Date post: | 20-May-2015 |
Category: |
Entertainment & Humor |
Upload: | jproppe |
View: | 465 times |
Download: | 0 times |
The Teen Market
Marketing to a Generation• The word “teenager” can be traced back to
approximately 1951– “Teener” used in the late 19th century.
• The marketing idea was to distinguish adults from children and capture the large teen market– 50s & 60s teens were more independent– Had more freedoms that past teens– Did not want to listen to the music of their parents– Experienced a prosperous post World War
economy
Dick Clark
• America’s oldest teenager• Hosted a new television format
in Philadelphia which presented local high school students as they danced to pop hits– Bandstand
Dick Clark
• American Bandstand -1957 when it was televised nationally
• He brought a new respectability to rock and roll– Boys = Jacket and tie or sweater and tie– Girls = no pants, right sweaters, shorts, or low-necked tops– No smoking, no hats, no gum chewing– Banned certain sexually suggestive dances
• The goal was to reassure parents of this new music and this new breed of teenager
• American Bandstand remained on air until 1989
Payola
• Literally “pay for play”– A common practice since vaudeville in the late
19th century
• Began with television game shows– Contestant admitted he was given answers
• Congress wanted to eliminate rock music– Claimed R&R would not last without payola
• Many DJs lost their jobs and entire careers– Alan Freed “What they call payola in the disc
jockey business they call lobbying in Washington.”
• Dick Clark remained clean, at least on paper
Don Kirshner (1934-2011)
• After the payola investigations songwriters gained a greater spotlight
• Kirshner wanted to shape rock music through the songwriters– Aldon Music
• Neil Sedaka, Carole King - songwriters
– The Brill Building• An office building housing music industry
producers, writers and studios
Girl Groups• Kirshner modeled girl groups in the doo wop
teen style• The first major rock/pop style for women
– Began with groups in the 50s - rarities– 60s an explosion of girl groups
• Girl groups provided a voice for a generation of women– Songs addressed
• Romance• Heartache• Search for true love
The Shirelles
Girl Groups
• 1961 The Shirelles – The first girl group to top the singles
charts with “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow” written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin
• They became role models for successful girl groups to come
Phil Spector
• Phil Spector – record producer – created a distinct “wall of sound” for Aldon Music’s girl groups– Huge echo sound – Full instrumentation – doubling– Special echo chambers
The Ronettes
• Produced by Phil Spector– Sang Aldon Music songs
• Members came from a gospel background– Lead singer Veronica Bennett married Spector
• Changes name to Ronnie Spector
• “Be My Baby” captures the early Spector wall of sound
Girl Groups
• The Shangri-Las provided a voice of angst and melodrama
• “Leader of the Pack” hit number 1 in the U.S. - 1964– Its melodramatic theme of death caused it to be
banned in the U.K.
• There image was radical for the time– Instead of matching dressed they wore
streetwise, hip clothing• Pants, go-go boots, “tough” look