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1980s – Pop Icons Go Global. 1980s a time for major companies to regroup and reinvent themselves with a new format and new technology . From the 80s to the 90s –. 1. Eighties Icons 2. The influence of Technology 3. Ecsta s y and Rave – The summer of Love . The Visual Element .
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1980s – Pop Icons Go Global 1980s a time for major companies to regroup and reinvent themselves with a new format and new technology
From the 80s to the 90s – • 1.Eighties Icons • 2.The influence of Technology • 3.Ecstasy and Rave – The summer of Love
The Visual Element • The visual representation of popular in the ascendancy • 1.Connections between popular music and film, TV, Music Video and MTV. Global success from multi-media presence. • 2.Music became even more of `a thing’ with digital recording technology. Increasingly less `live’ element and more a commodity. • 3.History of music of film a long one –`rockumentary’ forms a spin off • 4.80s success of MTV boosted televised music video – reshaped the form – helped to construct a global teenage consumer. Became an essential part of music industry – virtually all recordings released with a video. • 5.Analysis of MVs – is music or video?–is it visual radio? Does it represent `a new phase of development of sound recording as a cultural form’?
MTV 1.Formed in 1981 as the first global music network. Highly profitable and has spawned a host of imitators. • 2. By late 1980s reaching 20 million American homes. By 1991 28 million subscribers and adding 1-3 per year. MTV Europe in 1988 - by 1993 it was giving 24- hour coverage on cable. • 3.Attempt in 1990s to play a greater proportion of local performers (e.g. 20% in India and Latin America). • 4.Influence of North American cultural and the new global industry becomes enormous. • 5.Getting on MTV was seen as the way to `break’ a new artist. • 6.Performers who received considerable exposure on MTV before they were picked up by radio include Madonna, Duran Duran and the Thompson Twins. • 7.Invasion of American charts by British groups in the 1980s attributable to MTV.
80s Icons 1.Background to period – Economic boom of Reagan and Thatcher. Beginning of communist bloc collapse. Triumph of capitalism over socialism – • 2.Satellite and cable TV – proliferation of media – franchised films – Star Wars – video machines in most homes – Dallas and Dynasty on TV • 3.Power dressing, Yuppies, Mortgages and City Jobs • 4.Aids and Safe Sex • 5.Miners Strike and Falklands War – triumph of Thatcherism • 6.Cultural relativism • 7.Post modernism
More 80s Icons Madonna, Prince, Elton John, Michael Jackson, Queen, Boy George, George Michael, Tina Turner, Springsteen, etc • characteristics: • 1.Individualism • 2.Versatility • 3.Selling with sex • 4.Control of Business – set up own business organisation • 5.Cross Gender Appeal • 6.Soloist with ego
Case Studies 1.Madonna – constantly reinventing herself. Centre of her own world. Good business sense - $860 deal with Time Warner setting up Maverick • 2.Freddie Mercury – gay icon in both senses of word. Again constantly reinventing self and band. Epitomized 80s decadence. • 3.Prince – Paisley Park Organisation more like a fantastically prolific hit factory in the mid 80s around Sign O’th Times. Appeal across the races but a decision around 1990 to pursue the Black side of his personality – contract difficulties took him out of limelight. • 4.Annie Lennox – Eurythmics – split up at the wrong time but very prolific in early and mid 80s. Gender androgyny. • 5.Springsteen? Embodiment of authentic working man class authenticity but in 80s was in fact boss of a multi million dollar organisation
Dance Music • Working in the other direction against globalisation/centralisation was the development of dance music in the late 80s. • 1.Electro pop had showed how technology could empower. 80s the decade for simple electro pop - Soft Sell, Joy Division, Wham, Spandau Ballet, Human League, etc. Simple songs with simple technology • 2.MIDI, sampling, sequencing, computers etc., all become possible in the 80s and get increasingly affordable. • 3.Break through of the DX7 – sampling and synths in the bedroom • 4.Development of House and Techno – importance of Chicago = develops into Acid House • 5.Arrival of Ecstasy around 1985 in the UK – first produced for gay dance scene – then spread
Summer of Love - 1988 • Summer of Love – 1988 – spontaneous acid house parties • 1.Rave scene and DJ culture moved out of the clubs and into the open. • 2.Development of the illegal rave – first in 1980 Graham Bright’s Entertainment Act increased fines which could be imposed on organisers. • 3.Connection with travellers and law breaking. • 4. Led to Criminal Justice Act by Major Government in 1994