MU121 Chapter Notes - Chapter 14: De La Soul, Radiohead, Girl Power
Ch 14 – The 90s: Widening Gaps
The Rise of Classic Rock
The Age of the CD Reissue: Selling the Same Music Again
- The change of records to compact discs was complete by the early 90s
- Compact Disc (CD) Technology: first introduced by Sony and Philips in 1980
o First commercial CD issues in late 1982
- Sale of cassettes and long play records dwindled
- CDs are now industry standard
Compact Disc Technology
- Pros of CDs:
o More portable
o Could go directly to songs you wanted to hear
o Marketed to last forever
- Since the CD had a reputation for superior audio quality, many middle-class baby
boomers revisited the music of their youth in a new format
- Often advertised features like digital remastering and bonus tracks
- Multi-CD boxed sets
- However, CDs were more expensive than vinyl records
Radio Killed the Video Star: The Classic Rock Radio Format
- Radio format began to reflect listener interest in classic rock
Fred Jacob
- Fred Jacob: Detroit radio consultant
o Helped create the radio format
- Courted baby boomers to tune into stations playing rock hits from 1966 to 1978
- First classic rock station went on air in 1985
o Lansing, Michigan
Lee Abrams
- Lee Abrams: credited for developing the stricter AOR format that characterized
rock in the late 70s
- Sold his format to radio stations across the country as a prepackaged product
Classic Rock Radio
- By 1990, classic rock became one of the most successful radio formations
o Station competition
- Classic rock radio succeeded because it appealed to the same people buying CD
reissues – this group stuck with classic rock as they aged into their 90s
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- Over time, record labels began to see classic rock as squeezing out their new artists
and releases
o Compounded by the fact that many young listeners preferred classic rock to
new music
Behind the Music: The Rise of VH-1 and the Rockumentary
- MTV’s parent company MTV networks began broadcasting a new channel called VH-1
- Targeted an older demographic – rock loving baby boomers
o Originally preferred adult-oriented light rock, R&B, jazz
- Channel struggled for over a decade until development of new shows like Pop Up Video
o Pop Up Video (1996): featured videos with onscreen facts about the music
▪ Program drew many viewers who might not have patience for music
videos otherwise
▪ People found factoids more fun and entertaining than the music
VH-1
- VH-1 then developed into 2 quas-historical series in 1997:
o Behind the Music
o Legends
- Focused on famous rock musicians and careers
o More emphasis on sensational aspects of personal lives than musical style
- Gave viewers the sense that they were learning about rock’s history
- Accompanied large scale international interest in rock history during mid 90s
- Life Time premiered the show A History of Rock and Roll
o Produced by PBS
- Shows and VH-1 participated in growing appreciation for rock as an important
American art form
- New video channels focused on adult audiences
- Clear there was big money in old music
You’re Never Too Old to Rock and Roll
- Many of the bands and artists featured in classic rock revival enjoyed great success
in the 90s
- Bands without popular new material benefited from resurgence of holder groups
- Bands like Chicago, Yes, Foreigner, Styx, Kansad, etc. regrouped and toured outdoor
theatres in the summer
o Capable of filling large venues, especially if they shared the bill with other
vintage acts
- It was now possible to grow old in rock and roll, as an artist and fan
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- Success of older groups reinforced the idea that rock had an important past with
senior figures to act as standard bearers
The Beatles
- Beatles Anthology video documentary aired on ABC
o Featured 2 unfinished Lennon sessions completed by the rest of the band
- Free as a Bird hit top 10 in late 1995
- Real Love reached top 5 on UK charts
- Three Anthology collections, full of rare and alternative takes, hit top of album charts
Rolling Stones
- Voodoo Lounge in 4 and Bridges to Babylon in
o Big albums
Eric Clapton
- Released Unplugged
o One of the decade’s biggest selling albums
- Tears in Heaven was written for his young son who died
Eagles
- Reunited
- Top spot in 1994 with Hell Freezes Over
New Rock Traditions
The Return of Jamming
- New breed of younger roots rockers began to emerge
Jam Band Scene
- Jam Band Scene: underground movement across the country
o Revived the idea that live performances were the central focus of the music
- Highly developed musical skill was an important element of rock performance
o Improv was highly important
- Bands encouraged fans to record and trade live performances
- Often, concert promoters designated specific taper sections at shows
- Night after night, a track could change through improv
- Collective summer tour HORDE marked the first important step to the new
generation of jam bands reaching national audience
The Grateful Dead and Allman Brothers Band
- Heroes of 90s jam bands
- Sprawling live shows
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Document Summary
The age of the cd reissue: selling the same music again. The change of records to compact discs was complete by the early 90s. Compact disc (cd) technology: first introduced by sony and philips in 1980: first commercial cd issues in late 1982. Sale of cassettes and long play records dwindled. Pros of cds: more portable, could go directly to songs you wanted to hear, marketed to last forever. Since the cd had a reputation for superior audio quality, many middle-class baby boomers revisited the music of their youth in a new format. Often advertised features like digital remastering and bonus tracks. However, cds were more expensive than vinyl records. Radio killed the video star: the classic rock radio format. Radio format began to reflect listener interest in classic rock. Fred jacob: detroit radio consultant: helped create the radio format. Courted baby boomers to tune into stations playing rock hits from 1966 to 1978.
