Popular music is music with wide appeal that is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry . These forms and styles can be enjoyed and performed by people with little or no musical training . As a kind of popular art , it stands in contrast to art music . Art music was historically disseminated through the performances of written music , although since the beginning of the recording industry , it is also disseminated through recordings . Traditional music forms such as early blues songs or hymns were passed along orally, or to smaller, local audiences.
100-555: The Four Preps are an American popular music male quartet. In the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, the group amassed eight gold singles and three gold albums. Their million-selling signature tunes included " 26 Miles (Santa Catalina) ", " Big Man ", "Lazy Summer Night", and " Down by the Station ". The Four Preps' numerous television and motion picture appearances included four years backing teen heartthrob Ricky Nelson on The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet and appearing with Sandra Dee in
200-465: A recording contract by Capitol Records , after one of Capitol's executives saw them at a talent show at that school in 1956. They had a minor chart hit that year with "Dreamy Eyes" and between 1956 and 1964 reached the Billboard pop charts with 13 different songs. In 1957 they appeared with Lindsay Crosby , Bing Crosby 's son, in the television special The Edsel Show . Their biggest hit
300-482: A television producer / writer / director , creating Battlestar Galactica , Knight Rider and variety television series; he and Somerville would reunite to collaborate on the song " Unknown Stuntman ," the theme song to another one of Larson's TV series, The Fall Guy . Ingram became a commodities broker . Clarke became a music teacher at Glendora High School. Don Clarke was a music director at Mark Keppel High School , Alhambra, California, from 1965 to 1967. In
400-530: A chance to gain popularity. In contrast to Western popular music, genres of music that originated outside of the West are often categorized as world music . This label turns otherwise popular styles of music into an exotic and unknown category . The Western concept of 'World Music' homogenizes many different genres of popular music under one accessible term for Western audiences. New media technology has led urban music styles to filter into distant rural areas across
500-401: A contract to buy the assets of "the singing group The Platters." G.E.M. then took Personality Productions, Inc. (Bennett's separate management company) corporate records and files and attempted to take the company's phone numbers. There was an immediate disagreement between Bennett and G.E.M., which filed a lawsuit to attain certain corporate assets, Bennett's personal property and the assets of
600-533: A culture regarding music. Popular music in Indonesia is often categorized as hybrid forms of Western rock to genres that originated in Indonesia and are indigenous in style. The genre of music Dangdut is a genre of popular music specifically found in Indonesia . Dangdut formed from two other genres of popular music: indo pop and underground music coming together to create a new fusion genre. Dangdut takes
700-527: A drop in the use of major keys and a rise in the use of minor keys since the 1960s; 85% of songs were in a major key in that decade, while only around 40% of songs are in a major key now. The subject matter and lyrics of popular music have also undergone major change, becoming sadder as well as more antisocial and self-centered since the 1960s. There has also been an increasing trend of songs' emotional content, key, and tempo not following common associations; for example, fast songs with sad subject matters or in
800-618: A good example for us - they show great respect for themselves and their arts. Wherever they are, they wear their native dress and their music is known throughout the world. This is the right way." She discussed this to explain why Egypt and the Arab world needed to take pride in the popular music styles originating in their culture so the styles were not lost in the modernization. Local musicians learned Western instrumental styles to create their own popular styles including their native languages and indigenous musical features. Communities in throughout
900-618: A group named Voice of the Beehive . Popular music The original application of the term is to music of the 1880s Tin Pan Alley period in the United States . Although popular music sometimes is known as "pop music", the two terms are not interchangeable. Popular music is a generic term for a wide variety of genres of music that appeal to the tastes of a large segment of the population, whereas pop music usually refers to
1000-503: A larger number of music lovers to hear the new popular piano tunes. By the early 1900s, the big trends in popular music were the increasing popularity of vaudeville theaters and dance halls and a new invention—the gramophone player . The record industry grew very rapidly; "By 1920 there were almost 80 record companies in Britain, and almost 200 in the USA". The availability of records enabled
1100-451: A larger percentage of the population to hear the top singers and bands. Radio broadcasting of music, which began in the early 1920s, helped to spread popular songs to a huge audience, enabling a much larger proportion of the population to hear songs performed by professional singers and music ensembles, including individuals from lower income groups who previously would not have been able to afford concert tickets. Radio broadcasting increased
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#17327732002341200-434: A level of stability within societies to characterize historical periods, distribution of music, and the patterns of influence and continuity within the popular styles of music. Anahid Kassabian separated popular music into four categories: A society's popular music reflects the ideals that are prevalent at the time it is performed or published. David Riesman states that the youth audiences of popular music fit into either
1300-527: A majority group or a subculture . The majority group listens to the commercially produced styles while the subcultures find a minority style to transmit their own values. This allows youth to choose what music they identify with, which gives them power as consumers to control the market of popular music. Music critic Robert Christgau coined the term "semipopular music" in 1970, to describe records that seemed accessible for popular consumption but proved unsuccessful commercially. "I recognized that something else
1400-404: A minor key, or slow songs with happier content or in a major key. There are multiple possible explanations for many of these changes. One reason for the brevity of songs in the past was the physical capability of records . Vinyl record singles, which were heavily favored for radio play, only had room for about three minutes of music, physically limiting the possible length of popular songs. With
1500-531: A more globalized culture. The second reason is that the Chinese television and music industry since the 1980s has broadcast television shows from their neighboring Asian societies and the West. The third reason is the impact of the internet and smartphones on the accessibility of streaming music. In 2015, students in China accounted for 30.2% of China's internet population and the third and fifth most popular uses of
1600-495: A network executive. Belland was a producer on several game shows in the 1970s for Ralph Edwards Productions. Cobb became a record producer and sound engineer . He composed and produced the top-twenty hit, " Dirty Water " for The Standells in 1966 with Cobb; " Every Little Bit Hurts " for Brenda Holloway ; " Tainted Love " for Gloria Jones , which became a worldwide hit for Soft Cell in 1982. Somerville went into television acting and providing voice-overs . Larson became
1700-425: A pianist to reproduce popular songs and pieces. In addition to the influence of sheet music, another factor was the increasing availability during the late 18th and early 19th century of public popular music performances in "pleasure gardens and dance halls , popular theatres and concert rooms". The early popular music performers worked hand-in-hand with the sheet music industry to promote popular sheet music. One of
1800-599: A popular underground subculture through the Middle East . Just like their Western counterparts, Middle Eastern metal followers expressed their feelings of alienation. But their thoughts came from war and social restrictions on youth. In interviews of Iranian teenagers between 1990 and 2004, the youth overall preferred Western popular music, even though it was banned by the government. Iranian underground rock bands are composed of members who are young, urban-minded, educated, relatively well-off, and global beings. Iranian rock
1900-537: A profitable touring group, successful enough that the Penguins , coming off their #8 single " Earth Angel ", asked Ram to manage them as well. With the Penguins in hand, Ram was able to parlay Mercury Records ' interest into a 2-for-1 deal. To sign the Penguins, Ram insisted, Mercury also had to take The Platters. The Penguins would never have a hit for the label. Convinced by Jean Bennett and Tony Williams that " Only You " had potential, Ram had The Platters re-record
2000-427: A record company's singing star could be cross-promoted by the conglomerate's television talk shows and magazine arms. The "introduction of digital equipment (mixing desks, synthesizers, samplers, sequencers)" in the 1980s resulted in what Grove Dictionary of Music dubbed the creation of "new sound worlds", as well as facilitating DIY music production by amateur musicians and "tiny independent record labels ". In
2100-524: A result, the label spent two years releasing old Williams-era material until the group's contract lapsed. The group's line-up splintered further: in 1964 Taylor left and was consecutively replaced by Beverly Hansen Harris, Barbara Randolph and, in 1965, by Sandra Dawn. 1965 also saw the departure of Robi, who was replaced by Nate Nelson , former lead voice of the Flamingos . In 1967, baritone Bob White toured with group until 1971. This splintering of
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#17327732002342200-422: A return of the verse in one last A section (AABA). Verse-chorus form or ABA form may be combined with AABA form, in compound AABA forms. Variations such as a1 and a2 can also be used. The repetition of one chord progression may mark off the only section in a simple verse form such as the twelve bar blues. "The most significant feature of the emergent popular music industry of the late 18th and early 19th centuries
2300-649: A short time as “Triple Gold – The Three Tenors of Pop” and then moved on to pursue individual opportunities. In 2004 PBS asked Bruce to put together a one shot version of the Four Preps for “Magic Moments”, a PBS Special saluting the hit makers of the 1950s. Bruce, Glen Larson, Jim Yester and David Somerville performed on that show as The Four Preps and the program has become one of Public television's biggest fund raisers. Somerville died on July 14, 2015. Belland's daughters, Tracey Bryn Belland and Melissa Brooke Belland, followed in their father's footsteps as singers, forming
2400-440: A song or piece becomes known to listeners mainly from hearing the music (in contrast with classical music , in which many musicians learn pieces from sheet music); its appeal to diverse listeners, its treatment as a marketplace commodity in a capitalist context, and other factors. Sales of 'recordings' or sheet music are one measure. Middleton and Manuel note that this definition has problems because multiple listens or plays of
2500-424: A specific musical genre within popular music. Popular music songs and pieces typically have easily singable melodies . The song structure of popular music commonly involves repetition of sections, with the verse and chorus or refrain repeating throughout the song and the bridge providing a contrasting and transitional section within a piece. From the 1960s through the mid-2000s, albums collecting songs were
2600-431: A wider range of people. Although due to the significance and strong position of culture in traditional African music, African popular music tends to stay within the roots of traditional African Popular Music. The genre of music, Maskanda , is popular in its culture of origin, South Africa. Although maskanda is a traditional music genre by definition, the people who listen to it influence the ideals that are brought forth in
2700-556: A year." Herb Reed died in June 2012 at 83. Reed was the only group member to appear on every original Platters recording through 1969. Sonny Turner, who replaced Tony Williams in late 1959, performed as Sonny Turner, former lead singer of The Platters. Sonny brought The Platters back to the charts in 1966 with the hits, "I Love You 1000 Times", "With This Ring", and "Washed Ashore". He died on January 13, 2022. In 2011, Herb Reed and his companies obtained judgments declaring that his rights to
2800-491: Is a cross-bred concentration of fashionable modes." In his mind, a liking "for the nasty, brutish, and short intensifies a common semipopular tendency in which lyrical and conceptual sophistication are applauded while musical sophistication— jazz chops or classical design or avant-garde innovation—is left to the specialists." American folk singer Pete Seeger defined pop music as "professional music which draws upon both folk music and fine arts music". Form in popular music
2900-412: Is a niche genre of music. In South India, Carnatic is a niche genre of music people enjoy listening to. Music genre popularity changes greatly over time. This can be influenced by a number of factors such as current trends or even historical events. In the 19th and 20th century, Classical music was far more popular than it is in modern times. This can be attributed to a wide variety of changes, including
3000-712: Is described by the traits that these band members possess. The youth who take part in underground music in the Middle East are aware of the social constraints of their countries, but they are not optimistic about social change. Iranian rock bands have taken up an internationalist position to express their rebellion from the discourses in their national governments. 44. HeadphonesAddict. "20+ Music Genre Statistics: Most Popular Music Genres (2022)". HeadphonesAddict , 8 July 2022, https://headphonesaddict.com/music-genre-statistics/. The Platters The Platters are an American vocal group formed in 1952. They are one of
3100-439: Is most often sectional , the most common sections being verse , chorus or refrain , and bridge . Other common forms include thirty-two-bar form , chorus form , and twelve-bar blues . Popular music songs are rarely composed using different music for each stanza of the lyrics (songs composed in this fashion are said to be " through-composed "). The verse and chorus are considered the primary elements. Each verse usually has
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3200-503: Is popular in Indonesia is punk rock . This genre was shaped in Indonesia by the local interpretations of the media from the larger global punk movement. Jeremy Wallach argues that while Green Day was seen as the " death of punk ," in Indonesia they were seen catalyst for a larger punk movement. Punk in Indonesia calls on the English-speaking world to embrace the global sects of the punk subculture and become open-minded to
3300-900: The Billboard Hot 100 between 1955 and 1967, including four number-one hits. In 1990, the Platters were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame . The Platters continue to perform around the world with Herb Reed Enterprises (an LLC set up by Reed in response to numerous fake Platters groups) owning the rights and trademark to the name. The Platters formed in Los Angeles in 1951 and were initially managed by Federal Records A&R man Ralph Bass . The original group consisted of teenagers Alex Hodge, his brother Gaynel, Curtis Williams, Joe Jefferson and Cornell Gunter . Ralph Bass replaced Cornell Gunter with Tony Williams, and Herb Reed joined
3400-466: The 1960s . One major change is that popular music has gotten slower; the average BPM of popular songs from the 1960s was 116, while the average of the 2000s was 100BPM. Additionally, songs getting radio play in the 1960s were, on average, only about three minutes long. In contrast, most of the songs in the Billboard Top 5 in 2018 were between 3:21 and 3:40 minutes long. There has also been
3500-541: The Sahara Casino in Las Vegas ; that show ran for 15 years. Shortly before Robi succumbed to pancreatic cancer on February 1, 1989, he won a long court battle against Ram's estate and was awarded compensation and the right to use the Platters' name. Those rights were stripped from Robi's widow in 1997, and required her to destroy all Platters' promotional material, and the exclusive right to tour as "The Platters"
3600-539: The rural folk , it has been practical and unselfconscious, an accompaniment to fieldwork or to the festivals that provide periodic escape from toil. But since Rome and Alexandria , professional entertainers have diverted and edified city dwellers with songs, marches, and dances, whose pretensions fell somewhere in between." — Robert Christgau , in Collier's Encyclopedia (1984) Scholars have classified music as "popular" based on various factors, including whether
3700-577: The "Platters" name without using the words "tribute" or "salute". In 2016, Herb Reed Enterprises LLC was awarded a trademark from the United States Patent and Trademark Office for the exclusive use of the Platters name. Reed's legacy is maintained by Frederick J. Balboni Jr., Reed's manager, veteran broadcast journalist, music promoter, and the owner of Massachusetts-based Balboni Communications Group LLC and Herb Reed Enterprises LLC. As of 2023 : In 2024 Candace C. Culcleasure
3800-493: The "Platters" name. A court later ruled, however, that "FPI was a sham used by Mr. Ram to obtain ownership in the name the 'Platters', and FPI's issuance of stock to the group members was "illegal and void because it violated California corporate securities law." The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 and into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in its inaugural year of 1998. The Platters were
3900-547: The 1950s"singing group The Platters." The case was dismissed for lack of action on G.E.M.s part. In June 2006, G.E.M. entered into an agreement with Sonny Turner, who'd been the lead singer of the Platters from 1960 to 1970. Turner had not been able to bill himself as "The Platters" since 1972 due to a legal injunction. However, Turner later sued G.E.M. In 2007, Reed discussed the abundance of touring Platters groups: "I have to laugh because when you ask me how I feel about it, I'm irate, I'm infuriated. ... I've lost 25 weeks of work
4000-571: The 1970s, the trend towards consolidation in the recording industry continued to the point that the "... dominance was in the hands of five huge transnational organizations, three American-owned ( WEA , RCA , CBS ) and two European-owned companies ( EMI , Polygram )". In the 1990s, the consolidation trend took a new turn: inter-media consolidation. This trend saw music recording companies being consolidated with film, television, magazines, and other media companies, an approach which facilitated cross-marketing promotion between subsidiaries. For example,
4100-546: The 1980s, Belland, Cobb, Somerville, and Jim Pike (formerly of the Lettermen ) eventually formed a new "Four Preps" group and went on to perform. Jim Yester, formerly of The Association , replaced Pike in 1993, and the group became the "New Four Preps". In March 1999, Ingram died of a heart attack; Cobb died of leukemia in Honolulu, Hawaii later the same year. Yester, Belland and Somerville then recorded and toured for
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4200-445: The 1990s, the availability of sound recording software and effects units software meant that an amateur indie band could record an album—which required a fully equipped recording studio in previous decades—using little more than a laptop and a good quality microphone . That said, the audio quality of modern recording studios still outstrips what an amateur can produce. There are many genres of music worldwide, over 300. Leading for
4300-455: The Arab world place high value on their indigenous musical identities while assimilating to new musical styles from neighboring countries or mass media. Through the 1980s and 1990s, popular music has been seen as a problem for the Iranian government because of the non-religious meanings within the music and the bodily movements of dancing or headbanging. During this time period, metal became
4400-512: The Belmonts . The title parody, sung to the tune of " Tom Dooley ," went like this: In 1962, they released another novelty record "The Big Draft", where they "suggest" a couple of American groups to go drafting themselves by parodying their songs. The record once again included single parody verses from popular hits of the day, this time from The Platters , The Four Aces , The Marcels , The Highwaymen (the folk band), and Dion (who split with
4500-533: The Belmonts in 1960). Both "More Money for You and Me" and "The Big Draft" were recorded live. The group last appeared on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in 1964, when " A Letter to The Beatles " charted for a total of three weeks beginning March 21, peaking at number 85 before being pulled from sale. The arrival of The Beatles , along with the rest of the British Invasion , coincided with
4600-606: The European education system that the early nationalistic leaders grew up in. Not all African political songs were based on Western styles. For example, in South Africa, the political songs during the Anti-Apartheid Movement were based on traditional tribal styles along with hybrid forms of imported genres. Activists used protest and freedom songs to persuade individuals to take action, become educated with
4700-481: The Platters-style arrangement. The Platters differed from most other groups of the era because Ram had the group incorporated in 1956 as Five Platters, Inc (FPI). Each member of the group received a 20% share in the stock, full royalties, and their Social Security was paid. As group members left one by one, Ram and his business partner, Jean Bennett, bought their stock, which they claimed gave them ownership of
4800-582: The Seventies (1981): "In popular music, embracing the '70s meant both an elitist withdrawal from the messy concert and counterculture scene and a profiteering pursuit of the lowest common denominator in FM radio and album rock ... In the '70s the powerful took over, as rock industrialists capitalized on the national mood to reduce potent music to an often reactionary species of entertainment—and to transmute rock's popular base from audience to market." In
4900-603: The US during the late 19th century was in New York's ' Tin Pan Alley ' district. The Tin Pan Alley music publishers developed a new method for promoting sheet music: incessant promotion of new songs. One of the technological innovations that helped to spread popular music around the turn of the century was player pianos . A player piano could be used to record a skilled pianist's rendition of a piano piece. This recorded performance could be "played back" on another player piano. This allowed
5000-807: The United Kingdom, it peaked at number two on the UK Singles Chart , thus becoming the group's biggest hit there. The pair also composed new lyrics for the older tune " Down by the Station ", which peaked at number 13 in 1960. Cobb wrote a handful of songs for the group, though not any of their chart hits; Cobb later became a noted writer and/or producer of hit material for other artists, especially The Standells ' "Dirty Water", Brenda Holloway 's " Every Little Bit Hurts " and Gloria Jones ' " Tainted Love ," later recorded by Soft Cell . Many Four Preps records were arranged by their high school friend and collaborative pianist Lincoln Mayorga . In 1959,
5100-523: The World Famous Platters requiring them to identify themselves as a "Tribute to the Platters" or a "Salute to the Platters". In June 2014, Herb Reed's companies obtained a judgment against former singer Monroe Powell for trademark infringement. The Nevada district court granted Reed summary judgment, awarding him over $ 59,000 in damages (from US and international tour performances) and permanent injunctive relief, preventing Powell from using
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#17327732002345200-405: The ability of songwriters, singers and bandleaders to become nationally known. Another factor which helped to disseminate popular music was the introduction of "talking pictures"— sound films —in the late 1920s, which also included music and songs. In the late 1920s and throughout the 1930s, there was a move towards consolidation in the recording industry, which led several major companies to dominate
5300-429: The contemporary United States, one of the most popular forms of music is rap. DJ Kool Herc, is famously known for creating hip-hop itself in the 1970s. With the technique he created when mixing two identical records back and forth, he was able to make unique-sounding sounds that later gave birth to rap itself. In modern times, rap is used to bring awareness to a problem such as: racism, sexism. It developed communities in
5400-440: The decline of popularity of the Four Preps and most other folk revival groups. In 1966, David Somerville , formerly of The Diamonds , joined the group, replacing Cobb. In 1969, the group disbanded, as their type of music had become less popular. Belland and Somerville occasionally performed as a duo after the breakup. Belland continued writing songs for other singers, as well as writing television show scripts, eventually becoming
5500-403: The difference in songs' subject matter and emotional content, popular music since the late 1960s has increasingly been used to promote social change and political agendas. Artists since that time have often focused their music on current events and subjects relevant to the current generations. Another theory is that globalization makes audiences' tastes more diverse, so different ideas in music have
5600-468: The dominant form for recording and consuming English-language popular music, in a period known as the album era . In the 2000s, with songs and pieces available as digital sound files, it has become easier for music to spread from one country or region to another. Some popular music forms have become global, while others have a wide appeal within the culture of their origin. Through the mixture of musical genres, new popular music forms are created to reflect
5700-427: The early popular music performers to attain widespread popularity was a Swedish opera singer Jenny Lind , who toured the US in the mid-19th century. In addition to living room amateur music-making during the 19th century, more people began getting involved in music during this era by participating in amateur choirs, joining brass bands or playing in amateur orchestras. The center of the music publishing industry in
5800-417: The fast-growing genre's ability to communicate, educate, empower, and entertain. Artists who would have started in traditional music genres, like maskanda, became hip hop artists to provide a stronger career path for themselves. These rappers compare themselves to the traditional artists like the griot and oral storyteller, who both had a role in reflecting on the internal dynamics of the larger society. In
5900-685: The film Gidget . The group's most recent television appearance was with the award-winning 2004 PBS special, Magic Moments: The Best of 50s Pop . The current incarnation of the Four Preps features co-founder and original lead singer Bruce Belland, Bob Duncan (formerly with the Diamonds and the Crew Cuts), Michael Redman (of the Crew Cuts), and Jim Armstrong. Their shows are currently an amalgamation of singing everything from doo-wop to Tin Pan Alley standards and comedy. The four original members were students at Hollywood High School and were signed to
6000-812: The first rock and roll era group to have a Top Ten album in the United States. They were also the only act to have three songs included on the American Graffiti soundtrack that fueled an oldies revival already underway in the early to mid-1970s: " Smoke Gets in Your Eyes ", " The Great Pretender ", and " Only You (and You Alone) ". The group had four top 100 compilation albums in the Australian top 100 between 1975 and 1986. The line-up in 1952 included lead vocalist Cornell Gunter , Herb Reed , Alex Hodge, Joe Jefferson, and David Lynch. Soon, Gunter
6100-472: The globe. The rural areas, in turn, are able to give feedback to the urban centers about the new styles of music. Urbanization, modernization, exposure to foreign music and mass media have contributed to hybrid urban pop styles. The hybrid styles have also found a space within Western popular music through the expressions of their national culture. Recipient cultures borrow elements from host cultures and alter
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#17327732002346200-516: The group appeared as themselves in the film Gidget . For a short period, Don Clarke replaced Ingram while the latter finished college at UCLA , but he rejoined the group in 1960. The group was known for its family-friendly comedic humor in live performances. In 1960, they recorded a parody single , "More Money for You and Me," which included single parody verses of several popular songs by The Fleetwoods , The Hollywood Argyles , The Platters , The Four Freshmen , The Kingston Trio and Dion and
6300-802: The group in 1953 after his discharge from the Army in December 1952, as replacement for Joe Jefferson, Reed named the group while sitting around the kitchen table at the Hodge's home with the others in the group. He was inspired by Mrs. Hodge placing a plate of cookies on the kitchen table where the group was sitting trying to find a new name. Several 78 rpm records were lying on the table, and as she pushed them aside she said, "They look just like platters." Herb said, "That's it. We'll call outselves The Platters." In June 1953, Gunter left to join The Flairs and
6400-464: The group's line-up led to wrangling over The Platters' name, with injunctions, non-compete clauses, and multiple versions of the act touring at the same time. Williams, Robi, and Taylor led their own Platters' groups and for a short while, Taylor, Robi, and Lynch joined forces as "The Original Platters" with Williams-clone Johnny Barnes as their lead singer. To distinguish his group from the offshoots started by former members, Ram added his name to that of
6500-493: The group. The "Buck Ram Platters", built to showcase his songs, were signed to Musicor Records and enjoyed a short chart renaissance in 1966–67, with the comeback singles "I Love You 1000 Times", "With This Ring", and the Motown-influenced "Washed Ashore". Sonny Turner sang the lead on these three records, with Reed, Lynch, Nelson, and Dawn completing the group. Nelson left the group in 1967. Dawn, who left in 1969,
6600-503: The ideals of a global culture. The examples of Africa , Indonesia , and the Middle East show how Western pop music styles can blend with local musical traditions to create new hybrid styles. Some sort of popular music has existed for as long as there has been an urban middle class to consume it. What distinguishes it above all is the aesthetic level it is aimed at. The cultural elite has always endowed music with an exalted if not self-important religious or aesthetic status, while for
6700-691: The internet were respectively, internet music and internet video use. The youths described being able to connect to the emotions and language of the Chinese music, but also enjoyed the melodies found within Anglo-American music. The students also believed that listening to the English music would improve their English language skills. Modernization of music in the Arab world involved borrowing inspiration from Turkish music and Western musical styles. The late Egyptian singer, Umm Kulthum , stated, "We must respect ourselves and our art. The Indians have set
6800-456: The invention of CDs in 1982, and more recently with streaming , music can be as long or short as both writers and listeners wish. However, songs have shortened again, partially due to the ubiquity of streaming. The average song length in 2018 was 3 minutes and 30 seconds, 20 seconds shorter than the average in 2014. The most probable cause of this is that artists are now paid per individual stream, and longer songs could mean fewer streams. As for
6900-402: The many groups of Platters. Those looking to hear the classic lineup of songs had their pick of approved, disputed, and substituted Platters, including Sonny Turner's, Zola Taylor's, Ritchie Jones' (member 1984–85), Milton Bullock's (member 1967–70), Paul Robi's (managed by his widow), Jean Bennett's "Buck Ram Platters", Monroe Powell's, Herb Reed's, and several other groups with no current ties to
7000-518: The meaning and context found in the host culture. Many Western styles, in turn, have become international styles through multinational recording studios. Popular African music styles have stemmed from traditional entertainment genres, rather than evolving from music used with certain traditional ceremonies like weddings, births, or funerals. African popular music as a whole has been influenced by European countries, African-American and Afro-Latin music, and region-specific styles that became popular across
7100-484: The most popular genres worldwide, pop music takes the first spot. In countries like the United States, rock, rap and hip-hop, blues and R&B have a long history of taking the leading spots. The most popular genres of music rank differently throughout the world. However, there are also very niche genres of music. For example, in Canada the most popular niche genre of music is video game soundtracks. In Sweden, black metal
7200-473: The most successful vocal groups of the early rock and roll era. Their distinctive sound bridges the pre-rock Tin Pan Alley tradition and the new burgeoning genre. The act has gone through multiple line-ups over the years, earning it the branding tag "Many Voices One Name", with the most successful incarnation comprising lead tenor Tony Williams , David Lynch, Paul Robi, founder and naming member Herb Reed , and Zola Taylor . The group had 40 charting singles on
7300-603: The music. A popular maskandi artist, Phuzekhemisi, had to lessen the political influence within his music to be ready for the public sphere. His music producer, West Nkosi, was looking for the commercial success in Phuzekhemisi's music rather than starting a political controversy. Political songs have been an important category of African popular music in many societies. During the continent's struggle against colonial rule, nationalistic songs boosted citizens' morale. These songs were based on Western marches and hymns reflecting
7400-411: The name were superior to all others, including Five Platters Inc. and Jean Bennett. In March 2014, although Reed had passed away in 2012, Herb Reed's companies were granted a judgment finding they had superior rights to the name "The Platters" over Larry Marshak and his companies, who claimed to have received rights through FPI and/or Tony Williams In April 2014, Reed's company obtained a judgment against
7500-439: The noisy instrumentation from underground music, but makes it easier to listen to, like indo pop. Dangdut attempts to form many popular music genres like rock, pop, and traditional music to create a new sound that lines up with the consumers' tastes. This genre has formed into a larger social movement that includes clothing, youth culture, the resurgence of Islam, and the capitalist entertainment industry. Another music scene that
7600-401: The original group. Many had once contained former members who were now retired or deceased. Powell, who had been touring under the Platters' name, was sued by Bennett for breach of employment contract. Bennett and Powell later reached an agreement that Powell would be able to tour, but only as "The Platters featuring Monroe Powell". In 1994, Jean Bennett fraudulently used the name for a show at
7700-403: The public, who merely buy or reject what music is being produced. He claims that the listeners in the scenario would not have been able to make the choice of their favorite music, which negates the previous conception of popular music. Moreover, "understandings of popular music have changed with time". Middleton argues that if research were to be done on the field of popular music, there would be
7800-475: The record company were told that Hodge was let go for bouncing a 15-dollar check. The resulting line-up, the one remembered for some of the group's timeless hits, lasted until 1960. As a group, The Platters began to have difficulties with the public after 1959, when the four male members were arrested in Cincinnati on drug and prostitution charges. Although no one was convicted, their professional reputation
7900-897: The record industry. In the 1950s and 1960s, the new invention of television began to play an increasingly important role in disseminating new popular music. Variety shows regularly showcased popular singers and bands. In the 1960s, the development of new technologies in recording, such as multitrack recorders gave sound engineers and record producers an increasingly important role in popular music. By using multitrack recording techniques, sound engineers could create new sounds and sound effects that were not possible using traditional "live" recording techniques, such as singers performing their own backup vocals or having lead guitarists play rhythm guitars behind their guitar solo . The next decade saw moves away from these sensibilities, as Robert Christgau noted in Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of
8000-674: The replacement of Alex Hodge by Paul Robi. Under Ram's guidance, The Platters recorded eight songs for Federal in the R&;B/gospel style, scoring a few minor regional hits on the West Coast, and backed Williams' sister, Linda Hayes . One song recorded during their Federal tenure, " Only You (And You Alone) ", originally written by Ram for the Ink Spots , was deemed unreleasable by the label, though copies of this early version do exist. Despite their lack of chart success, The Platters were
8100-497: The rise of technology. In America during the 1980s, rock music was at its peak and then slowly lost its top spot as pop music began to climb the charts. Since the early 2000s, pop music has charted number one in American music charts, but since 2017, RnB and Hip Hop have taken that spot. In addition to many changes in specific sounds and technologies used, there has been a shift in the content and key elements of popular music since
8200-404: The same melody (possibly with some slight modifications), but the lyrics change for most verses. The chorus (or "refrain") usually has a melodic phrase and a key lyrical line which is repeated. Pop songs may have an introduction and coda ("tag"), but these elements are not essential to the identity of most songs. Pop songs that use verses and choruses often have a bridge, a section which connects
8300-430: The same song or piece are not counted. Evaluating appeal based on size of audience (mass appeal) or whether audience is of a certain social class is another way to define popular music, but this, too, has problems in that social categories of people cannot be applied accurately to musical styles. Manuel states that one criticism of popular music is that it is produced by large media conglomerates and passively consumed by
8400-426: The solo may be improvised based on the chord progression . A solo usually features a single instrumental performer (e.g., a guitarist or a harmonica player) or less commonly, more than one instrumentalist (e.g., a trumpeter and a sax player). Thirty-two-bar form uses four sections, most often eight measures long each (4×8=32), two verses or A sections, a contrasting B section (the bridge or "middle-eight") and
8500-539: The song during their first session for Mercury. Released in the summer of 1955, it became the group's first Top Ten hit on the pop charts and topped the R&B charts for seven weeks. The follow-up, " The Great Pretender ", with lyrics written in the washroom of the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas by Buck Ram, exceeded the success of their debut and became The Platters' first national #1 hit. "The Great Pretender"
8600-595: The struggle, and empower others to be politically conscious. These songs reflected the nuances between the different classes involved in the liberation struggle. One of the genres people of Africa use for political expression is Hip hop . Although hip hop in Africa is based on the North American template, it has been remade to produce new meanings for African young people. This allows the genre to be both locally and globally influential. African youth are shaped by
8700-423: The successful formula of updating older standards, such as " My Prayer ", " Twilight Time ", " Harbor Lights ", " To Each His Own ", " If I Didn't Care ", and Jerome Kern 's " Smoke Gets in Your Eyes ". This latter release caused a small controversy after Kern's widow expressed concern that her late husband's composition would be turned into a "rock and roll" record. It topped both the American and British charts in
8800-440: The time, the group's line-up was in limbo, leaving one person, Kenn Johnson, as the only other group member. Powell and Johnson continued touring as "The Platters", with Bennett hiring five new singers to be the "Buck Ram Platters". Despite Ram and Bennett's assertions, it was later determined that Five Platters Inc., and Jean Bennett never had legitimate rights to The Platters name. A profusion of legal challenges ensued among
8900-606: The transnational genre. In a 2015 study involving young students in Shanghai , youths stated they enjoyed listening to both Chinese, other Asian nationalities, and Anglo-American popular music. There are three ways that young people of China were able to access global music. The first reason was a policy change since the late 1970s where the country was opened up to the rest of the world instead of being self-contained. This created more opportunities for Chinese people to interact with people outside of their country of origin to create
9000-446: The verse and chorus at one or more points in the song. The verse and chorus are usually repeated throughout a song, while the bridge, intro, and coda (also called an "outro") tend to be used only once. Some pop songs may have a solo section, particularly in rock or blues -influenced pop. During the solo section, one or more instruments play a melodic line which may be the melody used by the singer, or, in blues- or jazz-influenced pop,
9100-411: Was "26 Miles (Santa Catalina)," which was written by Belland and Larson in 1957 and reached number two early the following year. The record sold over one million copies, earning a gold disc . Around this time, Ricky Nelson appeared with them at a Hamilton High School lunch hour assembly singing " Blue Moon of Kentucky ". Belland and Larson also wrote "Big Man", which reached number three in 1958. In
9200-662: Was also the act's biggest R&B hit, with an 11-week run atop that chart. In 1956, The Platters appeared in the first major motion picture based around rock and roll, Rock Around the Clock , and performed both "Only You" and "The Great Pretender". The Platters' unique vocal style had touched a chord in the music-buying public. A string of hit singles followed, including three more national #1 hits and more modest chart successes such as " I'm Sorry " (#11) and " He's Mine " (#23) in 1957, " Enchanted " (#12) in 1959, and " (You've Got) The Magic Touch " (#4) in 1956. The Platters soon hit upon
9300-481: Was awarded to Reed. A series of rulings in 1999, 2002, and 2004 gave Bennett and The Five Platters, Inc,, the only entity who had used the name consistently since 1954, the common law right to the name. The 2002 case legally rescinded Reed's exclusive trademark rights, and the trademark was returned to the Five Platters, Inc. and Bennett. In January 2006, Las Vegas based G.E.M. Group, Inc. presented Bennett with
9400-450: Was going on—the distribution system appeared to be faltering, FM and all", he later wrote in Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies (1981), citing that records like The Velvet Underground and The Gilded Palace of Sin (by Flying Burrito Brothers ) possessed populist qualities yet failed to impact the record charts . "Just as semiclassical music is a systematic dilution of highbrow preferences, semipopular music
9500-411: Was replaced by Monroe Powell, who remained a constant member from 1970 to 1995, amid many other line-up changes. Tony Williams formed his version of The Platters in 1971 and announced a worldwide tour. In 1995, a dispute between Powell and manager Jean Bennett (who had purchased Personality Productions, the booking/management arm of the Platters' business, from Ram in 1966) led to the two parting ways. At
9600-484: Was replaced by Regina Koco, who stayed with the group until 1983. Also, in 1969, Reed, the final member of the original Platters, resigned from the group to start his own group, Herb Reed and Sweet River. After his group's demise, Reed performed under the name Herb Reed and The Platters. Nelson also worked with this group until suffering a fatal heart attack in 1984. After Reed's departure, Ram illegally continued to promote his own Platters group. Turner left in 1970 and
9700-407: Was replaced by lead vocalist Tony Williams . The band then released two singles with Federal Records, under the management of Bass, but found little success. Bass then asked his friend, music entrepreneur, and songwriter Buck Ram , to coach the group in the hope of getting a hit record. Ram made some changes to the lineup, most notably the addition of female vocalist Zola Taylor and, in autumn 1954,
9800-547: Was replaced by tenor Tony Williams . The band's second manager Ram decided to build the group around Williams's distinctive and versatile voice and his ability to bring life to Ram's songs. Within a year, Alex Hodge and Jefferson were also out and replaced by Paul Robi, and a woman, Zola Taylor . The details of baritone Hodge's departure are muddy; author Peter A. Grendysa says Ram fired Alex Hodge in October 1954 after having been accused of possession of marijuana . Bookers and
9900-399: Was seriously damaged and US radio stations started removing their records from playlists, forcing the group to rely more heavily on European bookings. In 1960, lead vocalist Williams left to pursue a solo career and was replaced by tenor Sonny Turner . Mercury refused to issue further Platters releases without Williams on lead vocals, provoking a lawsuit between the label and manager Ram. As
10000-489: Was the extent of its focus on the commodity form of sheet music". The availability of inexpensive, widely available sheet music versions of popular songs and instrumental music pieces made it possible for music to be disseminated to a wide audience of amateur, middle-class music-makers, who could play and sing popular music at home. Amateur music-making in the 19th century often centred around the piano , as this instrument could play melodies , chords and basslines, thus enabling
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