Music and the Eighties Essay Example

Rock music to include Pop and R;B. This opened up opportunities for other musicians like Whitney Houston and Prince. In a notable move in 1983, Mtv was the first to broadcast the well-known rock band, Kiss, without their typical stage make-up. This unprecedented move garnered huge ratings for Mtv. Over the years, the introduction of a constant 24-hour feed supplying videos helped Mtv gain recognition for additional shows like Headbangers Ball, 120 minutes, Yo Mtv Raps, TRL, Road Rules and Real World. Mtv has maintained its strong presence for almost three decades.

Initially, they were criticized for playing an excessive amount of videos but today, they're infamous for showcasing very few. MTV didn't just revolutionize music consumption but also paved the way for various other music shows. Their popularity instigated other channels to broadcast a higher number of music videos. A few such channels were HBO's Video Jukebox, WTBS with Night Tracks, ABC presenting ABC Rocks, and the establishment of VH1. The music scene in the eighties was characterized by significant historical events. Renowned Beatles member John Lennon met with a tragic end in 1980, while the well-loved Reggae artist, Bob Marley passed away on May 11, 1981.

The launch of Michael Jackson's album, Thriller, took place in 1982 while a year later, in 1983, the first-ever music CD went on sale. Significant moments in 1984 included Marvin Gaye's passing, the premiere of Prince's debut film, Purple Rain, an injury suffered by Michael Jackson during a Pepsi ad filming, and Tina Turner's return to prominence. In 1985, the music world saw Whitney Houston release her debut album and the hit song "We Are the World" got produced.

The year 1988 marked an era when CD sales surpassed vinyl records. In an unfortunate event of 1989, Milli Vanilli was stripped off their Best New Artist Grammy after evidence of them lip-syncing surfaced.

Discussing contemporary music frequently involves referencing the influential music from the 1980s. Many modern-day artists draw inspiration from the musical giants of that era. For instance, Usher attributes his dance and musical skills to Michael Jackson. Indeed, a plethora of artists express their gratitude to the icons of the eighties. Certain artists forever remain synonymous with that decade due to their significant single-hit successes. A one-hit wonder refers to an artist who gained immense popularity because of a singular hit song.

The eighties produced numerous one-hit wonders such as "We're Not Gonna Take It" by Twisted Sister, "Mickey" by Toni Basil, and "Lean on Me" by Club Nouveau. These popular tracks are still frequently played today, often featured in commercials and television advertisements. Reflecting on the eighties music scene through images and music videos showcases the significant progress we've made. The production techniques and budgets used today are far superior than those of the past. Iconic elements of an eighties' video would usually include neon-colored backdrops and extravagant hairstyles.

In today's videos, elements such as explosions, enhancements, and various exotic locations are quite common. The music scene of the 1980s significantly impacted the fashion of that era. High-volume hair that mirrored heavy metal bands, adidas tennis shoes sported in the style of Run DMC, lace gloves reminiscent of Madonna's style, and punk rock band-inspired makeup are all examples. Though music has evolved significantly in this decade, one shouldn't underestimate the influence the eighties had

on laying the foundation for today's music. Absence of which, might have resulted in the loss of some talented artists we see today. Furthermore, a few songs from that period are so timeless that even 30 years later our parents persistently hum those tunes.