1960s Popular Music

~Common features of popular music of the 1960s~

With the invention of the drum synthesizer, some of the genres started replacing drummers with synthesizers. This was common in Motown and soul music. In other genres, more and more electronic music have also started to appear - for example, the hammond organ in psychedelic rock. Harmonically, a lot of the music was still very simple, and many of the songs songs generally consisted of the tonic, subdominant and the dominant chords with some occasional supertonic minor chords. The common genres of the decade were Bubblegum pop, Psychedelic rock, Motown/Soul, west coast pop and the British Invasion artists. 

 

• Very clean, generally acoustic sound other than the electric guitar and possibly the electric bass
• Generally consists of I, IV and V chords with some II and VI chords. 
• Very easy listening
• Uncontroversial
• Generally has a proper drum kit
• The lyrics are often about teenage love
• Most bubblegum pop songs sound very similar - they are formulaic

Common features of Psychedelic rock:

• Often has a very misty sound
• The Hammond organ is a common instruments (Listen to the introduction of Example 1)
• The music is slightly more electronic compared to the music of the time
• The electric guitar was definitely common
• Wah pedals were often used in the guitar parts
• The bass line was often very active
• Many of the music was about civil rights and other issues
• Important artists include The doors, The grateful dead and Moby Grape
• Example 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKbPUzhWeeI
• Example 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6a3NcwfOBzQ
• Example 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WANNqr-vcx0

Common features of Motown and soul:

• It is the beginning of disco
• Drum synthesizers were therefore used a lot
• Funk bass lines
• Distorted brass sections
• Keyboards
• Brass fills
• Strings - large orchestral arrangements
• Example artists invlude Marvin Gaye and The temptations
• Example 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPPhXxD-xgo
• Example 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPUsQDm-HQY

Common features of West coast pop

• Similar to bubblegum pop, but has a lot more complicated and richer vocal harmony
• It is the response by the Americans to the British Invasion
• The more complicated harmony and the fact that it sounds less formulaic makes it more interesting to listen to
• Famous artists include the Monkeys and the Beach Boys
• Example 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-ThPN8ZY4I
• Example 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfuBREMXxts

Common features of music by artists of the British Invasion:

• Generally similar to west coast pop. 
• Famous artists include The Beatles
• Example 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyCVxPEPx5Y
• Example 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8BPcNUQy-0

 

• A combination of elements from blues and rock and roll music
• 12 bar blues with blues shuffles played with guitar improvisations above
• Electric guitar and bass, hammond organs, drums, vocals and harmonicas were common instruments
• It is faster than normal blues 
• Distorted guitar sounds
• Famous artists include Jimmy Reed and Muddy waters
• Example 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=di1-bB1w4wM
• Example 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V25iA2XPzuA