Evolution of Pop Culture

With the end of the Industrial Revolution people had more spare time which led to an increased demand for pleasure and entertainment options, prompting the development of popular media for the masses. Pop music was able to reach a large audience as it was simple and touched the crowd. Pop music came into the forefront and influenced the way people acted, dressed and thought. This new form of music also had considerable economic impact on media which influenced what they showed.

Popular culture has left an incredible affect on impressionable young minds which was of deep social significance and helped to connect youngsters to create a new group of individuals with their own thoughts. Pop culture in music and other services have become integral for media’s economy. This in general has achieved huge global following and has integrated with the local culture.

Beginning of Popular Culture in Music

1950 was the revolutionary decade which brought about social changes and pop culture in music. With the end of World War II, it was an era of baby boomers, TV and the music megastars such as Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra. This decade gave birth to new genre of music and many new singers burst into the scene with a complete new sound influenced by the popular culture. Some of the influences were questioned and created controversies but it was there to stay. It left a very strong impression on the society.

Pop culture encompasses events, trends and fads in music that encapsulates the imagination of people and spread across minds. If you look back into the popular music or even fashion trends, you will realise the extent to which pop culture has influenced music.

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The early years

Dave Gahan, Martin Gore, Andrew Fletcher and Vince Clarke formed Depeche Mode in Essex in 1980, at the height of the new romantic movement. Clarke’s ability to write melody-based synth pop set them apart from their contemporaries and they enjoyed almost immediate success with the classic singles New Life and Just Can’t Get Enough, along with their 1981 debut album Speak & Spell. Clarke left the band in November 1981 and later went on to form Yazoo and Erasure. The group recruited keyboard player Alan Wilder as a replacement, while Gore took on the main songwriting duties. The result was a succession of hit singles, including People Are People and Master And Servant, together with their next four albums hitting the top ten in the UK. But, even greater success was to follow.

Superstars in the USA

The 1987 album Music For The Masses, which featured the singles Strangelove and Never Let Me Down Again, sold more than one million copies in the USA and established them as one of the world’s biggest alternative acts. They topped that with the 1990 album Violator, which is widely regarded as the highlight of their career. It sold more than three million units in the USA alone, while singles Personal Jesus and Enjoy The Silence charted around the globe. At the height of their fame, the group decided to change their sound and 1993′s Songs Of Faith And Devotion was much more guitar focused. It topped the US and UK album charts, but did not sell as well as its predecessor. The band suffered further blows when Wilder quit, Gahan became gripped by heroin addiction and Gore was hit by serious health problems. They re-emerged as a three-piece in 1997 with Ultra and went on to release three further albums between 2001 and 2009. All were well received by critics and diehard fans, but the group have been unable to repeat their earlier commercial success.

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The classic albums

The revamped band released their debut single Ceremony in March 1981 and their first album, Movement, in November of the same year. Although it failed to impress the critics at the time, it is now widely regarded as a classic. They began to develop their trademark synth-heavy sound on 1983′s Power, Corruption & Lies, before changing the face of modern music with the dance-influenced singles Blue Monday and Confusion. There was no let up in quality from the band during the eighties, with the albums Low-Life, Brotherhood and Technique all acknowledged as being among the finest records of the era. Technique, released in 1989, was perhaps the most groundbreaking work, as it married Chicago house to indie to provide a blueprint for the next generation of alternative acts.

Chaos, side projects and break-ups

Despite the success of Technique, which topped the UK album charts, the group descended into chaos in the early nineties. Keeping their infamous Manchester nightclub, the Hacienda, afloat swallowed up most of the money they earned, while Hook struggled to cope with his party lifestyle and his relationship with Sumner became strained. All the band members started side projects – Hook formed Revenge, Morris and Gilbert released records as The Other Two, and Sumner linked up with ex-Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr in Electronic – but they did manage to work together long enough to record their sixth album, Republic, in 1993. It sold well, but the band were not happy with it and decided to take a break, which ended up lasting five years. They re-emerged with a series of gigs in 1998 and went on to record the albums Get Ready and Waiting For The Sirens’ Call, before finally splitting in 2007 after Hook decided he could no longer work with Sumner. New Order reformed for a series of live shows in 2011, but Hook was not invited to take part and has instead started playing the band’s songs with his own group.

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Sony Corporation of America owns and controls the subsidiary completely. The music began in 1929 as American Record Corporation that was later renamed Columbia Recording Corporation. CBS acquired it and reorganised the company CBS Records. Sony Corporation of America acquired it and renamed of the concern. The company has its headquarters in New York City.

A Multifarious Music Company

The brand is among the biggest record labels and it partnered with Michael Jackson Company in 2010 to seal a contract of over $ 250 million. This was the biggest deal ever made. The company offers recordings and music labels of some of the best artists and the music genre includes pop, hip hop, gospel, country, rock classical as well as old labels and recordings.

They presented a graphic arrangement that documented 125 years of fascinating history of music. Alex Fowkes has designed the beautiful concept, who was the winner of “One to Watch” by Creative Review in 2011. One can see their Timeline running across the main atrium of the Derry Street offices. This arrangement features names of almost 1000 artists who have signed with Sony Music or labels affiliated to it from the times of Columbia Records to the present. This comprises of music icons such as Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Bruce Springsteen, The Clash, Janis Joplin, Michael Jackson and more. Partnership of Fowkes and Sony is in place to continue, and the Timeline hopes to grow bigger every year with new artist being signed by the music major.

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How Soundwave Has Progressed

From it’s humble beginnings as a sideshow event at the Gravity Games, held on the banks of Perth’s Swan River, Soundwave has become the majot event in the Australian music calendar. Soundwave Festivals regularly attract some of the biggest names in rock, with Deftones, Nine Inch Nails, System of A Down, Iron Maiden, and the fantastic Faith No More, all previous headline acts. Other big names which have appeared at Soundwave include Queens of The Stone Age, Slipknot, Alice in Chains, Marilyn Manson and Primus which is some indication of the stature of the festival. In 2009, the festival increased to six stages to cope with the number of bands and acts which were scheduled to appear, and it’s held in some of the biggest showgrounds and outdoor arenas in Australia – in Sydney it’s now held at the Olympic Park. It also features many side shows, and the Soundwave Sideshow acts are often as much anticipated as the main line up. Promoter AJ Maddah regularly updates followers of the festival on Twitter and there are Facebook pages and an official site for the event which attracts music fans from all over the world.

Soundwave continues to go from strength to strength and 2013′s announced acts include Metallica, Linkin Park and Maynard Keenan’s, A Perfect Circle. Although the mighty Mr. Keenan has confirmed APC, there are rumours that he will also appear with Tool. With Mike Patton bringing Tomahawk to Soundwave, with an excellent new and eagerly awaited album, Soundwave cements its reputation as one of the world’s biggest music events.

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How It All Began

Originally a one day event which was meant to only happen once way back in 1985, the attendance of over 75,000 people who went along to see the likes of U2, Joe Cocker and Foreigner meant that the promoters decided to do it again. However there were low ticket sales in 1988, possibly because the headline act had gone down in stature from David Bowie the previous year to Marius Muller-Westernhagen, who although a national favourite didn’t quite have the pull of previous headliners. This meant that the festival didn’t happen for a couple of years. However, in 1991 it returned, bigger and better than before with INXS and the Sisters of Mercy on the bill. At the time, INXS were enjoying renewed interest, while the huge success of the Sisters of Mercy album of that year, Vision Thing, meant that they were at their peak in popularity. It paid off and the festival was back among the big hitters. 2007 saw Rock am Ring sell out in advance for the first time, that year’s headline acts were Linkin Park, Slayer and Evanescence. It’s interesting to note that 2012′s festival also sold out in advance when Linkin Park headlined, with 86,500 tickets taken, a number only matched by Rammstein.

Attracting some of the biggest rock acts in the world, the festival continues to hold its place as the biggest in Germany, and one of the biggest in the world. 2013 is set to be massive, with ticket sales expected to exceed 100,000 for the first time, and with the Killers, Ellie Goulding and the Prodigy as well as many others they may succeed.

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The beginnings

When still very young, Van Vliet met with the musician Frank Zappa in California. This musician helped him develop a musical taste that was rather eclectic. They developed a friendship and collaborated in many projects. Then, Van Vliet started adopting the name and image of Captain Beefheart in his on stage performances. In 1964, he joined the Magic Band, which first album: “Safe as Milk”, was a well received by the audience. The band’s album: “Trout Mask Replica,” released in 1969, had the privilege of ranking 58th among the “500 greatest albums of all time” in the 2003 edition of the Rolling Stone magazine.

Hard times

However, the entire band quit due to strong criticism they received for a more conventional and commercial album released in 1974, together with the abusive behavior they had to endure from Beefheart and the lack of payment of one of their tours. Beefheart managed to recover from this blow and he eventually released three more albums with a new Magic Band. His last works gave him a place among the music figures of the contemporary age and set him as an example of innovation and creativity for the contemporary musical movement.

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The best way to start of the summer!

As its name suggests, the Summerburst festival is designed as a great way for music fans to start of the summer in style. The festival organisers aim to present the very best in contemporary electronic dance music. Billed to appear at the festival in 2013 are such brilliant electronic dance acts as Hardwell and David Guetta. Artists like these are guaranteed to get the crowds enjoying themselves and dancing away! Young and urban, trendy and edgy, vibrant and out for a great time dancing, these artists help to define the atmosphere at this unique music festival.

The festival with a big reputation to uphold.

Though it has only been running for two years (with the summer events in 2013 constituting the third instantiation of the festival), this is a festival which has already gained a big reputation for itself. The vibe at the festival is renowned for being a happy, cheerful, energetic one, with music lovers hooked after their first day at the event. And this is the reason why the festival has managed to garner such great support for itself over the short time that it has been running. In 2012, around 250, 000 people were said, on average, to attend each day of the festival. And even bigger crowds are tipped to be coming to experience the festival in 2013, attracted by the big names and the promise of the kick start to summer yet!

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Disco house music: an exciting subgenre of House.

Disco house music is a subgenre of House music. A form of electronic dance music, House music was born in America in the 1980s and quickly took off across the world. House music is characterised by repetitive drum beats, and electronic sounds. Where vocals were present, these were also made to conform to the repetitive and minimalist style. House music began as an independent, underground phenomenon, however as it spread worldwide it also became increasingly mainstream. Increasingly popular in clubs and discos, House music soon gave birth to Disco house. Disco house music features repeated samples and loops of disco music and is ideal for playing in night clubs or parties as it is perfect for dancing to.

A record label that aids the development of House and Disco house!

Tasty recordings aims to help Disco house music to continue to develop since the inception of this subgenre around five years ago. The label is renowned in the music scene (and especially the House and Disco house scenes) for the top quality artists it signs. With its distinctive logo, which features a vinyl record with a big bite taken out of it, this is a record label that has really established itself in the contemporary music scene, and continues to do so. Many subgenres of House music look set to die out in the near future. However, with this record label helping to foster new talent in the field of Disco house recordings, it looks like Disco house is here to stay!

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