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Chapter
11
I Want My MTV (1980-1990)
Outline
  1. MTV
    1. Promotional video
      1. Short films date back to the 1960s
      2. Long tradition of dance and variety shows
      3. Cable television opened the door for MTV
    2. Audience for MTV
      1. Mostly midwestern
      2. Programming choices reflected homogenous audience
    3. Controversy about incorporating "look" into music business
    4. Widely poplar artists who benefited from MTV exposure
      1. Michael Jackson
        1. Thriller, 1983
        2. Extended video for "Thriller"
        3. Moonwalk dance
      2. Madonna
        1. Former dancer, popular in New York club scene
        2. Like a Virgin, 1985
        3. Used her role as a sex object to question gender norms
      3. Prince
        1. Developed image as a sexually charged and somewhat androgynous figure
        2. Purple Rain, 1984
      4. Janet Jackson
        1. Younger sister of Jackson 5 members
        2. Control, 1986
      5. Olivia Newton-John
        1. From Australia, originally a country singer
        2. Starred in Grease, 1978
        3. Physical, 1981
    5. British acts on MTV
      1. Duran Duran
        1. Synthesizer and guitar-heavy new wave sound
        2. "The Reflex," 1983
      2. Culture Club
        1. Fronted by Boy George
        2. "Karma Chameleon," 1983
      3. Eurythmics
        1. Combined synthesizer-pop and soul vocals
        2. "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)," 1983
      4. Tears for Fears
        1. Influenced by primal scream therapy
        2. Serious lyrics, complicated music, long tracks
        3. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World," 1985
    6. Video age challenges hippie aesthetic
      1. Takes attention away from music
      2. Redirects ideas of ambition to video form
  2. New Wave in the ‘80s
    1. Police
      1. Return-to-simplicity approach of punk
      2. Sophisticated musical arrangements
      3. Poetic and intellectual lyrics
      4. "Every Breath You Take," 1983
    2. U2
      1. Simple songs arranged in innovative ways
      2. The Joshua Tree, 1987
    3. Continuation of new wave
      1. Split Enz
      2. Crowded House
      3. Men at Work
      4. XTC
      5. Squeeze
    4. College rock
      1. R.E.M.
        1. Athens, GA
        2. Featured irony and alienation
        3. "Losing My Religion," 1991
        4. Celebrated lack of affiliation with major labels
      2. Smiths
        1. UK
        2. Early group featuring Morrissey
    5. Girl groups
      1. Go-Gos
        1. First successful all-female new wave band
        2. Featured Belinda Carlisle
        3. "We Got the Beat," 1981
      2. Cyndi Lauper
        1. "Girls Just Want to Have Fun," 1984
      3. Bangles
        1. "Manic Monday," 1986
  3. New Traditonalists
    1. Consciously returning to the "core aesthetic values" of rock in a non-ironic manner
    2. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
      1. Rootsy jingle-jangle guitar, catchy melodies, and thoughtful lyrics
      2. "Free Fallin'," 1989
    3. Bruce Springsteen
      1. Relies on image of average working-class guy
      2. Born in the U.S.A., 1984
    4. Americana
      1. John (Cougar) Mellencamp
        1. Image of small-town midwesterner
        2. "Jack and Diane," 1982
      2. Dire Straits
        1. From UK
        2. "Money for Nothing," 1985
      3. Stray Cats
        1. Rockabilly revival
        2. "Stray Cat Strut," 1981
    5. Blue-eyed soul
      1. Hall and Oates
        1. From Philadelphia
        2. Strongly influenced by 1960s black styles
        3. "Private Eyes," 1981
      2. George Michael
        1. Originally a member of Wham!
          1. "Wake Me Up before You Go-Go," 1984
        2. Solo artist
          1. Faith, 1987
      3. Michael Bolton
        1. Strong debts to 1960s soul
        2. "When a Man Loves a Woman," 1991
          1. Cover of Percy Sledge song
  4. Progressive Musicians Turn to Pop
    1. Former progressive rock musicians made many pop hits in the 1980s
    2. Genesis
      1. Invisible Touch, 1986
      2. Phil Collins solo
        1. "One More Night," 1985
      3. Peter Gabriel solo
        1. "Sledgehammer," 1986
    3. Members of Yes
      1. Buggles
        1. "Video Killed the Radio Star," 1981
      2. Yes
        1. "Owner of a Lonely Heart," 1983
      3. Asia
        1. With members of King Crimson
        2. "Heat of the Moment," 1982
    4. Other ‘70s rock bands popular in the 1980s
      1. Foreigner
      2. Styx
      3. David Bowie
      4. Billy Joel
      5. Rolling Stones
      6. Paul McCartney
    5. New acts that used old styles
      1. AC/DC
        1. Influenced by British blues of the 1970s
        2. Back in Black, 1981
      2. Huey Lewis and the News
        1. Easy-rockin', sunny, and wholesome feel
        2. "Power of Love," 1986
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