read music are school programs and at home piano lessons. Public school music programs have been in decline since the 1980’s, often with school administrations blaming budget cuts or needing to spend money on competing extracurricular programs. Prior to the 1980’s, it was common for homes to have a piano with children taking piano lessons. Even home architecture incorporated what was referred to as a “piano window” in the living room which was positioned above an upright piano to help illuminate the music. Stores dedicated to selling pianos are dwindling across the country as fewer people take up the instrument. In 1909, piano sales were at their peak when more than 364,500 were sold, but sales have plunged to between 30,000 and 40,000 annually in the US. Demand for youth sports competes with music studies, but also, fewer parents are requiring youngsters to take lessons as part of their upbringing.Besides the decline of music literacy and participation, there has also been a decline in the quality of music which has been proven scientifically by Joan Serra, a postdoctoral scholar at the Artificial Intelligence Research Institute of the Spanish National Research Council in Barcelona. Joan and his colleagues looked at 500,000 pieces of music between 1955-2010, running songs through a complex set of algorithms examining three aspects of those songs:1. Timbre- sound color, texture and tone quality2. Pitch- harmonic content of the piece, including its chords, melody, and tonal arrangements3. Loudness- volume variance adding richness and depthThe results of the study revealed that timbral variety went down over time, meaning songs are becoming more homogeneous. Translation: most pop music now sounds the same. Timbral quality peaked in the 60’s and has since dropped steadily with less diversity of instruments and recording techniques. Today’s pop music is largely the same with a combination of keyboard, drum machine and computer software greatly diminishing the creativity and originality. Pitch has also decreased, with the number of chords and different melodies declining. Pitch content has also decreased, with the number of chords and different melodies declining as musicians today are less adventurous in moving from one chord or note to another, opting for well-trod paths by their predecessors. Loudness was found to have increased by about one decibel every eight years. Music loudness has been manipulated by the use of compression. Compression boosts the volume of the quietest parts of the song so they match the loudest parts, reducing dynamic range. With everything now loud, it gives music a muddled sound, as everything has less punch and vibrancy due to compression.In an interview, Billy Joel was asked what has made him a standout. He responded his ability to read and compose music made him unique in the music industry, which as he explained, was troubling for the industry when being musically literate makes you stand out. An astonishing amount of today’s popular music is written by two people: Lukasz Gottwald of the United States and Max Martin from Sweden, who are both responsible for dozens of songs in the top 100 charts. You can credit Max and Dr. Luke for most the hits of these stars:Katy Perry, Britney Spears, Kelly Clarkson, Taylor Swift, Jessie J., KE$HA, Miley Cyrus, Avril Lavigne, Maroon 5, Taio Cruz, Ellie Goulding, NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, Ariana Grande, Justin Timberlake, Nick Minaj, Celine Dion, Bon Jovi, Usher, Adam Lambert, Justin Bieber, Domino, Pink, Pitbull, One Direction, Flo Rida, Paris Hilton, The Veronicas, R. Kelly, ZebraheadWith only two people writing much of what we hear, is it any wonder music sounds the same, using the same hooks, riffs and electric drum effects?Lyric Intelligence was also studied by Joan Serra over the last 10 years using several metrics such as “Flesch Kincaid Readability Index,” which reflects how difficult a piece of text is to understand and the quality of the writing. Results showed lyric intelligence has dropped by a full grade with lyrics getting shorter, tending to repeat the same words more often. Artists that write the entirety of their own songs are very rare today. When artists like Taylor Swift claim they write their own music, it is partially true, insofar as she writes her own lyrics about her latest boyfriend breakup, but she cannot read music and lacks the ability to compose what she plays. (Don’t attack me Tay-Tay Fans!)Music electronics are another aspect of musical decline as the many untalented people we hear on the radio can’t live without autotune. Autotune artificially stretches or slurs sounds in order to get it closer to center pitch. Many of today’s pop musicians and rappers could not survive without autotune, which has become a sort of musical training wheels. But unlike a five-year-old riding a bike, they never take the training wheels off to mature into a better musician. Dare I even bring up the subject of U2’s guitarist “The Edge” who has popularized rhythmic digital delays synchronized to the tempo of the music? You could easily argue he’s more an accomplished sound engineer than a talented guitarist.Today’s music is designed to sell, not inspire. Today’s artist is often more concerned with producing something familiar to mass audience, increasing the likelihood of commercial success (this is encouraged by music industry execs, who are notoriously risk-averse).In the mid-1970’s, most American high schools had a choir, orchestra, symphonic band, jazz band, and music appreciation classes. Many of today’s schools limit you to a music appreciation class because it is the cheapest option. D.A. Russell wrote in the Huffington Post in an article titled, “Cancelling High School Elective, Arts and Music—So Many Reasons—So Many Lies” that music, arts and electives teachers have to face the constant threat of eliminating their courses entirely. The worst part is knowing that cancellation is almost always based on two deliberate falsehoods peddled by school administrators: 1) Cancellation is a funding issue (the big lie); 2) music and the arts are too expensive (the little lie).The truth: Elective class periods have been usurped by standardized test prep. Administrators focus primarily on protecting their positions and the school’s status by concentrating curricula on passing the tests, rather than by helping teachers be freed up from micromanaging mandates so those same teachers can teach again in their classrooms, making test prep classes unnecessary.What can be done? First, musical literacy should be taught in our nation’s school systems. In addition, parents should encourage their children to play an instrument because it has been proven to help in brain synapse connections, learning discipline, work ethic, and working within a team. While contact sports like football are proven brain damagers, music participation is a brain enhancer.Republished with gracious permission from Intellectual Takeout (August 2018).The Imaginative Conservative applies the principle of appreciation to the discussion of culture and politics—we approach dialogue with magnanimity rather than with mere civility. Will you help us remain a refreshing oasis in the increasingly contentious arena of modern discourse? Please consider donating now.The featured image is of the band Maroon 5 performing in Sydney, Australia in February 2019, courtesy of Wikipedia.All comments are moderated and must be civil, concise, and constructive to the conversation. Comments that are critical of an essay may be approved, but comments containing ad hominem criticism of the author will not be published. Also, comments containing web links or block quotations are unlikely to be approved. Keep in mind that essays represent the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Imaginative Conservative or its editor or publisher.