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Pop music - New markets/new directions •  With many rock-and-roll idols missing (Elvis-army, Buddy Holly-

killed in a plane crash, Chuck Berry-jail, Little Richard-rejected rock-and-roll for the church, Jerry Lee Lewis-married his 13 yr. old 3rd cousin), Dick Clark and Don Kirshner created a new set of idols that would be acceptable to a larger audience

•  Large record companies began to profit on the new popularity of rock-and-roll but wanted to avoid the backlash

•  1956 - Dick Clark takes over Bandstand in Philadelphia - popular TV show with teenagers dancing to popular music

•  1957 - becomes national show - American Bandstand •  AB became a huge success

–  Clark was a clean cut, well-spoken “respectable” person –  Kids on the show were to follow a strict dress code which did not

reflect the typical teen clothing –  Any sexual references in music or from the host was eliminated

Teen Idols •  Dick Clark created teen idols for his show that would be

wholesome and clean cut so as not to offend a national audience

•  With television as the medium, image becomes as important, if not more important, than singing talent

•  Rock had become so much a part of pop culture that anyone with some talent and with no sense of the roots of rock and roll could be promoted as a rock and roll teen idol

•  The idea of a white artist with the “boy-next-door” wholesome good looks was meant to counter the image of the rebellious urban black musician or the unsophisticated poor southern artist

•  Themes in songs moved away from the raw sexual undertones in R&B to the more acceptable and innocent themes of teen love.

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Frankie  Avalon  “Teacher’s  Pet”  

Fabian    

Doo-Wop •  Originated on the streets of

New York •  Mostly poor young African

American males singing harmony

•  Doo-Wop phenomenon swept country, hundreds of other groups appeared

•  George Goldner started recording doo wop groups with some success – established Gee records and signed Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers

•  Soon groups of young white singers began to form as well

Frankie  Lyman  and  the  Teenagers  “Why  Do  Fools  Fall  in  Love”  

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Don Kirshner •  Payola scandal was success for ASCAP and songwriters

again dominated pop music •  1958 - Don Kirshner founded Aldon Music to capitalize

on the doo wop trend by hiring new young writers, many who had worked with the Doo-Wop groups, to produce romantic pop lyrics and music for a young teen audience

•  Kirshner convinced some of the record companies to produce the music produced by his writers with the African-American female pop groups becoming popular at the time

•  Success of Kirshner and Aldon Music Inc. helped to permanently establish pop music as a teen phenomenon

•  Phil Spector (“wall of sound”) became the signature sound of many of the all female groups –  Used multiple instruments, using 2 guitarists, 2 drummers etc.

and inserted an echo system to create a “wall of sound”

The  Shirelles  “Will  You  SBll  Love  Me  Tomorrow”  

The  Crystals  “Da  Doo  Ron  Ron”  

Don  Kirshner  and  The  Girl  Groups  

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Don  Kirshner  and  The  Girl  Groups  

•  Phil Spector (“wall of sound”) became the signature sound of many of the all female groups –  Used multiple instruments, using 2 guitarists, 2 drummers etc.

and inserted an echo system to create a “wall of sound”

Phil Specter

1960s  In  court  -­‐  2006  

Mugshot  2003  

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