History of Rock and Roll Notes Chapters 12-15

Chapter 12 • I. Introduction i. Rap and heavy metal developed in underground scenes and emerged into the mainstream in the second half of the 1980s; hardcore and indie represented an outgrowth of punk and largely remained out of the mainstream until alternative rock became popular in the 1990s. • II. Heavy! Duty! Heavy Metal in the 1980s i. Heavy Metal Thunder a. Heavy metal developed out of the harder, more aggressive styles of rock from the 1960s and 1970s, including garage rock, progressive psychedelia, and the gothic character of bands such as Black Sabbath; it became a separate category when bands in England and Los Angeles started to have mainstream success. ii. Blue-Collar Man: Image and Class a. Heavy metal fans were stereotyped as unsophisticated and it was typically assumed that fans were white and blue-collar; metal bands rejected the status quo, which fans embraced as a mark of authenticity. iii. The New Wave of British Heavy Metal a. British heavy metal musicians reacted to mainstream rock with a "return to heavy rock and roll," and they were often from working-class sections of England. b. Many English bands developed their music under the pop-industry radar; examples include Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and Def Leppard. iv. Early Los Angeles Bands and the American Heavy Metal Underground a. American metal bands created their own underground networks, most prominently in Los Angeles; Van Halen was a successful band from this scene. b. Other bands that emerged from the Los Angeles scene included Quiet Riot, Ratt, and Mötley Crüe. v. The Rise of the Metal Mega-Stars and Hair Bands a. The first American heavy metal group to reach megastar status was Bon Jovi, led by singer Jon Bon Jovi; the group developed a more pop-oriented style. b. Guns N' Roses, with singer Axl Rose and guitarist Slash, also came out of the metal scene to become mainstream stars. c. "Hair bands" distinguished themselves through the use of costumes, makeup, and heavily teased hair; Poison, Warrant, Winger, and Skid Row are examples of hair bands. vi. Metal Ambition a. Some metal groups, including the American band Metallica and the British band Motörhead, were serious-minded and musically ambitious. b. Speed metal is characterized by fast tempos and blazing guitar solos, while thrash metal allowed for a wider range of textures and tempos; Metallica experimented with speed and thrash metal, and "One" is a representative example of their music from the late 1980s. c. Megadeth, Anthrax, and Slayer were all important thrash metal bands. vii. The Role of Virtuosity and the Hippie Aesthetic a. Instrumental virtuosity was an important musical element for many metal bands, particularly those influenced by guitarists Richie Blackmore, Eddie Van Halen, and Randy Rhoads; Yngwie Malmsteen is an example of a virtuosic metal guitarist. b. Heavy metal carried on the hippie aesthetic. • III. The Emergence of Rap i. Rap Music and Hip-Hop Culture a. Rap originated in New York's African American and Latino communities in the late 1970s alongside other elements of hip-hop culture: grafÏti, break dancing, and distinctive fashion trends. b. The first hip-hop DJs played records at neighborhood parties, while MCs commented on the music and encouraged partygoers. c. Early hip-hop DJs including Kool Herc and Grandmaster Flash developed technical innovations important to modern rap, including techniques involving portable turntables and mixers. d. Afrika Bambaataa, another early DJ, helped to expand the range of source recordings used in hip-hop; his Zulu Nation was founded to reduce crime in New York neighborhoods. ii. From the Park to the Radio: The First Rap Records a. Early hip-hop was a live event; "Rapper's Delight" (1979) is often cited as the first recorded hip-hop single, and the label that released it, Sugar Hill, was the most important rap label of the early 1980s. iii. Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin: Crossing Over to White Audiences a. Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin formed Def Jam Records, and Simmons owned the management company Rush Entertainment; they managed and produced many of the leading rappers of the 1980s and defined a new style of mainstream hip-hop. b. LL Cool J was one of the first successful artists on Def Jam; he had hits on the rhythm and blues charts and crossed over with "I Need Love" in 1987. c. Run-DMC was an influen, tial group that had a crossover hit with the single "Rock Box" and mainstream success with the album Raising Hell. d. Run-DMC frequently used the opening drumbeat from Aerosmith's "Walk This Way"; a Run-DMC version of the song featured Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, bringing rap to the attention of white rockers. e. Def Jam also produced the Beastie Boys, a group of white rappers; the Beastie Boys were also one of the first groups to use digital sampling technology. iv. Challenging the Status Quo a. Ice-T was one of the most important West Coast rappers in the late 1980s and early 1990s; the music of West Coast artists that depicted urban life was known as "gangsta rap." b. N.W.A was controversial for the themes in their music; the group often used samples from funk. c. Rap artists began to engage in social and political criticism; Boogie Down Productions (BDP), led by KRS-One, is often cited as particularly significant. d. Public Enemy, led by Chuck D and Flavor Flav, built on the rhythmic style of Run-DMC and the social and political approach of BDP; the group had significant crossover success and was one of the most influential groups in rap. e. Queen Latifah started in a hip-hop group called Ladies Fresh before signing as a solo artist with Tommy Boy Records and releasing her debut album All Hail the Queen. v. Fear of a Black Planet? The Flap over Rap a. Some critics claimed that hip-hop was not music since rappers did not play instruments or sing, and offensive lyrics in some rap also sparked debate; race and class were factors in the reception of rap by some white listeners, and this tension was sometimes portrayed as a conflict between rock and rap. b. The video for Run-DMC's "Walk This Way" depicts the racial tension between rock and rap; rap musicians often reshape preexisting music into something new, which is an aesthetic approach dating back to at least World War II. c. Rap and heavy metal might have appeared to be in opposition, but there are similarities in the commercial development of both genres. • IV. Punk Goes Hardcore i. Regional Hardcore a. Hardcore developed out of 1970s punk, but remained largely underground; hardcore continued the punk traditions of loud, fast, and aggressive music grounded in the DIY aesthetic. ii. Los Angeles a. Los Angeles was a center for hardcore music in the 1980s as the home of Fear, X, the Germs, the Circle Jerks, and Black Flag; Fear is perhaps known for an infamous 1981 performance on Saturday Night Live. b. Black Flag was an important part of the Los Angeles hardcore scene; their music was representative of the hardcore movement in its rough production values, fast tempos, distorted guitars, screaming vocals, profane lyrics, and brief songs. c. The Minutemen embraced the DIY aesthetic and performed music that lacked the distortion and anarchistic lyrics of other hardcore bands; they changed their sound in the mid1980s to incorporate a wider range of styles. iii. D.C. Hardcore a. Washington D.C.'s hardcore scene was unique because of the stances on social and political issues taken by bands such as Bad Brains, Teen Idles, and Minor Threat in their music; Bad Brains incorporated elements of funk and reggae. b. The most important figure in the D.C. hardcore scene was Ian MacKaye, who formed the short-lived Teen Idles and then Minor Threat; Minor Threat was inspired by UK punk rock, but advocated for a drug- and alcohol-free lifestyle. iv. Twin Cities Punk a. The Minnesota-based hardcore scene produced accessible music with a melodic foundation; Hüsker Dü and the Replacements are representative of this scene. b. "Color Me Impressed" demonstrates the Replacements' typical style, blending features of punk rock with pop elements. c. Hüsker Dü experimented with more accessible music in the mid-1980s and appealed to the college rock market; hardcore bands continued the tradition of underground punk and paved the way for the alternative movement. • V. Indie and College Rock i. College Rock Underground: R.E.M. a. An outgrowth of hardcore, college rock music circulated through independent labels, college radio stations, and clubs in college towns; R.E.M. from Athens, Georgia, was one of the first successful bands to come from this scene. ii. Massachusetts Indie: Dinosaur Jr. and the Pixies a. Western Massachusetts was an important center for independent rock, where bands including Dinosaur Jr. first succeeded; Boston also had an independent rock scene, which produced the Pixies. iii. No Wave Know How: Sonic Youth a. Sonic Youth blended pop and art, employing dissonance, noise, and novel guitar sounds; they signed with a major label in 1990, but kept their experimental musical approach. iv. UK Indie: The Smiths and the Cure a. The Smiths went from the British underground to mainstream success on the UK charts; they never had mainstream success in the United States, but were heard on college radio. b. The Cure enjoyed mainstream success in the United States after gaining popularity in the United Kingdom and on college radio. c. College radio also played mainstream artists such as the Police, David Bowie, Talking Heads, and Peter Gabriel; college radio also provided an alternative to FM radio and MTV and helped to nurture a new rock culture that would become alternative rock. Chapter 13 The Nineteen Nineties • i. At the end of the Cold War, the United States was the world's only superpower; the United States was subsequently involved in several armed conflicts, including the Gulf War in 1991. • ii. Bill Clinton became president in 1992, leading a booming economy; he was impeached after a scandal but remained in ofÏce. • iii. The economy was driven by the high-tech industry. • iv. Music was one of the most contentious segments of the Internet economy as the RIAA sued Napster. • v. The beating of Rodney King by Los Angeles Police in 1992 caused public outcry and rage. • vi. In 1999, a mass shooting took place at Columbine High School in Colorado; this and other news events such as the O.J. Simpson trial were captured by 24-hour cable news channels. • vii. Movies in the 1990s dealt with themes of technology and violence; new technology was also used in the marketing and creation of films. • viii. Television programs blurred the lines between fiction and reality in the 1990s. • I. Introduction ◦ i. Nirvana's album Nevermind helped to launch the alternative rock boom, which popularized music with roots in the hardcore and indie rock scenes; alternative rockers dressed casually, presented themselves as amateur instrumentalists, and preferred to record for indie labels. ◦ ii. The popularity of alternative in the early 1990s caused it to become mainstream as many bands signed to major labels, were featured on radio and MTV, and played to large concert audiences. • II. The Rise of Alternative ◦ ▪ ▪ ◦ ▪ ◦ i. Seattle's Grunge Scene: Nirvana a. Nirvana's Nevermind and the single "Smells Like Teen Spirit" were hits in both the United States and the United Kingdom in 1991; Nirvana was one of the most significant of the "grunge" bands to come out of Seattle in the early 1990s. b. "Smells Like Teen Spirit" is a representative example of Nirvana's style. ii. Pearl Jam a. Pearl Jam was another alternative rock group from Seattle, and their music was in ways similar to heavy metal; Pearl Jam was also known for their anticommercial stance, which led them to fight against Ticketmaster. iii. Other Seattle Bands: Soundgarden and Alice in Chains ▪ ◦ a. Soundgarden formed in Seattle in the late 1980s and blended heavy metal, blues rock, and psychedelia; Alice in Chains initially had a style similar to heavy metal, but after Nirvana's success, they were promoted as a "Seattle band." iv. California Bands ▪ a. Alternative bands were also developing in California; Faith No More formed in San Francisco and had an eclectic style reminiscent of Frank Zappa. ▪ b. The Red Hot Chili Peppers were influenced by funk and had commercial success beginning in 1991. ▪ c. Stone Temple Pilots drew on the style of Seattle bands and elements of 1970s guitar rock. ◦ ▪ ◦ v. Alternative Impulses: Live, Lifehouse, and Creed a. The band Live emerged through mainstream channels but was marketed as alternative; Lifehouse and Creed both combined elements of grunge with Christian themes. vi. Irony and Self-Awareness: Foo Fighters and Weezer ▪ a. Foo Fighters was formed by members of the Seattle bands Nirvana and Sunny Day Real Estate; the group's music had a less serious tone than that of Nirvana. ▪ b. Weezer's music is often comedic, and the group has released a number of albums successful on the Billboard charts. ◦ vii. Pop Punk and Ska Revival ▪ a. The music of Green Day, the Offspring, and Blink-182 was often labeled "pop punk" because of its punk influences. ▪ b. A ska revival beginning in the mid-1990s produced several successful bands, including Sublime, the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and No Doubt. • III. Metal Extensions ◦ ▪ ◦ i. Rap and Rock: Rage Against the Machine a. The influence of rap played an increasing role in white rock; Rage Against the Machine combined hard rock with rapped vocals. ii. GetÝng Heavy: Korn, Limp Bizkit, System of a Down, and Kid Rock ▪ a. Korn brought the sound of the seven-string electric guitar into rap-rock; lyrics were rapped and sometimes screamed. ▪ b. Limp Bizkit also used a seven-string guitar and screamed vocals; Kid Rock incorporated a wide range of styles into rap-rock, including pop and country rock. ◦ ▪ iii. The Menacing Sounds of Industry: Nine Inch Nails and Marilyn Manson a. The style known as "industrial" can be traced to Throbbing Gristle, Cabaret Voltaire, and Skinny Puppy; Nine Inch Nails was the first to bring industrial to a mainstream rock audience, often exploring dark themes. ▪ b. Marilyn Manson was the name of both the band and its lead singer; Manson was a shock-rocker who included vulgar, grotesque, and satanic content on his albums. • IV. Indie Rock ◦ i. After alternative rock reached the pop mainstream in the 1990s, indie rock continued as underground music; independent labels, college radio, and annual festivals played an important role in the indie scene. ◦ ii. Many indie bands recorded for small labels and did not seek mainstream attention, preferring to create music on their own terms. ◦ iii. Lo-Fi: Pavement, Guided by Voices, and Elliott Smith ▪ ◦ ▪ ◦ ▪ ◦ ▪ ◦ ▪ ◦ ▪ a. Indie groups embraced their lack of access to good recording facilities and rejected elements of mainstream "professionalism" by opting for a "lo-fi" aesthetic; Pavement, Guided by Voices, and Elliott Smith had different approaches to lo-fi. iv. Merge: Magnetic Fields, Neutral Milk Hotel, and Superchunk a. The variety of bands on the Merge label in the 1990s demonstrates the diversity of styles within indie rock. v. Noise Pop: Yo La Tengo and My Bloody Valentine a. Experimenting with sound was an important element of 1990s indie rock; Yo La Tengo and My Bloody Valentine both experimented with noise, volume, repetition, and droning. vi. Female Perspectives: Liz Phair, Ani DiFranco, and Sleater-Kinney a. The indie rock movement included more women's perspectives than mainstream rock; Liz Phair, Ani DiFranco, and the band Sleater-Kinney all made a mark in the mid-1990s. vii. Alt-Country: Uncle Tupelo and Ryan Adams a. The band Uncle Tupelo helped to spark the alt-country movement by blending country and indie rock; former punk rocker Ryan Adams explored pop-country sounds with his group Whiskeytown. viii. Indie Music in the Mainstream: Beck a. Singer-songwriter Beck Hansen successfully transitioned from an indie label to a major label; Beck's music combines a lo-fi approach with a variety of stylistic influences including hip-hop, country rock, soul, and classical. b. Many indie and alternative groups shared a wariness of the mainstream music business. Chapter 14 • I. Introduction i. Many teenagers and college students today are fans of rock music from the 1960s and 1970s. ii. This chapter will address new industry developments in the 1990s; much of the music in this chapter is indebted to the rock of the past, while some styles point to newer developments. • II. The Rise of Classic Rock i. The Age of the CD Reissue: Selling the Same Music Again a. By the early 1990s, the standard format of the record business was compact discs. b. Companies began to sell CD reissues of older music in the 1980s, generating large profits. ii. Radio Killed the Video Star: The Classic-Rock Radio Format a. The classic-rock radio format, which played the biggest rock hits from 1966 to 1978, was one of the most successful formats by 1990. b. Initially classic-rock radio was popular with record companies because it supported the CD reissue market, but eventually the format was seen as squeezing out newer music. iii. Behind the Music: The Rise of VH-1 and the Rockumentary a. In 1985, MTV's parent company began broadcasting VH-1, a music channel targeted at an older demographic; the network succeeded when it developed new types of videos and series. iv. You're Never Too Old to Rock and Roll a. Many of the artists celebrated by the classic-rock movement enjoyed commercial success in the 1990s. b. A number of bands that had been popular in the 1960s and 1970s regrouped and toured in the 1990s. • III. New Rock Traditions i. The Return of Jamming a. The "jam band scene" became an underground movement, reviving the idea that live performances were the central focus of music. b. 1990s jam bands modeled themselves after the Grateful Dead and the Allman Brothers Band and reached a national audience through a collective summer tour called H.O.R.D.E.; Phish was one of the most prominent of the new jam bands. c. Widespread Panic, Blues Traveler, and the Spin Doctors also built their reputations on live performance. d. The Dave Matthews Band emerged from the jam band scene to achieve Billboard chart success. ii. Oasis, Radiohead, and Smashing Pumpkins a. A group of UK bands, often collectively referred to as "Britpop," drew upon the British invasion music of the 1960s; Oasis was popular in the United States, but more popular in the United Kingdom. b. Radiohead's music was influenced by the atmospheric music of Pink Floyd and British progressive rock; the group was critically acclaimed in the late 1990s and went on to achieve greater commercial success. c. Smashing Pumpkins reworked elements of progressive rock, psychedelia, and heavy metal. • IV. Rock Is Still Pop i. Feel-Good Rock: Sheryl Crow and Hootie and the Blowfish a. A lighter, "feel good" form of rock emerged in 1994; Sheryl Crow started her career as a backing vocalist and went on to have a number of hit records. b. Hootie and the Blowfish had a good-time, roots-rock style, and the band's albums sold in large numbers. ii. Counting Crows and the Wallflowers a. Counting Crows also emerged in the mid-1990s; lead singer Adam Duritz's voice has often been compared to Van Morrison, and the band used vintage instruments. b. Bob Dylan released an all-acoustic album in 1992, rekindling mainstream interest in his music; the Wallflowers were led by Dylan's son Jakob Dylan. iii. Matchbox 20 and Third Eye Blind a. Matchbox 20 was part of a wave of bands that blended guitar-driven pop or roots rock with the edgier sounds of alternative. b. Third Eye Blind, Sugar Ray, the Goo-Goo Dolls, and Train also had hits that drew on both traditional simplicity and alternative rock. • V. Female Singer-Songwriters i. Both Sides Now: Women's Perspectives in the Pop Mainstream a. The core of the singer-songwriter style is based on a perception of "authenticity," or the listener's belief that the artist is singing about his or her own experiences; a new generation of female singer-songwriters carried this style forward in the 1990s. ii. Assertive Female Voices: Tori Amos and the Indigo Girls a. Tori Amos was classically trained as a pianist; Little Earthquakes (1991) was the first of many innovative recordings she made as a singer-songwriter. b. The Indigo Girls were comprised of singer-songwriters Amy Ray and Emily Saliers, whose individual styles often contrasted. iii. Northern Contrasts: Sarah McLachlan, Jewel, and Alanis Morissette a. Sarah McLachlan had a soft vocal delivery and specialized in heartfelt ballads; she was an organizer of the music festival Lilith Fair. b. Jewel's style was similar to Sarah McLachlan; she moved toward more adult images and a "cleaned up" sound in her later recordings, and then produced a dance-oriented album in 2003. c. Alanis Morissette's debut album Jagged Little Pill, a collaboration with songwriter and producer Glen Ballard, captures the sense of anger and frustration of a romantic breakup; Jagged Little Pill and two of Morissette's later albums topped the pop album charts. • VI. Teen Idols i. The Return of Classic Motown: Boyz II Men a. The quartet Boyz II Men, who signed with Motown in the 1990s, sang harmony-vocal arrangements evoking The Drifters or the Temptations; New Edition and New Kids on the Block were precedents from the 1980s. b. Boyz II Men had crossover success with both singles and albums. ii. If You Build It, They Will Come: Boy Bands, Girl Groups, and Pop Divas a. The late 1990s saw a resurgence of acts meant to appeal to preteen and teenage girls, including the Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC; the Backstreet Boys had a string of hits beginning in 1997. b. *NSYNC included JC Chasez and Justin Timberlake from Disney's The New Mickey Mouse Club; their second album was a blockbuster hit that placed them on par with the Backstreet Boys. c. The Spice Girls were formed in the United Kingdom and became celebrities in Britain before entering the U.S. market; they combined elements of R&B with the beat of European dance music and projected an image of "girlpower." d. Singer Britney Spears tapped into the preteen market, with hits that began in 1998 with "…Baby One More Time"; Christina Aguilera cultivated a sexy image, and her skilled vocals helped her to top the pop as well as the Latin music charts. e. Critics of Spears and Aguilera charged that they made themselves into sexual objects and reinforced unhealthy images of young women; supporters argued that they were strong role models with significant control over their careers and images. • VII. Beat-Based Pop i. Making Beats a. The nonvocal elements of many teen pop tracks were constructed using electronic instruments such as drum machines, synthesizers, and samplers; this process of "making beats," which often occurred before vocal parts were constructed, was common in a variety of popular genres in the 1990s. ii. Hip-Hop in the 1990s a. Rap was one of the most dominant popular music styles in both the United States and the United Kingdom in the 1990s; samplers allowed beat makers to record and use small sections of pre-existing recordings, which challenged notions of ownership and copyright. b. Rap fractured into many substyles, and a rivalry developed between the East Coast and the West Coast; the West Coast faction was based at Death Row Records, run by Suge Knight. c. The East Coast faction was led by Sean Combs, who formed the label Bad Boy; Wu-Tang Clan was a collective of nine artists also based on the East Coast. d. White rapper Eminem challenged the media's assumptions about race in hip-hop; his lyrics sparked widespread controversy. e. Many hip-hop artists were linked with the rock tradition and were praised by rock critics; the Beastie Boys, De La Soul, and the Fugees are all examples. iii. Electronic Dance Music a. Electronic dance music entered the mainstream in the 1990s; dance music had been underground in the United States since the 1970s, but regained popularity after becoming a craze in the United Kingdom. b. The electronic dance movement stemmed from 1970s clubs including the Paradise Garage in New York, and the New York style is often called "garage"; Chicago DJs developed a style called "house," which emphasizes the drum machine, synthesizers, and sequencers. c. Rave culture popularized electronic dance music in the United Kingdom, and it was established locally by DJs in the United States in the early 1990s; major labels began to invest in dance music and important albums were released by the Chemical Brothers and Moby. d. Much of the music discussed in this chapter had an outward relationship with music of the past, and the influence of beat-based music was reflected in rock styles; the previous chapter traced the influence of the alternative and indie rock movements, and the next explores the digital revolution. Chapter 15 The 2000s • i. The new millennium began with concern that the world's computer networks would fail; later in the year 2000, paper ballots caused problems in the U.S. presidential election. • ii. Cultural, religious, and economic differences between the United States and radical terrorist groups boiled over during the early 2000s; the terrorist network Al-Qaeda attacked the United States on September 11, 2001, killing thousands and inciting military reactions from the United States. • iii. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast of the United States, causing devastating damage. • iv. Television was dominated by "reality" television; ambitious programming began to appear on cable networks. • v. Video-based chatÝng over computer networks and social media emerged in the 2000s. • vi. Speculative housing sales and "subprime" lending caused a financial boom followed by major economic difÏculties. • vii. Barack Obama became the first African American president in 2008; he faced difÏcult circumstances, including the financial crisis and two wars, and he has also shown a love for American music. • I. Introduction ◦ i. This chapter will focus on examples of recent rock and how they extended, repeated, or reacted against earlier styles; the entire music industry changed in the 2000s due to digital media, and it became clear that rock music had become an integral part of American culture. • II. Technology and Rock ◦ i. Changing Systems of Production and Consumption ▪ a. Digital recording technology made it possible to record music inexpensively; online sales of CDs were one of the first methods of Internet distribution. ▪ b. Listeners began to share music in the form of electronic files, particularly the MP3; Napster and other peer-to-peer file sharing programs made access to music easier and decentralized the power of major labels. ▪ c. Trading music through Napster was a violation of copyright law, and musicians, songwriters, and record companies lost revenue; Napster was challenged in court and forced to shut down, but it had changed the music industry business model. ▪ d. A variety of portable music players were available in the late 1990s and early 2000s; Apple introduced iTunes and the iPod in 2001, and in 2003 opened the iTunes store, which allowed users to purchase and download music files legally. ▪ e. Streaming became a dominant form of music consumption beginning in 2007, and cloud-based models became popular in 2011; online services allowed independent musicians to reach listeners. ▪ ◦ f. There was also a return to analog-oriented creation and distribution as some artists offered 45-rpm singles and long-play records; other artists experimented with tape-based recording instead of using digital tools. ii. Changing Conceptions of Media: Rock is Nowhere, but It's Also Everywhere ▪ a. Listeners are turning to Internet and satellite radio over terrestrial radio as sources for rock music. ▪ b. Selling tickets to rock concerts is now a multibillion-dollar business, making rock shows less accessible to teenagers and average fans; rather than seeing bands live, fans often interact with artists through digital means. ▪ c. Large-scale music festivals became big business in the early 2000s; music festivals in the United States date to the 1950s and 60s, but were less popular in the 1970s. ▪ d. Several models of festivals emerged in the 1980s, including the industry showcase; the CMJ Music Marathon started in 1980 in New York, and South by Southwest in the mid 1980s in Austin, Texas. ▪ e. Traveling festivals were popular in the 1980s and 1990s, and included Monsters of Rock, Lollapalooza, the Vans Warped Tour, Lilith Fair, and HORDE. ▪ f. In the 2000s, Coachella and Bonnaroo were among the festivals that led the popularization of multiday events supporting large audiences. ▪ g. Big-box stores and Internet commerce sent independent record stores into steep decline; sales of physical media are also in decline. ▪ h. Traditional rock music sales are declining, but exposure to rock music is increasing through channels such as commercial advertising, ringtones, and video games. • III. Mainstream Rock in the New Millennium ◦ i. From Sk8ers to Idols: Avril Lavigne, P!nk, and Kelly Clarkson ▪ a. Avril Lavigne was a teenager when her album Let's Go became the first in a series of hits; she performed her own music and was notable for her fashion, which went against conventions of young women dressing sensually on stage. ▪ b. P!nk was in the tradition of pop divas and R&B girl groups, and she became popular in the context of beat-based music; later in the decade, she moved into more adventurous material. ▪ c. Kelly Clarkson won the first season of American Idol, and her first album contained the mainstream pop sound and covers typical of the show; in subsequent recordings, she moved toward a rock sound. ◦ ▪ ii. Men at Work: Maroon 5, John Mayer, and Coldplay a. Several middle-of-the-road male artists became popular in the 2000s; Maroon 5 achieved national popularity in 2004 after several years of touring. ▪ b. John Mayer's guitar style and the simpler texture in his recordings made his music sound old-fashioned. ▪ c. Coldplay came out of the Britpop tradition, moving from an experimental style like Radiohead's to a more mainstream sound. ◦ iii. Roots Run Deep: Folk Styles Return to the Mainstream ▪ a. The successful soundtrack to the film O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2001) foreshadowed a renewed interest in acoustic music; Norah Jones was influenced by older production and songwriting techniques. ▪ b. Jack Johnson was an acoustic-oriented artist who had albums that sold in the millions, but little success on the singles market; acoustic-oriented musicians were more likely to find success in market segments such as "Adult Album Alternative" that filtered out beat-based music. ▪ c. There was a trend at the end of the 2000s that fused old-time, acoustic music with modern pop songwriting; Mumford and Sons, the Lumineers, Phillip Phillips, and the Avett Brothers all had success in this style, which contrasted with heavier varieties of rock and beat-based styles. ◦ iv. Heavy Legacies: Evanescence, Linkin Park, Hoobastank, and Nickelback ▪ a. Evanescence blended diverse influences including heavy music, piano-based balladry, rap, and gothic metal. ▪ b. Linkin Park was a Nu Metal group that has maintained a steady career since 2000; Hoobastank worked in a similar mainstream style of rap metal. ▪ c. Nickelback focused on heavier forms of rock; later in the decade, the band began to explore country influences. ▪ d. In 2004, a fan noticed strong similarities between two Nickelback songs, causing the band to face accusations that they recycle music; members of the band argued that they have a "distinct style" that caused the similarities. ▪ e. Hard rock groups achieved more success with album sales and market categories such as "Modern Rock," "Mainstream Rock," and "Active Rock" than with singles or the Hot 100; Godsmack, Disturbed, Three Days Grace, and Alice in Chains were popular among fans of hard rock. ▪ f. Two groups associated with Dave Grohl, Foo Fighters and Queens of the Stone Age, had both a heavier style and mainstream success. • IV. Country and Beat-Based Styles ◦ i. Country Rocks: Keith Urban, Taylor Swift, and Carrie Underwood ▪ a. In the early 2000s, many country artists incorporated rock styles into their music; country music continued some traditions that had fallen out of favor in rock, such as extended guitar solos. ▪ b. Keith Urban was a flashy guitarist who performed in a high-energy rock style; his records did well on the country market and extended into the Top 40. ▪ c. American Idol produced several country singers, the most important of which was Carrie Underwood; Underwood had consistent crossover success with records such as "Before He Cheats." ▪ d. Taylor Swift took the industry by storm as a teenager; Swift had crossover hits and a style that bridged contemporary country and mainstream rock. ◦ ii. Beat-Based Rockers: Kanye West, The Roots, Cee-Lo Green, and OutKast ▪ a. Beat-based music continued to be the most popular music in the world in the 2000s; Beyoncé Knowles and Lil Wayne are beat-based performers who have had success on both the pop and R&B charts. ▪ b. In terms of both his music and his image, Kanye West represented a strain of hiphop that appealed to rock listeners. ▪ c. The Roots became the most popular hip-hop group to use traditional rock instrumentation; they achieved crossover success with albums released in the 1990s and 2000s and gained further exposure as the house band for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. ▪ d. Southern rap artists, particularly in Atlanta, produced hybrids of rock and hip-hop in the 2000s; Cee-Lo Green achieved popularity in the 2000s as a solo performer and member of Gnarls Barkley and was known for expressive vocals. ▪ e. OutKast was an Atlanta-based hip-hop group that had crossover appeal; the group drew on a wide range of source material. • V. Indie Rock Sells ◦ i. Indie Roots: Wilco, Vampire Weekend, and Bright Eyes ▪ a. Indie rock began achieving record sales that placed its acts at the top of the charts. ▪ b. Jeff Tweedy's group Wilco was celebrated by the indie community for its successful negotiations with Warner Brothers as well as its innovative music. ▪ c. Vampire Weekend became an indie staple and then a mainstream success, due in part to dance rhythms and witty lyrics; Connor Oberst and his group Bright Eyes had several indie releases before gaining mainstream attention. ◦ ▪ ◦ ▪ ii. Merge in the New Century: Arcade Fire and Spoon a. The success of Arcade Fire required Merge Records to change its business model to keep up with demand; Spoon released five increasingly commercial successful albums on Merge in the 2000s. iii. Michigan Calling: The White Stripes and Sufjan Stevens a. The indie community helped to popularize bands from local scenes, including several important rock groups from Michigan; the White Stripes were an innovative garage rock band out of Detroit, and Jack White promoted indie releases both as a producer and with his label Third Man Records. ▪ ◦ b. Sufjan Stevens combined elements of the singer-songwriter movement, thematic releases, and a surreal performance style; he often tackled large-scale projects or themes. iv. Emo Rising: Dashboard Confessional and Jimmy Eat World ▪ a. The "emo" community was a largely independent network of bands that shared an audience younger than that typical of other indie rock. ▪ b. Emo music drew on 1970s and '80s American hardcore; emo groups emerged from regional scenes in a number of cities. ▪ c. Independent labels including Vagrant and Drive-Thru brought emo into the mainstream; Jimmy Eat World was the most popular band of the emo movement, reaching a national audience in the 2000s. ◦ v. Indie Still Sells ▪ a. Many artists associated with indie labels became mainstream in the 2000s, and indie musicians were among the most popular in rock into the 2010s; National High, Grizzly Bear, Bon Iver, and the Black Keys are all examples. ▪ b. Alabama Shakes were another indie band to cross into the mainstream in the 2010s; tracks such as "Hold On" draw on the Muscle Shoals style, the vocals of singers such as Janis Joplin, southern gospel, blues-oriented guitar, and electronic noise. • VI. Rock as Discourse ◦ i. School of Rock ▪ a. The elements of rock music that caused criticism in the 1950s became some of its most celebrated qualities over time. ▪ b. Rock's acceptance has been accompanied by institutional recognition; academic study of rock music has increased. ◦ ii. Rock as Culture ▪ a. Museums have shown exhibits related to rock; museums dedicated to popular music, including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland and the Experience Music Project (EMP) in Seattle, opened in the late twentieth century. ▪ b. Rock musicians have also received honors from cultural institutions, including the Kennedy Center Honors and the Gershwin Prize from the Library of Congress. ▪ c. Broadway musicals based on rock themes have been dominant in the 2000s. ◦ ▪ iii. The Canonization of Rock a. Beginning in the late 1960s, more publications put out serious commentary and criticism about rock music; in the last several decades, mainstream American publications such as the New York Times and the New Yorker have devoted space to rock and popular music. ▪ b. Cultural critics and institutions have participated in the formation of a "rock canon," or a loose collection of the most important works in rock; the process of canon formation is exclusionary, and the term "rockism" is used to describe the viewpoint that positions rock as the central form of pop music since 1954. c. Rock is difÏcult to define because it is in a constant state of change and is intertwined with social, political, and cultural issues.