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Dubbed “the universal language,” and “the brandy of the damned,” music can incite an orgy, lull a baby to sleep, deepen a trance, inspire a couch potato to dance, and prompt an invalid in a nursing home to clap to a beat. Some research on the subconscious holds that musical instruments are the symbols of [...]

On the final, wrenching trills of “When a Man loves a Woman,” Percy Sledge waded into the adoring crowd, which surged ecstatically toward him. The dewy 20 year old standing next to me shook his head in amazement, not at the music but at its effect. “Look at that! I have got to become a [...]

Since its beginning, rock music has accompanied a dizzying succession of dances, such as the twist, the frug, the monkey, the shake, and the mashed potato. In most rock dances of the 1960s, partners did not hold each other, as in earlier dances, but moved individually to the music’s powerful beat. Most rock dances were [...]

During the 1960s, much of the rock music by black performers was called soul, a term that emphasized its emotionality, its gospel roots, and its relationship to the black community. Soul musicians included James Brown, Ray Charles, and Aretha Franklin. Motown – derived from “Motor Town USA,” a nickname for Detroit, the city from which [...]

In the late 1940s, rhythm and blues became a dominant style among African Americans. Rhythm and blues (R & B) of the late 1950s differed from earlier blues in its more powerful beat and its use of the saxophone and electric guitar. Among the leading performers influenced by rhythm and blues were Little Richard, Chuck [...]

This article is from a music appreciation textbook. Colleges offer courses such as music appreciation and art appreciation to give students a general introduction to the worlds of music and art, and students often say that these courses were among their favorite courses in college. In a music appreciation class, for example, students learn about [...]

In the mid – 1950s, American saw the growth of a new kind of popular music that was first called rock and roll and then simply rock. Though it includes diverse styles, rock tends to be vocal music with a hard, driving beat, often featuring electric guitar accompaniment and heavily amplified sound. And early rock [...]