History of Pop Music

Pop is short for popular, so it defines music that is most popular within society. Pop music only started to be used as a term in the mid 20th century but it has been traced back to the Victorian era. Pop music first came around in Victorian times because writers needed catchy songs to play in music halls and to perform live to audiences which needed to be identifiable. In the 20th century recording started which meant pop music was widely available and easy to get hold of as records were relatively cheap. Songwriters started to appear and they wrote songs specifically to be recorded. Songs writer were rife in New York (especially in tin pan alley) and London (in Denmark street in the West End).

Throughout the years pop music has become more specific and does evolve around certain stereotypes which has changed throughout the years. But the first major pop group was the crooners in the mid 1930s and 40s. There image was very smart and they dressed in suits most of the time. They also performed with a live band instead of a pre-recorded backing track which is the complete opposite of what it is today. Frank Sinatra, people say was, the first modern pop star as he was one of the first to have screamimg teenage fans following him around.

The 1970s and 80s were major years in pop history, which included people like queen and the beatles. Pop music created new trends that everyone wanted to have, mainly in fashion. Meany of the bands had screaming teenage girl fans that would stalk them and become obsessed with them. This came about mainly after the second world war when children started to have more of a childhood and teenagers didn't have to act like adults yet. These artists managed to sell millions of records all over the world due to recording technology and here catchy beats and relatable lyrics.

The next major change was the trend in boy bands in the 1990s. These were mainly assembled for there looks and known for there catchy songs with lyrics people can relate to (mainly teenage girls). Songs with lyrics people can relate to is very important in pop music and that is why most people listen to it. In the modern day this is still fundomental, artists and bands use this to attract people to buy there music. The music must also be catchy and up beat. But most of all the artists and bands must be trendy and up to date with the latest fashions but some say they create the latest fashions and set trends for people, mainly pre-teens and teenagers to follow. For example pop stars now a days wear cloths that some people say are offensive and show to much skin. Teenagers now copy this by wearing crop tops and shorts that show most of there bum, this is a massive constrast in what the crooners wear in the mid 19930s and 40s.