History of Pop Music

1940s

- The History of Pop music can be traced back all the way to the 1940s starting with artists such as Bing Crosby who was known as the biggest star in the world throughout this period.
- Based on the fact that the Pop music video was roughly 25 years away from this period, there was no way for fans to see Bing on Television and in concert
- This meant that the only way for audiences to see Bing was in films with other supporting artists such as Dean Martin who also was known worldwide by audiences.
- This establishes the preliminary stages of Pop music with Bing being one of the founding Pop artists. This opened a door to a new style of Music to capture audiences worldwide ever since.

1950s

The 1950s period established new artists who identified intensely with the Pop genre and gained global success and popularity through their music and talent.

- Frank Sinatra was a star throughout the 1950s period within Pop music and a heartthrob for young girls following pop music at the time.
- Sinatra's fame had been steadily building. His breakthrough came in his first Paramount season in December 1942, when the theatre erupted with "five thousand kids stamping, yelling, screaming, applauding". These scenes only intensified during his return in May 1943.
- Frank Sinatra drew much attention from young girls who wore Bobby sox, bow ties and had pinned pictures of Frank Sinatra on their clothes. This shows the links between the Pop artists today and back when the Pop music began .
- Pop artists are 'fan-girled' by young adolescent females who buy the image and the style of the pop genre. Examples of the Link and similarities between Pop music artists from the 20th century and the 21st century can be Frank Sinatra and One direction.












Overall, Frank Sinatra opened the door for Pop music to grow and evolve to the mass aspect of society it is today. It opened the door for new Pop artists to be established and designed to accomplish both popular synthetic and organ musicians.

Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley is one of the most iconic music artists that has ever lived and has been entitled "King of Rock'n'Roll." Although specifically not a Pop artist, Elvis Presley had a unique style that was universal in the music world during the 50s. He, very much like his predecessors in this style of music generated huge popularity amongst the youthful female fan girls of the 1950s. One of Elvis Presley's most iconic tracks was Hound Dog;
 

This track sung by Elvis Presley generated world wide popularity when it was released in 1952. Elvis had young women screaming at him while he performed on stage. Elvis unlike Sinatra was able to be streamed live on Television which meant that a greater audience were exposed to his music. However, when Elvis was streamed on television, audiences were appalled based on the seductive and sensual body movements such as hip thrusting that the television companies were restricted to only showing the top half of his body while he was performing.

Elvis was seen in a film called "Blue Hawaii which boosted his popularity both within film and music;



Elvis never toured in the UK which meant that the only way to see or hear him was through the radio or at concerts in the US.

The Beatles

The Beatles were the most popular music act in the world during the 1960s. By 1966, they were sick of touring as there music could not be heard over the noise of all the screaming girls who had come to watch them in concert. The program "Top of the Pops" on BBC1 was the only way in which the Beatles fans could see their pop idols and music could be publicised from 1963 onwards.

1966

Despite giving touring a rest, in 1966 the Beatles released a double A sided single "Paperback writer" and "rain." They made two short films and sent them all over the world. These films were made in one day in the UK at a place called "Kenwood House."